Still Life Painting 2

"Life Cycle"

Oil On Canvas

5.5' X 3.5'

 

In this painting I also wanted to put more emphasis on the floor space as opposed to the table.  It deals with a bird figurine that falls from the table, crashes to the floor and breaks and is them put back together and lands back on the table.

 

 

"Deep Shadows"

Oil On Canvas with Objects

5' X 3.5'

 

This painting is one of my all time favorites.  It illustrates the "dark side" of things so there is a shadowy feeling behind the images.  Both the actual clock and rug have been painted into with oil paint.

 

"Untitled"

Oil On Canvas

5' X 3'

 

  

I wanted to move towards a simplified composition and work with looser brush strokes as in the table cloth.

"Self Portrait with Apple"

Oil On Canvas with Objects

5' X 3'

 

In this painting I wanted to have a little fun.  I wanted to create a still life as an anthropomorphic image of myself.  The cup on the table has my name on it, the fruit (typical still life objects) that forms a male sexual organ.  The paint and brushes illustrate the artist in me and the shoe on the table is one of my old shoes.  The rug is sized and painted into.  The 2 legs of the table actually have a pair of my old socks and shoes attached to them.

 

 

"Fish Tales"

Oil On Canvas

4' X 3.5'

 

I wanted to explore the three geometric shapes that make up this still life and their relationship to each other.  Also, the play on word "Tail" and "Tale".

 

"Untitled"

Oil On Canvas

6' X 3'

 

This painting was an attempt to use more color in the table top and cloth which gives a greater feeling for the geometric shapes that develop.

 

 

"Don't Cry Over Spilt Milk"

Oil On Canvas

5' X 3'

 

This is one of my earlier still life paintings.  I wanted to explore the table imager and space around it.  This painting is taking a theme from traditional still life of fruit on a table or bowl and the idea of fruit on a table cloth.  I wanted an image of spilt milk but running onto the floor space.  The entire painting is canvas.

 

"Nights Alone"

Oil On Canvas with Objects

4.5' X 3'

 

This also is one of my favorite pieces.  This was a look at combining painted imagery with actual objects.  There are both painted and real bottles of beer as well as painted images of pizza and real slice of pizza that I sealed with medium.  I also included a real pizza box that I painted, simply a male look at nights alone.

 

"Untitled"

Oil On Canvas with Object

4.5' X 2.5'

 

This painting is a look at the concept of painted a vase with flowers on a flora table cloth and how they blend together.  Also, on the floor is a 3D construction of a flower.

 

About My Work

I have always been concerned about the way people viewed painting.   However, sculpture was the art form that drew my attention due to its three dimensional quality, enticing me into its own environment.  

 

I wanted to do the same thing with my paintings and drawings, bring the viewer into the art works environment.  That is the reason I allow the paintings to flow onto the floor space into the viewers space.  In the still life drawings I like to hang the tables with their legs almost touch the floor, after all table legs do touch the floor.


Framed paintings always created a distance between me and the work.  Someone said to me that looking at painting was like looking through a window into someone’s private life, a voyeur. 


The element of art which always drew my attention was the emotional and psychological content.  This became a way for me to express myself, often dealing with personal experiences.


“Anthropomorphic” is the best way to describe my work, giving human qualities to non-human objects. The painting “Self Portrait with Apple” is a good example.  It is a table with elements of me, paint brushes and tubes in container with my name on it as well as other objects. On the table legs are an actual pair of my old socks and shoes.    


Some of my art work is “in your face” works.  Such a work is “Milliner with Colostomy” which is a look at a real individual and a part of life people want to push aside.  Not all the art work is accepted.  Maybe it touches a cord that is difficult to experience.

Tom Schneider