I love working on these studies exploring new color, texture, and composition expanding the Terra Firma Series in larger works.

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Stretcher Sunday

I thought it would be interesting to see some behind the scene images of the studio preparation work before painting. I am spending my Sunday in my studio building new stretchers and canvas for my next round of paintings. I enjoy the process of creating my surfaces from scratch using the best quality materials. When I apply several coats of gesso to the raw canvas the canvas weight is about 20 lbs. This provides a solid beautiful texture and quality to work on for both acrylic and now oil painting which I have begun. Here are some imges of work in progress. I think an important part of painting for me is the choice of quality materials and the overall process which is reflected in the finished work and indeed the longevity of the work itself. Even when I am building a canvas I am thinking about the work and its composition ahead of time as I select the scale and size of the canvas. So the end result is a complete end-to-end experience. 

Raw Cotten Canvas and wooden Stretchers in various sizes. Ready to paint.

If you have any questions please send me a message and follow on #michelheffernanart and @michaelheffernanfineart

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Exploring the basis of new paintings through sketches that reveal composition, color palette, and techniques that will influence new paintings.

Enjoying these studies and preamble to both my Terra Firma Series and the Memories Series. Here are some of those studies on 300 G archival quality watercolor paper.

Chattahoochee Spring II – 40″ x 25″ 

Chattahoochee Spring I – 30″ x 23″

48″ x 36″

“Emerging Spring” Honeysuckle – 48″ x 36″ on gallery wrapped canvas. Images above are close-ups of various sections. I am so excited about this painting and it was so much fun to create. I delivered to RobertKent Galleries last Thursday afternoon and it sold Friday morning to a buyer who was visiting from Minnesota. Unlike some of my other paintings which are created with a palette knife, this piece is a combination with an emphasis on bold brush strokes to create energy and sense of falling that is seen with the growth of honeysuckle.

Please check out more of my work in the Portfolio section and follow on Facebook @michaelheffernanfineart and Instagram @michaelheffernanart

I finally moved into my new studio at the Artisan Resource Center (ARC) #artisanresourcecenter, and excited to be back painting. It was quite an undertaking, the following are some before and after shots. 

Some of my new paintings this month, ” Memories of the Low Country” 24″ x 48″, see portfolio for more information.

“Memories of the Low Country II, 20″ x 30”

Please check out my portfolio www.michaelheffernanart.com/portfolio and follow on #michaelheffernanart @michaelheffernanart

Please reach out with comments and inquiries or interest in any of my paintings. 

Many thanks, Michael.