Bicycles

Signed Limited Edition Giclee Print

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©2016 Susan Grabowski

Original oil painting was done onsite at Depot Square, Mill Valley, CA, during the 2008 Paint Off competition.

The painting took second place.

“I participated for the second time in the Mill Valley Paint Off on July 19, 2008. I joined over 30 artists in Depot Square in downtown Mill Valley to create a work of art on the spot, starting at 10:30 am and finishing by 2:30 pm. We were to paint anything we chose, as long as we stood within the square. It was a beautiful, sunny day, though a bit windy and cool, and the square was filled with people (and many dogs). Children ran around and drew pictures in chalk on the sidewalks. Friends met for coffee and breakfast, and the usual group of chess enthusiasts gathered at the chess tables on one end. The crowd was very interested in the artists, and stopped to watch and chat as the art took shape on canvas or paper as the day progressed.

At 2:30, we all lined up our easels and the voting began. The people and the artists chose their favorite. Awards were announced, and my painting, “Bicycles,” received the 2nd Place Artists’ Choice award.

I chose my subject after meandering for about 30 minutes. I am mainly a landscape painter and the complexity of buildings and milling people are not my usual subject. I had set up to paint the La Coppa awning across the street, and took one more look around before beginning. Suddenly I saw the line-up of parked bicycles against the Depot building, and knew I had found something that excited me. I methodically laid in the shadows and bicycles and, careful to leave them in place as the light changed over the next couple hours, worked from top to bottom to fill in the mid-tones and finish with the sunlit highlights. I added the lamps last, with thick impasto of tinted white.”