Karen Zullo Sherr

Model with Still Life

2012-02-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

Model and Stll Life acrylic on canvas 24 by 20

I have been setting up a still life with the models for the last few months. It has been helping me to work on my compositions.

Invitation to Landscape Show

2011-12-29T10:58:00.001-08:00

Lauren Models at the Firehouse

2011-11-09T18:11:00.000-08:00

Lauren acrylic on canvas 20 by 24

Lauren is a new model to the guild and we really liked her. She brought a lot of feeling to the pose.

Carla Models at the Firheouse

2011-10-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

Women with Flowers acrylic 24 by 30

The Firehouse group has grown a lot. We sometimes have 9 or 10 painters. Recetly we had Carla for two sessions. I did this one in the second session.

Gilman Street

2011-05-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

This painting is in process. I worked on it today near the bagel store on Gilman. The people only stayed a few minutes so the rest was improvised and then I added the figure in thefront later at home. I may remove it but will wait until later this week to work on it again.

Edna at the Firehouse

2011-05-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

This was a good setup for the room using the bench and some other furniture. Edna leaned into the pose. She wasn't feeling well and then had a reaction to some of the paint fumes ( from acrylic gels) in the room.

I liked the quality of the colors in my painting although the light changed a lot in the room I left it feeling like late afternoon. It is an 24 by 36 acrylic on canvas.

Diana Models at the Firehouse

2011-04-28T16:12:00.000-07:00

Diana modeled recently for us in the evening and took a beautiful pose. I worked on a 24 by 36 canvas. I like that size for the compositions I have been doing in the room. It was more interesting to work on a model I knew. I think I caputered some of her vibrancy. Karen

Model on Thursday Night

2011-04-06T23:17:00.000-07:00

I worked on this 18 by 24 canvas one night when Kerry modeled at Briens studio. Working very quickly I liked the compostion and the brushtrokes. It feels if I get a good composition things fall into place.

San Pablo Man and his Dog

2011-02-24T22:59:00.000-08:00

This is another one for the Immigrant Neighborhoods Show. The subject matter seems to make some people nervous and it was cropped to eliminate the trailer park when it was used on the show card.

Immigrant Neighborhoods

2011-02-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

These are two I have just photographed for our upcoming show at the San pablo Gallery. One was done behind the senior center in San Pablo where I met a women who told me more about the trailer park contreversies in San pablo and the fight over eminent domain. The other was done near a trailer park and focused on two very nice women who were gardening. They lived across the street from the park

Sarah

2011-02-03T17:50:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed painting Sarah. She has not modeled before but was a natural and could get back into the pose. But she also revealed things about her self in a interesting way and it helped the painting process for me.

Waiting for work

2011-01-31T21:58:00.000-08:00

This is just a test. It was not a good photo and I worked on it.

2011-01-30T18:26:00.000-08:00

The model was wearing a bright red dress. Although I worked over an old canvas the texture is not distracting in this piece

Family in San Pablo

2010-10-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

Prudence at the Firehouse

2010-10-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

I worked on this to correct a couple of problems.

Single Family Home in San Pablo

2010-10-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

This was an interesting location overlooking homes in San Pablo. I watched a family get ready for an outing and drive away. Then I had to do a little invention. Karen

The model wore a western costume

2010-08-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

Chris set up a scene with a cowboy outfit, a card game and a very large hat. I did the best I could

Our Upcoming Show at the Firehouse Gallery

2010-08-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

Looking towards the Berkeley Hills

2010-08-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

There are some good views from below San Pablo. I am trying to do a painting that places this flat industrial/residential neighborhood in relationship to the rest of Berkeley. Have not done it yet but this another attempt.

Albany Hill

2010-08-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

An 18 by 24 acrylic done on a rare windless day at the Albany bulb looking towards Albany Hill.

Male Nude at Brien's

2010-06-30T23:31:00.000-07:00

I did 4 paintings of this model during the month he posed. This is the only one I have photographed so far but I think it is the best of the group. I need to get someone to show me how to take better photos.
This is an 18 by 24 acrylic on canvas

Judith at Brien's

2010-05-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

Judith is a good model. Gary and Vicki set up more of a scene than usual and Judith gave us 3 choices all using the surroundings very well. My first painting is a little looser than this one. But I like how the colors developed. It is 18" by 24"

Lisa Models at the Firehouse

2010-05-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

Lisa modeled on Tuesday. I liked the pose and worked quickly using a very large brush and an underpainting. Then I started to add color. I tried not to define the figure too miuch until closer to the end and I like the result. I am having trouble photographing the canvas and want to try to get a picture closer to the color.

Larry Models at the Firehouse

2010-05-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

I used a very large brush to do most of this painting and finished with some smaller brushes. I also used an underpainting.

The Dog That Was Not a Cow

2010-04-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

When I arrived at a good spot at Rodeo beach a black dog was playing gainst the white surf and I wanted to paint that but of course the dog left almost immediately. So I used the occassional other dog to help with the form. With animals I often have to invent because they have left or moved and I have to use memory of what that animal looks like. Some end oup looking like something else-- a cow for instance.

Sonia at the Second Firehouse Session

2010-04-22T11:33:00.001-07:00

I have been using a more deliberate underpainting on a few of my last paintings and it sometimes works. Here I was able to get to a good point quickly. Perhaps I should have stopped there but instead continued and then had a lot to undue. But still I like some of the freshness of the brushstrokes.

Near the Oakland Airport

2010-04-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

I had some fun with this painting and added elements as I went along trying to make a story line. I love places where I can observe people walking their dogs. It is an 20 by 24 acrylic.

Edna

2010-03-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

We included a small still life with this set up for the model. I found it worked well for my composition. It is a 16 by 20 acrylic.

Matt at the Firehouse

2010-03-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

I liked this view of Matt showing the deep space and the other painters. It is a 20 by 24 acrylic on canvas.

Shawnrey at the Firehouse

2010-02-25T14:58:00.000-08:00

This is the last version I did of Shawnrey. I am trying to photograph it as closely to the original as possible. Here are two versions with different adjustments in photoshop.

Vista Point at Carquinez

2010-02-22T13:01:00.000-08:00

This painting was done on a very cold windy day. It was revised in the middle to emphasize the grey of the sky and the water. My photograph did not get the colors very well so I have worked on it in photoshop to get it as close to the original. It is an 18 by 24 acrylic on canvas.

Shawac

2010-02-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

I am having trouble taking pictures of my work. I have a new slr but still the picture is not getting the colors or contrast correctly.

David at the Firehouse

2010-02-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

This 18 by 24 acrylic was done in one 3 hour session. I was happy with the sense of the space and depth.

Birds at Middle Harbor Park

2009-09-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

This park has a great view of the city and the bay with ships and sailboats and views of all the bridges. But if it is about anything I think it is the birds. All kinds of birds and I don't know their names except for the geese --many,many geese. There is evidence of them everywhere and they barely move to let you walk by. I have been there for 3 of the 4 sessions and had not included even one bird in my paintings. I think it is because I have done some terrible bird paintings before. I am not sure how I feel about them in paintings but I liked this one better than others I have done.

Dolly's First Portrait

2009-09-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is the second one I worked on while Carla modeled for 4 sessions. Dolly, Brian's new puppy joined us for awhile and I put her in the picture. I worked on it for 2 sessions and over worked the background so I took some of it out when I got home.

Woman walking on Solano

2009-09-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

I went back to my spot on Solano. While this 18" by 18" acrylic might not be completely finished I stopped because I like the contrasting brushtrokes. I worked with gel, without gel and with some additives. While I was working a woman stopped by to tell me there were some paintings of places on Solano at the Albany Community Center. So I am not the only one. I will go back next week and try to define the woman a little more.

Barbara and the Painters

2009-09-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

I though the photo of the painting of Barbara looked a little washed out. I worked with photshop to get it more like the painting.

Painting Carla and Barbara

2009-09-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

These two 15" by 30" acrylics were done of two models Carla and Barbara who have been with the guild for a long time. I continued the series of the painters and the model developing the later one with Carla a little more. I am starting to get a little more of the gesture of the painters.

2009-09-13T13:16:00.001-07:00

These two 16" by 20" acrylics are going to be in the Firehouse show in Palo Alto for

September at the Know Knew books. I did them at the Firehouse and they are part of a series I am still working on there. By showing part of the series I am getting some clarity on the next panels.

Looking Toward Key Route

2009-09-05T12:15:00.001-07:00

Here is another view at Masonic and Solano looking up Key Route Blvd. I only spent an hour on this one and left it looking fresh and spontaneous.

Masonic at Solano

2009-08-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

I have started a project I have been thinking about for a long time-- painting in the city. I decided to start in albany near solano ave and found a spot where I felt safe and liked the view. Strangely it is the perfect place with a big range of views that I am interested in.

Solvieg

2009-08-26T17:26:00.001-07:00

I worked on this over two sessions with Solvieg and still have not reslolved it. I am going to work on it tomorrow and want to compare the two.

Ships at Benicia

2009-08-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

This is another picture of the painting I took in the shade. I want to compare with the last post

2009-08-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

This 15" by 30" acrylic was done at Benicia facing towards the Carrquinez Bridge. I have to take a better picture of it either with better lighting. But I may need a better camera too.

2009-08-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

I did this 12" by 16" acrylic in one sitting with the model. I like the compostion but still want to work on unifying it.

2009-08-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

2009-08-19T12:00:00.001-07:00

The wind was strong near the water so I hid next to a small building and could not really get as close to the fishermen as I wanted. I am starting to see the direction I want to take. For me subject matter is key.

Brian and the Model

2009-08-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

This is another from the series that I plan on working on more next week from the model.

Diana and the painter

2009-08-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

This small acrylic was painted at the Firehouse long pose lab. I want to do more work on it to make the texture and brushwork more in sync but I started to get the painters engagement in the way I saw when vicki is painting. This one is interesting too because Diana is also a painter.

2009-08-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

This small acrylic painting from the Firehouse session is part of the series I am doing of the model and the artists.

Shallow Water

2009-08-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

I did this acrylic on canvas after our trip to Marshall. It relates to my landscapes and my narrative series and they are beginning to merge.

2009-07-31T09:19:00.000-07:00

This detail from Hoffman Marsh shows the marshes proximity to city life.

Walkers at the Emeryville Crescent

2009-07-31T09:08:00.000-07:00

I want to work on more with this urban perspective to the Bay. I have always wondered about the lack of orientation to the Bay in Berkeley. The freeway separates the city from the water and defines are sense of the Bay.

Family Outing at China Camp

2009-07-30T15:25:00.001-07:00

Again I became involved with moving things. I caught the kids as they were skipping rocks. All three figures were composites in motion and at the end I tried to give them more identity because the kids wanted to know if they were in the painting.

Acrylic on canvas 12" by 16

Karen Zullo Sherr

Plein Air

2009-06-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

I have been painting outside all winter so it is good to have warm weather but it makes the acrylic dry quickly on the pallette even with spraying it frequently. I work faster and finished this one in just a few hours.

Painting the model

2009-06-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

This painting from the model has a playful feeling. I had fun with shape of the canvas.