Ambrosia Apple

The amazing size and color of the Ambrosia apple makes a shocking statement in any fruit basket. And of course I can't help but using it to make a shocking statement in a very small painting.

Ambrosia Apple

Private collection

An Apple and an Ornament

I always try to avoid getting caught in the reflections in the subjects in my paintings, but sometimes I wind up painting a little self portrait hidden in the still life. I tried to capture the look of shock and awe in my features, of the dawning realization of the fleeting transience of life, possibly a rich and pensive look, complete with furrowed brow looking to the bleak future on the far horizon. I'm not sure if I captured any of that.

An Apple and an Ornament

Private collection

Two Figs

There were many great colors to explore in these two figs, and the totally flat finish of the surface created a unique challenge to render the swell and volume of these shapes.

Two Figs

sold! Private collection, New York City, New York

Three Cherries

Three cherries can coexist peacefully, despite the gesture of their stems reflecting a difference of opinion and core beliefs. We can learn so much from these cherries, if we can only open our hearts and our minds.

Three Cherries

Private collection, Alexandria, Virginia

A Pear and a Lemon

Occasionally I'll make some odd combinations of subjects, and fruit seems to always get along nicely together. A pear and a lemon creates a nice exercise in the study of yellow.

A Pear and a Lemon

Private collection

A Sliced Apple

For the first time in my entire career as an artist and even as a human being, I sliced an apple in half, and painted the offending knife sitting idly by at the scene of the crime. While the apple immediately turned yellow and challenged my abilities to find the right color for freshly revealed innards, the knife provided an excellent opportunity to study reflections.

A Sliced Apple

Private collection, Greenville, South Carolina

Three Green Apples

I haven't completely run out of ideas, but after finishing a very small commission of a bouquet of tulips, I wondered if I could fit three apples onto one of these very small panels. Without using extra tiny brushes, I believe I was able to capture a decent sense of depth and presence.

Three Green Apples

sold! Private collection, Sugar Land, Texas

A Red Bell Pepper

As the days get shorter and darker, I struggle to find any color in the world around me. Everything is dull and muted, and the reflections of secondary light sources become even stronger. In a critique of another artist's work, Van Gogh described how the artist didn't have strong light, and without strong light, one cannot make a strong painting. Yes, Vincent, you were right.

A Red Bell Pepper

Private collection

Three Blueberries

Three Blueberries

sold! Private collection, Washington, DC

Cheese and Cracker

Sometimes I just feel like having a piece of brie cheese on a crispy white cracker, and then other times I feel like actually doing a painting of a piece of brie cheese on a crispy white cracker, and then eating it. Today was one of those days.

Cheese on a Cracker

Private collection

A Yellow Habañero Pepper

While struggling with the red habañero pepper, I decided to decide if the color was the challenge, or the qualities of gloss and luminosity. It seems as though my ability to decipher nuances of color is stronger in certain ranges than in others, and yellow seems to lend itself to being understood a little more easily. Of course it might also be more forgiving, being that it's so pale and full of lightness on its own.

A Yellow Habañero Pepper

Private collection

A Red Habañero Pepper

It's odd how challenging this little subject can be. Such clean and simple lines, a high sheen, and a high level of translucence and reflection of secondary light sources. This is all just enough to have me totally stumped, and just trying to bluff my way through it.

A Red Habañero Pepper

Private collection

A Delicious Slice of Canteloupe

I like to explore the sculptural qualities of a slice of cantaloupe, although for the first time I believe I started capturing qualities of translucence as the dark side seemed to glow with light and reflection.

A Slice of Cantaloupe

sold! Private collection, Rumson, New Jersey

A Seckel Pear

It was hard to stop myself from rendering the delicate curves and colors of a Seckel pear. The shape is always so subtle, and the colors range from muted to absolutely brilliant.

A Seckel Pear

Private collection, Bondurant, Iowa

An Espresso Cup

Few things get me through these dark days of early winter like a smooth dark shot of espresso. I keep returning to this subject, and I'm always intrigued by the depth of the porcelain finish. It has a luminosity that feels almost like marble, but on a much smaller scale. Always a challenge.

An Espresso Cup

sold! Private collection, Sugar Land, Texas

A Sliced Lemon

It's always interesting to see the complex shapes and reflections made when a piece of fruit is sliced in half.

A Sliced Lemon

Private collection

Two Lemons

Two Lemons, offset and carved out with tiny brushes. An exercise in focus and patience.

Two Lemons

sold! Private collection, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

A Macintosh Apple

A McIntosh apple combines elements of red and green at the same time, with a high sheen and a delicious sweet taste.

A McIntosh Apple

Private collection

A Simple Egg

Last summer I tried to execute a larger study of a simple egg. For some reason I believed I was failing terribly, and I scraped it out and moved on to something else. A few weeks later I saw a photo that was shot with the beginning of the painting in the background, blocked in with patches of paint. There are times when it might be good to take a second look before I declare defeat. As always, the simple egg stands up well as a very small study.

A Simple Egg

sold! Private collection, Washington, DC

Two Pieces of a Tangerine

As the days grow dark and short, the delicious tangerine is a burst of color and freshness.

Two Pieces of a Tangerine

Private collection

An Asian Pear

I'd always avoided painting the Asian pear, only because of the lack of a defining shine. I've explored every version of secondary light sources, reflections from underneath, compounded reflections of adjacent surfaces, and on and on, yet nothing prepared me for the smooth flat finish of this new subject. I learned some good things.

An Asian Pear

sold! Private collection, Washington, DC

A Green Apple

From December 1st to the 25th, each day I will be making available one very small framed 5 inch by 7 inch painting, for a special promotional discount price of $240, just in time for the perfect holiday gift. As though that weren’t enough of a holiday miracle, included with each painting will be a gift certificate for $240, good toward the purchase of any piece from my current and upcoming available inventory, valid from the day you receive your very small painting until December 31st of 2015. As many certificates as you collect can be combined together for any purchase, although these cannot be used in combination with any other offer or promotion. Buy all 25 paintings and get the giant painting you’ve always wanted to hang above your couch…for free! On December 26th I might wake up and wonder what I was thinking, but in the meantime, I’ll be having fun playing Santa Claude Monet for the 25 Days of Christmas, or the Eight Days of Hanukkah and the mystic prime number of 17 days following the Festival of Lights. The paintings will be listed each day on the Very Small Paintings page, as well as on the Paintings of David Oleski Facebook Page, to be sold through the modern miracle of Ebay.

All things begin with a green apple.

One Green Apple

Private collection