Pomegranate Parts and Pieces
(24" x 12", oil on canvas)

As pomegranates are often in abundance during the holiday season, I though it to be a fitting subject as we head into the New Year. I used the same perspective and format as last week's piece, substituting these red beauties for the apples.

Perhaps 2011 is the year I will actually try to eat a pomegranate. Despite the heralded health benefits, I suspect they are still more fun to paint than to eat.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Apple Parts and Pieces
(24" x 12", oil on canvas)

On this, the last Painting of the Week Wednesday before Christmas, I wanted to present a painting done in the palette of the season, red and green. This higher perspective in combination with a vertical format gives an unusual dynamic to the composition.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Ginger Golds in Folds
(24" x 24", oil on canvas)

More apples, more folds, more fun!

This painting took me a few tries to get the right balance of dark background to light foreground. As in last week's piece, the subtle suggestion of the table’s edge keeps the apples from tumbling into space and serves to dissect the foreground in two planes.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Threesome
(16" x 16", oil on canvas)

As an artist I find it incredibly rewarding to create a successful painting with so few items. This was one of those all too rare occasions where the composition felt almost effortless.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Ginger Golds
(18" x 24", oil on canvas)

Every year I fall in love with a new variety of apples, and this year it was the delicate colouring and beautifully rounded shape of Ginger Golds that captured my heart. To keep the focus on the delicate colour story, I kept the composition to a simple arrangement of rounds, the apples and plate, sitting within a grid of fabric folds.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

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

I really enjoy the crisp clean colours of this painting, hence the title. I have also used one of my preferred triangular compositions to give a gentle tension to the work.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

White Peaches
(12" x 24", oil on canvas)

White peaches are a little harder to find in my area, but they are worth hunting down for their delicate colouring. In this painting, pairing the warm orange tones with the cooler blues makes for an interesting, though muted, contrast.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Lemon Lineup
(12" x 36", oil on canvas)

I had this composition floating around in my head for almost two weeks before I was actually able to start it. Consequently, I was quite excited to I finish up what I had on my easel and start putting this piece together. Once I was satisfied with the arrangement of the lemons I turned my attention to the placement of the cloth, taking particular care with the positioning of the blue stripe.

Diary of a Painting
I logged a diary of this painting as it evolved. You can read it on my website by clicking here.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Still Life with Scattered Grapes
(20" x 30", oil on canvas)

A traditional still life gets a little movement from the scattered grapes in the foreground. This higher vantage point allows me to use the cast shadows of the objects as compositional devices, adding further interest.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Nestled
(16" x 16", oil on canvas)

I believe that a square format naturally lends itself to a comfortable balance of elements, but with this painting, it’s the cloth that wraps around the apple that is the real key to this cozy image.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Fruit Plate
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

As often happens during the development of a painting, undervalued details not really considered in the original composition become great additions to the main subject. Here, a simple plate of fruit is made into something a little magical by the cast shadows of the fruit. While I had quite purposefully arranged a nice pattern of shadows, it was actually the colours of these shadows that belatedly captured my attention and brought the painting to an even better conclusion.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

An Apple a Day
(12" 12", oil on canvas)

I was keen on keeping this little canvas as simple as possible. The old can with the peeling paint carries enough interest so that the apple was all that was needed to complete this take on an old adage.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Red Oil
(24" x 24", oil on canvas)

This painting is a companion piece to one I presented a few weeks ago titled Ingredients #3. It has a similar structure, and indeed a few of the same items, but this one hinges on the dominant red oil bottle in the background.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Gold Plate (Still Life for Lawrence)
(30" x 24", oil on canvas)

I have a wonderful team of people who help me in my artistic pursuits, many of whom have absolutely no idea the small but significant roles they play.

There are the ladies from MacPherson who, while they specialize in doll-making supplies, carry some of my favourite brushes and have the best shipping department around. There is Anthony who works for UPS. His calm and quiet demeanour soothes my nerves when handing over 6 months worth of work to be shipped right across the country. And there is Lawrence, who works at my local market and always takes special care when handling my carefully chosen "props". Lawrence suggested pairing this newly purchased bottle with wild garlic, but I had already had my heart set on these artichokes. Still, a good idea and he should know how much I appreciate his input. This one's for you.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Classic White
(24" x 18", oil on canvas)

After careful consideration, I chose a somewhat spare approach for my first painting featuring this classically shaped pitcher. While it would have would have been equally good in an elaborate composition, I felt that a few carefully chosen elements would better accentuate the beautifully balanced form of the pitcher.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Ingredients #3
(24" x 24", oil on canvas)

I had been working on this composition, on and off, for two weeks before finally putting paint to canvas. I spent the first day roughing in the large shapes and the next rendering a glass jar filled with fresh tarragon sprigs. This latter part of the composition would be the first to fade, so I wanted to bring it to almost a completed stage before moving onto to the bottles. By the end of the day I realized that no matter how nicely painted, the jar and feathery herb shapes of the tarragon did not belong in this composition and, after about 8 hours of work, I rubbed it out, replacing it with the red bowl. As an experienced painter I felt I should have seen this compositional error sooner, but mistakes are often part of the process.

The next day back in the studio with fresh eyes, I realized I had truly made the right decision—the red bowl was an infinitely better fit. The end result is a great piece, much stronger than it would have been had I stuck with my original composition.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Special Request
(18" x 18", oil on canvas)

I believe it is only human nature that makes one want the painting that just went out the door under someone else's arm. Consequently, I frequently get requests for a painting similar to another, and while I try my best to meet all requests, it can be a bit tricky. What was the initial appeal...the colours? subject matter? format? Often, it is nearly impossible for the client to articulate what the attraction was and I am left to draw my own conclusions.

This painting was one such request, and while it is nowhere near a duplicate, it has the same basic tone and feel as the initial work. I do not know if this "substitute" will work for my dealer's customer, but I do know it's a very good piece and not simply a rehash of another. Now, I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Summer Fruit Harmony
(18" x 36", oil on canvas)

Nothing says hot summer days quite like a slice of watermelon, so before the season completely runs out, I had to try my hand at this luscious subject. Its iconic triangular shape is softened by the addition of other fruit, making this composition not only about colour, but also about strong hard-edged shapes. Using the white jug as an anchor, the graphic shapes of the fruit fit together and create what I feel is lovely seasonal harmony.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Quail Eggscape
(12” x 24", oil on canvas)

Eggs have long been a favourite subject of mine, so I was thrilled to come across these beautiful quail eggs at a local market. Each one is different from the next, each one a jewel. Since they are actually quite small, I painted them larger than life to really explore their individual colours and patterns.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Redandgreen
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

The title is not a typo, but rather a way to express how I see the colours of red and green working so well together that they become one. The waving cherry stems add a lot of movement and their linear quality offer a nice counterpoint to the larger masses. This piece has a very tactile feeling, which, unfortunately, does not translate well into an electronic file. As always, art really does have to be seen in person.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Sun Kissed
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

I loved working with these bright colours and while this is a small canvas, it packs a pretty fair punch. When this series of small works becomes available in galleries come November and December, a little bright colour will (hopefully) be appreciated.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Fruytagie
(24" x 36", oil on canvas)

Fruytagie is a Dutch term meaning fruit piece and was used in the seventeenth century to describe what we now classify as the genre of Still Life. As this painting has most definite roots in the classical tradition, I thought it appropriate to resurrect an old term. I have drawn upon my recent small pieces to arrive at this more ambitious composition, but I am looking forward to returning to a few more 12" compositions.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Fruit Fusion 2
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

While there are still hints of the bright colours I've been using of late, I think this piece has a quieter appeal. Here, I have focused more on shape, particularly enjoying the somewhat intricate structure of the cape gooseberries.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Berries and Cream
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

The old cream bottle and the timelessness of the berries combine to create the nostalgic tone of this little painting. I believe there is a great deal of comfort to be derived from a simple memory like this.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Berry Prep
(12" x 24", oil on canvas)

I'm stepping away from my 12" canvases to do a slightly larger version of last week’s piece. Again, I had to work quickly to capture the freshness of the cut berries. I cannot seem to get enough of the almost neon-red edge of the outside flesh against the blue white inside flesh. Colour is addictive!

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Strawberry Preserves
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

Cutting the berries in half gave me a whole new palette to work with. The inside of a strawberry is absolutely luscious, but just as the season is fleeting, the berry's tender heart must be painted quickly before it too loses its fresh appeal. This is my way of "preserving"!

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O & Co. Part Two
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

Here’s another composition featuring this wonderful little O & Co bottle, along with another recent acquisition, a dark bottle with a red wax seal. I've picked up the red in the elastic around the beans and bounced a bit more here and there to give this small painting a fair amount of interest.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

O & Co

(12" x 12", oil on canvas)



My already extensive collection of bottles just grew bigger with the addition of this little bottle of oil. Its proportions are perfect and I love its diminutive size. The raised lettering, O & CO, gives added personality to the piece. This composition packs a great deal of interest into a small space and it has a tone I find very appealing.

It is my goal to do a number of these small compositions in the coming weeks. Given my 6-month drying time, they will be ready just in time for Christmas!

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Pears on a Glass Pedestal
(16" x 16", oil on canvas)

Fruit, fruit and more fruit! I seem to be hooked on colour and what better way to get my fix than to paint the wonderful variety of fruit that is so readily available.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

These are a Few of my Favourite Things
(16" x 16", oil on canvas)

Not all paintings work out. After a few days of struggling with an idea that simply wouldn't gel, I pulled out a few of my favourite things, and just like the song, things start to look up.

This red jug has starred in many successful paintings, and is a joy to paint. While the colour is wonderful, I think it's appeal has more to do with shape and proportion. Add some colourful fruit and a bowl in a complementary shape and I have a can't-fail composition.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Brown Sugar Berries
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

While it is true that nothing beats fresh picked local berries, imported varieties keep me happy long before our season really kicks in. These berries traveled all the way from California to Quebec, cushioned on a bed of bubble wrap. No picking through this box to find the perfect ones, each berry is perfect with bright green leaves and lovely shades of fiery oranges and reds.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Pedestal Dish
(16" x 16", oil on canvas)

Put anything in a pedestal dish and it is immediately elevated (no pun intended) from the mundane to the extraordinary. Although I've used similar elements as last week’s abundance-themed painting, here I was aiming for a more contemplative, pared down tone.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Fruit Frieze
(20" x 30", oil on canvas)

A recent (and long over-due) cleanup of my prop room yielded this lovely urn. I'd used it many years ago, but as I add props to my collection, treasures often get pushed to the back. I love the classical tone of this painting and abundance of fruit that suggests timeless indulgence.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Fresh Fruit II
(12" x 24", oil on canvas)

This is my second take on last week's subject matter. Taking full advantage of what is known as "artistic license" I made the pot a little wider than the first painting so it would sit better in this canvas shape. I eliminated the top berry and added a few scattered ones leading the eye of the viewer from left to right to rest on the pot. And to fill out the composition and add a spark to my reds, I added a few green grapes.

Where last week's piece was restful, this one has more movement owing not only to the placement of the objects but also the addition of the complementary greens.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Jumbo Berries
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

Strawberries are popular subjects, perhaps because they often speak of a long awaited spring. These were huge berries, making it easier for me to get a really good look at them. I was mindful not to include too much detail when doing the berries, as they quickly lose that fresh appeal if overworked.

I could not make up my mind whether this painting should be a 12" square canvas or a more elongated shape, so I decided to do both. Each canvas shape has it's own dynamic. While a square canvas is usually restful, an elongated shape calls for tension in a composition. Next week you will see my second variation.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

In the Pink
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

Though I do not like to think I am governed by my emotions I must admit that when things aren't going well, my work follows suit... and the converse is also true. A situation I felt untenable has suddenly been resolved, a relationship I greatly value has been saved and I couldn't be happier. I think this sunny little painting is a direct reflection of my mood.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Fait à la maison
(16" x 16", oil on canvas)

I grouped three objects that I felt had a homemade feel to them giving this small painting a charm that speaks of simpler pursuits. The uneven surface of the enamelware gave me the opportunity to add bits of colour reflected from elsewhere in the painting making for a cohesive colour composition.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Lady Alice Apples
(12" x 24", oil on canvas)

I stumbled across this new variety of apples at my local grocer and was admittedly drawn not only to the colour, but also to the name. My Internet "research" tells me that this is indeed a relatively new offering, coming out of Eastern Washington, and is named after the growers' late grandmother. It is my hope that the original Lady Alice would have liked my interpretation of her namesake.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Creminis
(12" x 24", oil on canvas)

Mushrooms are lovely organic shapes with a wonderful range of subtle colours. Adding the tomato to the mix brings a bright colour note and allows for some reflections of red that serve to enliven the earth tones. The blue bowl acts as anchor and sets up my "go-to" triangular composition.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Sweet Clementine
(12" x 12", oil on canvas)

After some large canvases, I was ready for a small format. Large works take a lot of concentration, and I have to be careful not to get disinterested after a few days of looking at the same objects. A small piece comes together more quickly and is a shorter commitment. This jug and fruit seemed a natural pair for a 12" square canvas.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Citrus Brights
(24" x 36", oil on canvas)



While I originally had a white plate in the background, I swapped it for the red one at the last minute. While the white suited my morning theme better, the red raised the colour excitement to a new high. I have learned that it is often better to let my heart dictate decisions and leave my head to more mundane affairs.



A note: 

While placing my last order for supplies I mistakenly ordered Ultramarine Blue GS (green shade) instead of my usual French Ultramarine Blue... and what a happy mistake this turned out to be! Rather than return it, I thought I'd give it a try. The bright, fresh greens in this piece are made using this new blue and I have now added this colour to my palette.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Mango
(14" x 18", oil on canvas)

Mangoes offer, quite simply, the most spectacular range of colour to the artist. However, the shape of the mango is another thing and quite a challenge. I’ve lost count of the number of compositions I tried before arriving at this one, although I think my frustrated attempts paid off quite handsomely with this small painting. And as a bonus, while I fussed and struggled, the mango ripened and became even more intensely coloured.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Juice Bar
(18" x 36", oil on canvas)

"Juice Bar" is the sum total of the lessons I learned doing the small series of glasses, presented February 10, 17 and 24.

Again, the task with a large painting comprised of mostly perishable fruit, was to get down as much information as possible in the first two days of work. Over the years, I have developed my own way of "taking notes" with paint that allows me to bring a work to completion long after my set has changed from fresh to foul.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Pure & Simple
(18" x 24", oil on canvas)

I built this composition around the clementine, and I did so quickly knowing that the attached leaf would not last long under my hot lights. After fussing around for a day I settled on this somewhat simple grouping and got down to painting. A few hours into the painting process I started to think that this was turning into quite a little gem. The brightness of the jug, the heat of the reds and oranges, the unexpected impact of the blue handle were all adding up to equal quite a powerful piece.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

The Glass Series; Fruit Tonic and Cranberry
(14" x 10" each, oil on canvas)

Using fruit to define the glass was a fun challenge for Fruit Tonic, while the reflection of the tabletop in the dark juice provided added interest to the Cranberry piece.

This is the last pairing in the glass series as I am anxious to move onto some larger pieces. I've enjoyed this format and I may well come back to it... in fact I've a mind to try putting all six pieces together into one large piece.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

The Glass Series: Pink Grapefruit and Mango
(14" x 10" each, oil on canvas)

Glass selection is key when choosing a size and shape for this series. While I have many glasses, not all are suitable for this shape canvas and the tone of the series. The colours of this pair were an absolute joy to work with.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

The Glass Series: Orange and Red Wine
(14" x 10" each, oil on canvas)

Anyone familiar with my work knows how much I love to work in a series. One painting leads seamlessly to the next, and I find myself really enjoying the comfortable rhythm that develops as the series shapes my days. Admittedly, I also have fun with the arrangement options that numerous same-size pieces give me when it comes time to hang the work.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Fruit Landscape
(12" x 24", oil on canvas)

My original intention was a 12" square piece, but, try as I might, I could not make this bowl of cherries work within a square format. After wrestling for a day, it finally occurred to me that the proportions of the bowl would never look comfortable in a square. The shape of the bowl called for breathing room on the width, so I finally stopped trying to force a round peg into a square hole and changed the shape of my canvas.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Pear Centerpiece
(24" x 24", oil on canvas)

After completing what I feel to be a few strong pieces, I decided to set myself a challenge with something a little different. This highly graphic composition is deliberately centered in the square canvas. My goal here was to explore the concept of a true "centerpiece" while trying to avoid an overly static painting. Think of this as my version of a Tousignant "gong" painting!

Read the Diary
To see my "diary" of this painting, where I have posted photos I took every few days illustrating how I tackled this subject, please visit my website using the following link: Diary

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.

Grapes and Green Apples
(24" x 30", oil on canvas)

This is a new jug and, although very similar in colour to one I already have, the shape is quite unique. The extra wide base tapers up to a surprisingly graceful spout, while the curve of the handle nicely balances the height to width ratio. The arrangement of grapes, apples and bowl complement both the colour and shape of this new acquisition.

If you’d like to have your personal copy of the Painting of the Week sent directly to your desktop every Wednesday morning please write me at daniele@DanieleLemieux.com.