Elegant Selection

This is a smaller painting, 9" high and 12" wide ,and putting so much diversity into a small space was a challenge.  Each pastry is unique with its own chocolate-like color and texture. They are almost tumbled one upon another creating an enticing display. In the close up, you can see some of the individual textures in the desserts.  Look for the differences among them. Click on the image to see a larger view. In addition, this painting is one of three I created that feature glass plates. 

A plateful of lovely desserts suggests a story of an elegant day of entertaining, beautiful guests and delightful company.
--Barb

May Art Fairs 2010

 May 1 is this Saturday and  May is the unofficial kick off for art fair season in the Midwest.  Here are three good fairs you shouldn't miss. 

Oak Park, Art in the Park 15-16, Mills Park, 217 S. Home Ave.
The hometown of Frank Lloyd Wright is the setting. You can tour his studio and the neighborhood, which is the location of some of his early work. The West Suburban Art Guild organizes this event.

Riverside Arts Festival, May 22-23, 
35 E. Quincy Ave
The entire town of Riverside is a national landmark, as it was  planned by Fredrick Olmsted, the nineteenth-century landscape architect who designed Central Park in New York. Beautiful homes and city buildings are hallmarks of this town. A walking tour, conducted by the Olmstead Society, starts off at 2 pm.









  Barrington Art Fair, May 29-30, downtown Barrington
Friendly little restaurants and an old-fashioned downtown area are two of the attractions of Barrington, long known to be the home of the horsey set. Barrington is a pleasant town to visit and the art should be fabulous. This is the newest Amy Amdur-produced art fair. If you are familiar with Chicago-area art fairs, you know that she conducts a fine show with high quality art and professional organization.

  
 --Barb

www.SistakBaur.com


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Long, Lovely Loaves in the Market

Bread at the Market, 14"x11" , © B Sistak Baur

Rich, warm colors are great to work with but it is the setting of this painting that was the attraction for me. Recreating this scene -- placing the bread in a market -- was exciting. I created a stylized, simplified background to sharply contrast the more detailed basket and lovely, long bread loaves -- unpackaged and obviously fresh. Layers of paint define the individual loaves in the bundle. In the close up, you can see the interplay of colors that define the depth and loave textures. Bread texture is very satisfying in both eating and in re-creating on  canvas.

Bread at the Market, Close Up, © B Sistak Baur

The vertical format emphasizes the shape of the loaves. On my website, I have matched this painting with two others that share the same format.  See how they look together and let me know what you think. This painting is currently available to be shown. Please call me if you would like a personal appointment.

--Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

This painting has been sold.
 

Chicago Art Open Showcases Diverse Works (Mine, included)

The 12th Annual Chicago Art Open, presented by the Chicago Artists' Coalition, will be on display from April 20-May 7 at the River East Art Center, 435 E. Illinois Street, Chicago.  There are more than 350 works of art on display, all from members of the Chicago Artists' Coalition.  The Chicago Art Open is an unique opportunity to appreciate the diverse talent of the city's visual artists.  The Opening Reception is April 24, (a Saturday), from 12-4 pm..  Yes, I am displaying my "Loaves" in this exhibition and will be at the opening reception (which is free for everyone). I hope to see you there.

Two more great events are happening at the Open.  One is the Benefit Preview Party, April 20, from 6-9 p.m.  Advance tickets are $50.  The other event is the free event,  "How to Collect" panel discussion that takes place May 2, from 12-3 p.m. (If you can't make this but are interested, I am going to attend and post the information here on my blog.)

 

Loaves, showing at the Chicago Art Open, 16"x30", stained canvas adhered to board, © B. Sistak Baur, $975

--Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

Live Demo at High School

Carol Bristol, high school art teacher at the Westminster Christian School in Elgin, IL, invited me to give a live painting demo. Well, I was more than a little nervous, never having done a live demo before in front of actual people!  But they were studying Wayne Theibaurd and working on cake paintings.  So who better to give a live cake painting demo then yours truly?  So I agreed.  The class was delightful!

We started out talking about Wayne Theibaud and how my work is the same and different. 


I passed around paintings so the students could look
at them up close.

The class asked great questions.

Then, it was time to get to work! 

The students were very interested in learning 

about the impasto media that lets you do very thick paintings.

And, I was able to show the students exactly how to mix the paint and apply it to the canvas.  I went on to show different texturing techniques.

They loved looking and touching!

I could tell that the students were very interested in these painting techniques.

They had several paintings to look at.  I hoped to offer a variety.

Thank you, Carol Bristol and students!!

 

-- Barb
www.SistakBaur.com

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