Oil Painting

March 11, 2024

Large-Scale Oil Paintings Capture the Duality of the Ocean’s Power and Tranquility

For Canadian artist Katharine Burns, the sea is an endless source of inspiration. In her highly detailed, large-scale paintings, Burns captures the duality of the ocean; a feisty entity with towering waves, and a calming companion, peacefully reflecting sunlight in turquoise waters and shiny wet rocks. “The ocean provides not just life, but comfort, solace, and a profound sense of wonder,” she tells My Modern Met.

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February 20, 2024

Stunning Patterned Paintings Actually Have Hidden Faces Within Them

At first glance, it would be easy to mistake Lee Wagstaff’s work for abstract, geometric paintings. But upon closer inspection—or in this case, farther inspection—it becomes clear that each of his oil paintings features a portrait of a human face staring back at the viewer. Remarkably, the portrait remains hidden until the viewer either squints or takes a step back. This optical illusion is simple but wildly effective.

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December 18, 2023

Peaceful Paintings of People and Landscapes Using a Grid of Colorful Squares

Many painters use a grid to transfer drawings to the canvas. Rather than hide this artistic tool, Stelios Pupet takes it a step further. The Greek artist uses grids to construct both figures and landscapes with squares of different hues, highlighting how color can create forms. While this system appears organized, Pupet says that he cannot always predict how a piece will turn out.

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October 21, 2023

Powerful Oil Paintings Modeled on the Work of Old Masters Give a Voice to African Mythology [Interview]

In her exhibition Master Narratives, Afro-Cuban American artist Harmonia Rosales seamlessly entwines the tales and characters of the Yorùbá religion, Greco-Roman mythology, and Christianity with the canonical works and artistic techniques of European Old Masters. Through her 20 oil paintings and a large-scale installation reminiscent of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling, Rosales is spotlighting oft-forgotten narratives where Black voices take center stage.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.