Stormy Seas - Day 5

Stormy Seas, 16 x 20, oil on canvas

Continuing my use of grays, I used the thought process & palette from my previous 2 studies to complete a larger piece. Adding green & ochre helped to anchor the painting & make it more interesting. I still consider this neutral in comparison to some of my past work.

Available on my website http://www.susanciufofineart.com/

and my ETSY page https://www.etsy.com/shop/SusanCiufoFineArt

Study #2 - Day 4

Study #2 - 9 x 12 oil on canvas

Continuing my exploration of grays & muted brights. Does this evoke a sail boat or a canyon landscape? That is exactly what I love about abstracts, everyone sees something different & it is so fun to play with shapes & color marriages. Thank you Leslie Byrd Saeta for the 30 in 30 Challenge!

available on my ETSY page https://www.etsy.com/shop/SusanCiufoFineArt

Study #1 - Day 3

Study #1 - 8 x 10 oil on canvas

I have struggled for many years to find the balance between bold color & neutral. I have seen very few totally neutral paintings that grabbed my interest over the years. That said, I have often painted too bold for my personal taste. Part of the reason I accepted the 30 for 30 challenge posed by artist Leslie Byrd Saeta was to challenge myself to paint with more neutrals & to neutralize color without having it lose its impact. Here I have painted a study for a larger painting using lots of grey & soft blues. The orange used here is heavily neutralized & still has a lot of impact in this painting.
available on my ETSY page https://www.etsy.com/shop/SusanCiufoFineArt

Reflections - Day 2

'Reflections' - 24 x 24 - oil on canvas

Here is my painting for day 2 in the 30 for 30 challenge posed by artist Leslie Byrd Saeta. I spend a lot of time in California's Central Coast. It is definitely my happy place. I love Morro Bay with the sound of the fog horn at night & the changing tides. I also love the activity of boats on the water in the harbor. Here you can feel the cool deep water & enjoy the dancing reflections of the sunlight & colorful boats. 

This painting is available on my website http://www.susanciufofineart.com/

or my ETSY page https://www.etsy.com/shop/SusanCiufoFineArt

Glacial Inlet - Day 1

It has been many months since my last post...argh! Writing is not my best attribute. I have joined Leslie Byrd Saeta's challenge to paint 30 paintings in 30 days  for the month of Sept. Well, guess what, it is 107 degrees here & I don't have air conditioning in my studio. So of course I am dreaming of Alaska...yes, I know it could be way worse here, we are not flooded, thank goodness & my heart goes out to all the people in Southern Texas.
My husband, youngest son & I took a wonderful cruise to Alaska a year ago & I was able to capture some great inspiration photos. I decided to do a quick finish on a painting I started a few months back titled 'Glacial Inlet', 24 x 24 oil on canvas, available on my website or ETSY page.

Drifting Away

I have not been writing as of late, but I have been painting away, working towards abstraction. Here are a few of my latest paintings. They are all in a large show with my fellow Monday Morning Painters at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks, CA. This is a show put on by The Arts Council of the Conejo Valley. We are very honored that they chose us to exhibit.
All my paintings are available on my website http://www.susanciufofineart.com/

Drift 36 x 36 oil on canvas

Vision Quest 20 x 20 oil on canvas

Moondance 24 x 24 oil on canvas

Convergence 24 x 24 oil on canvas

Full Circle 20 x 20 oil on canvas

Growing Through Abstraction

Back to blogging! I have been exploring abstract painting over the past 2 years. The journey has brought me back to the landscape in an abstracted manner & been thoroughly enjoyable. My goal starting out was to experiment with materials, loosen up brushstrokes, control color while keeping things vibrant & to paint larger. Below is a gallery of my paintings through the abstract process. Available on my web-site
http://www.susanciufofineart.com/index.html

Tidewater - 14 x 14 oil on canvas

Solstice - SOLD

Eclipse - 18 x 24 oil on gallery wrap canvas

Awaken - 14 x 14 oil on gallery wrap canvas

Burnout - SOLD

Ripple - 14 x 14 oil on gallery wrap canvas

Approaching Storm - 24 x 24 oil on gallery wrap canvas
2nd place ribbon - Westlake Village Art Guild Member Show