Friday, April 27, 2012

Orange Japanese Teapot & Grapes






When I first started painting, teapots were the first items I bought. Japanese Teapots are my favorite kind to paint. I probably have over a dozen at this point of all different shapes and sizes. I recently decided to go back to painting them. This is the first of what I plan to be several new teapot paintings.
10 x 20 Oil on Panel

SOLD


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Solo Exhibition - Lyceum Hall Center For The Arts in NJ



LYCEUM HALL Center For The Arts
T h e  H e r m a n T . C o s t e l l o Center For The Arts



Clinton T. Hobart

Select Works

May 18th - June 12th, 2012
Please join us to experience Clinton Hobart’s recent paintings.
Opening and Reception - Friday, May 18th, 6pm - 10pm
432 High St.
Burlington, NJ 08016


Saturday, April 7, 2012

Artists Wanted in Times Square





I set up a profile on this Artist's Wanted website. They claim to be having a big show in NY and there is 10,000.00 in prize money available. I have no delusions about winning, I already know who will win. The winner will be someone in their late twenty's early thirties who started out in the fine art department of a NYC art school. After doing drugs for four straight years rather then painting or drawing, he, she, or it, sobered up just enough to get a job in retail or at one of the trendy clubs in the city. Having the desire to be an "Artist", but not the ability, they went out to buy a brand new camera, and a new found love of photography. While strolling around the city taking pictures of store windows, empty McDonald's cups, and peoples feet, they took the prize winning shot of barbed wire, and gave it some clever title relating to how "the man" keeps us all locked in.... I, on the other hand, spent all that time struggling at home in my studio, trying to learn how to draw and paint, and reading books, so how can I expect to compete with a brilliant photo of barbed wire.
The winner is based on how many people "collect" you so it is already more of a popularity contest rather then a competition....
Why might you wonder, am I entering? Prize money!!! People play the lotto all the time. I'd rather bet on myself...even if the odds are slim. And i'm posting it, just in case some of you out there are sick of the "barbed wire" as well.

Click the link below to visit my page on the site.




Saturday, March 31, 2012

"Aloha" 12 x 18 Oil on Panel


As of right now I would have to say that a pineapple is the hardest thing I have ever tried to paint. They change colors every day going from bright green to a yellow brown. The mango keeps getting redder which is nice and the coconut will rot overnight if you don't keep it refrigerated....basically, you have to paint FAST.


Step 1. The Drawing: I draw with a brush using a mixture of burnt umber and white. I start with a value just slightly darker than my canvas tone. I usually do three drawings getting slightly darker with each drawing.

Step 2. Make it round: Once I start filling it in with paint, I work from the darks to the lights in strips or bands of value. Everything that turns goes from dark to halftone to light. The first step of painting something round is to.... make it round. If a round object does not look round early, all of the detail in the world will not make it work.


I paint living objects in the order in which they will rot. If I am working on objects that will not rot, I work from the background to the objects closest to me.

I waited on painting the mango because I knew it would get more red as time went on.


At this point the painting felt like it was missing something....It needed more personality so I added some Key Limes.


After I put down the first layer of paint I coat the objects with pure linseed oil and then wipe it down gently with a paper towel. I then paint again into the wet surface. You can get some terrific results with this technique.


At this point the pineapple is unrecognizable but it will still cast the right shadows.


A few finishing touches left....

This painting was part of The International Guild Of Realism Show at the Jones & Terwilliger Gallery in Carmel, CA



Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Blueberry Waltz




I painted this one in December of last year and it was accepted into the 2012 annual juried show at the Ridgewood Art Institute in NJ. The idea of the painting was to try to create motion with still objects. Another one of my paintings where the objects in the paintings are characters on a stage.
The title "The Blueberry Waltz" was suggested by a good friend.
10 x 24 Oil on Panel

SOLD


The Travel - Part 2 (Jensen Beach & Myrtle Beach)

After Maimi, I went back to where I was staying to rest for a night or two. The beach I walk on daily is called Jensen Beach. After visiting many of the Florida beaches on the East Coast, I realized how great Jensen Beach actually is. The only time it was really crowded was fourth of July last year. Never alot of traffic or people, and the water is usually warm enough to walk in.

The shot of the trees is from Bridge Rd on Jupiter Island. Some of the most interesting trees I have ever seen.


On the way back to NY I made several stops. One in Jacksonville to get my oil changed but I didn't feel the need to take any pictures of it.
I had lunch in Savannah, GA, one of my favorite cities, and moved on to Myrtle Beach.
Before you get to Myrtle Beach in NC is a town called Georgetown, which for some strange reason was booked solid. I stopped in about ten hotels between Georgetown and Myrtle Beach...all booked solid.
I took a road west to Conrad, SC and stayed at the Red Hill Motel, which rented rooms by the hour, and had just sprayed for bugs. They used enough spray that I could smell it, but not enough so that it would actually work. Next time I'll check priceline first.....
When I got into Myrtle Beach I found that there were plenty of rooms, at discounted rates if I had only driven a little further! Nah, why make life too easy.


Next stop - Virginia Beach


Saturday, March 24, 2012

The Travel - Part One (Key West & Miami)

I have spent the last two months living in Florida. I usually begin my day with a walk on the beach and then paint for about eight to twelve hours a day. On rare days I paint as few as three hours, but have also painted as many as fourteen hours in one day. People have been asking "Have you been to Key West, South Beach?" The answer is always, "I'm too busy"...
I decided to take some time and see a few things on my drive back up to NY.
I started my trip in Key West....


For some reason I had Key West confused with some wonderful tropical island with long sandy beaches and horizontal palm trees laying across them. Instead I got Bourbon St. with a moat around it. I had a burger and a margarita at Margaritaville and stopped into Capt. Tony's which was worth the drive down. Part of my travels include chasing song lyrics.
The drive into town is absolutely stunning but for the most part, if you want to get drunk, look at some bad paintings, throw-up, and buy a T-Shirt to remember it all, Key West is the place for you.....I went to Miami...


Miami is so much fun. The Art Deco architecture in South Beach is worth the trip...and of course the palm trees.

A few Pictures of the beach.....


Next stop on the trip.....Myrtle Beach!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

R2 D2 and Apples



A few months ago a friend of mine jokingly asked if I ever considered painting a bunch of toys or hid any action figures in my still-life paintings. I told him I have painted toys, but not action figures. Painting a group of toys or action figures will and would take me months. He said "How about just an R2 D2 and apples"......so here it is.
The R2 D2 is from the original Kenner Toys from 1977. It is a bit beaten up but I think that makes it more interesting.
"R2 D2 & Apples" 6 x 8 Oil on Panel.
SOLD







Sunday, March 4, 2012

Standing Apart From The Crowd


I've always been partial to anyone who doesn't quite fit in so I thought I'd make a painting about it. I picked this mustard colored apple and surrounded it with beautiful fruits of red and purple.....
It's titled "Standing Apart From The Crowd" 10 x 20 Oil on Panel.

SOLD


Sunday, February 26, 2012

Teacup Of Grapes


This teacup is part of my favorite set. Because all of the objects in my paintings are very close to actual size, I just use the one teacup in a 6 x 8 painting. I painted the grapes one at a time so this one took a wee bit longer that usual.....It's up for auction!