Featured Artist Jeanie Bates

Oil painter Jeanie Bates shares an engaging collection of realistic works drawn from nature and nostalgic sources. Find more by visiting her website.

 

 

For many years I sculpted the human form in textiles. I traveled the country to shows and developed a relationship with collectors and other artists in this specialized niche.

 

 

Later in life, I returned to university to finish my degree in fine art and become a painter.

 

 

There, my work was often overlooked by the instructors. It was deemed too realistic and not in the abstract style that they were teaching. My motivation was my passion to learn. My tenacity developed my creativity.

 

 

Living in the lush green of Oregon, it was logical that my first paintings were landscapes. Many emphasized clouds, sky, leaves and ocean life.

 

 

From my Cloudscape collection, I transitioned to other aspects of nature which included close-ups of leaves and marine life. I spent many hours in the studio capturing the essence of a drop of water or the specific texture of a natural object.

 

 

An ongoing series of waterlilies, some with koi, has become a journey of discovery for me as an artist. The challenge is not to simply represent the water, reflections, floating blossoms and gently undulating koi, but to communicate their essence.

 

 

I am an artist who enjoys painting a wide range of subjects. I began broadening my subject matter to include still life which has become my focus for the last two years.

 

 

This series features curated collections of vintage clothing, clocks and other nostalgic items. With careful attention to detail and a deep appreciation of the spirit of these ordinary objects, my mission is to tell their story in works of art. The viewer is invited to travel back in time and experience a moment of emotion that encourages a smile or a sigh.

 

 

The more I paint, the more I gravitate toward realism. Over the last two years of uninterrupted and mostly solitary time, I was able to immerse myself in the details of my compositions for hours. Each new painting has refined my skills in composition, color mixing and detail.

 

 

When you view my paintings. I invite you to pause for a moment to savor the beauty and mystery of the world through my eyes. May the magic stay with you.

 

Artist Jeanie Bates invites you to follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

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