Barry Scanlan - Art

"Winter Scene" is my second painting using oil paint sticks exclusively. The painting is based on a 19th century painting by Alfred Sisley, the great but relatively unknown impressionist painter who died in poverty in 1899. Sisley lived in France and was close friends with Monet and Renoir.

Winter Scene, 2014. Oil paint sticks on acrylic pumice. Barry Scanlan.

I am drawn to how Sisley laid paint on a canvas with thick broad strokes and heavy splotches. When I saw his painting Snow at Louveciennes (1878) I immediately wanted to paint in that style. I especially liked how his painting seemed to use only grays, whites, and browns. Since I only had five colors of oil paint sticks, I felt I would try to make my own "Sisley."
I used a 22 x 28 canvas that was thick with acrylic pumice. When I applied the oil sticks on the pumice, the pumice tore the color off the sticks, giving the painting a very textured look and feel.
I look forward to experimenting more with this medium. Please let me know your own experience using oil sticks.

"Woman with a Cigar" has been accepted for the group exhibition titled Woman. The dates for the exhibition are April 30-May 17 at the Flow Art Space, St. Paul, Minnesota.

http://www.flowartspace.com/

Here she is:

Just finished up this painting "Winter Scene".

28 x 22 on canvas, oil sticks on acrylics and pumice.

Before I started painting I did a zine. It is called True Story! and I have done eight issues, which worked out to one zine per year. After the second or third issue, the Utne Magazine awarded me the 2005 Utne Independent Press Awards for best self-published zine in the US.

The last issue was self-published in January 2010. By self-published, I mean I went to the print shop and printed the thing. Each issue is about 30 or so pages long. Each page is a four-panel cartoon with one story from my life (or somewhere). I gave away many copies to friends, sold some. Here's an example of page from True Story!:

I am not sure if I will do a ninth issue. Maybe, but doing a zine takes time and is some work, no doubt. But when I was doing the zine, I met a number of very good writers and artists at zine conventions and through email. 

Okay, this is enough for now.