The other day a friend visited me to have a talk and some demonstrations for painting. My friend loves art and wants to give it a try for herself. She has seen a lot and has a taste for art. But she has nearly no experience with using a brush. One of her questions was: How do you start a new panting? Actually a good question and a difficult answer.
How to jump on a white canvas?
Starting a new painting is always somehow exiting – at least for me. I never know where this journey will lead me to – and seldom I make plans which I then will not follow. In the end my start is always fed by the impulse of the moment. The most I have in mind is a color direction. Maybe there is even a theme deep back in my more unconscious brain.
Olvido los días, las fechas y la hora, vivo sin reloj. Me siento como flotando en el tiempo, no hay direcciones, no hay “límites duros”, no hay citas, no hay obligaciones. Sólo me despierto y repaso los asuntos diarios que todo pasa en la casa ya que no debemos salir de ella. Comencé una serie llamada “Perdidos en el tiempo”. Son sólo dos pinturas todavía, pero parece que podría ser más.
Estoy en una burbuja de tiempo. Por un lado me siento como alimentado por tanto tiempo en mis manos, por otro lado me siento como en un barco sin timón. Estoy a la deriva, pero hay una corriente que me lleva en alguna dirección. Parte de la corriente es la pintura.
Perditos en el tiempo 1 sold
Lost in Time 2
En este tiempo especial cambié mis hábitos de pintura. Estoy en una burbuja de tiempo. Por un lado me siento como alimentado por tanto tiempo en mis manos, por otro lado me siento como en un barco sin timón. Estoy a la deriva, pero hay una corriente que me lleva en alguna dirección. Parte de la corriente es la pintura.
They are building new houses in my garden 2
They are building new houses in my garden 1
My tropical garden SOLD
Si quieres ver pinturas no ocultas, las encuentras arriba y más en mi sección de arte Artist Support Pledge.
I forget days and dates and time, I live without a watch. I feel like floating in the time, there is no directions, no “hard limits” – no appointments, no musts. Just waking up and going over the daily business that all happens in the house as we are not to leave the house.I started a series called “Lost in time”. Its only two paintings yet, but it feels like it could be more.
I am in a time bubble. On one hand I feel like nourished by so much time at my hands on the other hand I feel like in a boat without rudder. I am drifting, but there is a current that carries me in some direction. Part of the current is painting.
Lost in time 1 sold
Lost in Time 2
In this special time I changed my painting habbits. I started to paint on paper – only on paper. Canvas, the underground I normally like to use, seems too durable, too long lasting. Paper is light, smaller, drifting, more open, not so serious, qualities that all seem to be more appropriate for this exceptional time. With paper I paint flat on my working table, which faces the window instead of working on an easel that makes me stand for light reasons with the back or the side to the window. So I contemplate for many hours the view, which is beautiful but now it shows a huge building place. They are building new houses in my earlier green zone!
They are building new houses in my garden 2
They are building new houses in my garden 1
My tropical garden SOLD
If you want to look at not hidden paintings you find these above and more in my Artwork section under Artist Support Pledge.
Hidden paintings
The other day I was a bit moody and longing not only for a long walk outside but was missing my paintings. More than 50 percent are locked-in as well, they are in galleries and a showroom! Now they are “Hidden Paintings”! In a little restaurant in Mijas I installed a beautiful wall with some larger paintings. They are hidden since 20th of January!
Hidden Paintings in Gallery Saphira & Ventura in New York
In October 2019 I delivered in person 12 paintings on board in this beautiful gallery in the heart of New York City.
I was so fortunate that some of them were part of a group show in February. Since then they are locked down. Now time goes and all the galleries are closed since long. New York is one of the most hit city by the Corona Pandemie. Who knows, when galleries and museums are opened again?
Want to read more about these exhibitions? Tapp here! About the adventure to take my paintings to New York City? Tap here. See all paintings you can find in NYC here: Click Artsy Website.
Get latest news from my artist journey, life pleasures and challenges! Get new offers first! Join my newsletter he
Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
Good news! Three – inbetween four (!) – paintings will go to a new home – as soon as the post offices open up again! It’s not a week yet that I sent out my newsletter about my participation in this wonderful initiative! (Want to know more about Artist Support Pledge? Click here!)
My Costa del Arte Collective colleague Annabel Keatley and I, who participate in the initiative of the Artist Support Pledge have event got the attention of the local press! The article is announced for next Friday! Its wonderful that we got so much attention through the internet! Especially as all art shows in Spain are canceled. We had planned and prepared for an exposition in Fuengirola “Sun and Shade” which should have started 20th of April. Of course is not going to happen. Hopefully we can open it in autumn.
We are still in a very strickt lockdown which was just prolonged till 10th of May. I sincerely had hoped for the permission to do some sport for an hour or so outside. But that seems not to be in the new decisions. My rescuer will be the trampoline – finally the new elastic bands arrived! Its a urgent contrast to standing and sitting work at the computer or the easel. So the trampoline is the only possibility to simulate running at the moment!
With the extended confinement I will have more of this special time to contemplate the view from my window – which I often do as it is beautiful – but I never used is as a source of inspiration for my paintings. The stand-still inspired me to do two exercises: a literal-stand still in my place and concentrating on what is in front of me AND to do the opposite of a stand still for my mind: move to do new things. This very special time gives a lot of chances to think about life.
Here they are, the paintings of the series “From my window”. The middle one is one of my rather realistic paintings and features the view. I love the bold colours in the flowers and in the “Building houses”. I am aiming to capture more the spirit of a situation than the real view of it. The flowers are out bursting in the planter of the balcony with the most incredible red and greens. The tropical garden holds a bit of a dreamy landscape (and is sold already to one of my newsletter subscribers). Enjoy!
New paintings
Spring flowers on my balcony 200 €
Lost in Time 200 €
View from my window – 170 €
They are building houses in my garden 200 €
SOLD – My Mediterranean garden
Spring uprising 200 €
Still available
Red energy 200 €
Still pink times 200 €
where there is darkness there is light – 170 €
Keep up your good spirit 170 €
Flowers for Saint Patricks day 170 €
So much in my head 170 €
With a little tear in my eye but with a happy heart I will say “Good by” to these three as they have found very nice new homes:
SOLD Spring outbursting
SOLD Lost in time
SOLD From my window at a blue day
They were the favourite obviously – they would have found other houses as well. This is the wonderful and the sad thing about most art works: they are unique. So if you buy an original painting your are sure to have an unique piece of art in your home or office.
If you like art + puzzles…..here you have a great choice!
More than 8 puzzles easy, medium and rather difficult ones are waiting for you! Each of it an art work from me! You don’t need a huge table, just your computer!
Click onto the painting or the caption to get there!
Dear Art Lover
I am real excited! I bought a beautiful artwork made by my fellow artist Annabel Keatley. You can see it a bit further below!
I have had the wish and plan to install in our apartment a gallery wall of small paintings by my artist friends for quite a while. But THIS was the final push to act:
The Artist Support Pledge
The Artist Support Pledge is an initiative started by Matthew Burrows, a painter based in London. It gives artists the opportunity to support other artists, and at the same time make some income in a time when we need alternative ways of showing our work. The idea is that the artist offers for sale works under € 200, by posting them on their social media platforms (Instagram) and tagging them with hashtag #artistsupportpledge. When the artists have made € 1,000 due to sales, she or he pledges to buy another artists work for the total of 200 Euro.
Based on trust, generosity and community spirit this initiative is bringing artists together and is also a great way for art lovers to find new artists and buy affordable art.
I couldn’t wait for selling enough because this was an opportunity!!! I have been in love with Annabels paintings for so long. The watercolor captures a view of Cabo de Gata by Annabel Keatley. See more of her work on her website and Instagram account. In the following I am presenting my first available works, so as to give you first option before my posts go live.
I sent out a newsletter two days ago and today I started to post my available works on my social media accounts. Already three are waiting to be shipped to their new home! You find me on Instagram here: oppellandhampelart and here on my Facebook account. If you don’t have one of these accounts you can follow my Post News on my website www.artgoppellandhampel.com by subscribing at the bottom of this page.
All paintings are offered unframed. Due to the post office being closed here in Spain, I will ship as soon as its possible. Shipping is not included in the price.
If you would like to buy a painting please get in touch and I will mark that painting sold when l put it up on my Social Media feed.
This is my first choice for the Artist Support Pledge Initiative
I choose works on paper. Most of them have been created during the lockdown.
“So much in my head” 170 €
“Flowers for Saint Patricks day” 170 €
“Keep up your good spirit” 170 €
“Where there is darkness there is light” – 170 €
Each of these paintings is ca. 41 x 30 cm , mixed media on paper and sells for 170 Euro.
SOLD “Spring outbursting” 200 €
“Red energy” 200 €
“Still pink times” 200 €
SOLD “From my window at a blue day”
Each painting is ca. 50×32 cm, acrylic or mixed media on paper and sells for 200 Euro. If you wish so I send the painting with a white mat (passpartout) that can fit a standard frame. They will be signed in the front.
Last not least: Two paintings on stretched canvas!
SOLD “Lost in time” 200 €
“Find your way!” 200 €
More interesting art news here:
I have been writing in my Blog News about my private initiative to reward with one of my “Desert Trip Prints” those who donate more than 100 Euro to a welfare organisation in their community! I already had the pleasure to be rewarded with an artwork of my artist friend Anne Bedrick of whom I copied this idea. Read all details about the rules here: Do something for your community and be rewarded with art!
Here is something to spend your time joyfully (hopefully not stressed!) with art: Why you might be failing some paintings ……because they are puzzles! This is a link to two digital puzzles ( a simple one and a complicated one) that will reward you in the end with the completion of one of my art works! Have fun!!
You find more puzzles of my art work on this puzzle page if you look for my name. This is my latest puzzle and painting: From my window: Plants are blooming again!
A happy and peaceful Easter and best health for all of you! Take care!
Click onto the painting or caption to reach the puzzle!
See this email in the browser. Double click on the blue sentence.
How about enhancing your skills while being at home?
Its a while since my last post, so I just wanted to reach out to you and say HELLO! Hopefully I can add some ideas for your stay at home.
We are all in a never expected extreme situation since my last post. Most of you experience the situation of having very or completely restricted access to social contacts and manage life under very different circumstances.
In Spain we are in complete house arrest which was just extended to 12th of April and it is not very unlikely that the lock down may be extended even longer. We can only leave our house for buying food or medicine, going to the doctor or working (when permitted) Even the communal gardens are off limits. It’s the first time I wish I had a dog! Then I could go for a short walk with the dog – though just for the absolutely necessary!
View from my window
May be I can help a bit to make the best of your time?
If you aren’t busy in entertaining children staying at home ( which will keep you very busy) but with grown up family or all alone, wouldn’t it be a chance to have all that time at hand to try something new?
If you are with younger children, maybe this will be fun?
Probably you have by now found a lot of ideas in the internet how to entertain your children during long days at home. What I want to share this with you a real pieces of art, designed by my fellow artist Lieuwke Loth! I will make available kids colourings. During the Art Walk Cómpeta which was organized by Lieuwke Loth, these colourings were given to the school children of the village of Cómpeta. Maybe you would like to colour one too? I tell you, it is meditative! If you are interested, I will make them available through my next newsletter so that you can print them out and maybe the whole family has fun!
Don’t receive my newsletter yet? Join the list at the end of this post!
And for you ? How about learning something new?
From friends I hear they cleared out their wardrobe, painted the apartment, cleaned the kitchen in depth, took perfect care for their garden and more. They are creating a splendid home to stay in.
I choose to focus on the pleasant things of life and boost my immun system.
I decided to experiment with painting – do things, I normally don’t do. I work on paper, I try new styles, I copy other artists, I experiment – aim to have great fun and no achievements.
I sleep long
Read and play
try some new recipes
and use intensely internet and social media to connect with like minded people
I am learning lots of things….
What really excited me in the last years are fantastic internet workshops. I would love to share my experiences with you!
I discovered the huge and fascinating world of knowledge for artists in the internet. Its literary at your finger tips and at home! There are so many inspirational classes – inspiration is key for artists! Of course it needs some effort to find the right ones that are worth your money or time! I visited art workshops in person and I enjoyed the direct contact with teacher and other students. But as we are travelling a lot, it was always difficult to find the right workshop at the right time. Do you know this problem? The internet offers the solution! So now I am hooked on internet courses.
Maybe I can help you with your choice?
There are offered many workshops for free just now ( and of course a lot you have to pay for). You will find ongoing programs that focus on the art, the art business or on one aspect of the art making. I have participated in real inspiring workshops that lasted three weeks or three months. I am really touched and excited about the community of artist I met in this kind of forum and about the immense support I have received from the teachers and the other students. Its real huge.
In my next newsletter I will tell you more about a series of free art workshops of a very experienced fellow artist of mine who is a painter and a printer. She will teach about oil and cold wax in her next presentation, but there is more to come. Stay tuned!
Take your time to evaluate what to do next with the help of a friend
You will as well find information about an art marketing class which I am attending. I really cherish this course and it has taught me a lot. They are just about to release a new 10 weeks program that will help artists reaching the online market. I will send out the newsletter this coming week – looking forward to meeting you there!
Processing…
Wellcome, you are on my list!
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.
Lost in Time
If you are interested in one of the art works just email me!
If you want to see some about my daily art, follow me on Facebook and Instagram !
We have the motto “Stay home – flatten the curve”, we have the time of “Social distance” , time of shut down of useful and/or entertaining events in the outside world. I am very happy the Spanish government took a hard decision and I do hope that it was taken in time and will succeed saving many lives!!!
News from an artist in a closed down country
Here in Spain, where my husband and I spend the winter time, its a very severe close down. To leave the house is only allowed for: shopping food and medicine, medical appointments, going to work or other urgent and to be proofed matters. Allowed only one person in the car, only one person going out with the dog. Not allowed to use the fitness room in the urbanisation. We have high fines when not respecting the rules and there is quite some police outside to check. So it is a very serious “Stay at home”. After our first not yet fulfilled two weeks, we got prolonged house arrest; Stay at home till 12th of April.
How is your situation? How do you make the best of your of your time in the house?
If you aren’t busy in entertaining children, that have to stay home ( which will keep you very busy) but with grown up family or all alone, wouldn’t it be a chance to have all that time at hand to try something new? There is so much new to do in the house!!!! Internet courses can be something new: The internet is a great resource for so many things. You can learn practically everything when you go to You Tube. You can make photo books, which you always had in mind, you can visit the metropolitan opera (who offers everyday one opera for free to watch in the internet!), you can start reading all the books you didn’t read, join a library online, visit a museum (most of the known museums now offer virtual walks through their exhibition) you can clean out the house or finishing to knit all the pieces you started ( I think I have 4 waiting for me :-). Its also a great time for cooking and baking and much much more. From friends in Italy and here in Spain I hear they cleared out their wardrobe, painted the apartemente, cleaned the kitchen in depth, took perfect care for their garden and more.
Art could teach you something !!!
I focus more on the pleasant side of this time:
I made a list……what is your list? Clearing out the wardrobe or doing a daily yoga practice were on my list, but I concentrate on other things in the moment. I want to go for the most attractive things I always wanted to do but didn’t find the time to do.
I am taking this “Time out” as an opportunity to change the speed of living and working, to sleep and play a lot. For me its a great opportunity to “walk slowly”. Can you share your list with us? My list for the “Stay home and flatten the curve” time is:
I decided to experiment with painting – do things, I normally don’t do. I work on paper, I try new styles, I experiment, I copy artists I like and want to learn from – to have great fun and not head for achievements.
I sleep long
I booked an online Spanish grammar workshop
I take a lot of time for social media without feeling wasting my time
I try new recipes – I love to eat but never really take the time to cook with attention
and with my fellow artists from Costa del Arte Collective I think about new ways to present our planned exhibition “Sun and Shade / Sol y Sombra” which is planned for April and we are not at all sure that it may happen …27.03.2020 Now we know: it will not happen in April!!! We postponed it to October. If you want to be informed, let me know!
I am quite happy at the moment, but….
I enjoy to have time, nearly no duties and the opportunity to (re) discover my own rhythm there is an interesting BUT in self discovery: my own little devil. Most enjoyable, I am getting lazier and lazier….I can feel the stress that I was having in the last months slowly falling off. Becoming lazy for me is a good sign – at least I know it is.
Can you stand the feeling of being lazy, not achieving something? Let me tell you, it is a healthy sign. And you see, I am an achievement – addict. That’s why I thought of a method of painting that would give me a different and not achievement oriented go. We are only on day 4, so we will see how it goes….
Lately I started with a lot of experiments – time by time an artist needs some freshness in her/his head and new inspiration. Finding new ways, collect new experience, has to question and expand her/his style. See some of the experiments here.
I give me a rather hard time, as I try to prepare for quite some traveling lying ahead of us. To stay tuned in my painting praxis I decided to take a sketchbook. I am not a great friend of sketchbooks and do not really a praxis. I like big formats and acrylic paint – that is quite a dirty job and asks for a lot of material. My trial with water color nhttps://artgoppellandhampel.com/?p=3384&preview=trueever gave me any satisfaction. So now I try how works Gouache. Quite fine, I can say after my first trials.
I love the old farmhouses in Andalusia, with all there add-ons and partly deconstructions they seem to tell a story of live. So I was fascinated by this one near Tarifa. The dog I fall in love with on my walk at the Open Studios Gaucín. You will find a photo of her there. If you are interested in this art walk, read more here.
Old farmhouse on canvas
sketchbook 1
sketchbook 2
sketchbook 3
sketchbook 4 – on paper
My passion in painting is color. I could say: my painting is all about color. So now I went on a diet. A strong challenge to brake familiar habits. The sweet Lana, the dog above, belongs to this series.
Some of the paintings are on wooden board. It gives a lot of possibilities to be mal treated. You can cut it, scratch it, work with hard tools on it. It invites all kind of spatulas. Some of this treatments a canvas would not be so happy with. Other experiments are on paper DIN A 4. Somehow a much smoother process.
Beautiful dog, Acrylic, on wooden panel, 30x30cm
home sweet home – on on wooden panel, 30×30 cm
In my wonderful park – 30×30 cm on board
No title 2 on paper
no title 3 – on paper
sketchbook 4 – on paper
Normally I love to work with rather bold and vibrant colours. So the challenge lies in tamed colours. This ones are not quite tamed, the motto was more: Go wild….
Black and red
Black and blue
Black and yellow
This are my experiments with a very reduce color palette. A lot of interesting new experiences through diet! Sometimes I feel very hungry for my familiar food 🙂 Wonder what comes next.
20×20 cm on canvas
21×29 cm on paper
Next comes an exhibition in Marbella in which I and the members of Costa del Arte Collective will be taking part. More than 90 artists will show there work in the Avendida del Mar – that’s in the center down to the sea. Opening the 20th of June at 19:30 to 23:00 till 23rd of June, open from 16:30 to 23:00 hours.
Very much hoping to see you there!
If you are at the Costa del Sol, don’t miss it! Get more information here: www.festiarte.art
Costa del Arte Collective showing small works in Almuñécar!
The Costa del Arte Collective is quite excited. We are going to have an exhibition in Almuñécar in May – in the Espacio Creativo of Annabel Keatley. The exhibition will be opened on the 3rd of Mayat 7 pm and can be visited until the 24th of May. So I spent quite some time concentrating on Mini Cuadros. I am pretty sure, that it will be a wonderful exhibition. I already had a sneak preview of some of the works to be seen of my artist colleagues Annabel Keatley, Anouk Slegers, Lieuwke Loth and Sally Hirst.
Exhibition in Espacio Creativo in Almuñécar in May 2019
Poster Mini Cuadros
Mini Art Workshops will accompany the exhibition of Mini Cuadros!
The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of exclusive workshops held by Annabel, limited to only three participants for each workshop!
I am rather tempted to take part, as Annabel works with with special techniques – as all of the members of Costa del Arte Collective do.
Take your chance to participate in a series of creative workshops. The workshops will be held in the mornings, from 10-12.30 pm with refreshments included.
The classes are designed to combine and connect with eachother, with a focus on enjoying the process of making work and learning new techniques. The workshops are as much for beginners as for experienced artists.
I was rather engaged to create some Mini Cuadros, with time sitting in my neck, as the Art Walk Cómpeta was also in front of me very soon.
Trees in the night
Trees and dog
TB Palms black and white
Palms 20×20 on wood
I have been working on the Greenland series as well, making it a collection of five, acrylic on paper. They will be framed with museum glas. Pretty to look at. If you like to see the exciting photos of our Greenland journey tap here.
Dreaming of a shelter
1. Pink house at the fjord
goh 2018
My new color preferences are shown in this series – still no name for it. They are 20x20x4 cm on stretched canvas and bring some energy to the room. It seems, I am just in love with orange and a bit of violet.
Costa del Arte Collective showing small works in Almuñécar!
The Costa del Arte Collective is quite excited. We are going to have an exhibition in Almuñécar in May – in the Espacio Creativo of Annabel Keatley. The exhibition will be opened on the 3rd of May and can be visited until the 24th of May. So I spent quite some time concentrating on Mini Cuadros. I am pretty sure, that it will be a wonderful exhibition. I already had a sneak preview of some of the works to be seen of my artist colleagues Annabel Keatley, Anouk Slegers, Lieuwke Loth and Sally Hirst.
Poster Mini Cuadros
Information Mini Cuadros – Workshops
The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of exclusive workshops held by Annabel, limited to only three participants for each workshop!
I am rather tempted to take part, as Annabel works with with special techniques – as all of the members of Costa del Arte Collective do.
I was rather engaged to create some mini cuadros, with time sitting in my neck, as the Art Walk Cómpeta is just a week before, starting at the April, 20th. So everything has to be ready soon!
Trees in the night
Trees and dog
TB Palms black and white
Palms 20×20 on wood
I have been working on the Greenland series as well, making it a collection of five, acrylic on paper. They will be framed with museum glas. Pretty to look at. If you like to see the exciting photos of our Greenland journey tap here.
1. Pink house at the fjord
2 .The pink house
goh 2018
4. Greenland Landscape 2
Dreaming of a shelter
My new color preferences are shown in this series – still no name for it. They are 20x20x4 cm on stretched canvas and bring some energy to the room. It seems, I am just in love with orange and a bit of violet.
Para uso en espanol hay traductor de Google en mi pagina web
Lately I developed a great interest in trees. I am always fascinated by their aura, shapes and structure. We enjoy them on our walks in the country side but also from the terrace. The diversity of the Mediterranen plants and trees is impressing. Especially impressed I am by palm trees – they grow in the garden and in the wild, on the beach and in the parks, you find them from very small to tall, the Palm fronds towering high above our heads. So I lately started to paint some of them. Then I discovered, that there is already quite a collection….so I think, its an ongoing project that I share today with you!
Palm trees are fascinating me….Palmeras fascinantes..
Tapp to enlarge
Palm fronds in the sky
Palm heads not groomed
palms towering above our heads
Palms 20×20 on wood
Palm heads drawing
Palms NOT AVAILABLE
More trees in the landscape….Más árboles en el paisaje
Tapp to enlarge
Pine tree in the landscape
the walk
sketch for “the walk”
The tree
And woods are something wonderful! Bosques son maravillosos!
These is not an assembly of Mediterranean trees – actually they reflect a holiday at the Baltic sea. You can find them in the entrance hall of the Apart Hotel Kaiser Karl in Bonn.
Wood 1
Wood 2
Wood 1 still in the studio
If you want to save the trees and the sea: carry one with you for your shopping! Or may be you want to rest your head on art? I discovered this website and as I like to play, see here my results. If you want a print of any of my art works, here is your chance!
See more here: Pixels.com
TB Wood 1
TB Palms
TB Palms black and white
You have the chance to get an email, when ever I publish a post – just go to my homepage and insert your email. I am publishing a newsletter as well – so if you would like to join, fill in the formula. It will keep you informed about my life as an artist, about new works and about art events in which I am participating or which I liked! It would be a pleasure to welcome you!
