
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
what to paint, what to paint

Oil sketch: Celeste Bergin, Petulant, oil on 9 x 12 canvas panel
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
To suggest

I saw an episode of Passport & Palette on PBS today. Kenn Backhaus painted a mountain in Switerland..(and it was superb, of course). One thing he said during this episode is something I have been working on recently. Kenn said (I'm paraphrasing): "Paint to the intelligence of the viewer, let them participate in the painting". I am certain what he means is that most viewers don't need to have things "over-explained", a suggestion is all that is necessary--that way the viewer gets to finish the painting themselves. This painting is a study...I may do another version (with more detail and color) in the future.
Oil Study: Celeste Bergin, Rain in the city , 9 x 12, oil on canvas panel
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
P-r-e-c-i-p-i-t-a-t-i-o-n

My artist friend Loretta and I visited the Pittock Mansion after our PPASP breakfast meeting today. My painting was sold (in the Natural Beauty & Bounty show), but it is still up until the end of the exhibit (January 2). For the holidays each room at the Mansion was specially decorated and staged by professional designers...my favorite display was a wonderful precarious stack of dishes piled up in the sink in the kitchen. During our visit we were treated to some classical music in the front parlor. At the very end of our visit we dropped in on the Museum Store where I bought a wonderful little sparkly necklace (40% off!).
Well, what about you..did you have a great day (despite the weather)? What did you do?
Painting: Celeste Bergin, Long Tall Rain, oil on 6 x 12 stretched canvas
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Today is my birthday!

Slide show.......Just for fun.....December 26, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Thank you!

(I'm not usually a fan of sentimental subjects, but this time of year calls for a bear:)
Painting: Celeste Bergin, 2010 Christmas Bear, oil on 8x8 canvas panel (Update: SOLD!)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Woman with an umbrella

Oil sketch: Celeste Bergin, Woman with an umbrella, oil on 9 x 12 canvas panel
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Sketching after the PPASP meeting


Top Sketch, Celeste Bergin, Louisa May Alcott-y looking woman from an advertisement, Watercolor on 6 x 9 paper
Bottom Sketch: Celeste Bergin, stack of books on Carolyn's table, Watercolor on 6 x 9 paper
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
experimenting with liquid pencil...and Broderick Reception


Graphite drawing: Celeste Bergin, Intense gaze, liquid pencil, regular pencil and gesso on 9 x 12 paper
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Diebenkorn-ing it

Drawing: Celeste Bergin, Drawing in a Diebenkorn style, graphite and gesso on canvas 12 x 16
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Broderick Gallery Christmas Show, December 19, 1-6 pm

Broderick Gallery is pleased to announce the Christmas Show, an annual exhibition featuring a broad selection of small-scale original paintings, prints, jewelry, photography, sculpture and mixed media. The Christmas Show will feature over 90 unique works of art from 20 different artists. Art gifts are one-of-a-kind, conveniently sized and ready to give!
Participating artists include Barbara Kaempf-Matkowski, Quin Sweetman, Richard McNally, George Broderick, Jackie McNally, Gary Stallsworth, and Celeste Bergin.
Reception Date: Sunday, December 19, 1:00-6:00pm, Broderick Gallery, 313 East B Street, Rainier, OR 97048, 503-703-5188
Reception Date: Sunday, December 19, 1:00-6:00pm, Broderick Gallery, 313 East B Street, Rainier, OR 97048, 503-703-5188
(Above, one of my paintings in the Christmas Show) Celeste Bergin, Misty River, oil on 7x5 oil on gessoed hardboard
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Optimism!

Oil Sketch: Celeste Bergin, Bright Landscape, oil on printed page 9 x 6
I like this essay (below) that was shared with me about painting no matter what the "climate".
(Click to Enlarge)

Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Ten minute painting

Painting: Celeste Bergin, Ten Minutes, oil on 9 x 12 stretched canvas
Monday, December 13, 2010
Stage 2 landscape

Painting: Celeste Bergin, Creekside, oil on 12x9 canvas panel
Labels:
Grisaille,
Grisaille from reference,
layers
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday .....and the week in review

Sketch: Celeste Bergin, Cafe patron, charcoal on 6 x 9 paper
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Figure

Painting: Celeste Bergin, Figure Study, oil on 6 x 12 canvas panel
Friday, December 10, 2010
Phoning it in........!

Photo: Celeste Bergin, Hello........?, Webcam with effects
Labels:
bt3,
eskmo,
night off,
phoning it in,
photo with effects
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Thursday!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Grisaille.....(stage one)

Today, for something different, I painted another Grisaille painting (like the recent teacup painting) but this time I used raw umber, a little Ultramarine blue and white oil paint for the Grisaille...This will be another painting that I will accomplish in two steps-- instead of directly. Stay tuned for stage two!
Grisaille: Celeste Bergin, Creekside, oil on 12x9 canvas panel
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
My Day..........and how was yours??

In other news... After the PPASP Meeting some of us sketched flowers at Carolyn's house. To see what the others did go HERE. P.S. And can you believe it? My garaged Spitfire (below) has another flat tire! ......I just fixed this! I guess I should be happy that this happens inside a nice warm garage. Well, how was YOUR day...did you do anything artful?
(Above) Sketch: Celeste Bergin, Tuesday bouquet, Watercolor on paper
Monday, December 6, 2010
Nanook of the North type model

Painting: Celeste Bergin, Artic Woman, oil on 12x18 stretched canvas



Sunday, December 5, 2010
Tea Time...Part Deux!

P.S. I also learned when I took the painting off the easel that cad red looks an awful lot like blood on skin! (It seems identical in color). I don't use gloves to protect my skin..but I do use this barrier cream by Winsor Newton.
Painting: Celeste Bergin, Tea time, Oil on 12 x 12 canvas panel
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Tea time!

Would you like some lemon in your tea? Here's a song to go with our visit:
Underpainting: Celeste Bergin, Tea time, black & white gesso on 12 x 12 canvas panel
Friday, December 3, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
A simple figure
My aim was to paint a person with simple shapes and colors...and to suggest and not over-explain.
Painting: Woman in slip, Celeste Bergin, oil on 12x9 canvas panel
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
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