Painting with Russ Recchion

Portrait in Progress, Diana Madaras

2009-12-09T15:05:00.000-08:00

Portrait in Progress, Diana Madaras

2009-12-03T18:56:00.001-08:00

New Portraits in Progress

2009-12-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

Portrait of Diana Madaras

2009-12-03T17:30:00.001-08:00

The Apache

2009-07-15T19:31:00.001-07:00

Buddah and the Rose

2009-05-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

STUDIO CLASS, The following photos are of my students. We meet in my studio weekly.

2009-04-28T21:32:00.000-07:00

"Red Rock Towers" Sedona, These next three paintings are currently in the TPAPS artists members show at the Northern Trust Bank, Tucson

2009-03-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

"Cathedral Rock" Oak Creek, Sedona

2009-03-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

"Heavenly Light" Cathedral Rock, Sedona,

2009-03-28T14:11:00.000-07:00

Brown County Art Guild Spring Show, 2009

2009-03-28T14:00:00.000-07:00

NEW, Giclee Prints Available, Watching the Herd (top) Saddling Up (bottom)

2009-03-07T13:26:00.000-08:00

Portraits in Studio

2009-02-11T18:57:00.000-08:00

Painting Class in my Studio

2008-12-22T21:21:00.000-08:00

These are a few photos posted of my painting class that I am holding in my studio. This is the first of a series that I will be teaching.

Portrait of Charles

2008-11-25T06:57:00.001-08:00

Saddling Up

2008-09-25T22:45:00.000-07:00

Watching the Herd

2008-09-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

Cutting Calves

2008-09-25T22:40:00.001-07:00

Tina & John

2008-08-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

Dean Bootman Portrait

2008-07-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

Here I started laying in color on top of the under painting. At this stage I'm just laying in general color values keeping it simple and big masses and will adjust them as I go.

Underpainting, dean Bootman portrait

2008-07-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

This is the second stage of the portrait. This is the underpainting done using Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue and a little of Titanium White. It is done on the finest of Belgian Portrait Linens using an oil ground. Next I will apply the color.

Painting Helen

2008-06-23T23:37:00.000-07:00

Tina & John

2008-06-13T00:08:00.000-07:00

Portrait of Dean, College of Pharmacy at the University of Arizona

2008-05-27T21:45:00.000-07:00

Portrait of Helen

2008-05-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

Unfinished Portrait

2008-04-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of the portrait of Helen in progress. It is near completion but still needs some work. I periodically like to place it in a frame at this stage to get an overall view of the work.

Unfinished Portrait

2008-04-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

This is a close up photo of the portrait of Helen, a six year old girl from NYC. It is not finished yet but I like to set a portrait that is near completion in a frame to help me with composition and values. It makes it easier to see where it needs to go lighter and darker. It also helps me to see shapes and masses important in the composition. I then take it out of the frame to work on it and repeat that several times until the portrait is complete. I made a trip to NY for the first pose. After I returned to my studio in Tucson I thought it would be nice to include her favorite doll. On my second trip to NY I had Helen hold the doll and I painted most of it in right in their apartment from life.

TPAPS Desert Museum Show

2008-04-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

Although I love painting portraits in the studio, I get a sense of freedom and communing with nature when I am out of doors painting. To me the elements of nature play an important part in the development of the painting and the freshness and spontaneity that the work takes on. I love the sounds of birds and other animals, the wind rustling through trees, the movement of light and shadows as the clouds pass by or on a cloudless day just the changing shadows and color as the sun moves across the sky. Sometimes there is a lighting effect, ie..shadow, highlight etc. that appears that wasn't there earlier and I feel it adds to the composition or interest of the painting.

Desert Museum Show Painting # 1

2008-04-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

These next three paintings are in the TPAPS (Tucson Plein Air Painters Society) members exhibition at the Desert Museum. The show is in the Ironwood Gallery at the Desert Museum in Tucson and will run from April 5, 2008 to May 18, 2008. A percentage of the proceeds from sales will go to help support the Desert Museum. A number for more information at the Desert Museum is 520 883- 3024 or you can contact Russ at rrecchion@aol.com.

Desert Museum Show Painting #2

2008-04-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

TPAPS Desert Museum Show Painting # 3

2008-04-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

Desert Museum Paint Out

2008-04-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

Our group TPAPS, Tucson Plein Air Painters Society had a quick draw and members exhibition at the Desert Museum. Everyone had the morning to paint then at 1 pm, the wet paintings were put in frames and hung in the gallery for an opening reception. I did two paintings that morning and have three other paintings in the show.

Lagoon at Waikoloa, Hawaii

2008-02-24T22:41:00.000-08:00

Painting in Hawaii

2008-02-24T07:18:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a week in Hawaii with my family. I love painting the ocean and the spectacular colors that come from the sea. I especially love the color in the water surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. When I'm painting the ocean I'm constantly studying the action of waves and the color effects of sunlight on water. It's fascinating to me to see the changes that take place and the challenge is to capture a moment.

Painting Saguaro National Park

2008-02-11T00:21:00.001-08:00

This painting was done when my nephew Dan Perkins and I went out painting together during his visit at Christmas. We managed to get two paintings done during his visit. Here we were driving to go into the Saguaro National Park and before we got to the entrance we saw this magnificent view and parked the car on the side of the road and began to paint.

Portrait of Crane Day

2008-02-04T11:30:00.001-08:00

The Southwest Landscape/Saguaros

2008-02-04T10:01:00.000-08:00

The saguaro is such a unique and interesting cactus. I love the challenge they present to the painter. The color, proportions, and individual character of the Saguaro present the artist with many decisions as to how to best represent them in a painting. The shadows of the larger ones with their many arms are always changing with the moving sun, creating intense greens or deep purple silhouettes against the bright blue skies of Arizona.

Native American Portrait

2008-02-03T13:16:00.000-08:00

This is a portrait done from life of a Native American who posed in my studio on several occasions. He dressed in full regalia and I completed this in a few sessions. Here it is in a beginning stage and the finished work.

Charcoal Portrait

2008-02-03T12:40:00.000-08:00

This is a portrait of my son Charles. It is a preliminary charcoal study to a painting I am doing of him.

Bucks County Paintings/ New Hope, PA

2008-01-31T20:08:00.000-08:00

The paintings above are from the Bucks County area and New Hope. I have spent much of the time during my years at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia painting in beautiful Bucks County. I love the New Hope School, Daniel Garber, Edward Redfield, John Follinsbee, George Sotter, Lathrop, and many others. Many of my paintings were done at the same Quarries that Garber painted in New Jersey. The two quarry paintings above were painted from Bowmans Hill looking over the river valley towards Lambertville NJ. I've painted another one of the same view in the winter which sold at Rago's Auction (of Antiques Roadshow ) last year for $4200. including buyers premium. The water scenes are of the Delaware River painted at Washingtons Crossing and the backyard of my friend Dorothy's house in New Hope. I continue to travel to Bucks County, to see my friends and to paint the inspiring landscape of the area that feels so much like home to me.

Venice paintings

2008-01-28T21:12:00.000-08:00

To me Venice is the most beautiful city in the world. The light, the color, and magnificent architecture surrounded by the canals with the gondolas and boats of all types make it a magical city. In addition it is the birthplace of some of the greatest art of all time including painting, sculpture, and music and to me that makes it irresistible. The beauty of Venice has lured artists there for centuries and captured their hearts and I too have succumbed. The paintings above were done from the apartment I rented with my family on Guidecca and were all painted from either the balcony or the roof terrace.

Desert Paintings

2008-01-27T18:22:00.001-08:00

I painted these desert scenes looking at the Catalinas in Tucson. I loved the way the light raked across the mountains creating the interesting shadows and color. The view is of Finger Rock from the Swan and River Road area. Both paintings were done from nearly the same spot but months apart. In one of the landscapes there was an iron cross set up on one of the paths.

Empire Ranch Paintings

2008-01-27T10:24:00.000-08:00

I painted these at the Empire Ranch in Sonoita, AZ. I did the first landscape on site during one of the TPAPS paint outs. It sold at the Empire Ranch 100 show. I did the second painting of the cowboy on horseback after the Empire Ranch Shoot out in spring 2007. It shows the windmill and water tower on the ranch property.

Portrait of Elliot

2008-01-26T23:04:00.000-08:00

This is a portrait which I just began of Elliot. It is in the initial block in stage. This is a commission for a family here in Tucson who came through my studio at one of our open studio weekends a couple of years ago and purchased one of my landscapes. They came back a few weeks later and added another one of my paintings to their collection. They have since become great friends with me and my wife. I am now working on portraits of their sons and grandchildren.

Artist's Parents

2008-01-26T22:22:00.000-08:00

The portrait on the right is of my parents which I began on one of their visits to Tucson. The woman on the left is Lindsay, a commission for a family here in Tucson.

Portrait of Crane Day

2008-01-26T18:46:00.000-08:00

This is a portrait of Crane Day, a weaver in Tucson. He is Osage and in this portrait Crane is holding a family heirloom peace pipe. A blue and gold tapestry which he made on one of his many looms is painted in the background to the right. The portrait is nearly finished.

Portrait of Bao

2008-01-26T16:21:00.000-08:00

This is a recent painting of Bao, commissioned by his owner Gail. Bao came to my studio and posed for photos. I then proceeded with the underpainting. After the underpainting dried, I started laying the final color for the finished painting.