Brisk Approach Suitable for Easygoing Subject

Fruit Tarts on Red 12"x9", acrylic, framed, $300, 
© B. Sistak Baur

Fruit tarts as a painting subject are attractive because of the variety they offer.  Not only in colors and textures but in the styles with which they can be approached. Very thick and textural paints are apt. But fruit tarts are also very suitable for a more brisk approach that features fast, broad brush strokes and an easygoing looseness. The second approach is what I selected for this painting, Fruit Tarts on Red.

I put a close up picture below so you can see the brush strokes clearly and how one layer is quickly applied over the underlying layer, often working with wet paint on wet paint. You can click on the picture for a larger image. The result is an expressive painting. Fruit tarts work well in groups so I also have blue and yellow versions of this painting. They are posted on my website in the 9"x12" gallery.
-- Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

Kaneland Celebrates the Arts

Far west of Chicago is Kane County, where Sugar Grove and Maple Park are  located.  Rural communities with agricultural roots, they represent the home of the Kaneland Community Fine Arts Festival this April 18.  For one day, the Kaneland High School in Maple Park is the location of an art extravaganza with performances, workshops, art demonstration and exhibitions. The entire community participates. In association with the Fine Arts Festival, a juried art exhibition is concurrently shown at the Sugar Grove Library.

I am proud to say that I am participating in these events in two ways.  First, I am one of the invited artists demonstrating in the Fine Arts Festival on Sunday, April 18. And second, two artworks of mine were selected for the fine art exhibition at the library which runs from March 26 to April 30.  (Grand Fruit Tart and Cheesecake Pie.)

By the way, the public is invited to these events and they are free.  Get the schedule here.

--Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

Michigan City Added to Art Fair Schedule

Michigan City, Indiana, is the art destination for me this August 21 and 22.  This is where the Lubeznik Center for the Arts is conducting its 29th Lakefront Festival in Washington Park, on the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan. The park is accessible to motorists, cyclists, foot traffic and boaters alike. Thousands of visitors from surrounding states come to this festive, high-quality event.  I hope you will, too, since I have added this festival to my schedule. Click for more info about the event.

-- Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

February is National Pie Month

You know February is National Pie Month, don't you. You didn't? Well, it seems that it is. Not only that, some folks say it is National CHERRY Pie Month because Washington's birthday is in February. The facts on National Pie Month are a little vague. When I googled, I couldn't find any definitive information, just a lot of "In Honor of…" recipes and articles. So I don't know who started it, why they started it or how long it has been in force. If anyone comes up with a good link, pass it on, please.

Let's Have Pie!, 9"x12", acrylic, framed, © B Sistak Baur. All rights Reserved.

No matter because it just so happens that I just completed a cherry pie painting this very month! And, I didn't even know it was National Pie Month until a couple of days ago!

This artwork is part of a small "glass" series I completed this winter. There are three paintings on three different types of glass plates. Glass is always a challenge but a fun one. In fact, I even like doing it! I always thought I wouldn't like it thinking it would be too tedious. But that is not the case at all.

This pie sits up proud and high on a tall glass plate. The background is textured with a soft yellow, a perfect back drop for the bluish glass and shadows. The pie filling drips over the sides of the pans. It is made with a gooey concoction of paints and syrup-y gels. The pie crust is a combination of thicker gels and modeling pastes to represent the stiff, baked crust. Color is dry brushed across the top for the "browning." The texture is very apparent in the close up (you can also double click on any photo for a larger view).
--Barb

3 Chocolate Cupcakes

Inspired by three cupcakes in the front row of a long tray in a bakery case, they appeared to be very merry and ready to dance together as if they were in a Disney movie.

3 Chocolate Cupcakes, 9"x12", acrylic, framed, B. Sistak Baur. All rights reserved.

The textured ground is the first step to give them a proper backdrop. The paper cups are created with modeling paste applied with a long, shape palette knife. The knife is sliced through the paste to make the ridges. A heavy gel is selected for the frosting. Then, very carefully, I drag a saw-toothed edge across the surface to create the swirls. This is topped with a star-like decoration. Shadows and highlights provide depth and more color adds interest to background. You can really see the texture in the close up. (Click on the photo for a larger view.)
--Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

How did you start doing desserts? (FAQ)

I have a history of using various textures in artwork. In fact, I have a 3-D piece that features an old door with a key collection. Another is created with socks -- the mateless ones that you find in the dryer.

A third is an abstract figure created with painted tissue paper. But that is not what immediately attracted me to the bakery items.

That started when I visited an Argentine grocery in Miami. In the back, the bakery case burst with colors and repeating rhythms of mounds and circles and other shapes. The scene was quite mesmerizing. Inspired, I whipped out my camera (film was still common at the time), and snapped several pictures. (The staff thought I was nutty tourist. I guess I was.) When I got back to town, I couldn't wait to have the film developed and start painting. The first artwork I did won an award in a local show so I was inspired to keep going.

While I was working on a cake piece, I thicken up the paint to better show the icing. That was first step in my journey on my way to gels, pastes, molding compounds and large variety of media to achieve new directions.

--Barb

Above left, a close up view of Grand Fruit Tart; above right, artist shown with Decision Points; right, Interdimensional Portal on the Space-Time Continuum; all are © B. Sistak Baur. All rights reserved.

www.SistakBaur.com

Why Don't You Weigh 300 Pounds? (FAQ)

I've had great conversations with people over the last 2 summers. And there are common threads among them. I thought I would gather up many of the frequently asked questions I hear and answer them here. If you don't see your question, email me or post a comment with your question, and I will try to answer it. Here is one I hear a lot and it amuses me. I will post others as I think of them. Check the FAQs link (left) to see others (but this is the first one so wait a day or two so I can get more up here).

Why don't you weigh 300 pounds?
Well, I don't actually have the pastry in front of me while I am working. Generally, I take photos of pastries when visiting restaurants, delis, cafes, specialty shops and, of course, bakeries. Sometimes I work from the photos or sometimes from memory or sometimes I just make them up.

When I do have the actual item in front of me, as with a commission, I take many reference photos of the pastry when it is fresh and moist so I have the best representation. Then I put the pastry in the freezer for safe keeping and later reference, if needed (and later eating).

I have tried painting a pastry while it is front of me -- but it is usually SOMEONE ELSE who comes along and snags a bite. I replaced a whole plate of cookies one time and had to redo the whole painting!

(This is that painting).

-- Barb
www.SistakBaur.com