Beach at Fort Macon (SOLD)

This is the next painting in the 125 series. I painted it on location at the beach at Fort Macon State Park in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, last week. I'm teaching a workshop there and at other locations along the Crystal Coast this fall.

Beach at Fort Macon
5 7/8" x 7 5/8"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

If you're in the Concord, North Carolina, area tonight, I'm participating in the Concord Art Walk from 6-9 p.m. at the Piedmont Renaissance Center. I'll have paintings from the 125 series, larger works, and prepared panels for artists on display and for purchase. Please stop by if you can.

Bonfire (AVAILABLE)

This painting was in the recent Realism Found exhibit in Charlotte, NC. I hadn't painted this large in awhile, though I have been meaning to. The painting depicts friends gathering around a bonfire for a summertime party, enjoying the peaceful farm setting under the nighttime sky.

Bonfire
28" x 36"
Oil on Canvas
Please inquire about pricing to info@paulkeysar.com or call 704-596-1286.

The painting is framed in a black frame with gold lip, outer dimensions 36x44".

Cucumber Slices (SOLD)

Today's painting in the 125 series.

Cucumber Slices
4" x 4 7/8"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

Red, Green, and Black Grapes (SOLD)

I'm having to post these paintings so late at night because they are taking longer to dry. Once I get caught up with things, I hope to get them posted earlier in the day. Here's the next painting in the 125 series.

Red, Green, and Black Grapes
5" x 7"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

Gray Day at the Lake (SOLD)

Here is the next painting in the 125 series.

Gray Day at the Lake
5.25" x 6"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

Garden Tomato (SOLD)

I am happy to be back after finishing a landscape commission in late July. I also just got back in town from telling family and friends that I am going to be a dad! Very excited for that. Today a photographer came by to take some photos of me at work in my studio for an upcoming article in University City Magazine. I'll send a link to that when it comes out. I am actually not certain what the article is about, so we will see. This is the next painting in the 125 series.

Garden Tomato
4 7/8" x 5 7/8"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

This is another tomato variety in my vegetable garden—a heatwave planted from seed. I love the unusual shape.

Red and Black Plums (SOLD)

This is the next painting in the 125 series. I am currently working on a commission due at the end of this month, so that is my top priority for the next few weeks. I'll continue to create new paintings in this series as time permits. I had hoped to be able to juggle teaching, the commission, and this series, but it wasn't reasonable. I look forward to getting back to this series regularly after the commission.

Red and Black Plums
5x7"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

I started this painting last week, intending to send it out Saturday, but had a hard time getting the plums to look right. The first approach wasn't working, so I had to take a different approach, one that I should have started with from the beginning. My first approach was to paint the colors as I saw them on the surface. The approach that I needed, which ended up working, was to look past the surface light (reflections) to the base color of the plums, and then working wet on wet, to build up the colors, ending with the reflections.

Juliet Tomatoes (SOLD)

I finished this painting yesterday, but cadmium red takes a long time to dry, and it wasn't ready to scan until today. I will be sending out another painting tomorrow. These two juliet tomatoes are from my vegetable garden. I hadn't heard of juliets before this year, and I highly recommend them. They are about the size of a large grape or small roma tomato, and the plant is a high producer.

Juliet Tomatoes
4x6"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

The Unfinished Painting

This morning I started working on a painting of a green tomato, something I have been looking forward to painting for a few weeks. Unfortunately, it just wasn't happening. I was about half to three quarters of the way done, and it just wasn't clicking. As an artist, every painting doesn't end in success and satisfaction, and you have to know when to move on to something else. This was today's story. Maybe you will go back to the painting the next day, week, or months later, but sometimes paintings stay stacked in a dark closet, never to see the light of the studio again. I started a new painting of two red juliet tomatoes, but got called away from the studio this afternoon. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

Tennessee Fourth (SOLD)

I painted this in Elizabethton, Tennessee, on July 4th while visiting with my wife's family. It is so refreshing to get out in the mountains and valleys of western North Carolina and East Tennessee. Such a beautiful landscape right in the backyard.

Tennessee Fourth
5x7"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

Shells (SOLD)

Shells
5.25" x 6"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

Pear with Jar (SOLD)

Pear with Jar
5x7"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

Willow Oak Study (AVAILABLE)

Willow Oak Study
7x5"
Oil on Masonite
$185 (includes shipping within the U.S.)

To purchase this painting, please email info@paulkeysar.com or call 704-596-1286.

Blueberries with Lemon Peel (SOLD)

Blueberries with Lemon Peel
4x6"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

Shell (SOLD)

Due to my schedule this week, the paintings for this week will probably go out at night. Here is the new painting in the 125/125 series.

Shell
4.25" x 6"
Oil on Cardboard
SOLD

Cucumber Accident (SOLD)

This is the first cucumber grown in my garden. I accidentally stepped on it when transplanting, and it took on a deformed shape, and then stopped growing. I like to find fruits and vegetables that have unique characteristics. They are much more interesting to me than what is considered a 'normal' look. I have started to play with color in my paintings. The background in this painting started out green. I then changed it to red to play with its complement, before changing it back to green.

Cucumber Accident
4x6"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

Field on Contees Wharf Ln (AVAILABLE)

Today was a very hectic day. I'm sorry for the late post. Going forward, I would say, I'll get these out as early in the day as possible, but things come up outside of my control. For instance, this painting took a long time to dry, so I had to wait to scan it in. The Habanero Peppers painting has sold. Tuesdays and Wednesdays paintings are currently available if interested. Here is today's painting:

Field on Contees Wharf Ln
6x6"
Oil on Masonite
available

This is a plein air study. There's a little bit of glare on the right side of the photo.

Cherries with Peach (SOLD)

I must say I had a very difficult time editing the scan of this painting. The light reflecting off of the medium used created glare spots, and for some reason, the color just isn't conveying. The actual painting turned out quite nice, and its background and foreground colors are softer and more even than what the photo is depicting. Photo documentation is probably the most frustrating part of this process.

Cherries with Peach
5x7"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

I am always looking for variety in my paintings, and frequently use what's on hand. This is a combination I haven't painted before and was able to make use of these fruits before they went bad.

ELEMENTary Opening Reception6/26/09, 6-9 PM - Concord, NC

Please join me at the "ELEMENTary - The Basics: Air, Earth, Fire, Water" opening reception on Friday, June 26, 2009, from 6-9 p.m. at the Cabarrus Arts Council galleries, Historic Cabarrus Courthouse, 65 Union Street S, Concord, NC.

I have 14 works on display, including 7 new oil paintings, one of which is shown below. Hope to see you there!

Shore Line
16x20"
Oil on Canvas
SOLD

Below is an invitation to the opening:

The exhibit is on display through August 13, 2009. Regular gallery hours are M-F, 10-4.

Cloudy Night (SOLD)

This is the second painting in the 125 series of small paintings.

Cloudy Night
6x6"
Oil on Masonite
SOLD

In this painting, I wanted to show the coolness of night and the way the light of a full moon plays off of the clouds.