"Showing Off" is Art of the Day at EBSQART.com

Showing Off, 25" x 19", pastel on charcoal paper


Detail 1 of Showing Off


Detail 2 of Showing Off


Detail 3 of Showing Off

New Pastel Painting "Showing Off"; EBSQArt.com FOTM: Tulips Show

I recently just finished a pastel painting called, "Showing Off" in April 2010.

Showing Off, 25" x 19", pastel on charcoal paper


Detail 1 of Showing Off


Detail 2 of Showing Off


Detail 3 of Showing Off

This new painting is based on a macro photo taken last spring (2009) at Central Park Conservatory in New York City. I loved how the inside cup/trumpet was this beautiful and vibrant mixture of reds and oranges on the inside, but the outside a beautiful pale pink and beaming bright yellow. Against the white petals, this flower was quite bold with alot of contrast, a perfect subject to paint. I also loved the perspective of the cup and how it appeared almost three-dimensional, coming out of the paper. The cup/trumpet was sharp and in focus and at an unique angle for the viewer and the background was blurred and a bit hazy.

This flower's botanical name is called Narcissus which to some represents vanity. According to greek mythology, this flower is based off of a greek youth named Narcissus, who became so obsessed with his reflection that he would stare at himself in the pool of water. Doing this so often that he fell in and drowned. I felt that this vanity is a bit evident in my painting and how the daffodil flower presents itself, as showing off its beauty. Daffodils are quite beautiful and frilly, but actually, some parts of this flower are poisonous.

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"The Tulip" and "A Moment At Central Park" in EBSQart's Flower of the Month: Tulip '10 Show








EBSQart.com Flower of the Month is Tulips. You can view their show online, which I have entered two pieces in and even vote for my artwork by going to the EBSQArt.com website.

I have two pieces up for voting:
"A Moment At Central Park", 48" x 36", oil on canvas, Melissa Tobia


"The Tulip", 11" x 14", pastel on charcoal paper, Melissa Tobia



Please visit the ebsqart's EBSQart's Flower of the Month: Tulips '10 exhibit and vote for the winner by registering for free by visiting the links above. Voting begins May 1, 2010.

Daffodil: Flower Of the Week; Pastel Paintings & Photography Sections updated and for sale on www.melissatobiaart.com

FLOWER OF THE WEEK



"Fluidity"
Yellow Daffodil (Narcissus)
Buy Now! Prints available from ArtistRising.com

Since I first discovered the daffodil flower this spring (I knew it existed before my flower painting frenzy) in the park I have been very fascinated with daffodils. Their beautiful color combinations, central trumpet, and the gracefulness of the petals. Right from the start this flower has begged me to paint it in pastels and in oils. Thanks to my SLR digital camera, I captured some interesting macros of this flower in bloom in late April.

Some interesting facts about daffofils... they are toxic to eat. Daffodils contain the alkaloid poison lycorine, mostly in the bulb but also in the leaves. Daffodils are part of the Narcissus gene and originate back to Greek mythology. One interesting myth is of a Greek youth so obsessed with his beauty that he fell into a pool while staring at his reflection and drowned. The Narcissus is perceived quite different in the east than the west. In the west, the narcissus is seen as a symbol of vanity. In China, the narcissus is seen as a symbol of wealth and good fortune. I myself never really looked at a daffodil in that way. I only considered it to be a very elegant and graceful flower, great to paint because of the interesting folds and the inside cup.


Current Reference for Pastel Painting,
pastels on charcoal paper; art to come soon


I am currently in the process of completing a pastel painting of the above reference (the white daffodil with the reddish cup). I am about 2/3's of the way done and hope to complete it shortly. I really was quite interested in this photograph as a reference because I liked the macro view and how the only part in focus is the central trumpet. To me, that makes the view almost three-dimensional.


Future Reference For An Oil Painting

When I first took the photo of the two daffodils together I knew that would make the perfect oil painting. I just love the fluidity and the relationship between the two daffodils, not the mention the colors!

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PASTEL PAINTINGS SECTION UPDATED, NEW ART FOR SALE



www.MelissaTobiaArt.com Pastel Paintings Section Updated!


"The Tulip",
pastel on paper, 11" x 14"
Buy Now!



"A Summer Day",
pastel on paper, 10" x 8"
Buy Now!

...and more!

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PHOTOGRAPHY (MIXED MEDIA) SECTION UPDATED,
NEW ART FOR SALE



www.MelissaTobiaArt.com Photography (MIxed Media) Section Updated!


"Busy Bee",
digital photograph, 10" x 8"
Buy Now!


"Reflection",
digital photograph, 10" x 8"
Buy Now!

...and more!

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Sunflower: Flower of the Week, Another Work in Progress

FLOWER OF THE WEEK


Sunflower (Giant Grey Stripe)

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This past spring, I decided to start a garden on my balcony of my two bedroom apartment. I grew from seed this beautiful 5' sunflower. Apparently sunflowers are not hard to grow.

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Reference 1


Reference 2

I was very excited when this sunflower final bloomed. It makes me want to go Van Gogh crazy. Instead of picking between these 2 references, I think I might paint both of them.

Sacred Lotus: Flower of the Week, Latest Works in Progress for Pastel Paintings

FLOWER OF THE WEEK


Nelumbo nucifera (Sacred Lotus)

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After recently taking a short but wonderful trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens to be enlightened and capture some new references, I took some photographs of sacred lotuses that really inspired me. Lotuses really call to me as an artist. The two below references are my next two pastel painting references to be in progress soon.


Reference 1, look at the relationship between the two lotuses, almost like mother and child


Reference 2, this photo has a nice balanced, but simple composition

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MELISSA TOBIA PHOTOGRAPHY


"Exquisite Excellence", digital photo

Prints Available at ArtistRising.com Click Here


"Beginnings", digital photo

Prints Available at ArtistRising.com click here

Melissa Tobia: Featured Artist of the Week at Manhattan Arts International

Manhattan Arts International has made me the Featured Artist of the Week on their website.



You can view my art by going to the link here.

Melissa Tobia Grabs Patrons Choice Award For Pastel "Landing Zone" on EBSQArt.com & New Pastel In Works

Results are in today for the EBSQArt.com's Competition: One Word Concept: Scintillating and my pastel painting "Landing Zone" (shown above), sized 18" x 24", won Patron's Choice! I am very excited and thrilled.

You can view the competition and the winners by clicking here.

IMAGE DETAIL

Detail 1

Detail 2

Detail 3







IN THE WORKS...
I am very excited to start a new pastel painting based on a daffodil I photographed (shown above) recently. This photograph of this daffodil was taken at the Conservatory Garden in Central Park in late April 2009. What I loved about this photograph was how most of the flower was very soft and blurry except for the cup in the center which is almost three-dimensional and a beautiful shade of oranges and yellows.

Visit www.melissatobiaart.com by clicking here.

Become a Facebook fan of Melissa Tobia Art Page by clicking here.