Apple and Iron
(18" x 18", oil on canvas)

Few things capture my attention more than great contrast.

The juxtaposition of the bright apple against this old cast iron pot provided me with contrast of not only colour, but also of tone and texture. The apple looks brighter, crisper and brand-spanking-new against the antique background of the pot, while the pot's darkly aged texture is in turn amplified by the freshness of the just-peeled apple.

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Tin Cup
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

I spent hours and hours trying to compose a simple piece with this handful of Rainier cherries. After many failed attempts I scrubbed everything out and left my studio, disheartened. The next morning I sat down at my easel and within a few short hours I had this little gem well on it's way.

People often ask how long a painting takes and I always try and answer honestly. This little piece may have taken 8 hours, but it was the hours I spent in miserable frustration during the previous days that made it possible.

If you’d like to be included on my Painting of the Week email list please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Red and White on Blue
(18" x 24", oil on canvas)

Most of my work focuses on mood, where light is often my real subject matter. This piece, however, was motivated purely by colour.

I found this errant pomegranate in the back of my fridge and immediately pictured it on the blue cloth that I have been using (okay, addicted to) recently. The white vase adds sparkle and makes the colours even more royal.

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Tin Quart with Honey
(20" x 30", oil on canvas)

As I recently wrote, one painting often leads to the next. I really enjoyed the palette of last week's piece and decided to use it again in a larger piece. I love the old tin quart used here. The dull patina reflects just enough of the local colour, mainly the blue cloth, that I feel it holds the colour composition together.

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Breakfast with Honey
(18" x 24", oil on canvas)

Of late, I find myself having to make a conscious decision each morning to leave behind the dreary headlines of gloom and doom and try to create an oasis of well-being with my compositions. "Breakfast with Honey" is a peaceful slice of life that I hope will bring to mind the accessible beauty that makes up our days.

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Adagio
(18" x 24", oil on canvas)

Although I grew up on a steady diet of rock music, classical is all that I play in the studio. Classical music seems to slow my heart rate and allows me long periods of concentration, so instead of singing along with Freddy Mercury I devote all my attention to the canvas. The name of this painting comes from a recent personal favourite, Adagio en sol mineur by Tomaso Albinoni. Adagio, meaning "a tempo having slow movement; restful at ease", seemed the perfect title for this quiet piece.

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Red Squares: Red Grapes and Pomegranate
(12" x 12" each, oil on canvas)

Here are two more additions to the new series of small canvases. My work takes a good six months to cure before I am able to varnish and ship out to galleries. During this drying period I often frame and hang work in my home to see how well it "shows". While these pieces are great on their own, they pack a really nice punch when hung as a group.

If you’d like to be included on my Painting of the Week email list please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.