Student Spotlight - Women who Art

Time to catch up, once again, on my student spotlights.  The artist highlighted this week, Michelle Caplan, has completed two stunning paintings, both very different from one another, yet rendered in the same lovely romantic style of the impressionists. 

FLOWER STILL LIFE

For her first painting Michelle chose to recreate a gorgeous image of a silver urn with deep red flowers set against emerald green leaves. Her choice of color and her painting technique gave the work a feel of an old master painting. 

Michelle painted the background with lighter values of green and gold, and the table on which the urn sits with a deeper intensity of red.  A golden orb and large green leaves were added to the table to complete the dynamic scene.

She added tints of white to the urn, orbs and leaves to capture the reflective quality of light.  Deeper shades of color were juxtaposed next to the highlighted areas to create a wonderful sense of depth.  Michelle stated that the painting sits in her garage (can you believe it?!) thus, I don't think she yet realizes what talent she possesses.  I say get a frame and hang that baby up - it really is an exquisite piece!!

GOAT HERDER

The image for Michelle's next painting came from a photograph taken while on vacation. Moving away from her still life painting, and on to a dreamy figure scene.  The image of a goat herder and his goats walking along a sunlit dirt road was portrayed in her marvelous impressionistic way. 

Michelle used shades and tints of green, orange and violet in a triadic color scheme to add a sense of elegance and tranquility to the landscape setting.  The highlighted areas flowing across the canvas help create a nice sense of sunlight and shadow.

Michelle and her finished painting.  It is apparent that she has a wonderful way of capturing light and it's reflective qualities in a style reminiscent of the Impressionists.