Featured Artist Marsha Chandler

Enjoy the amazing realism in artist Marsha Chandler’s portfolio, and be sure to visit her website to see more of her exquisite work.

 

 

My goal is to make every painting better than the last. I was once told that I should paint in oils because I could create magnificent paintings in oil as if that’s unachievable with watercolor.

 

 

However, watercolors are my favorite medium because they can reflect the marvelous quality of light and transparency. Painting with watercolors is my passion and I have no desire to paint with any other medium. My dream is to be a Master Watercolorist.

 

 

My paintings are not really about the objects themselves, but how the light falls and reflects on them. It’s more about showcasing light. Painting reflections in glass and metal is a challenge that I treasure. I simply like to paint ‘shiny things.’ In my compositions, I’m looking for the chance to interpret shape, color, translucency and light—the effects of reflection and refraction specifically.

 

 

Each painting takes many hours to complete. I keep thinking I’ll get faster but I keep raising my standards for myself and if anything, they take longer. New compositions and subject matter are always brewing in my head. The possibilities are endless. I just love painting still lifes!

 

 

When I resumed painting in 2005 after years dedicated to my children and then a real estate career, I tried to paint loosely or painterly. I took many workshops to learn to paint that way because I thought that is what I should do, put the paint down and leave it alone. However, expressionism was not my voice. There is just something within that drives me to render realistically. There is more than one way to be an artist.

 

 

I consider my work Contemporary Realism. My still lifes are the same subject matter as traditional still lifes but rendered in a different composition. I like to crop the image so that the subject spills off the edges of the paper, bringing the image forward.

 

 

PEAR MOSAIC – My craving for painting reflections is exhibited in Pear Mosaic. The shapes of the reflections in the pan and silverware along with the sky and cloud reflections create little abstract paintings within a realistic painting. This is as close to abstract as I can get. I used interlinking, simple shapes, harmonious balance of color, and strong contrasting values to create impact and also help lead the viewer to the center of interest in a very pleasing manner.

 

 

CANDY KALEIDOSCOPE – Creating the rich visual intricacies and meticulous details in ‘Candy Kaleidoscope’ was challenging but pure joy for me! The repetition of shapes, lively shadows and bursts of color result in in a delightful dance of light that keeps your eye moving throughout the painting. This painting is the conclusion of an enjoyable journey.

 

 

TOO HOT TO HANDLE – There is something inside that drives me to attempt the unfeasible, and that is my motivation. I am always challenged by anything that is difficult. For instance, painting a Ziploc bag was a big challenge that I welcomed, and I cherished every minute of painting it.

 

Marsha Chandler invites you to follow her on Facebook and  Twitter and read her blog.