Let’s take a closer look at Arthur Wesley Dow’s Cosmic Cities. (What a name, hey!) Dow was an American artist and teacher, though it seems he is more known for his teaching. One of his students was Jane Peterson, who I wrote about last month. He also taught Georgia O’Keeffe. But enough about his students. This is one of those paintings that immediately caught my attention. It’s an interesting take on the Grand Canyon in an interesting style. It reminds me of Edgar Payne’s and Erin Hanson’s work. Arthur Wesley Dow, Cosmic Cities, 1912 Details of Painting Title: Cosmic Cities Date Created: 1912 ..read more

Let’s take a closer look at John Singer Sargent’s Staircase in Capri. Most people know Sargent for his delicate portraits, but I’m quite fond of how he painted simple, everyday subjects like this. Sargent painted it in his early days when he was around twenty-two (not bad for an early work, hey!). John Singer Sargent, Staircase in Capri, 1878 Simple Subject, Great Execution There are no hidden messages with this one. It’s a staircase on the island of Capri, which was a popular destination for artists and writers in the 19th century. But the staircase does act as a vehicle to showcase the diffe ..read more

I came across a ​2020 interview​ with one of my favorite living artists, Jeremy Mann. He shared the following wise words regarding materials (edited to remove some profanity): “It matters not the materials that one uses, it matters that the artist creates marks and paintings using the materials, which produce those marks, which speak to that artist’s soul. Why is it that a first year art student is always told something like “art can be whatever you make it!! But first I need you to go buy these brushes and some canvas.” The key is in the understanding of what you wish to paint, and how to get ..read more

Here’s a new painting fresh off the easel: Fallen Trees and Striking Contrast: Dan Scott, Fallen Trees and Striking Contrast, 2024 I painted from the photo below. This was a hidden parkland that I stumbled across with my daughter. It may look like a simple landscape, but there’s actually a lot going on, particularly around the water. Let’s zoom in on the water around the bottom. Notice what’s happening: There are several cast shadows on the water from the trees and plants. The water’s surface is partially reflecting colors from the land and sky. These reflections vary based on the angle and ..read more

I don’t have much new work to share with you lately as I have been busy finishing up the Sunsets and Sunrises Workshop (it’s nearly there). In the meantime, here’s a flashback to one of my earlier paintings: Devil’s Kitchen. Dan Scott, Devil’s Kitchen, c.2014 I painted this over a decade ago when I was teaching myself how to paint again in my early 20s. I was renting an apartment with my brother, Tim, and a friend, Luke. The painting is based on one of Luke’s photos of a place called Devil’s Kitchen in Noosa, Australia. I painted in my bedroom before and after work, with an old sheet laid acro ..read more

Earlier this month, I featured some of Theodore Robinson’s paintings. Let’s take a closer look at one of them—A Bird’s-Eye View—to see what’s actually going on. Often, it’s better to narrow in on a single painting to get a true feel for the artist’s style and techniques. Theodore Robinson, A Bird’s-Eye View, 1889 Painting Details (Click to Expand) Year Created: 1889 Dimensions: 25.7 by 32 inches (65.4 by 81.3 cm) Medium: Oil on Canvas Location: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York If you wish to download a high-resolution of the painting, please click here. Here are a few key observations ..read more

Someone I’ve been meaning to write about for a while now is Theodore Robinson. He was an American artist known mostly for his peaceful landscapes. He was also one of the first Americans to take up the ways of impressionism. Robinson was academically trained at the National Academy of Design in New York and later at the Art Students League. In 1887, he moved to Giverny in France, where he became close friends with Claude Monet. He even moved next door to Monet in 1888. Robinson shared his admiration of Monet in an 1892 edition of The Century magazine, writing: “There is always a delightful sen ..read more

Hi there! I’m currently in New Zealand with Chontele. We are having a very late honeymoon while my brother and his fiancee look after our little one. While it’s not a work trip, I can’t help but take a few sneaky reference photos. Every trip here fills up my inspiration hub for years. There’s just something different about the New Zealand landscape. The colors have an extra “pop” that I haven’t seen elsewhere. When we first landed, Chontele commented how she now understands the vibrant colors in my earlier New Zealand paintings. It’s her first time here and she didn’t realize the colors really ..read more

For your inspiration today is Isaac Levitan’s Trail in Deciduous Forest, Ferns. This painting is a great lesson on simplification, feature details, and analogous colors. Isaac Levitan, Trail in Deciduous Forest, Ferns, 1895 Painting Details (Click to Expand) Dimensions: 10.6 x 15 inches (27 × 39 cm) Year Created: 1895 Medium: Oil on Canvas Current Location: Saint Petersburg, State Russian Museum Click here to download a high-resolution photo of the painting. Some key observations: It’s a simple landscape, with a few intricate details doing most of the work. The background areas are nothing ..read more

Let’s take a closer look at The Little Worker by Helen McNicoll—a pleasant landscape with high-key colors, compressed values, and an intimate perspective. Helen McNicoll, The Little Worker, c.1907 Painting Details (Click to Expand) Dimensions: 20 x 24 inches (51.3 × 61 cm) Year Created: c.1907 Medium: Oil on Canvas Current Location: Ontario Art Gallery, Toronto Click here to download a high-resolution photo of the painting. High-Key Colors and Compressed Values The first thing that strikes me about the painting is the sense of light. Apart from a few dark accents, the colors are compressed ..read more