Artist Statement – Kristy McNelly

Painting with oils on canvas, I use painterly brush strokes full of vibrant color that my eyes see outside of the local color of the object. My favorite brush is a small short-handled angle shader. I start by covering a blank white canvas with red ochre acrylic. Once this layer dries, I begin the oil paint. I mix all other colors I need from the following palette: cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, phthalo turquoise, lemon yellow, alizarin crimson, raw sienna, burnt sienna, titanium white, purple and Gamblin solvent free gel medium. I have a paper towel handy in my left hand and wipe the color between each brush stroke, while dipping the brush into the turpentine so as not to create “mud”on the canvas. I want every color to be placed specifically and clear. Some blending occurs in the areas of the painting where I want to focus on with a more detailed approach. My yellows, oranges and reds go in front of the light and my blues, greens and purples go behind the light. My subjects come from my personal photos from trips and experiences. They are scenes of horses, Mackinac Island, Michigan, historic route 66 gas stations, antique trucks, and landscapes.