The Valley Patriarch by Anna Bain OPA 24" x 42" - Oil on linen I am a professional artist, but what some people don't know about me is that I have played piano since I was eight years old. I was classically trained all the way through ... Read More...
Color as My Visual Statement in Painting
July 19, 2021 by Leave a Comment
I consider myself a colorist. That is, I find that color palette inspires the visual message I wish to convey in my painting. Interestingly though, color is subordinate in what I do. As a more-or-less representational ... Read More...
Becoming A Better Realist Painter Through Abstraction
July 5, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Did you know that OPA has been sharing artists’ blog posts for over ten years? We have an extensive collection available to the public on our website. This summer, OPA will be taking Deep Dives into our archives and sharing our ... Read More...
Loosen Up
June 28, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Wandering by Dan Schultz30" x 30" - Oil I have heard many artists say they wish they could loosen up in their work. Certainly, many of us aspire to create paintings that look effortless, but we find that doing so is easier said than ... Read More...
Ask Albert May 2020
June 21, 2021 by Leave a Comment
We are pleased to share this week’s blog from OPA Master artist Albert Handell. Albert will be giving a live demonstration at the upcoming OPA National Convention in Santa Fe, NM, August 24-29, 2021. Tickets and more information are ... Read More...
Nap Time Painting
June 14, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Casting by David Boyd Jr OPA18" x 24" - Oil If your 2020 calendar looked like mine, it was packed with paint-outs, workshops, and gallery openings, as well as family and social obligations. Part of that was, what I thought, a “healthy ... Read More...
It’s Show Time!
June 7, 2021 by Leave a Comment
In my humble opinion, OPA’s annual National Show is simply the best exhibition of art in the world. How’s that for a superlative! OK, perhaps it is matched by other shows, but never bettered. Spectacular work depicting ... Read More...
The Price of Success
May 31, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Did you know that OPA has been sharing artists’ blog posts for over ten years? We have an extensive collection available to the public on our website. This summer, OPA will be taking Deep Dives into our archives and sharing our ... Read More...
The Power of Metaphor, Mystery, and Memory in Painting
May 17, 2021 by Leave a Comment
Containment by Stephanie Deshpande40" x 30" - Oil on canvas Creating a successful painting not only requires focus on technical skills such as drawing, color, values, edges, and composition, but also on emotional impact. Incorporating ... Read More...
A Realist’s Journey From Life to a Picture
May 10, 2021 by Leave a Comment
How to deal with digital reference material Into the Unknown by Leah Lopez40" x 30" - Oil on Dibond In today’s Covid world, artists, like everyone else, have not been exempt from pandemic related problems. As a realist painter, I ... Read More...
