Rooster Pitcher

Rooster Pitcher, 16"x20", acrylic on canvas board, © B Sistak Baur

This is a study done in black and white to demonstrate the creation of form through value.  The actual pitcher was pure white, making it the perfect item for the exercise.

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Birthday Cupcake

Birthday Cupcake, 3 1/2 x 2 1/2, Acrylic on paper, © B Sistak Baur

This little cupcake was painted as a birthday wish. There is a lovely little candle. Red velvet chocolate mini cupcake.  A tasty mouthful.  I painted this to try out the ACEO size. ACEO stands for Art Cards, Edition and Originals. They are trading card size. You see a lot of these on eBay.  People paint them and then collect, sell and trade them. Like baseball cards, I think. I wanted to see what I could paint at this size.

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Fruit Tarts for Parties

Fruit Tarts for Parties, 20"x16", Acrylic, © B Sistak Baur

I have painted fruit tarts many times.  The fruits are colorful and attractively arranged on the delicate cake cups. This painting is fun and breezy.

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Wine and Cheese

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Wine and Cheese, 20"x16", acrylic color study, © B Sistak Baur

This painting is part of my study on using color to create shape and form -- warm colors are lighter areas, cool colors are darker areas. This subject is very traditional although the execution is not. I was inspired by the still life I set up for a painting class I was leading and liked it so much, I recreated it later for my own work. You can click on the photos to see larger images.

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Cupcake Case

Cupcake Case, 16"x20", acrylic color study

This painting is part of my exploration of abstract styles, techniques and the contrast of color saturations. I was inspired to do this painting by the colors and style of southwest artist Ted deGracia after visiting his studio, Gallery in the Sun in Tucson, AZ. 

I selected the rows of cupcakes because they recalled the rows of people crowded into a grandstand in a deGracia painting.

To achieve the extra loose and abstract but still representational look, I taped my brush to a long stick and used this to paint.

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Pomegranate and Pinecones

Pomegranate and Pinecones, oil on paper monotype, image 9x9, paper 15x11 1/2

Seasonal fruit and greens inspired this painting of a pomegranate nestled amongst evergreen branches and pinecones that I collected from my yard. It is part of my investigation into color and creating monotypes. Monotypes are one-of-kind artworks that are made by transferring a painted image from a plate to the paper. This produces soft and, often times unexpected, effects that cannot be achieved any other way.  

The actual image is 9x9 and the paper is 15x11.5. There are several options for framing monotypes. They can be matted and framed in most any size frame that is larger than the image (such as 11x14, 16x20 or other size). Or, if you like the look of the edge of the paper, they can be "floated" (mat not used) in a frame larger than the paper. This piece is currently not framed but mounted on acid-free, archival foam core, size 12x16.

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Pomegranate and Greens

Pomegranate and Greens, oil on paper monotype, image 9x9, paper 15x11 1/2

I created this piece in response to my personal investigation into foods I have never tried before and new ways of cooking and eating.  The pomegranate came to my attention in December as it is a festive fruit. I purchased several and indulged. Fabulous!  This work is currently mounted on a 12x16 Foam-core and is unframed.

Monotypes deliver soft and, often times unexpected, effects that cannot be achieved any other way. This monotype was created by painting the image using oil paints onto a flat acrylic panel, similar to the acrylic "glass" you might see in a frame. The acrylic panel is placed on a printmaking press and the paper is placed on top of it. The panel and paper are rolled through a printmaking press and the paint is pressed into the paper. Monotypes are one-of-kind artworks that are created by transferring a image from a plate to the paper. When the transfer is complete, nothing remains on the plate so it is not possible to reproduce the image.

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