From Plein Air Painting to Studio Work
Thursday, December 24, 2015
There is no Greater Master than Nature when learning to paint. Nothing substitutes the observation and constant training of the eyes when facing natural elements.In fact, learning to paint is learning to see and translate our inner vision. Whenever I´m asked why plein air painting I have longer and shorter answers, but I always state that they are completely different ways of working.
Recently I finished in the studio the painting I´m posting now. It is a very large work for plein air!
I had already done smaller works with this theme, but for this one I started with compositional studies on the site and brought them to the studio to be developed into the final painting.
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| Victoria Regia - The Star of the Waters oil on canvas 180 x 80 cm Sandra Nunes |
By now, Happy Holidays!
I wish you a Happy and Blessed New Year!
Posted bySandra Nunes at 8:33 AM 0 comments
Labels: botanic garden, impressionism, ninpheas, oil painting, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sandra Nunes, victoria regia
Art and Traveling - part III
Friday, November 20, 2015
Being an artist I´m always pushing myself, exploring new techniques and materials, learning all along the way. Sometimes it is tough leaving the comfort zone and setting new goals.Well, I believe it is not the destination but the journey that counts and I´m having a blast on mine!
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| Sandra Nunes painting from the porch Canal San Martin, Paris |
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| Paris Rooftops -Sunset quick sketch Sandra Nunes Cobra Oils solvent free on Arches Huile |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 1:43 PM 0 comments
Labels: arches huile, cobra watermiscible paint, les toits de paris, ois sketch, painting on paper, Paris painting, paris painting impressionism, Paris rooftops, plein air painting, Sandra Nunes
Art and Traveling - part II
Saturday, November 7, 2015
As I have written in the previous post, besides learning from the Great Masters studying their paintings up close, in galleries and museums, traveling abroad provides the opportunity to work in different locations; it is a great exercise on training to capture the local atmosphere. In addition, there is the possibility of experimenting with new techniques and use of new art materials.
Painting in oils, when travelling, may present some difficulties from brush cleaning, using solvents in inappropriate environments such as hotel rooms, to packing and transporting wet canvases.. As we know, drying time of oil painting is subject to many variables ( I intend to talk more about this soon).
I am always in search of the best art supplies to work with, not only the immediate result but permanence is also important. I want my paintings to last for many years after I´m gone.
Well, I've tested water miscible oil paints some years ago, Winsor and Newton Artisan, Talens H2Oil and Grumbacher Max. None of them satisfied me for one reason or another. The pigment concentration, for example, I didn´t find any brand with the same pigment load of the traditional oils in their professional lines
This year I've learned about Cobra, the new generation of Royal Talens water miscible oils. They are manufactured both in professional line (Cobra fine) and student (Cobra study). I tested only the professional line.
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| Cobra Solvent Free Oils Sandra Nunes Painting in Tulleries Garden |
I was positively impressed by its quality, and the fact of not using solvent was a good point. At first it behaves differently from traditional oils, but after understanding how to handle it, a new world is opened! No smell!
When I´m travelling all paintings are done alla prima, hit or miss in one session.
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| Tulleries Garden Cobra Solvent Free oil on panel 16x22 cm Sandra Nunes |
There are some mediums available to be used for example when working in layers. I didn´t use any at this time, just a bit of water at the beginning and then just paint.
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| Sandra Nunes Painting in Honfleur |
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| Sandra Nunes Painting in Honfleur |
Read Part one here
To be continued...
Posted bySandra Nunes at 9:27 PM 0 comments
Labels: cobra solvent free, julian paris, landscape painting, leidseplein, oil painting impressionism, Paris, plein air painting, pochade box, Sandra Nunes, Stadsschouwburg, Tulleries
Art and Traveling
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
I´ve been posting less here and privileging Facebook. This is a natural way for the social network's immediacy and real time response. But I still like writing and reading longer posts. So I´ll keep this blog and my website as well for this kind of interactivity, sharing as often as possible my creative process.
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| The Night Watch Rembrandt at Rijksmuseum |
 The Banquet of the Officers of Saint George Militia Frans Hals |
| Studying the Master of brushstrokes at Frans Hals Museum - Haarlem |
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| Plein Air painting in Amsterdam - Leidseplein Stadsschouwburg Sandra Nunes |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 6:15 PM 2 comments
Labels: alla prima, Amsterdam, Frans Hals, julianparis, leidseplein, oilsketch, plein air painting, pochade box, Rembrandt, Rijksmuseum, Sandra Nunes, Stadsschouwburg, The night watch, urbansketch
Spring is here- Sunflowers
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Sunflowers
It is quite understandable Van Gogh's passion for sunflowers, this is a beautiful flower when it blooms , lives beautifully and it can become even more beautiful when dying. Its warm hues turns gray, its leaves twists and turns like a ballet in a circular dance.
I was privileged to live a few days with them and yesterday decided to capture their last minutes of life.
Posted bySandra Nunes at 2:59 PM 0 comments
Labels: floral painting, impressionism, Sandra Nunes, sennelier, soft pastel, spring, sunflowers, vincent van gogh, walls paper
Urca - Nomand Castle
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Those who visit my website and blog for some time now, realize that Urca has been quite often one of my inspirations.Strolling through its 17 streets, cycling or walking is part of my daily life. Sometimes with my bike-easel, pochade or large canvas I stop to register these peaceful moments.
Urca- Normand Castle
Sandra Nunes
oil on canvas 54 x 73 cm
Posted bySandra Nunes at 3:07 PM 0 comments
Labels: impressionism, oil on canvas, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro landscapes, sandra nunes, Urca
Santa Teresa - Almirante Alexandino Street
Saturday, August 29, 2015
It´s been four years since the district of Santa Teresa lost its charming Tram. Now, the neighborhood is getting ready to receive the new vehicles.
In fact, they have started now to run experimentally, along a short distance.
Little by little I´ve been returning to this collection that gives me so much pleasure to paint. I´ve been working on new compositions, revisiting some other ones and on a rhythm in harmony with Santa Teresa's I´ll be posting some works here and on my website. Thanks for following this!
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| Almirante Alexandrino Street Oil on canvas 120x 90 cm Sandra Nunes |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 8:16 PM 0 comments
Labels: curvelo, impressionism, largo dos guimaraes, new tram, oil painting, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sandra Nunes, santa teresa tram. old tram
Arte de Portas Abertas - Santa Teresa Open Studios
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Thanks everyone who attended my show at Centro Cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo this weekend. It was great meeting old friends and making new ones!
The show runs til August 30th from Tuesday to Sunday - from 10 am to 05:00 pm
If you happen to be in Rio at this time, stop by!
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| Arte de Portas Abertas Opening Night Sandra Nunes |
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Arte de Portas Abertas
Centro Cultural Laurinda Santos LoboSandra Nunes |
Sandra Nunes
Posted bySandra Nunes at 1:44 PM 0 comments
Labels: Arte de Portas abertas, Centro cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo, chave mestra, impressionism, oil painting, sandra nunes, santa teresa tram
Vitória Regia, Star of the Waters
Friday, May 22, 2015
There´s a Tupi Guarani legend which tells that whenever the moon hid itself behind
the horizon, it took its favorite maiden to live in the sky. If the moon fell in love with a girl, the
girl would turn into a star. Naia, daughter of an Indian chief and
princess of the tribe, was impressed with the story. Then at night when
everyone was asleep , she climbed the hills chasing for the moon in the hope that
it would see her.But
the moon did not seem to notice her and couldn´t hear her sobs of sadness in the
distance. One night, Naia saw in the clear waters of a lake the shape of the
moon. The poor girl, imagining that the moon had come to pick her up, threw
herself into the deep waters of the lake and was never seen again.
Posted bySandra Nunes at 8:23 AM 0 comments
Labels: Botanical Garden, floral painting, oil painting, pleinairpainting, Sandra Nunes, star of the waters, victoria regia, victoria_amazonica
High Summer - Flamboyant in Bloom
Monday, February 9, 2015
Along with the unbearable heat, summer comes exploding in color with the lush blooming of Flamboyants all over the city!
These trees have been calling me to paint for some time now, and soft pastels seemed to be the right choice to make justice to these flowers vibrant colors bathed by the sun.
High Summer - Flamboyant in Bloom
Sandra Nunes
soft pastels 35 x 61 cm
Posted bySandra Nunes at 8:28 PM 0 comments
Labels: flamboyants, High summer - Flamboyant, painting flowers, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sandra Nunes, soft pastel, summer in rio
Kandinsky: Everything starts from a dot.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
On view at Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Kandinsky: "Everything starts from a dot."
This show brings to Rio de Janeiro works from the artist who is considered the pioneer of abstract art. Most of the works were selected from the collection of the State Museum in St Petersburg. On display alongside works by his contemporaries and by artists who influenced him, the exhibition is a great opportunity for understanding how his art evolved from figurative to abstract.
Kandinsky and Plein Air Painting
Like the French master, Kandinsky worked in Plein Air(outdoors), sometimes panting the same scene over the changing seasons.
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| Wassily Kandinsky Saint George 1911 oil on canvas |
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| Kandinsky and Arnold Schönberg letters |
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| Wassily Kandinsky - On White 1920 oil on canvas |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 3:29 PM 0 comments
Labels: abstract painting, fauvism, gabriele münter, impressionism, Kandinsky, plein air painting, Sandra Nunes, schonberg, synesthesia
2014 Last Brushstrokes?
Monday, December 29, 2014
Maybe...
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| My bike-easel set up |
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| Felix Laranjeiras Square Urca Sandra Nunes oil on gallery wrap canvas 22x27 cm |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 9:34 PM 0 comments
Labels: impressionism, oil painting, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sandra Nunes, sketch in oil, Urca
Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 27, 2014
cor do arco-íris, ou da cor da sua paz,
Ano Novo sem comparação com todo o tempo já vivido
(mal vivido talvez ou sem sentido)
para você ganhar um ano
não apenas pintado de novo, remendado às carreiras,
mas novo nas sementinhas do vir-a-ser;
novo
até no coração das coisas menos percebidas
(a começar pelo seu interior)
novo, espontâneo, que de tão perfeito nem se nota,
mas com ele se come, se passeia,
se ama, se compreende, se trabalha,
você não precisa beber champanha ou qualquer outra birita,
não precisa expedir nem receber mensagens
(planta recebe mensagens?
passa telegramas?)
Não precisa
fazer lista de boas intenções
para arquivá-las na gaveta.
Não precisa chorar arrependido
pelas besteiras consumadas
nem parvamente acreditar
que por decreto de esperança
a partir de janeiro as coisas mudem
e seja tudo claridade, recompensa,
justiça entre os homens e as nações,
liberdade com cheiro e gosto de pão matinal,
direitos respeitados, começando
pelo direito augusto de viver.
que mereça este nome,
você, meu caro, tem de merecê-lo,
tem de fazê-lo novo, eu sei que não é fácil,
mas tente, experimente, consciente.
É dentro de você que o Ano Novo
cochila e espera desde sempre.
Posted bySandra Nunes at 8:26 PM 0 comments
Labels: carlos drummond de andrade, happy new year, impressionism, plein air painting, receita de ano novo, Rio de janeiro landscapes
Uruguaiana Street - Merry Christmas
Friday, December 19, 2014
At this time of the year the thermometers start displaying unbelievable high temperatures in Rio de Janeiro,
Downtown, where a large number of popular stores is concentrated, becomes the stage of an explosion of colors with the hustle-bustle of the passersby looking for Christmas gifts added by the sound appeal of the shops trying to attract last minute costumers.
One of these spots is Rua Uruguaiana near the Popular Market.
May the true meaning of the holiday season fill your heart and home with blessings!
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| Uruguaiana Street Sandra Nunes oil on canvas 70x100 cm |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 6:54 PM 0 comments
Labels: Igreja nossa senhora do Rosário e são benedito, impressionism, plein air painting, Sandra Nunes, Uruguaiana Street
Caminho do Bem-te-vi - Sugar Loaf Mountain
Monday, December 15, 2014
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| Painting on Caminho do Bem-te-vi Sandra Nunes |
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| Praia Vermelha Sandra Nunes Soft Pastels on Wallis 30x40 cm |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 6:46 PM 0 comments
Labels: Caminho do Bem-te-vi, Claudio Coutinho trail, impressionism, pastel painting, plein air painting, Sandra Nunes, soft pastel, Sugar Loaf Mountain
Sunset on Guaíra
Thursday, November 13, 2014
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| Sketching Guaíra waters Sandra Nunes I barely had time to finish the sketch and the annonuced rain came quick and heavy A few minutes later, sheltered by Centro Cultural Mário Quintana dome, I could witness an astonishingly beautiful sunset . |
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| Sunset on Guaíra |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 1:51 PM 0 comments
Labels: centro cultural mario quintana, guaíra, impressionism, landscape painting, plein air painting, porto alegre, Sandra Nunes, sunset on guaíra, watercolor
At the Ferry Boat Station
Friday, November 7, 2014
There´s something about this place that I keep coming back to paint it...
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| Ferry Boat Station Oil on linen Sandra Nunes |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 6:10 AM 0 comments
Labels: impressinism, Niterói, oil painting, plein air painting, praça quinze, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sandra Nunes
Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Fountain
Monday, November 3, 2014
The Fountain of the Muses
Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden is a real oasis in the middle of the hustle-bustle of city life. As we enter the main pathway sided by the Royal Palm Trees we can see the beautiful Fountain of the Muses.
Made in England by Herbert W. Hogg, the fountain was brought to Botanical Garden from its original location at Largo da Lapa in 1895.
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| The Fountain of the Muses Chafariz do Jardim Botânico oil on canvas 60x30cm Sandra Nunes |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 5:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: fountain of the muses, landscapes, oil on canvas impressionism, plein air painting, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, Sandra Nunes, waterfountain
Arte de Portas Abertas 2014 - Open Studios 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Thanks to all who visited Open Studios 2014 in Santa Teresa. It was great to meet old friends, collectors and make new contacts. If by chance you could not make it, you can still see some of my paintings, the show Ateliers in Transit runs till October 11th at Centro Cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo.
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| Sandra Nunes - Arte de Portas Abertas 2014 Centro Cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo |
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| Arte de Portas Abertas 2014 Opening night and vist Centro Cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 8:19 PM 0 comments
Labels: Arte de Portas abertas, Centro cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo, chave mestra, rio de janeiro paintings, Sandra Nunes, Santa Teresa Paintings, santa teresa tram
Santa Teresa Open Studios - Arte de Portas Abertas
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
This is the 24th edition of this event. I´participating in the show Studios in Transit - at Centro Cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo - 306, Monte Alegre Street, Santa Teresa.
If you are in Rio, this is a great opportunity to see my art up close and personal. I´ll be showing my most recent works!
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| Arte de Portas Abertas 2014 |
If you intend to visit it afterwards, please email me and we can meet there!
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| Centro Cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo Soft Pastel on Art Spectrum Sandra Nunes |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 5:11 PM 0 comments
Labels: art spectrum, Arte de Portas abertas, Centro cultural Laurinda Santos Lobo, plein air painting, Sandra Nunes, Santa Teresa, Santa Teresa Paintings, sketch, soft pastel
Popular Market at Uruguaiana Street
Saturday, September 6, 2014
I´ve tried to capture the hustle-bustle of this downtown popular market. The red awning against the green leafy trees was a plus!
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| Rua Uruguaiana Popular Market oil on linen 30 x 30 cm Sandra Nunes |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 6:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: camelódromo, cityscape, impressionism, mercado popular, oil painting, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro landscapes, rua uruguaiana, Sandra Nunes
Winter Light
Monday, June 30, 2014
Here in the southern hemisphere winter has started a few days ago...
In Rio de Janeiro the changes are subtle. Misty morning with a warm and lazy sun slowly breaking through the barrier imposed by the blue gray curtain.
Back in 2010, the author of an interesting blog about art and culture used the image of a work of mine to illustrate her post (she kindly let me know it by contacting by email).
In her text she analyzes the significance of the winter looking for references in Chinese philosophy making the correlation between eastern symbolism and our lives. "... We can see that during the winter we try to 'save' more, ie, try to rest (" save the harvest in the barn "),we invest a lot of energy in order to accomplish our daily journey. ("The effort that all beings are subject to.")
If you think about it a bit, in winter we usually return home early, for warmth, "it is time to focus." And it is at these 'moments of concentration ', that we achieve self communion, ... "
I agree with this thought. Each brush stroke happens after a long period of contemplation as an attempt of self recognition and integration to the "New Season".
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| Winter Light -Sandra Nunes oil on panel 22x16cm |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 11:24 AM 0 comments
Labels: Corcovado, impressionism, marine painting, oil on vanvas Urca, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sandra Nunes, winter light
Plein Air Painting in Paraty
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Paraty, the Historic City
Walking around the streets of Paraty is a real challenge, its cobble stoned streets demand attention to each step. Get lost on their colorful corners, sit in a cafe, watch the slow pace of time is worth any sacrifice...
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| Sandra Nunes painting in Paraty |
The post card compositions so many times painted by artists from the past and contemporary as well are a great attraction, but this time what first called my attention was the afternoon light bathing the boats on the river.
Masses of light and color...
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| Sandra Nunes painting in Paraty |
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| Sandra Nunes painting in Paraty |
I hadn´t heard about this painting and I got curious to know how Djanira, who lived here for a time, interpreted the theme.
here it is:
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Flight to Egypt
Djanira da Motta e Silva oil on canvas
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| Friends in the Paraty Paint Out |
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| Plein Air Painting in Paraty |
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| Paraty, A travel in Time |
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| Paraty, A travel in Time |
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| Plein Air Painting in Paraty |
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| End of day in Paraty, last lights... |
Posted bySandra Nunes at 6:41 PM 0 comments
Labels: historic city, impressionism, oil on canvas, oil painting, Paraty, Paraty Djanira da Motta e Silva, plein air painting, Rio de janeiro colonial houses, Rio de janeiro landscapes, Sandra Nunes
