“I am drawn to still-life as a means of artistic expression because it is so personal. I can be the producer and director of my own little play. The production can be a charming little one man show or a dramatic, full-blown production with a large cast. The set design is the platform and background I choose. The still life objects are the actors, obviously, and the flowers that demand to be painted before they wilt are the prima donnas. Can you tell that I also love the theater?
My set up may take minutes, hours or days. Sometimes I have a theme or concept already in mind, but often I paint something simply because I find it beautiful. My compositions tend to be fairly simple, with a strong center of interest, and have been described as serene. I enjoy combining organic and man-made elements. I love compelling textures such as satin, velvet, wild grasses, glass, bone, peaches, and the ever so challenging flower, in all its many forms. Although I sometimes complete smaller paintings in one session (known as alla prima), I usually develop my paintings in layers, using classical techniques to convey the effect of objects in space bathed in light. And the real star of my show is that light. I paint in a very small studio but it has beautiful north light, which is essential to my vision. It inspires something in me that no other light can do, and I believe its softness is one reason why my paintings are often found to be tranquil and contemplative.
My art education was a combination of a few formal classes and lots self study and workshops and classes with notable artists. I also lived for a year in Brussels, Belgium and visited many of Europe's museums. I attended figure and portrait drawing and painting groups regularly for many years and have also enjoyed plein air landscape painting. I wish the wonderful ateliers of recent years had been around when I was younger, but alas, they were not. I’m thankful for the many new ways technology is making traditional and newer techniques accessible today. Because artists are never done learning and growing.”
from ceceliacox.com
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