New Oil Painting for "Kitchen Stories"! So, Why not Sponsor me to Receive Originals, Discounts and more...

Detailed photo from composition

Last week I was mostly working for "Kitchen Stories" series. I started to a new oil painting on panel with few objects from our place with the potatoes which will be the ingredient of a recipe I will put in the book. My mother in law sent us some potatoes the other day, Canarians call them "papas", they are really delicious. I put them inside a beautiful handmade Italian ceramic bowl that I bought many years ago from a small kitchenware store in Upper EastSide New York City. On the left side of the bowl, I displayed an iron shaped ceramic box which was bought from "El Rasto" flee market in Madrid at least ten years ago. We used to keep candy inside, nowadays I am using it for keeping my recycled can rings. Last object is a mechanical kitchen timer, a little funny chef figure which never worked properly. It was in my studio shelf for a long time waiting for to be painted. Most probably I will throw it away once I'm done with this painting. The green silk shawl was a gift from a dear high school friend given to me when she came to visit Gran Canaria in 2007. And again a little part of my self-portrait is going to be shown in the composition. See work in progress below.

Work in progress for "Kitchen Stories" series

On the weekend, I was drawing with oil pastels en plein air in the city of Las Palmas. It was about 7:30 pm, there was nobody on the beach. The light was very dramatic with clouds in this sunset time. I tried to capture as much as possible the reflections on the sea and the sky. I worked about 35 minutes and than I had to stop for the day. I took some reference photos at the beginning of the drawing session in order to add the last touches at the studio. See the finished piece below.

Work in progress en plein air in Las Canteras

"Las Canteras" by Birsen Ozbilge, 

oil pastel, 32 x 24 cm, April 2015

The other day I was with my 6 years old niece having some fun time together. I let her using my oil pastels and she posed for me while I was drawing her portrait. I spent quite some time drawing her and surroundings while she was enjoying herself with the colorful pastels. When her mother saw the finished piece, she really liked it and told me "¡Que bueno (How nice) Birsen!  I want this one to be framed." I replied her politely "Lo siento (sorry) Lourdes, but I don't gift my drawings, it's for my archives but I can share the digital image on my blog if you wish". Well, she felt a little bit disappointed and told me "but it didn't take you nothing to make." I couldn't help it and told her smiling "Yes, It took me for 25 years..." Than she understood my point very well and said "Oh, por favor (please) do it so...".

"Amaya and Bob Esponja" by Birsen Ozbilge

chalk on textured paper, April 2015 (Artist Collection)

If painting was my hobby, I would give it to her with no problem. But it is not a hobby for me. In reality, I am making a living with this profession for about more than 2 decades. During these years in rare occasions, I only gifted my artwork to show my appreciation to someone else's gesture and support.

In fact, I have a good news for people who really like my artworks. Recently, I started on a KickStarter kind of project which helps people to be able to own my artwork with a single subscription button. By Sponsoring me for subscribing to my blog for monthly €25 fee, you will receive every three months two of my original handmade linocut artwork, See details at BE SPONSOR .

Have a great week! 

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