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New Release 2011. Black Boots.

Black Boots.

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New selection of Drawings.

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Go and see a selection of new work by Paul Chizik. Belgravia Gallery. London. The Progression of Paint.

http://www.belgraviagallery.com/CurrentExhibition.htm

“All You Can Be” Oil on Linen. 46 x 36 inches. Paul Chizik.

All you can Be. 39 3:4 x 49 inches. Oil on Linen. _sRGB.jpg

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Painting in Italy

Just returned from a wonderful painting workshop in Bucine, Tuscany. More Images of my plein-air paintings and the surrounding area will be posted in plein-air gallery.

Please check back for dates and locations of our next workshop in Italy.

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New Release. Photosynthesis

A4. Photosynthesis. 76 x 83 oil on linen.  copy.jpg

Photosynthesis. Oil on Linen. 76 x 83 inches.

(Photosynthesis (from the Greek [photo-], “light,” and [synthesis], “putting together”, “composition” Photosynthesis is vital for life on Earth. As well as maintaining the normal level of oxygen in the atmosphere, nearly all life either depends on it directly as a source of energy, or indirectly as the ultimate source of the energy in their food.)

Photosynthesis is a decorative landscape , rendered almost in the manner of a mosaic tapestry of patterns covering the canvass with a luxurious and colorful vitality heightened by an abstract interpretation of natural shapes. It is a complex spatial structure. This painting is less naturalistic than many of my other paintings. I have used a new formula for the tropical landscape series by favouring a flattening and a geometricization of forms. It holds many painterly challenges for the artist with a subtle play of textures and alternating tonalities. The expressive use of colors is of utmost importance. Using a too strong color palette in this painting could lessen the emotional impact of the lush but quiet and gentle meditative space. Photosynthesis represents to the human psyche a place of health, rest and rejuvenation on many levels and I hope to be able to add to this through a direct interactions and painterly accuracy. I do not wish to simply reproduce the landscape but hope to capture the eternal essence of the tropics and to rediscover the nature of its universal form and appeal.

This large scale tropical landscape is the second in the ongoing theme and exploration of the modern painter’s attempt to paint tropical landscapes in such a way never done before. Drawing inspiration and making historical connections from many painters of the past such as John Singer Sargent’s watercolors of Florida, Paul Gauguin’s Tahiti paintings, Henri Rousseau’s landscapes.

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Work in Progress. Hands Clapping

Hands clapping. oil on linen 32  x 47

Hands clapping. oil on linen 32 x 47

Coming soon. Based on a chance encounter while in Maun, Botswana. Went for a walk and heard the distant sound of hands clapping. I want this painting to have a slow hymn and rhythm and have the eyes skip across the scene in an oscillating beat. I am aiming for accuracy in sound, movement and to make sure that the painting does not become sentimentalized and staged, instead to remember the chance encounter and casual feel of the event.
I am using a very methodical,dry brush technique in an attempt to crack open the scene and to show the washed out tones of a hot African day. I reckon I am 60% into the painting.
Inspired by Thomas Eakins perfection in balance and placement of figures in the landscape and Eugene Boudin’s rhythmic grouping of figures.

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Upcoming Exhibition

Alpoa Invite. A Little Piece Of Africa. Gallery Invite.

A Little piece of Africa

A Little piece of Africa


If you find yourself in Berlin this summer, go and see some of my paintings in a group show at artSpace Berlin.
Alpoa “A little piece of Africa” is showing from 17 July – 19 September 2009.
artSPACE Berlin is the sister gallery of artSPACE Durban. The gallery is committed to showcasing artist who have direct links to Africa, with a focus on promoting contemporary African Art.

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Upcoming Workshops. A Reminder.

Summer. oil on linen. 8 x 10

Summer. oil on linen. 8 x 10

Don’t delay.
Sign up for July plein-air workshops at Iona Beach Regional Park.
Space Limited. Landscape Painting opportunities vast.

Please see Summer Plein-air Workshop post for more information or click on painting above.

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Tips of the Trade

Temperature oil on linen 25 x 29.5

Temperature oil on linen 25 x 29.5

It is almost summer and a great time for visiting your local market to get some interesting fruit and vegetables to paint. It is always advisable to use a Alla Prima technique when painting objects such a fruit, veggies and flowers, as their life-span is short. Depending on the technique and mediums used, sometimes you have to learn to improvise when painting a still-life.

While painting “Temperature” I decided in advance to build up the surface quality of the fruit over a period of time to achieve the waxy and fleshy texture of the mangoes. I used stand oil to get the viscosity of the paint just right. Stand oil takes longer to dry than linseed oil, but gives a wonderful glass like sheen to the paint while adding to a thicker look. Using a bit of cold wax medium in selective areas added to the difference of surface from mat to sheen, which on close inspection these mangoes have.

The tablecloth was painted in a radically different way, more impressionistic, dry and dense. This added to the optical illusion of the sheen on the mangoes and wooden plate. When replacing objects because they change color and start to decay, try not to “chase” the shape. Keep the initial shape and only adjust the color, tones and surface appearance.

The people at the market must have thought that I was nuts and really hungry because I had to look at each mango carefully to try and get a similar replacement every other day but I sure had some great mango smoothies while painting this still life.

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Summer Plein-air Workshops

Join us for outdoor painting this summer.
Outdoor painting requires a painter to render in shorthand the essence of a scene. It requires a set of skills of acute observation, simplification, technical mastery, maturity and intellect, to respond not just aesthetically but emotionally and to expand on our visual and felt understanding and experience of the natural world around us.

Come out this summer and learn how to apply sound oil painting techniques while enjoying the natural splendor of one of Vancouver’s hidden secrets, Iona Beach Regional Park. From a selection of marshland to ocean views to paint, sign up for these two day, intensive small group workshops.

All skill levels will be catered to and rates are very affordable. Please contact me to secure your spot.

Summer Plein-air Workshop Shedule

Summer Plein-air Workshop Shedule

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