Robie Benve Art

"The White House at the Corner" 6"x6" Oil on gesso board SOLD Two weeks ago there has been the 12th Annual Historic Dublin PaintOut, and I was one of the organizers. I knew that between setting up things and handling some of the registrations I wouldn't have much time to paint, so I thought a 6"x6" should be small enough for me to handle easily. However, I did not consider the possibility of my kids' piano recital being scheduled exactly on that day. But it happened. I only had a very short amount of time to pick a spot and start the painting. Then I had to leave for the recital. I planned to come back and finish later, but it started pouring, and the recital (wonderful by the way, they both did a great job!) ran longer than usual. So, I ended up not entering a painting into the competition that I had worked so hard putting together. Not even a tiny 6"x6". However, despite the weather, several of the participants were...

"Over the Italian Rooftops" 11"x14" Oil on Board Available Painting from a reference photo is not my first choice anymore. Since when I started painting on location, I find using reference photos more challenging than ever - how things change: I used to be scared of painting on location!!! The photo for this painting was taken at sundown, so the light resembled a cloudy day, with no direct sunlight, which made things hazy and with low contrast. Nevertheless I loved the landscape, so I really wanted to paint it. The photo at the top is the final version, below are phase 1 and 2 of this painting. The main change between phase 2 and 3 is that I deepened the color of the big roof. Over the Rooftops, Stage 1 I originally posted this painting a few months ago, but I was not sure if I was finished with it. Then I worked some more on it: I made the shadows more colorful. "Over the Rooftops"stage 2 I recently came across this notion...

"Brick House" 6"x6" Oil on Gesso board Available I tried to paint this house in the German Village in the spring but was not successful. I went back to Schiller Park this week, and tried again, this time on a smaller gesso board, and some miracle happened, because I quite liked the final result. :) Painting en plein air is lovely, I usually prefer natural landscape subjects, but mainly because buildings and structures are quite challenging to paint - for me. When I tried painting homes before I got this inner friction between my natural instinct to paint tightly, and the will to paint loosely, and often what comes out is none of the two. As we say in Italy the result "non e` ne' carne ne' pesce" (it's neither meat nor fish). lol This time I focused on the pattern of ligh and shadow, and I enjoyed painting it! :)

"Over the Rooftops" Oil on panel, 11"x14" I went "big" today. Instead of a 6x6 I painted an 11"x14". After a period of painting on location, this is a studio painting, made from a reference photo that I took this summer Italy, however my strategy has been to paint it like it was a plein air painting, quickly and loosely. This way I avoid painting too tight and I can finish it in a day, despite the bigger size. I feel like it has all the elements I wanted to incorporate, so I am posting it, though I'm not sure if I will retouch some things when I look at it again. Often, after the my eyes get some rest from a piece and I come back later with a fresh look, I see all kinds of things that I did not see while I was  involved in the painting. For reference I used a combination of the two photos below, a landscape in Veneto, the region of Italy where I come from.