Patrick Saunders

I don't believe this piece by Nicolai Fechin has been exhibited publicly in 40 years, so it was a real treat to see in person at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman, Oklahoma.

The scene is Point Lobos in Monterey, California. If you've been there, you can see just how perfectly Fechin has captured the feel of the area, with its windswept Monterey Cypress trees, twisted by the strong coastal breezes. Just as in his more well-known portrait works, the paint is applied with spontaneity, giving a sense of movement that suggests not just the sway of the trees, but the splashing ocean surf beyond.

The "Nicolai Fechin: An Artistic Journey" exhibition is on view until April 5, 2026.

"Point Lobos"
• Nicolai Fechin
• Oil on Canvas
• 20" x 24"
• ca. 1925

Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts

#MuseumTourTuesday #artreview #arttalk #arthistory #nicolaifechin #fredjonesjrmuseumofart #patricksaundersfinearts #russianart #landscapepainting #oilpainting #representationalart #realistart

5 days ago | [YT] | 7

Patrick Saunders

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is a painting by Scottish artist Joseph Crawhall from the permanent collection of the ‪@nationalgalleriesofscotland‬.

At first glance, this watercolor piece feels like a more modern oil wash painting. I think that's due mainly to the textural quality of the linen it was painted on, but also the opaque addition of gouache throughout.

The drawing and design are outstanding, and there is a clear influence of Japanese printmaking. Despite the subtle color and value control the artist still captures the sense of dappled light on the scene. A less experienced artist would have pushed the darks further to enhance the sense of light, but this would have lost the soft feel of the piece.

Born in Morpeth, Northumberland in 1861, Crawhall was a member of a group of artists known as the Glasgow Boys. Sadly, few of his pieces are available today, as he was very critical of his own work and destroyed the ones he felt were unworthy. Those that have survived are wonderful.

"The White Drake"
• Joseph Crawhall III
• Watercolor and Gouache on Linen
• 1895
• 40.70 x 57.10 cm

#artreview #artcritique #arttalk #scottishart #josephcrawhall #patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts #representationalart #realistart #animalpainting #animalart

1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 8

Patrick Saunders

Artist friends, if you want to paint with me next year, most of my 2026 workshops are already sold out, but a few still have some openings. My spring class at the ‪@boothartacademy7739‬ in Georgia is filling fast, so go to the Workshops page of my website, PatrickSaunders.com, for more information, and to register.


“Anticipation”
• Oil on Canvas
• 18” x 22"
• Private Collection

#patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts #paintingworkshop #paintingclass #artworkshop #arteducation #artinstruction #oilpainting #oilpaintersofamerica #portraitsocietyofamerica #representationalart #realistart #boothartacademy

2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 6

Patrick Saunders

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday features two more pieces from the exhibition "Nicolai Fechin: An Artistic Journey" that I had not seen in person prior to this show.

The painting and the charcoal sketch at the ‪@FredJonesJrMuseumArt‬ are great examples of Fechin's ability to capture a likeness. The model in both works is clearly the same man, and while not featured in this show, there are others of the same model - one in almost an identical pose to the painting, and another without the hat.

I also find Fechin's approach between drawings and paintings interesting. While the drawing is more focused on the use of line, the incorporation of the scumbled charcoal shading embraces the unpredictability of the medium in a similar way as his approach to oil painting. Both have a sense of spontaneous movement that makes the pieces come to life.

While I will be sharing more images in upcoming posts, I highly recommend visiting the show in person if you can. The exhibition in Norman, Oklahoma runs until April 5th, 2026.

"Mexican Cowboy"
• Nicolai Fechin
• Oil on Canvas
• Not Dated
• Private Collection

"Man with a Crooked Nose"
• Nicolai Fechin
• Charcoal on Paper
• 17" x 13"
• Not Dated
• Private Collection

Artwork photos by ‪@Saundersfinearts‬

#artreview #artdiscussion #artcritique #arttalk #russianpainting #russianart #russianartist #nicolaifechin #fredjonesjrmuseumofart #patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts #saundersfinearts #representationalart #realistart #portraitpainting #portraitsketch

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2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 7

Patrick Saunders

White elements are often darker and filled with more color than you might think. Read my latest art newsletter for some things to consider when painting white subject matter. Sign up at the link in the comments.

"Paper Lantern"
• Oil on Linen
• 9" x 12"
• Private Collection

#artnewsletter #artadvice #artinstruction #arteducation #artinspiration #arttalk #patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts #representationalart #realistart #contemporarypainting #floralart #floralpainting

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 8

Patrick Saunders

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is a portrait by British artist John Stanton Ward.

In contrast to the piece I featured last week by Nicolai Fechin, this painting doesn't rely at all on thicker brushwork, and yet is no less striking. Ward focuses on large shapes, enhanced by linework clearly added at a later stage of the process. The design of the composition is what matters here. The head is perfectly balanced between two areas of activity - the clutter of the background in the upper right, and the intricacy of the arm of the couch in the lower left. Notice as well how the head and the brightly painted book line up vertically, while the dark item of clothing above the head completes this line without seeming to completely bisect the painting in two, as the wooden panel is shifted slightly left. Moving any one of these elements would throw the composition out of balance. Cover any of them with your hand, and you can see the effect.

Born in Hereford, England in 1917, John Stanton Ward studied at the Royal College of Art in London. He worked as both an illustrator and a commissioned artist, painting the portraits of Princess Diana, Princess Ann and many others. He also gave drawing lessons to Charles III.

"Miss Lucy Freeman"
• John Stanton Ward
• Oil on Canvas
• 1968
• 76 x 50.5cm
• Private Collection

#artreview #artcritique #arttalk #britishart #johnstantonward #patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts #representationalart #realistart #portraitpainting #portraitartist

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 6

Patrick Saunders

I enjoyed an open model session last night at the ‪@coppiniacademyoffineart1440‬. This was a quick one in just over an hour. I've included a couple of in progress images, one at 20 minutes in, and the other at 40 minutes. It's always amazing how bringing the values in a face closer together as a portrait progresses makes a model look younger.

“Jacqueline Portrait Study”
• Oil on Linen
• 11” x 14”
• 75 Minutes

Painting photo by ‪@Saundersfinearts‬

#patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts #oilpainting #portraitsocietyofamerica #oilpaintersofamerica #representationalart #realistart #contemporarypainting #portrait #portraitstudy #portraitsketch #portraitpainting #portraitartist #allaprima

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1 month ago | [YT] | 4

Patrick Saunders

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is just one of the great pieces from the exhibition "Nicolai Fechin: An Artistic Journey" at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.

Personally, I found this show to be the most inspiring that I have experienced recently, and an impressively expansive collection of Fechin's works. Many of the paintings, including the one featured here, are from private collections that I had not seen previously. If you have viewed Fechin's paintings in person before, you know that reproductions cannot do them justice. The movement and depth of the work is often enhanced by the three-dimensional quality of the brushstrokes. For example, notice the thick area of palette knife work in the lower left portion of the painting. This passage brings the shoulder dramatically forward towards the viewer.

What I love most about this particular piece is the edge quality of the brushwork. Clearly, Fechin often used little to no medium, and the "straight from the tube" paint skips across the canvas, creating these broken and tattered edges that add so much life to the subject.

While I will be sharing more images in upcoming posts, I highly recommend visiting the show in person. The exhibition in Norman, Oklahoma runs until April 5, 2026.

"Portrait of Eya"
• Nicolai Fechin
• Oil on Canvas
• Not Dated

Painting photo by ‪@Saundersfinearts‬

#artreview #artdiscussion #artcritique #arttalk #russianpainting #russianart #russianartist #nicolaifechin #fredjonesjrmuseumofart #patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts #saundersfinearts #representationalart #realistart #portraitpainting

1 month ago | [YT] | 6

Patrick Saunders

My current ‪@ledereasel‬ plein air painting setup is light, compact and affordable.
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#patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts #pleinair #pleinairpainting #pleinairartist #pleinairgear #pleinairtools #pleinairsetup #ledereasel #obentripod #mastersonpalette

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Patrick Saunders

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is another large mural by Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla from the ‪@hispanicsocietymuseumlibra2903‬.

The sense of light achieved in this piece through the use of color is particularly striking. It may at first seem that the fabric awning at the top of the painting is unnecessary, but it clearly affects all of the elements beneath it. Notice how the white elements beneath this fabric are slightly yellow, while the highlights on the water beyond are much cooler. Even the highlights on the fish change as they move further beneath this awning. Without this element, the color changes would not make sense, and the painting would lose much of its depth.

This is one of 14 panels from Sorolla's Vision of Spain which are featured in the round at the museum. I've featured others in previous posts. Each panel is an impressive feat in its own right, but together, they are one of the most breathtaking displays of painting I have ever witnessed. All but one were created en plein air, on location with live models. If possible, I recommend viewing these works in person for the full experience.

"Ayamonte. La pesca del atún"
• Joaquín Sorolla
• Oil on Canvas
• 1919
• 11.4' x 15.9'

Painting photo by ‪@Saundersfinearts‬

#artnewsletter #arttalk #artreview #artdiscussion #artcritique #arttalk #spanishpainting #spanishart #spanishartist #joaquinsorolla #hispanicsociety #visionofspain #patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts #saundersfinearts #representationalart #realistart

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 4