Happy Thanksgiving!

This time of year I find myself reflecting upon how fall comes to its conclusion.  Greens become faded as we approach the end of autumn, transitioning to a show stopping finale of color before winter.

In the image above-

Bottom weighted, these sage green bulbs atop a tall stem, with compact layers, taper upward to erupt into a gaudy fluff of orange tuft. A joyful thing to see.

 I am thankful for things that brighten life this Thanksgiving;

You are one of them.

May you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving,

Best wishes,

Stefanie

Commissions are one of my favorite things to do!

The picture above is of original pieces commissioned by the historic Blackstone Hotel in downtown Chicago as an homage to the jazz greats who frequently performed there in its jazz heyday.  They are permanently displayed and can be viewed as you step off the elevator on the 15th floor.

Requesting a commission offers the opportunity for us to create something unique & personal and allows me the wonderful experience of getting to know you better to come up with a piece of art that is special to you.

There is still time before the holidays to consider a commission for a special person in your life.  

What do I do next you might ask! Here’s how it works:

1) contact me at [email protected] or 630-926-4667. From there we can

2) Set up a time to discuss your project.

3) We’ll talk details: subject matter/image? size? medium (oil pastel, acrylic, water color, pencil?)  

4) Budget.

5) After our discussion I will come up with a price and timeline and we’ll get started right away!

Included in this experience are preliminary sketches and pictures sent to you throughout the creation of your piece.

May you be well,

Stefanie

I have been reflecting on the summer as it comes to a close.

Mother Nature, with her beautiful light, let me know there was a shift in time even before the clocks, calendars and computers sent out reminders. 

Reflection upon the water as the sun slips away behind the trees, creating a glow, a play across the water’s surface… Pink complements green in both sky and water, while the white boat silently witnesses this magical time of day. The cricket’s chirp is the only sound framing the event. Cape Cod light infuses the scene. These moments are elusive and treasured. Anticipating what unique adventures the next year may hold on this lovely “island”.

 The trees and sailboat anchor the composition. And once the paint has cured enough I set in with translucent layers for the sky and water. Striking a balance between controlling and letting go, between laying the paint down and lifting it up.  Enjoying the surprises that then occur!

 It is the End of the Season, time to pack up and return home soon!

 May you and yours be well.

I hope this letter finds you well.

There is such beauty in recognizing how change is the only constant in life.

The tide pulls away creating bands of blue rivers which striate the shoreline. The sand, firm under foot, shimmers with a water glaze. This is where the sail boat waits quietly like a statue, to share its history. A statue that tells different stories when the tide returns to lift its heavy body, sails

unfurled, to then move elegantly across the ocean.

Then origin of this image is from one of my adventures with Issy during her summer break. As a sailor she drew my attention to this delicate vessel at rest during low tide.

Where is your attention right now?

“Ready to Play”©️Stefanie Taranto

Oil pastel, 16″ x 12″ unframed, 24″ x 20.5″ framed, $400

Prints available 

How often do you consider the landscape that you pass each day? 

Both here on the Cape and at home in Wheaton I am fortunate to pass by marshes almost daily! Marshes provide a place for water to rest, vital refreshment and cleansing of the environment, as well a I s a refuge for wildlife.   Water symbolizes life: Ever-changing.

The marshes here on Cape Cod are attached to the ocean. High tide creates an amazing show of flowing water for half of the day buffered by grasses- lush, soft, mutable, incredibly varied in greens, with hints of gold, bronze and even dark blues where the shadows fall mingled in.  Folks kayak away when the water is high.  A subtle feast for the eyes.  

Conversely, the other half of the day displays dark sandy/muddy earth when the tide pulls out. Sometimes you will see people investigating what is left behind…looking small in the bed, the void of where the water had been just hours ago.

Paying attention to nature is a good way for me to keep perspective; a much needed reprieve from the world at large! 

The above acrylic is on birch, 24”x36”.  It is a work in progress.  I am working on multiple pieces in a similar vein to keep the momentum going as well as for crossover.  All the work in this body will speak to each other when completed.  Stay tuned.

I hope that you and yours have been well.  It feels good to finally be settled in and writing to you again after being without a studio and a computer for the last month!

Changing locations creates an opportunity to change perspectives as well.  It is relaxing to be on Cape Cod, home away from home, visiting my parents, enjoying the landscape and being embraced by the environment’s low key charm.  

When the local sun worshipers and young vacationing families head home in the late afternoon to prepare for the evenings activities- that is when I most enjoy going to the beach.  That is when I…

Capture moments of quiet and walk down a sandy path surrounded

by gently swaying dune grasses.  The subtlety of greens a respite

for the eye: soft light green, lime combined with teal, as well as some phthalo and sap green, and touches of light gold where the grass is dry.  

The shadow of the evergreen across the path, a blanket of cool against

the brightness of the sun on the grasses catch my eye.  While the composition is simple there are layers of subtleties to be found. At the

end of that path the beautiful Atlantic awaits to further relax me with

the sound of the waves rhythmically hitting the shore.  It is a wonderful

time to just be; to savor the splendor Mother Nature has to offer.

The piece above is a work in progress, painted on gessoed birch, one foot by 2 feet.  I will share the completed piece in an update with the rest of this series in the near future.

Best wishes over this 4th of July weekend,

Take care,

Stef 

“Tandem” © Stefanie Taranto, 28” x 22” acrylic painting artists collection, Giclées available

Have you noticed how objects spark memory?

Thinking about Father’s Day approaching, I recalled a happy memory from my childhood:  a treasured blue hand-me-down Schwinn from my cousins.  Learning to ride that bike without training wheels was a rite of passage.  

My Dad, the most patient, kind man I know, ran for what seemed like miles and miles behind me holding the seat so I could stay upright and gain confidence.  I still remember the joy I felt in learning that skill.  The kinetic motion gave me the freedom of riding along like a big kid.  And he did the same for his granddaughter decades later!   I am eternally grateful for my Dad’s continued encouragement.

A few years ago I purchased this bright blue tandem bicycle as a Father’s Day gift for my husband, who is an avid cyclist. He restored the bike depicted in the painting.  Every once in a while he would go for a spin with the kids around the block. What a sight to see two people trying to stay upright and co-ordinate pedaling.  And once they get going there are smiles and chatter as they ride off down the street.

How interesting that a blue Schwinn can trigger so many happy memories.  From my childhood with my Dad, to adulthood with my husband and children!

I hope you have the opportunity to savor some lovely memories as Father’s Day approaches.

Cheers,

Stefanie

Driving from Illinois to Massachusetts each summer to be with family is a tradition we have been doing for 20 years now. Our overnight stay in New York State at Niagara Falls was a first.  We lucked out by arriving on a sunny evening about an hour before sunset.  What an amazing place!

I could not only hear the thundering water as we approached the park, but “feel” it due to the massive volume of sound before you lay eyes on the spectacular scene of multiple waterfalls.

This is the start to an acrylic on paper. Horizontal Shades of cobalt, cerulean, ultramarines, teal blue, blue-green, grays transforming into white as the water drops in a sharp fall to vertical. As the cascade hits the pool below it creates a cloud-like mist. It is a strange duality- the weight of the water in its thrust downward and the delicate vapor that moves upward upon impact.

The experience was simultaneously exciting and peaceful.

Perhaps you have a wonderful summer adventure in the works?

Best,

Stefanie

Happy Early Mother’s Day! This image,

“A Gift from Noah” © Stefanie Taranto, oil pastel, image16”x12”, 20”x16” framed, is inspired by flowers my son gave me. It leans towards abstraction, utilizing a minimalist palette.

Shades of cool purple, periwinkle, blue working with spring, sap and grass greens set of by warm tones of gold.

I used my iPhone’s camera as a tool to see how the composition worked in black and white, thank you Nicholas Wilton for that tip!  It helps in seeing what to add or what one might want to edit…

Hope you enjoy them!