All Things Reconsidered

ALL THINGS RECONSIDERED

1.17.5, oil on canvas, 16×12

A number of viewers responded positively to my last post, Here Today, in which I showed the before and after of several paintings I recently reworked. The changes ranged from sprucing up to major overhauls. Here are a few more.

They may not all have succeeded equally, but I think they are generally improved, and it is a useful learning exercise (circles are one recurring theme). I also had better lighting and sharper focus today when I photographed the new versions than when I photographed many of the originals.

I will return to posting new work after this.

Bubbles 11.12, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 16x12

Bubbles 11.12, oil on canvas, 16×12

In some cases, the changes were relatively minor.

Pines 1.13, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 11x14

Pines 1.13, oil on canvas, 11×14

1.17.4, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 14x11

1.17.4, oil on canvas, 14×11

Sprout 1.16, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 16x12

Sprout 1.16, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 16×12

1.17.11, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 12x16

1.17.11, oil on canvas, 12×16

In others, I intensify color. In some paintings I expand on an idea. Or I make a whole new painting, incorporating parts of the original.

Flowers 5.14, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 24x18

Flowers 5.14, oil on canvas, 24×18

1.17.8, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 18x24

1.17.8, oil on canvas, 18×24

Swamp 6.13, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 36x24

Swamp 6.13, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 36×24

1.17.10, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 36x24

1.17.10, oil on canvas, 36×24

Untitled 5.13, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 24x18

Untitled 5.13, oil on canvas, 24×18

1.17.6, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 24x18

1.17.6, oil on canvas, 24×18

Untitled 4.15, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 18x24

Untitled 4.15, oil on canvas, 18×24

1.17.1, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 18x24

1.17.1, oil on canvas, 18×24

Fire and Ice 6.14, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 24x18

Fire and Ice 6.14, oil on canvas, 24×18

1.17.7, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 18x24

1.17.7, oil on canvas, 18×24

Untitled 2.16, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 12x16

Untitled 2.16, oil on canvas, 12×16

1.17.2, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 12x16

1.17.2, oil on canvas, 12×16

Untitled 4.14, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 20x16

Untitled 4.14, oil on canvas, 20×16

1.17.3, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 20x16

1.17.3, oil on canvas, 20×16

 

I can’t find the photo of the original, horizontal version of 1.17.9, but much of it remains visible beneath the pink surface.

1.17.9, Russell Steven Powell oil on canvas, 20x16

1.17.9, oil on canvas, 20×16

6 Replies to “All Things Reconsidered”

  1. Hi Russ,
    All of them are wonderful to gaze upon. And, actually, a few I liked better in the their first version. When I look at these again, I know I’ll see something I did’n’t see the first time around which is what makes your art so interesting.

    1. Thank you Damaris. I am always taking a risk when I paint over, and they may not all turn out for the better. But something about these originals did not sit right with me, so it was worth a try to fix. In any event, it is great to compare the before and after, and it would be ideal if I could keep both.

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