PaintingsDIRECT:
Many of your works on PaintingsDIRECT.com are modern still-lifes. Please tell us how they differ from traditional still-lifes.
Sally Friedman:
My still life work may appear traditional but they are not. Behind the lyrical representational paintings is the emergence of geometrical patterns and lines swimming together in an abstraction with individual objects emerging and fading back. I try to create on canvas an interplay of color and objects which reflect brightness, serenity and harmony.
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Yellow Flowers Still Life (2007)
Sally Friedman
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At the Edge of the Pond (2005)
Sally Friedman
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PaintingsDIRECT:
Do you work in media other than oil paints? What opportunities does this medium afford you that others don't?
Sally Friedman:
I have worked in all media, including watercolor, pastel, acrylics, lithography, and etching and have found that working in oils is the most satisfying. For me, oils enable me to make changes easily, to achieve delicate nuances in tone and color and also achieve the lushness with color which is essential to my work. The other media which I have used did not offer me the same qualities as when working with oils.
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PaintingsDIRECT:
For you, what are the required elements of a composition?
Sally Friedman:
The required elements of a composition should be firstly, inspiration, then to decide what would be the main focus of the painting, how to use the space, how the objects interact with one another in order to create an interesting work of art. The artist must always have an idea that inspires one to create.
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Lilacs (1998)
Sally Friedman
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Pink Cloth and Still Life (2005)
Sally Friedman
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PaintingsDIRECT:
Tell us about your artistic process, from the idea and preparation to the finished work.
Sally Friedman:
When deciding to prepare to paint on a canvas, I say to myself, "What is it that I want to capture in arranging a composition, what will be my main focus and what will I do to achieve my goal." What I then do is look for the relationship between each object and how they interact with one another. I think about how to use the space and use of color and work towards the creation of an interesting design always focusing on the prime element.
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PaintingsDIRECT: What was the greatest artistic challenge that you faced thus far in your career? And how did you address that challenge?
Sally Friedman:
The greatest challenge I have faced in my career was the awareness that the trend in art seemed to be heading towards total abstraction. I have met this challenge by remaining steadfast in my belief in the importance of developing one's own strength in the direction I felt most comfortable and successful.
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George Washington Bridge (1998)
Sally Friedman
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View more artwork by Sally Friedman
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