New Paintings Available

 

My apartment is inundated in paintings, they're absolutely everywhere! It’s gotten to the point where I’ve run out of room and had to put a wet painting on top of the bathroom vanity to dry. By the next morning I saw my wife had moved the painting elsewhere. I guess she doesn’t consider the bathroom studio storage. So to reclaim some living space, I’ve decided to spend the next few weeks going through my archives and making previously stored artworks available for sale. Most of these paintings don’t line up with my current landscape style, and some are really quirky, but I thought why not give them the opportunity to find a new home? They want to be seen! So for this week I thought I’d share my first batch of newly available works. The paintings below are from the recent past: 2014 - 2017. Click on any image to see more photos of the works. I hope you enjoy.

The Pines, a 30 x 40 inch painting, is part of an ambitious series of abstract-photorealist paintings I made in 2015. For me, the painting feels like a memory of taking a long car ride into the woods and getting lost in a pine forest. The imagery from left to right includes: water droplets on a car window, close up of a pine cone, pine needles on the forest floor and the vinyl interior of a car, rotated ninety degrees.

Nautical Flags and Birch Trees is the second abstract-photorealist paintings I’ve made available for sale. This painting is 40 x 30 inches and shows a colorful array of nautical flags, a ship’s steering wheel, a birch tree and birch leaves. The painting may evoke a connection with any woods-y waterfront of your past, present or future. It reminds me of spending my summers as a kid at Lake George, New York.

Pastel Seascape is based on a painting demonstration from Bob Ross on his TV show The Joy of Painting. It was a joy making this painting. Before I got started, I made sure to have all the proper Bob Ross tools and materials, including a large house painting brush, the signature Bob Ross palette knife and a ton of linseed oil. While it took Bob a mere thirty minutes to make his painting, it ended up taking me six hours! Of course I spent a lot of that time rewinding the episode to watch his technique a few times before I committed to any part of the painting. It was a lot of fun to make this painting and I am happy with how it turned out.

Bob’s Pastel Seascape in progress

Bob’s Pastel Seascape in progress

Abstract
$150.00

Honestly, I only dimly remember making this painting but I am loving it now. It’s colorful and weird! The painting has an underlying base of acrylic paint with touches of oil paint on the top. Most unusual, is the textural band of paint near the bottom that fades from yellow to blue. The band is composed of acrylic paint, a chunky concrete medium and a subtle iridescent medium which collectively gives the painting an other-worldly appearance.

Tree in Central Park
Sale Price:$352.00 Original Price:$440.00

Tree in Central Park was created in my current painting style, but is newly available. The painting shows a rather dramatic tree I came across in the southern half of the Central Park. I made this painting just when the leaves were starting to turn yellow in the fall.

Avignon Street is also not too dissimilar to my current work, but is also new to the website. Avignon, France might be the most beautiful city I’ve ever visited. This painting shows one of the many small homes inside the castle walls.

Well, that’s all for this week!

Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram as I’m sharing new works there all the time.

 

New Year, New Paintings

I hope you’re all doing well, or as well as can be. I’m doing OK, working from home, painting on the weekends and basically being in my apartment 24/7. This week I wanted to share with you three paintings that I’ve just made available on my site. The first two paintings are brand new and the third is from 2017 but new to the site. I’ll be adding more previously unavailable works to the site in the coming weeks.

Richardson Street

 
 

This view is from the corner of Richardson Street and Meeker Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a couple blocks away from my apartment. I was drawn to this view because of the great lighting and because of all the great color on the buildings — the bright green cornices to the right, the fun red and blue Kalmon Dolgin realtor logo and of course the fact the trees were in peak fall foliage.

There is also the awesome vintage VW van on the left. Once I first noticed this van in my neighborhood I couldn’t stop seeing it everywhere. Seeing it has become a good luck charm for me.

The photo below shows the same scene, a month later at night. Sadly the VW van was elsewhere and a U-Haul van took its place.

 
View of Richardson Street with the World Trade Center in the background

View of Richardson Street with the World Trade Center in the background

 
 

Abstract Landscape

 

This abstract landscape is one of my favorite new paintings. I wasn’t sure at first if it was finished because I wanted to create a mood but at the same time I didn’t want to over work it. Moods need to be felt, not explained, and I hope I successfully gave enough space for the viewer to fill in the rest of the painting with their own feelings. Personally, when I look at this painting I get a fuzzy warm feeling of melancholy that you can sometimes experience on an overcast day, as if somehow the cloud cover is a giant blanket protecting me.

Vroman’s Nose

 
Vroman's Nose, Schoharie Valley (20 x 24 in.)
Sale Price:$90.00 Original Price:$420.00

Vroman’s Nose depicts the beautiful Schoharie valley. I lived in Middleburgh, a small town in the Schoharie valley, which is just out of the painting and to the right. At the center of the work is Vroman’s Nose, a thousand foot high hill and cliff surrounded by farmland. From the top you can get amazing views of the town, farmland and the surrounding mountains. Here are a few photos I took from the top, which is easily accessible by a short trail.

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I Need to Remember to Go Outside

The most meaningful moments I’ve had during the pandemic have been the moments I’ve spent outdoors. Every day I try to make it outside but I too often forget, or I say to myself, “But I’m busy, it’s cold, it’s dark and I’m tired of walking around the same block.” Plus how can I not keep up with the latest news about the pandemic, insurrection and impeachment? Who has control of the nuclear codes?!

There are actions I can take politically, but reading two hours of news everyday and listening to ten podcasts probably isn’t doing any good for me or anyone else. I’m just distracting myself with my news addiction under the guise of being a good citizen.

 
Hopelessly looking for meteors was the best use of my time this week

Hopelessly looking for meteors was the best use of my time this week

 

The most meaningful moment I’ve had this week was when my wife and I spontaneously went outside in the middle of the night and looked for meteors. We live in Brooklyn, so there was zero chance we were going to see a thing. But that didn’t stop us from believing we might see the expected meteor shower. We laid on a blanket in the park and had a great time looking at a handful of stars, the moon and some geese.

I’m looking forward to this weekend when I’ll have time to get out of my apartment and actually connect with the nature again. The news will still be there when I get back home.

 
Forest Park, Queens is my current painting in progress. I’ll work on it more this weekend. Let’s see if I don’t end up overworking it ;)

Forest Park, Queens is my current painting in progress. I’ll work on it more this weekend. Let’s see if I don’t end up overworking it ;)

 

Holiday Sale on Instagram Live! Dec 6th, 6:00PM

 
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I’ll be hosting an Instagram Live Holiday Sale from my home this Sunday, December 6th, 6-6:30pm. I’d love to see you all there, say hi, answer questions and catch up.

My paintings will be discounted 20-50%+ off just during the event. I’ll be joined by my wife, Ariel, as we celebrate the holidays and catch up with all of you.

Here’s the schedule and how to participate:

Now-ish:
-
Follow me on Instagram if you don’t already: @alexroediger so you can watch the Instagram Live event and say hi.
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If you’re not already an email subscriber, sign up for the $50-off raffle which also includes early access to the sale using the form below.
- Check out some of my paintings that will be available at discount here.

Sunday, Dec. 6th, 3:00PM:
- If you’re signed up for my emails, you’ll receive early access to the sale via email and be signed up for the raffle at 3:00PM.

Sunday, Dec. 6th, 6:00PM:
Start of the Instagram Live event!
Event includes:
- Artwork
- Tour of my home studio
- Maybe we’ll end with a song???

All of my email subscribers are automatically entered for the raffle and early access. If you have not signed up for one of my previous raffles or if you're not an email subscriber: Please add your email for early access to my December 6th Holiday Sale (6-6:30PM) and for the chance to win an additional $50 off my upcoming Instagram Live Sale where paintings will already be offered at discounted prices.

Thank You for the Kind Words

Thanks to those of you who kindly gave me permission to publicly share your quotes on my new testimonial page. It’s been really nice going through my old emails and finding all these really touching comments many of you have written to me after receiving your paintings.

If you’ve purchased a painting from me and would like your review added to the testimonial page, please leave your quote in the comments below! I’ll be sure to add your feedback to the page. Reading these comments has reminded me that I’m supported by a really great community of art lovers. Thanks again and here are a few quotes I have so far:

 
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We got our painting and are in love!! Thank you so much, Alex. This brought tears to my eyes!!
— Jane P., New York, New York
 
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Just received and unwrapped the paintings - am so happy I could cry! I was surprised to see that you were featured In Fenimore Museum , where I frequently visit. I’ve been following you on Insta and looking at your site from time to time. I so so love it. Thank you!
— Mary H., Oneonta, New York
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I’m very pleased to have a piece of your work! I have been watching your art with interest and am a big fan. We will really enjoy having your painting in our home.
— Marla G., Bozeman, Montana
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This was a gift to my father for his birthday. He was thrilled with it and told me it was perfect. My father has only had it for a short time but has already received multiple unsolicited compliments from guests about it.
— Melissa F., Jackson Heights, New York
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I love it. You’re so talented. Really looks incredible!!! I am blown away. I can’t thank you enough!
— Allegra S., Chicago, Illinois
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First, this painting is gorgeous. Second, Alex is professional, a good communicator and quick. The piece arrived well packaged and ready to hang. Thank You!
— Hatti F., New York, New York
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We love this painting. It is even more beautiful in person than in the picture. It was packaged really well and arrived quickly.
— Patrick S., Astoria, New York

Painting the National Parks

Between the pandemic and my recent bicycle accident it's been tough for me to get out of my Brooklyn apartment and enjoy the outdoors. Before the pandemic, my plan was to go on a trip to Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon this summer, however my southwest national parks tour will have to wait another year. On the upside, my wife and I recently purchased a car which has been great for getting us out to the beach on the weekends. I'm hoping all of you are finding ways to get outside as well.

In the spirit of getting outdoors during the summer, I thought I’d share some of my national park paintings. I’ve been exploring national parks only in the last few years and each one I’ve been to is truly amazing. If any of you are planning on visiting a national park this year, or have already visited, please let me know in the comments. I’d love to read where people are going. The first few paintings in this gallery are still available if you're interested in owning one. Just click on the image to find out more.

Q&A About Being An Artist

I recently got an email from a fellow artist, Kenny Wu, who found my website and reached out with questions about my experience as an artist. I thought others might be interested in the answers, so rather than answer privately, Kenny agreed that I could share his questions and my answers here:

What is your current creative process?
I typically paint in one or two sittings, working quickly and mostly with a palette knife. I like to apply thick impasto paint on wood panels, typically painting from photos of places I’ve been or that my client’s provided me with. I just bought a car and would like to get out and paint more in real life. I’ve been an artist all my life, but have only been a landscape painter for the last 3 years, so I still feel like a newbie.

 
 

Do you currently work in a studio?
Yes, I rent a studio about a mile-and-a-half from my home in Brooklyn. I share a large room in an old industrial building with several other artists.

 
My studio space

My studio space

 

What work has greatly influenced you?
My original inspiration were artists from the Impressionist era: Monet, Van Gogh, Bonnard, Vuillard, Soutine and Klimt. But I also love O’Keeffe, Diebenkorn, Fairfield Porter and Hockney. Contemporary artist Sonya Sklaroff has been a significant influence for me this year as I've been doing a lot of urban landscapes.

 
Raining at the Pub, Sonya Sklaroff

Raining at the Pub, Sonya Sklaroff

 

Any courses, learning material you highly recommend for a self-teaching painter? 
- Seeing art in-person, although that’s tough to do at the moment
- Books: The Art Spirit by Robert Henri, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh, How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist by Caroll Michels, Start Your Own Etsy Business by Entrepreneur
- Podcasts: Art Marketing Podcast, Plein Air Podcast with Eric Rhoads
- Wet Canvas painters forum
- MoMA’s online course In the Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting
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YouTube, there’s so much available, including the MoMA Painting webinar I hosted

 
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What are the three most valuable lessons you’ve learned as an artist?
- Having total compassion and trust in myself during the creative process.
- My artwork will probably be fun to look at if it was fun to paint. I try to have fun when I paint and let go of perfectionism.
- The secret to good painting is good drawing.

 
I think paintings that are fun to make are also fun to look at

I think paintings that are fun to make are also fun to look at

 

What was successful in building a presence and a client-base (Etsy, Local, Online)?
There is no “best” platform, each has pros and cons. Marketing success comes from the amount of time I dedicate to fostering a real conversation with each different audience. I would say people feel the most connected when they get to know me and that usually happens fastest face-to-face. That being said, there are few opportunities to sell in-person these days and I’ve had plenty of success connecting with people online as well. It just takes consistent work for people to get to know you online.

How do you price your work and why?
I started by pricing my work very inexpensively which provided me with a lot of sales, experience and a feeling of immediate success, if not a ton of money. As I’ve gotten better at painting I’ve been modestly increasing my prices. For me, the most important thing isn’t money but making a connection to people with my art.

Have you ever dealt with international shipping?
Yes, for international shipping I charge for the artwork + shipping. For simplicity, all domestic shipping is free.

What were the three most valuable lessons you learned as a business person?
- My success has been built on making and reaching simple, achievable goals one step at a time.
- In order to make a sale or gain support I’ve found it’s usually not enough for a person to like my work, they need to have a sense for who I am as a person. This means my job is to learn how to make art that makes an impact and also to provide opportunities for people to get to know me.
- Realizing there is no authority figure out there that is going to “discover me” and that if I do the work, I can learn the skills to make and sell my art on my own terms.

Thanks Kenny for all your questions! I hope you found this helpful.

If anyone has any questions or comments, feel free to include them below, maybe they’ll become my next blog post!

Watercolors During the Pandemic

During the stay-at-home phase of the pandemic I didn’t go to my studio where I make oil paintings and instead started using some watercolors I happened to have at the house. Below are some of the watercolor landscapes I did this spring when I could only really get around in my north Brooklyn neighborhood.

Although I prefer oil painting, watercolors are fun too and I can make a finished work of art a bit faster than I can with oils. I’m not very experienced with watercolors and overall I’d say I have no idea what I’m doing when using them but I feel weirdly OK with that. The only “rule” I’ve made for myself is to paint one layer only and not to fuss with anything. It’s hard not to fuss and let things be, but I think it’s a good discipline to learn both in painting as well as in life.

Now that the virus cases have gone down in New York I’m starting to go back to my studio and picking up my oil painting practice again. But hopefully I’ll keep making watercolors too since they’re fun and I think they might help me further my drawing skills.