Chinatown and Pink Plastic Bags
Chinatown centered on Grant Avenue and Stockton Street in San Francisco is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest in North America. The first immigrants to come to San Francisco were two men and a woman in 1848, where it continues to retain it’s own customs, languages and culture.
Grant Avenue is the southern gateway to Chinatown and one of the oldest streets there in Chinatown. The architecture varies from Old St. Mary’s church to the Sing Chong Building of which I painted in “No Parking in Chinatown”.
The town is mainly populated by Canton region of China immigrants and new immigrants including those from Hong Kong and Mainland China.
You will find restaurants galore serving great dim sum, plus wildly colored markets carrying ethnic Asian spices, teas, and Chinese veggies.
Most people who visit Chinatown have a love hate relationship with it. But for a painter it’s a feast for my eyes. Chinatown’s colors are vivid, a colorist’s dream. The chaotic atmosphere, the brightly colored signs and unique shops add to my interest. It’s a Disneyland atmosphere of touristy trinkets. The contrast of the elders selling antiques and tourists carrying pink plastic shopping bags create a wonderful juxtaposition.
I will be showing you many more paintings from Chinatown and I hope I captured the energy of this interesting neighborhood and tourist attraction.
2k14 current footage 3728 sq. inches
*Painting above~It's Not Kiki's Market II, 36" x 36" acrylic on museum wrapped canvas, Price $3240
*All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA. You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237. Thank you!
A Better Deal Than Kayne’s Shoes & They Are Red Too!
The value of a dollar is social, as it is created by society.~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Societies values have gone awry. What is this world thinking people paying $16.39 million dollars on the previously sold out solid red Kayne West’s Nike Air Yeezy2 “Red October”? Call me crazy but I believe you can make better use of your money by choosing to support the arts. Celebrities and wantabe’s why not start purchasing art instead of wasting your money or do you think the Yeezy2 is a work of art, NOT!
Just completed Red Clay Pot and Chinatown Red, note the RED and worth the value. The paintings were created on museum wrapped canvas, no need to frame. I thought I would try something different and paint the edges a bright color, these are painted Cadmium red a beautiful red that will show off from all angles when hung, plus they would look great as a pair.
Thank you for supporting the arts!
*Red Clay Pot, measures 8" x 8" acrylic on museum wrapped canvas with red edges, price $225.00 Delivered anywhere in US.
*Chinatown Red, measure 8" x 8" acrylic on museum wrapped canvas with red edges, price $225.00 Delivered anywhere in US.
2k14 current footage 2432 sq. inches
*All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA. You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237. Thank you!
Does A Painting Always Need A Focal Point?
Is the use of a focal point in a painting discretionary? It has been argued that a painting doesn’t have the strength of composition without one. I am taking an online art course that includes the topic of focal points. The viewpoint taught is that all paintings must have one. It is in doing this course that has caused me to question, whether it is necessary or not. In the painting above, I have forced myself to create a focal point. In most cases, my paintings don’t have one. I prefer to have the viewer move around the canvas, explore and experience and not be inclined to stay in one area of the painting.
Let’s examine how a focal point is created.
- Placement: The eye is drawn to the center and front of the painting, yet finding an appealing location for the focal point is important. “Where do you want the viewers eye to go?”
- Contrast: The eye is attracted to the brightest area and the darkest dark next to the lightest light.
- Color: The viewer is also attracted to the brightest most vivid color, which can be intensified by the use of complimentary colors next to each other.
- Shape: A unique shape, a larger shape or an extremely active shape may suggest a focal point.
- Line direction and converging lines: Lines may direct your eye to the focal point by using architecture, calligraphy and intersecting lines. Anything can point to a focal point.
- Isolation: Separating subject from distracting elements can strengthen focal point.
- Focus: Anything that is more focused, defined, with sharp edges instead of blurred will strengthen focal point.
There are many famous artists that don’t use focal points in their paintings. Monet chose to capture an impression of the effects of light and color, as opposed to focusing on one patch of water lilies in this painting.
Hans Hoffman’s desire was to create an illusion of space, forcing the eye to move along the two-dimensional plane using color, shape and line.
Piet Mondrian’s grid paintings simplified his compositions to primary colors, white, and black lines intersecting vertically and horizontally focusing on the positive and negative shapes.
Learning the rules of good composition is important, but in the end you must make a decision for yourself.
What do you think? Does a painting have to have a focal point?
Hong Kong Clay Pot, oil on museum wrapped canvas, 48" x 48" Price $5760
2k14 current footage 2304 sq. inches
*All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA. You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237. Thank you!
2K14 Challenge
2K14 is my third consecutive art challenge. In 2012 my challenge was called Paint 52, of which I painted 52 paintings in one year. Challenge Art20k for 2013 was successfully completed painting over 20,000 square inches for that year. Year 2014 will be different; it won’t just be about painting. It’s time to market my work. In fact, my word for this year is “exhibit”.
I have built a body of work for the past two years. Many pieces have not been seen in person, but only on social media, Twitter and Facebook. I plan on having three or more Art shows this year.
I still continue to paint numerous paintings this year. My goal is to paint 15,000 to 20,000 square inches. Because of your requests for smaller affordable paintings, I will be painting a variety of sizes. Don’t forget to contact me for commissions as well.
I’m currently showing at Gilroy Arts Alliance. The show will continue until January 12, hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, 2:00-5:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Please subscribe to my newsletter for further information on showings.
Thank you so much and hope 2014 brings you much success!
PS Look for posts of my paintings on Twitter @JanetVanderhoof #2K14 and also on Facebook.
*All art from Janet Vanderhoof’s Fine Art Gallery, maybe seen in Janet’s studio at Morgan Hill, CA. You may purchase through contacting my email jvander51@msn.com or phone (408) 460-7237. Thank you!