Fine Art by Priscilla Treacy

STANDING MODEL WITH GREEN PILLOW

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:02:00 +0000

FOR SALE HERE

This oil painting was begun on a piece of paper, and then

I decided to affix it to a canvas board with archival adhesive.

It has a bit of nice texture because of this. I always liked this

image, and this is th second version I've done of this .

Thanks for visiting.

Opium Poppy in Gouache

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:47:00 +0000

Gouache on Canson Watercolor paper,

4 1/4" x 4 3/4"

Model Back and Colors revisited

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:55:00 +0000

FOR SALE HERE

I decided to re-post this painting tonight, because last

night's image was photographed, and did not do it justice -

I couldn't stand the way the image looked in the end.

So, after using a quick-drying varnish this morning before

going to teach my class, I scanned it in my printer tonight,

and here is the painting the way it really looks. The true

colors, and minus the strange blue glare/glow of yesterday!

Model Back and Colors

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:52:00 +0000

Oil on Wallis sanded pastel paper, 7" x 12"

This painting is much more luminous and lovely than it looks

in this photograph. It is not matte, but rather quite glossy.

It might seem strange to be painting on pastel paper, but quite

a few people do it, because it is an impervious surface, and also

archival. -- To tell the truth, this actually started out as a pastel

drawing, but halfway through, I just got the urge to use oils. There

was something about the light, and the color of the drape that

she is sitting on. I felt like doing a loose, sort of bravura study

and nothing lends itself to that like oil paint!

Head of Hypnos lll, (God of Sleep)

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:31:00 +0000

Pastel, Pastel Pencil, and Vine Charcoal on White Paper, 7" x 12"

This is number three, because this actually is the third drawing that I have done of this

head. I have about eight photos of it from many angles, and am just sort of obsessed with

it, I guess. The drawings never look the same, and I have never yet really tried to create the

feeling of the bronze that it was originally created from. I'll have to do that next - that's really fun.

I was fairly satisfied with this, though not completely. There is some inherent ethereal

beauty in this face that makes it difficult to make it appear manly, although in the actual head

itself there are many manly elements that are particuarly evident from certain points of view.

I also find it intriguing just that they had a god of sleep to begin with, and always feel I

am creating something "unusual" to say the least, when I draw this object. I just never

tire of it. I think it is so beautiful. I'm sure I will do many more.

Ancient Roman Sculpture of a Child. ca 10 BC

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:14:00 +0000

FOR SALEHERE

I decided to go back to working in pastels today, although I'm

alternating this with working in oils, to honor some commitments.

For some reason, I really get inspired by images of ancient sculptures.

This child was particularly moving. One doesn't see many sculptures

of many children extant - particularly one this expressive! It was

marble, but I decided, with my "artist's license", to take some liberties

with the color, so I could give it a blue background. I love blue!! Any

chance to put blue in a picture I will always take. And there are so

many hues of it! Actually, my oil palette has about eight blues on it.

They areso inspiring.

Anyway, this is my offering for today. And, as I said recently, I am

beginning, slowly, to offer these things for sale again in my eBay store.

There will be more information about each item there.

Thanks for your interest in my work.

Bearded Iris in Gouache and Watercolor

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:19:00 +0000

FOR SALE HERE

My gouache class is going to start working on flowers in the coming week,

and I'm just trying to get together some examples in watercolor and

gouache.

The truth is, I prefer the combination of WC and gouache to just

plain gouache, which I find rather mat and dull. I like the variations

inherent in combining both mediums into one piece. Of course

there are many beautiful gouache paintings, and I have used gouache

exclusively myself, but for right now, I'm gravitating towards the

watercolor/gouache combination.

Tomorrow I need to get some real flowers to work from. I hope I can

find some interesting ones to work from. I just wish summer were not

over, and that flowers weren't so expensive! Maybe I should move to

Florida!!

Black Sweet Peas

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:38:00 +0000

FOR SALE HERE

Ever since I lived in Blacksburg, Virginia, when my

husband was going to Architecture school, I have been

fascinated by black sweet pea flowers. They grew wild
around the house where we were living, or perhaps,

someone had planted them there. I did several monotypes
of them in oils, all of which I loved, but unfotunately, I no

longer have my favorite one.

This painting is gouache and watercolor, yet again. I'm happy

with it, although I don't feel the same sense of mastery that

I do over oils. I haven't had the years of practice yet. I'll

just keep plugging along. The color in the picture is actually

a bit more red, and while I tried to correct it, it still doesn't
come across totally as it really is. No problem. It still looks

like some black sweet peas, and that was my objective for

the day.

I just love this medium!

Thanks for visiting .

Late Afternoon in Florida in August

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:13:00 +0000

FOR SALE HERE

I did this today while I was teaching my oil painting

studio class. I had very few students for some reason.

I teach gouache - which this is - in the morning, and

I had already gotten it going, and couldn't bear to stop.

My students were very accomodating however, and we

all had a wonderful afternoon!

Rose Tulip

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:39:00 +0000

FOR SALE HERE

I am having a real tug of war lately between my oils and my gouache.

I have things I really have to get done in oils. Paintings that are unfinished

make me very uncomfortable.

This morning I painted all morning, but I noticed that my heart just

wasn't in it. Have I become a "gouche painter"? Who knows? But it

sure seems like it. For one thing, it's just so much easier. No solvent,

no washing the brushes when I'm done. And, there is something about

the particular mercurial characteristics of the watercolor and the

gouache that I just love.

We'll I'll just keep this up like this for a while and see how it goes.

Today I asked the angels to help me. I believe that they did.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Sunset Sky

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:46:00 +0000

This is another in the series of small gouaches that I have been doing

lately. I painted in oils all morning, and just couldn't keep from grabbing

the gouache by about 3 PM. This isn't the greatest piece I've ever done, but

it has a certain feeling that I like. I figure if I keep on doing them I can't

help butget better and better. Anyway, it is really fun.

Thanks for visiting today.

Oil Painting of Figure Back in Progress

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:44:00 +0000

This is what some of my paintings look like underneath. This is a

variation on a grisaille underpainting. I have talked about this before.

That word is based on the French for our word gray, gris, and refers to

a monochromatic underpainting or underdrawing. In this particular

case it isn't completely monochromatic, but as I was working on a toned

canvas, I was able to use just a lot of white and a bit of color to work up

my figure after drawing it in with a pencil.

Because I know that graphite has a tendency to migrate up through paint

layers (weird!!), I sprayed my drawing heavily with both a polymer and

Damar spray. I know I will be also using a lot of glazes and layers of Liquin

painting medium, so I am not that worried about it. I teach this method,

which is called the Indirect method, as opposed to the Direct method

(think Van Gogh and John Singer Sargent - no pencils there, and no

underdrawings either), at the Art League School in Alexandria, Virginia,

where I live.

I am very happy with the way this painting is starting out, and have a

pretty good idea about how the color harmony is going to proceed at this

point. Now, I just have to force myself to stop working in gouache........

Thanks for visiting today.

Imaginary Landscape #4 and a Page of Gouache Studies

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:07:00 +0000

I 'm glad that they let you format where the pictures go in this thing, I certainly

wouldn't want one picture sitting right on top of the others.

The smaller pictures are not as small as they appear, and are more distinct in reality. I

had a lot of fun doing them . Both pieces were done on Fredrix Watercolor Canvas. I just

can't get enough of working on this substance. It is just the greatest.

I know I have to start working in oils in a few days, to fulfill some commitments I have

made (you have to earn that money!), so I will really savor my last few days of working

in gouache and watercolor - a truly wonderful combination. Everyone should try it.

If you are at all afraid of watercolor -- try gouache! - there's no such thing as a mistake

in gouache, because you can cover everything up!

Happy painting!!

Imaginary Landscape #3

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:34:00 +0000

This is another watercolor and gouache piece, done in class as a demo for my students

yesterday. I was lucky it came out so well. That doesn't always happen!!

This was done on a wonderful new product which I just love! Fredrix Watercolor Canvas.

I had been painting on it already in oils, because it has a lovely smooth, delicate surface,

and I had been using mostly paper and panels, because I Hate canvas generally!! But this

stuff is very different.

But, for watercolor, and gouache, it's absolute revelation! You can lift, wipe back, lay

washes, remove whole areas of color - you name it, it's more like working with oils

practically when you work on this product. I've been having so much fun, I can't wait

to get up in the morning! Of course all days aren't successful ones, but one can always

try, and always hope! I'm planning on filling this whole sketchbook with these landscapes,

exectued entirely with brush, and having a feeling of being partially imagined. I've got

13 to go. The paper in the book is Canson watercolor.

I usually begin by covering my picture area with Winsor and Newton Lifting Preparation,

because right now I like to paint skies, and it is enormously helpful. Of course this isn't

necessary on the Fredrix Watercolor Canvas, but I sometimes do it anyway.

So much fun.

Thanks for visiting.

Imaginary Landscape #2

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:52:00 +0000

This is another example of a completely painted gouache landscape that I made for my

new class today. I was pretty happy with it, although I don't think it really comes across

very well in the photograph. I just love working in gouache. It is so forgiving. I even did

a decent demo in class in it today. Demos are ususally problematical for me, but I find this

medium very "friendly" and also intuitive.

I almost feel like it's "guiding' me to do the right
thing in a piece.

I could do this for twenty-four hours a day.

Imaginary Landscape #1

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:34:00 +0000

I was making some examples for my students in a gouache class that is going to begin

tomorrow, and I wanted to create an example of one done entirely with a brush - no

pencil lines at all.

This is what I came up with.

It isn't very big, but I like the colors, and

the composition. I feel the contrast is rather dynamic, and I wouldn't mind being in that

place, either.

Thanks for visiting.

Gouache and Pencil Standing Figure Life Study

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:44:00 +0000

This is a drawing I was rather pleased with, and it is missing

the head because it was a demo of using gouache ("gwash" -

opaque watercolor) in washes with a pencil, to quickly sketch

the figure, and capture the contrapposto stance. (where one

side opposes the other - very popular throughout history).

This model was also very graceful, but had such a sad face

I could hardly bear to draw it - but as previously stated, that's

not why it's missing.

Milena in "Essence" Technique

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:29:00 +0000

This piece was done in the "essence" technique, which, I

just recently learned, Degas invented to be able to work in

a medium that looked like pastel which he would not have

to frame. -- Although Degas is thought of as being wealthy,

and was, in fact related to Italian nobility, his brother's

erstwhile, failed cotton business in New Orleans placed a

great deal of financial pressure on him during many years

of his life, so I guess he was looking, like most of us do, for

ways to economize. -- In this technique, the oil is soaked out

of the paint overnight on blotters, paper towels - Degas

apparently used cardboard - then scraped onto the palette

the next day.

Then, the paint is diluted with solvent (essence in French)

and can be painted on any unprepared paper surface.

Fun!

More Advanced Demo from my Drawing into Painting Class

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:42:00 +0000

This is a semi-colored grisaille underpainting done over a drawing done

with a mechanical pencil and then covered with a thin layer of acrylic

medium tinted orange. The oil colors used to develop the picture so far

where simply black and white, with a bit of brown and green on the mag-

nolia blossom.

The interesting color phenomenon occurring here is do to a situation

known as "optical grays". That is that any medium (center of a value scale

of five values) gray placed near a color or about the same value and intensity

will take on the complement of that color. Notice how the sphere appears to

be blue in parts. This is because the background is slightly orange. The

sphere is really only a gray made of black and white.

Color is amazing.

2nd Project Demo from my Drawing into Painting Class

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:26:00 +0000

This is a demonstration of a grisaille underpainting that has been partially

painted over, by painting into a wet "imprimatura", or layer of transparent paint.

A grisaille, some of you may not know, is any monochromatic underpainting, but

is called what it is because the word gris means "gray" in French, and in the early

days of the development of oil painting technology, underpaintings were most often

done in black and white, or raw umber and white. Leonardo actually used brown,

and a close inspection of Vermeer reveals that he sometimes used a greenish color.

Anyway, this type of painting is known as "Indirect Painting", in that you separate

the drawing, or "form" part, from the color part. It is actually the easiest type of painting,

and is believed to have been developed in Flanders by the Van Eyck brothers in the late

14th C.. -- My underpainting in this demo was done in black and white acrylic, but in my

classes, we use Mars Black and Titanium white, because Mars black is the leaset oily black,

It is important to keep the lowest levels of a painting almost oil-free, and then gradually

add oil (fat) as you build up the layers of the painting. This lessens the chances of cracking

and crazing of the paint surface over time.

This type of painting is directly opposite that done by alla prima ("all at once", "at the first",

who began working in the late 16th, early 17th C.'s, such as Frans Hals and Rembrandt. Later

on, Van Gogh and John Singer Sargent, and Mary Cassatt are marvelous examples of this

direct approach in which one both draws and paints onto a bare canvas, creating form and

color all at once with the brush.

Thanks for stopping by.

Desi Standing

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:11:00 +0000

This little sketch I did at an all-day figure drawing
class I taught today at The Art League School in
Alexandria, VA. The model was so beautiful, I now I
did not do him justice, but let's face it, how much can
you do in ten minutes. The drawing practice is the
thing, after all.

Sophie's Back - Oil on Linen

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:01:00 +0000

Oil on Linen, 15' X 19" SOLD

Sorry, it's been a long while since I posted, I know.

You know that old saying, "Those who can do do, and

those who can't, teach"? - Well, that's been me for the

past few months. I don't mean that I literally can't

make artwork, I just mean that the economy has

forced me to spend more time teaching ( I teach

private workshops in my home).

I enjoy doing this

tremendously, but preparing for them requires a

tremendous amount of time and effort.

For instance, I am teaching one for the next several

weeks. It meets on six separate days. Just painting

the examples for it, doing the research, typing up

the text, putting together the reference materials

for the students, etc., has taken me three weeks of

solid work. Fortunately, I do enjoy that as well. I

think I was a monk in a former lifetime.

But it's time to get back to work!

And I mean ARTWORK!!

Thanks for visiting today.

Nautilus

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:06:00 +0000

Go Here to Bid

Pastel on White Archival paper, 6" x 8"

I did this drawing today in my "veils" pastel technique, using

many thin "glazes" of pastel powder over a charcoal drawing.

It is hard to see in the photograph the beautiful surface of the

drawing, particularly the different textures - the difference

between the soft, velvety backgroundm the grainy table,

and the smooth and shiny shell. This is a very fun technique

and is one that I teach in my class and in workshops.

Thanks for visiting today.

A Roman Woman, C.100 AD

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Wed, 06 May 2009 18:25:00 +0000

Go Here to Bid

Pastel and Charcoal on White Sketch-weight Archival Paper

This is a drawing that I started at home, continued as a demo for my students in

class as an example of my "veils" technique - which involves using many thin layers of color and applications of fixative combined with charcoal drawing -

and finished at home.

I used the Sennelier "Fixatif Latour", which comes only in a spray pump bottle.

It is wonderful because it has a citrus base, and unlike most fixatives (many

pastelists refuse to use any fixative at all, as a mattter of fact there is a big lack

of consensus about this...), you can spray it right in front of your face. You don't

even have to go outside. It has two drawbacks: one is that because it is not solvent-

based, if you are working on a thinnish paper, as I was here, it can actually cause

the paper to buckle. But of course this is not problem with Wallis sanded, or even

Canson pastel paper. Secondly, because it is a pump, one often gets little spots if

the nozzle isn't 125% clean. You can see the spots if you look closely in the pink part

of this piece. Sometimes that has its advantages. Sometimes not!

Thanks for visiting today.

Sharon Arabesque

priscillacalhoun317@hotmail.com (Priscilla Treacy) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:21:00 +0000

Sold Oil on Board, 6" x 8"

I just wasn't able to do anything today. One of THOSE days...

I don't know if it was the gloomy weather or what, but nothing

was happening. So, I decided to post something I did last year

and sold in my eBay store - that explains the watermark in

the lower right corner. I've always liked this pose, and was

happy with the way the painting turned out, so I don't mind

showing it. I hope you enjoy it.

Here's hoping tomorrow is a more productive day.

Thanks for visiting.