Monday, December 21, 2009

Kristen Reitz-Green

Kristen Reitz-Green
9 x 12 inches
Oil on wood panel
(c) Bill Brauker

This is my entry into the portrait exchange at Different Strokes From Different Folks, a wonderful site created by Karin Jurick. This is the second year that artists have sent in photos of themselves, and Karin matches the artists up and they paint each other. It is fun way to end the year.

This is the photo I received.



When I received it, I did not know who she was, but since she paints faster than I, the portrait she did has already been posted, and I now know that the lovely lady is, Kristen Reitz-Green. Check out her blog to see the great portrait she did.
_____

Please contact me regarding availability and prices of any of my paintings. I will occasionally put some on eBay, but find that the cost of doing business with eBay and the lack of support for sellers has turned me off from using it much.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Friday, December 18, 2009

Frames


Frames
11 x 14 inches
Oil on wood panel
(c) Bill Brauker

I love museums. There is something special about the large spaces, the quiet, the frames and most of all, the art, in all shapes, sizes and styles. To me, the paintings send out a vibration from the painter across the years, that is still alive in the image. It is something you can actually feel and witness as others are enveloped by the energy. A solitary figure in a large room such as this, is not really alone, for the artist is there also.

Contact me to purchase this painting for $500 (free shipping).



Please contact me regarding availability and prices of any of my paintings. I will occasionally put some on eBay, but find that the cost of doing business with eBay and the lack of support for sellers has turned me off from using it much.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Sunflowers - Homage to Vincent

Sunflowers - Homage to Vincent
24 x 30 inches
Oil on canvas
(c) Bill Brauker

A few days ago, I happened on a blog called, Follow the Masters. http://followingthemasters.blogspot.com/ The most recent challenge was to paint like Vincent Van Gogh. Well, Vincent is my favorite. I have visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam twice! So this challenge really excited me. It also sent me out to the garage. Why the garage you ask?

In 1979, I bought a 24 x 30 inch canvas and decided, as an exercise, to paint Vincent's, Still Life: Vase With 14 Sunflowers. (The original painting hangs in the National Gallery in London, where I have visited it several times.) I finished the drawing, and had put in some of the background color, when for some reason, (I can't remember why) I stopped. All this time, the unfinished canvas has been with me. I took it from Michigan, to Hawaii for six years, then here to Colorado, where it has lived high up on a shelf in the garage for the past 12 years. Finally its time had come.

Several days ago, I brought it in, set it on the easel, squeezed out large dollops of yellow and orange on my palette and went to work.

What a joy this was to do. It gave me real insight into how great Vincent was. He was doing something, in a way that no one had done before. I have read the books of his letters to his brother, Theo, and know what a struggle he had each month to get enough money to buy paint and canvas, yet when you do a painting such as this, you realize the amazing amount of paint he used. He didn't conserve, he had to do it his way and if it meant using lots of paint he would, because it was what had to be done.

I have always been rather miserly with my paint, putting too little on the palette, because I didn't want to waste it. Not any more. From now on, I will treat the paint as what it is, a medium to the message, and I will not have any fear.

So, after 30 years, the painting I started so long ago, is done. Thank you, Vincent, for your inspiration.


If you have an interest in Vincent's life, you can do no better than to find the books of his letters. In addition to being a great painter, he was an incredible intellect and writer.

It is sad to think that he only did his art work for 10 years, from the age of 27 to 37, when he shot himself. Imagine the paintings there would be had he lived many years.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Commission Paintings


Louise Brooks
24 x 30 inches
Oil on canvas
(c) Bill Brauker

A wonderful collector in Pennsylvania commissioned me to paint Louise Brooks and a smaller painting, The Smoking Man.




The Smoking Man
9 x 12 inches
Oil on canvas
(c) Bill Brauker

If you want to commission a painting, please email me.


Friday, October 30, 2009

Golden Trail

Golden Trail
16 x 20 inches
Oil on canvas panel
(c) Bill Brauker

This painting is based on a photo I took a couple of weeks ago. It is about two miles from my house, on the western end of Standley Lake. I loved all the golden colors as they flowed across the fields.

Contact me to purchase this painting for $300.

Please contact me regarding availability and prices of any of my paintings. I will occasionally put some on eBay, but find that the cost of doing business with eBay and the lack of support for sellers has turned me off from using it much.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Monday, October 19, 2009

The Bath

The Bath
11 x 15 inches
Oil on wood panel

I have been working on two commissioned paintings, so have not been doing much other work, but did manage to finish this one over the weekend. I have always loved the series of works by Edgar Degas featuring the bath. I thought I would try something somewhat similar. (Although, no one can approach the master.) Still, it was fun and I love the light and the warmth of this scene.


The panel was sized to fit this lovely wood frame that I bought at an antique shop.


Please contact me to purchase this painting and the frame for $1000, or regarding the availability and prices of any of my paintings.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Lifeguard Tower

Lifeguard Tower
8 x 10 inches
Oil on wood panel

I love the beach, and the serenity of the approaching evening.

Contact me to purchase this painting for $100.

Please contact me regarding availability and prices of any of my paintings. I will occasionally put some on eBay, but find that the cost of doing business with eBay and the lack of support for sellers has turned me off from using it much.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Mountain Trail

Mountain Trail
9 x 12 inches
Oil on wood panel

This is one of my favorite places. It is about two miles from my house, on the western end of Standley Lake. Many times I have seen great horned owls in the trees to the left. The reason for the owls is that the field in the background, is filled with prairie dogs! And then finally, of course, the wonderful front range of the Rocky Mountains to view in the morning light.

Please contact me regarding availability and prices of any of my paintings. I will occasionally put some on eBay, but find that the cost of doing business with eBay and the lack of support for sellers has turned me off from using it much.


Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Twilight

Twilight
9 x 12 inches
Oil on canvas panel

Twilight, the magic moment in summer when the last light glows so beautifully.

Contact me to purchase this painting for $179.

Please contact me regarding availability and prices of any of my paintings. I will occasionally put some on eBay, but find that the cost of doing business with eBay and the lack of support for sellers has turned me off from using it much.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Barnyard

Barnyard
5 x 7 inches
Oil on canvas panel

Summertime on the farm. I can almost hear the crickets.

Contact me to purchase this painting for $79.

Please contact me regarding availability and prices of any of my paintings. I will occasionally put some on eBay, but find that the cost of doing business with eBay and the lack of support for sellers has turned me off from using it much.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Monday, August 31, 2009

House in Provence


House in Provence
8 x 10 inches
Oil on wood panel

Spring time in Provence. It doesn't get much better than that.

Contact me to purchase this painting for $150.

Please contact me regarding availability and prices of any of my paintings. I will occasionally put some on eBay, but find that the cost of doing business with eBay and the lack of support for sellers has turned me off from using it much.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art



House in Provence, detail

Monday, August 10, 2009

The Sleeping Beauty


The Sleeping Beauty
5x7 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

It was a lot of fun to paint this beauty with only torrit grey and white. (Ok, there also were a couple of dabs of black.)

I am going to enter this in the Torrit Grey Painting Competition. Torrit grey tubes were given out free to artists in some art stores earlier this year. By hosting the competition, Robert Gamblin invites painters to experiment with how light & dark values can have as much impact as color.

Please contact me regarding availability and prices of any of my paintings. I will occasionally put some paintings on eBay, but find that the cost of doing business with eBay and the lack of support for sellers has turned me off from using it much.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Charlecote Park, England


Charlecote Park, England
11 x 14 inches
Oil on canvas.
Several years ago, the family and I spent a wonderful few hours at Charlecote Park, a lovely 16th century country house on the banks of the River Avon, a short distance from Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. Local legend has it that a young William Shakespeare poached deer on the property.

This is a view of a garden walkway near the house, on a cloudy day.

What do you think? Did young Billy Shakespeare stalk a deer down this path? Probably not, but fun to think about anyway.


These are my daughters, Chelsea (L) and Margaux (R) walking down the long path to the Charlecote gatehouse. The garden path I painted is to the right of the house which you can see in the background beyond the gate.

Contact me for sales information.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art


Thursday, July 23, 2009

Monet Moment


Monet Moment
10 X 13 inches
Oil on wood panel
Sold

This is based on a photograph I took of a young lady looking at Claude Monet's painting, Houses of Parliament, Sunset, in the National Gallery, Washington, DC.

Contact me for sales information.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art


Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Lincoln Memorial


Lincoln Memorial
8x10 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

I wanted this to be finished so I could post it for Independence Day, but didn't quite get it finished in time. Although Abraham Lincoln is not one of the founding fathers, he did save the nation, so I thought him appropriate for that day when we concentrate on our republic.

My son, Bob, is an attorney, and I painted this for use on his web site. It will be included with this quote from Mr. Lincoln's second inaugural address. "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

I used a photo I took of the Lincoln Memorial in 2006 as the inspiration for this painting. This was painted using only Torrit grey and white on a black surface.

I am going to enter this in the Torrit Grey Painting Competition. Torrit grey tubes were given out free to artists in some art stores earlier this year. By hosting the competition, Robert Gamblin invites painters to experiment with the first dimension of Gamblin Color Space: VALUE. See how light & dark values can have as much impact as color.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Lady of the Lake


Lady of the Lake
16 X 20 inches
Oil on canvas.

This is the latest in my series of paintings called, Ladies of Legend and Literature.

I finished this a couple of weeks ago, and was not sure how I felt about it. I hung it on the wall and have lived with it for awhile, and now like it quite a bit. You know how it is, many of us are never completely satisfied with our work.

The Lady of the Lake is the name of several related characters who play parts in the Arthurian legend. These characters' roles include giving King Arthur his sword Excalibur, enchanting Merlin, and raising Lancelot after the death of his father. Different writers and copyists give her name variously as Nimue, Viviane, Elaine, Niniane, Nivian, Nyneve, Nimueh and other variations. (Wikipedia)

Monday, June 29, 2009

The Rower


The Rower
8x10 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

This is my painting for the current Different Strokes project, which was started by Karin Jurick, a great artist, who graciously gives of her time and advice to bring people together in the creation of art. She posted a photo of a woman rowing on Lake Michigan. As a former long-time resident of Michigan, I have been to the great lake many times. It was wonderful trying to recreate the blues and greens of a hazy summer day.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Monday, June 22, 2009

Lake Granby, Colorado

Lake Granby, Colorado
9 x 12 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

The painting is the result of a beautiful day spent in Grand County, Colorado. There is so much beauty here, that sometimes it is almost too much, to try and capture it, using only a brush, paint and a wood panel. But I try.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Water Nymph


Water Nymph
9 x 12 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

The painting was inspired by a photo by Dave Levingston, a great photographer from Dayton, Ohio, who has graciously allowed me to use some of his work for my paintings. You can see his photos, many of which consist of tasteful artistic nudes, here.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Barn

Barn
5 x 7 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

Another farm painting. I love this time of the year out in the country. When I was a boy, every summer, my brother Jim and I (and in later years, my brother Jack and sister Robin) would go out to the farm and stay with my Grandma Brauker and Uncle Chuck. They are both long gone now, and the house was eventually sold and torn down, but the old barn still stands and whenever I get back to Coldwater, Michigan, I drive by to make sure she's still standing. (Click the link below to see photos of my Grandmother, the barn and a painting I did of the barn last year.)

It was a magical time for us, riding the tractor, (see photo below) feeding the chickens, and the fun of gathering up their eggs, watching Uncle Chuck milk the cows, playing in the hayloft and so much more. There was no running water in the house, just a pump outside and a large pipe that went into the kitchen. Still Grandma whipped up incredible meals on the ancient large cast iron wood stove that sat like a tank on one end of the kitchen. There was no bathroom, so we got familiar with the two holer in the outhouse, which was located a discreet distance from the back door. At night we had a chamber pot under the bed. And speaking of night, oh how dark it was. At home we had a street light in front of our house, but when Grandma tucked us in, gave us a kiss and said good night, the light went off, and total darkness enveloped us. The only thing we could see was a small florescent cross that hung on the wall across the room. We were comforted by that as it slowly faded and we drifted off to sleep.



Riding with Uncle Chuck on his wonderful old Ford tractor.
I am on the left, my brother, Jim on the right.
My guess is that this is the summer of 1954. That is
the chicken coop in the background.

Click here to see more photos.


Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Monday, May 25, 2009

Farmland


Farmland
5 x 7 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

This is my painting for the current Different Strokes project, which was started by Karin Jurick, a great artist, who graciously gives of her time and advice to bring people together in the creation of art. She posted a black and white shot of a farm she photographed in Pennsylvania, and it was up to us to interpret the colors. It was a fun project and I thank her for always challenging us.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Friday, May 22, 2009

Red Barn


Red Barn
5 x 7 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

I grew up in southern Michigan and fondly remember the barns on a midsummer's day

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Back Porch

The Back Porch
8 x 10 inches
Oil on wood panel

This is a view of the back porch at my sister's house in Coldwater, Michigan. It is a lovely place to sit in the summertime and watch the grass grow in the back yard.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Monday, May 18, 2009

Marion

Marion
8 x 10 inches
Oil on wood panel

The latest painting in my, Ladies of Legend and Literature series, is Marion. The Music Man, has always been one of my favorites, and Marion the librarian is an icon of woman for men the world over. A prim and proper lady, but blessed with an aura of sensuality. What more can you ask for.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art


Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Morgause



Morgause
9 X 12 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

I have decided to do a series of paintings called, Ladies of Legend and Literature.

I have always been a fan of Arthurian literature, and have read many of the books. I have decided to do my first painting on the women of Camelot. The first is Morgause. Arthurian books describe her as the half-sister of Arthur. The two had not previously met and were ignorant of their relationship. They share a night of passion, and she had their son, Mordred, who many years later slayed Arthur in battle. The taboo of this incestuous act has led some modern authors to merge Morgause with her 'evil' sister Morgan Le Fay in this respect. Sometimes portrayed as evil and others as an innocent beauty, she is a temptress, nonetheless.

I wanted to portray her as a mysterious, beauty, and let the viewer decide whether she is good or evil.

The painting was inspired by a photo by Henri Senders, a great photographer from Dordrecht, Netherlands, who has graciously allowed me to use some of his work for my paintings. You can see his work, which consists mostly of tasteful artistic nudes, here. When you get to the page, click on the link next to the words, Aantal foto's.)


Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Afternoon Repose

Afternoon Repose
8 x 10 inches
Oil on wood panel.

I recently went to the Meininger art supply store in Denver. (One great place!) While there, I learned of the Gamblin Torrit Grey Painting Competition.

Every spring, Gamblin Artists Colors collects a wealth of pigments from itsTorit® Air Filtration system. They filter the air around the areas where they handle dry pigments so that the workers are not exposed to pigment dust. Rather than sending any of the high quality, expensive pigments into the landfill, Gamblin paint makers recycle them into "Gamblin Torrit Grey."

The mix of pigments is different every year, so Torrit Grey is always unique and will never be repeated.

Torrit grey tubes are given out free to artists. By hosting the Torrit Grey Painting Competition, Robert Gamblin invites painters to experiment with the first dimension of Gamblin Color Space: VALUE. See how light & dark values can have as much impact as color.

This is my first effort, though it won't be my last, as I learned much from this exercise. The painting was 99.9 percent done with torrit grey and white. I think I dipped my brush in the black once, but didn't like it, so stuck with the grey and white.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Rina H, a wonderful photographer from Germany, who has graciously allowed me to use one of her lovely photos as inspiration for this painting. She is very talented. Her work can be seen here. www.rinafoto.com

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Click here to go to my blog.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Landscape Lover


Landscape Lover
9 X 12 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.
SOLD

This painting was inspired by a photo I took several weeks ago at the Denver Art Museum. The lady spent several minutes admiring these two landscapes.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Rockin' Robin


Rockin' Robin
5 X 7 inches
Oil on Masonite panel.

Another painting in honor of Spring. The birds are all crazy in love this time of the year, and this guy posed on this rock for me as he was looking for a mate.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Tulip

Tulip
5 X 7 inches
Oil on Masonite panel

I love flowers and tulips are some of my favorites. I owe a debt of gratitude to Rina H, a wonderful photographer from Germany, who has graciously allowed me to use one of her photos as inspiration for this painting. She is very talented. Her work can be seen here. www.rinafoto.com


Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art


Monday, April 6, 2009

Cardinal



Cardinal
3 1/2 X 5 inches
Oil on wood panel.

I have been working on the family taxes, so have not painted in the past few days. Decided to get back at it today with a little bird painting. I love birds and the cardinal is a favorite. (After all, I am a graduate of Coldwater High School, in Michigan. Home of the Cardinals!)

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Click here to go to my blog.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Sunlight Bath

Sunlight Bath
5X7inches
oil on wood panel
SOLD


This painting was inspired by a photo by Vahid Naziri, a great photographer, who allowed me to use it. Check out his web site.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Click here to go to my blog.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Father Guido Sarducci On Art School

I haven't painted in the past few days. Have been busy with taxes and other things. Hope to be able to carve out some time tomorrow. Spent a nice couple of hours this morning in Denver at, Meininger Art Supply. What a great store. It is like going to art supply heaven. There is so much to see you get dizzy.

Since I am not painting today, I thought I would inject a bit of humor thanks to that wise sage, Father Guido Sarducci.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Mesmerized


Mesmerized
8 x 10 inches
Oil on wood panel.

This is based on a photo I took of a woman in the Denver Art Museum. I have taken great liberty with the color of the walls, (they were white) and some of the lighting, but hey, that's why we paint, so we can present our own view of our small corner of the world.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Click here to go to my blog.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Saint-Remy Lavender Field


Saint-Remy Lavender Field
8 x 10 inches
Oil on wood panel.

This is a view of a lavender field near Saint-Paul hospital, the asylum where Vincent Van Gogh stayed from May 1889 to May 1890, in Saint-Rémy de Provence. Vincent painted 143 paintings in and around the hospital.

Ironically, I found out after I posted this earlier, that today is Vincent's birthday. He would be 156 today. Happy Birthday, Vincent!

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Monday, March 2, 2009

Rainy Street

Rainy Street
Oil on canvas panel
5x7 inches

I enjoy painting city streets and especially when they are wet.

Click here to see the paintings I currently have on eBay

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Friday, February 27, 2009

Colorado Sunrise


Colorado Sunrise
16 x 20 inches
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

We have spectacular sunrises and sunsets here. I have about a thousand different photos of them, so thought it was time to use some paint trying to catch their beauty and grandeur. I did a small sunrise painting a few weeks ago, so decided to go larger. I mostly used a palette knife, with some brush work. This is a view from my bedroom window.


Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Standley Lake Morning



Standley Lake Morning
5 x 7 inches
Oil on wood panel.

The painting is based on a photograph I took, while walking along the eastern edge of Standley Lake, in Westminster, Colorado, early one morning last October.


Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Long's Peak in the Mist


Long's Peak in the Mist
5 x 7 inches
Oil on wood panel.

If you have ever visited Rocky Mountain National Park, you soon learn the highest mountain you see is the beautiful, Longs Peak. It is one of the 54 fourteeners, in the state. It is the highest peak (14,259 feet, 4,346 meters) along the Front Range and is prominent on the Denver skyline. It is named in honor of Major Stephen Long, who explored the area in the 1820s. (If you have a Colorado quarter, the mountain on the back is Longs Peak.)

The painting is based on a photograph I took, from Standley Lake. This view a few hundred yards away from my front door. Oh how great it is to live in Rocky Mountain High.

Click here to go to Bill Brauker Art