Artist Blog | Teresa Bernard Oil Paintings

Artist Blog Entries

An index of blog entries written by the artist.

♦ Artist Statement

A Painting In The Making

Adventures In Africa Collection

Bible Lands Collection

Christian Art Collection

Developing An Art Style of Your Own

Life In Texas Collection

My Oil Paintings Index

Oil Paintings of Texas Sunsets

Paintings of Sunsets Collection

Peggy’s Cove Collection

Space Art Collection

Why I love Sunset Oil Paintings

Updated: 28 July 2018

My Oil Paintings Index

artist Teresa Bernard in the art studio Below is a list of all my oil paintings on this website. If you don’t find the painting you are searching for here, then chances are it is not one of mine. Of course this list isn’t exhaustive. I’ve been painting since my preteens and that was before the Internet arrived on the scene and I built my website. Unfortunately I don’t have any photographs of those early paintings either, only my memories. So there are some paintings by me out in the world that will only be enjoyed by those who possess them.

Jump to:

Animals | Flower Art | Landscapes | Portraits | Seascapes | Space Art | Still Life

• Animals & Wildlife

African Elephant On The Serengeti
African Wildlife Art by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Ladybug #1 – Hanging On Tight
Insect Art by Teresa Bernard
6″ x 6″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Ladybug #2 – Almost Perfect Camouflage
Insect Art by Teresa Bernard
6″ x 6″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Pet Portrait of Frank
Pet Painting by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

Raging African Elephant
Wildlife Art by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 24″
Oils on stretched canvas

Texas Longhorn in The Meadow
Animal Art by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

The Large White Dog
Pet Painting by Teresa Bernard
16″ x 20″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

• Flower Art

Magnolia Blossom
Flower Art by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Sunflower From Behind
Flower Art by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Tyler Rose
Flower Art by Teresa Bernard
16″ x 12″
Oils on stretched canvas

Yellow Rose of Texas
Flower Art by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

• Landscape Paintings

Bunratty Ireland
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 9″
Oils on canvas panel board

Calvary at Sunset
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

Camelthorn Trees of Africa
Landscape Painting by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 24″
Oils on stretched canvas

Covered Bridge of Lane County Oregon
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 9″
Oils on canvas panel board

Covered Wagon on The Prairie
Western Landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

Cowboy Sunset
Western Landscape by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Fence Post In The Snow
Snow Landscape by Teresa Bernard
9″ x 12″
Oils on canvas panel board

Forgotten Roads of Bygone Days
Landscape Painting by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Life in Texas — Round Hay Bales
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
16″ x 20″
Oils on stretched canvas

Lighthouse Monument, Palo Duro Canyon
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
16″ x 12″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Monument Valley
Western Landscape by Teresa Bernard
16″ x 12″
Oils on stretched canvas

Mount Kilimanjaro Rising
Mountain Painting by Teresa Bernard
30″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

>> More info

Scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro
Snow Painting by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Sunset Over Texas
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 9″
Oils on canvas panel board

Texas Flag Barn
TX Landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

The Garden Tomb
Bible Places Landscape by Teresa Bernard
9″ x 12″
Oils on stretched canvas

The Garden Tomb at Sunset
Holy Lands Landscape by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 9″
Oils on stretched canvas

The Giants of Sequoia National Park
Winter Landscape by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

The Grand Teton Mountains
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 14″
Oils on stretched canvas

Van Gogh’s Church at Auvers, France
Historic Places Landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

• Marine Life & Seascapes

Along The ICW
Marine Art by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 9″
Oils on canvas panel board

Boat Fenders
Marine Still Life by Teresa Bernard
9″ x 12″
Oils on canvas panel board

Clownfish
Marine Life by Teresa Bernard
9″ x 12″
Oils on canvas panel board

Currituck Beach Lighthouse
Marine Landscape by Teresa Bernard
11″ x 14″
Oils on stretched canvas

Heceta Head Lighthouse
Seascape by Teresa Bernard
16″ x 12″
Oils on stretched canvas

Oregon Coast South of the Sea Lion Caves
Seascape by Teresa Bernard
9″ x 12″
Oils on canvas panel board

Peggy’s Cove
Seascape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

Peggy’s Cove Revisited
Seascape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

Return to Peggy’s Cove
Seascape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 18″
Oils on stretched canvas

Sea of Galilee at Capernaum
Marine Landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

The Fisherman
Seascape by Teresa Bernard
9″ x 12″
Oils on canvas panel board

Victoria Falls, Africa
Waterfall Painting by Teresa Bernard
30″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

>> More info

• People & Portraits

Robert
Portrait by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

Tera
Portrait by Teresa Bernard
16″ x 20″
Oils on stretched canvas

The Ballerina
Dancer Painting by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on stretched canvas

• Space Art

First Footprint on the Moon
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

First Man on the Moon
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Land Rover Tracks of Mars
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Moonset
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Night Sky Over Delicate Arch
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
6″ x 6″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Space…The Next Frontier
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

• Still Life Paintings

Coral and Lantern
Still Life by Teresa Bernard
14″ x 11″
Oils on stretched canvas

Fruit and Candle
Still Life by Teresa Bernard
14″ x 11″
Oils on stretched canvas

Iron Age Pottery
Still Life by Teresa Bernard
14″ x 11″
Oils on stretched canvas

Barn Door with Horse Tack
Still Life by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 9″
Oils on canvas panel board

The Communion Table
Still Life by Teresa Bernard
14″ x 11″
Oils on stretched canvas

The Study
Still Life by Teresa Bernard
14″ x 11″
Oils on stretched canvas

Tractor Tire
Still Life by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 16″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

UPDATED: 26 May 2018

Oil Paintings of Texas Sunsets

One of the most beautiful places in the world to capture a sunset in oil on canvas is Texas. Being a native Texan, of course I’m prejudice! The Lone Star State with its wide open prairies, cacti, ghost towns, old west culture and billowy clouds make a wonderful backdrop for some of the most breathtaking sunsets anywhere in the world. Artists, like me, who are fortunate enough to live here get to regularly enjoy countless opportunities to capture on canvas the setting sun in all its grandeur and splendor for our many sunset paintings. Those who don’t live here can delight in making trips to Texas to see the setting sun for themselves and take it back to their studios in the form of digital photos for many future paintings to come.

Texas cities can make a great sunset cityscape with the unique sky line each metropolis has to offer. Head to the Gulf of Mexico and artists can experience the sun going down on the beach or head out west for a more mountainous terrain and get a glimpse of the mountain peaks of Big Bend National Park as they silhouette them against an orange glowing sky.

Many artists love traveling here to capture the setting sun in all its splendor as it disappears below the horizon. Here are a couple reasons why:

A beautiful sunset helps the viewer to appreciate the finer gifts life has to offer. People are naturally drawn to a sunset and there are a few special places on earth where one can embrace a beautiful sunset. Texas just happens to be one of them.
A beautiful sunset helps to inspire you. There’s a reason sunsets are timeless and constant standbys of poets, writers, romantics, and artists — they are inspiring. There is something inherently powerful and spiritual about sunsets.

Some Quotes About Sunsets

“Peace… is seeing a sunset, and knowing Who to thank.” – Unknown

“The setting sun, and the music at the close, As the last taste of sweets, is sweetest last, Writ in remembrance more than long things past.” – William Shakespeare

“When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Additional Reading

Why I love Sunset Oil Paintings

UPDATED: 16 December 2015

Space Art Collection

A few years back my husband and I took a trip to San Antonio TX the day after Thanksgiving for a long weekend. While there we spent the evening strolling the streets around the Alamo when we came across an artist selling his space art on the sidewalk. The interesting part about this he was painting them right then and there as spectators watched. It was fascinating to watch him create faraway worlds, moons, cosmic formations and alien landscapes. I could have watched him for hours.

When we returned home from that long weekend, I decided to do some space paintings of my own. Space paintings isn’t a new genre of art for me. I actually painted my first outer space painting as a young teen for an arts and crafts show. My love of the iconic TV show Star Trek led me to paint the “Starship Enterprise” in orbit around some distant planet. The painting got a lot of attention at that small art show and later sold.

Decades would pass before I did another otherworldly painting and that space art painting was a commission. The painting consisted of a lunar landscape depicting Apollo 14’s mission to the moon and man’s first footprint left there. This sparked a renewed interest in creating more space landscapes to add to my repertoire of genre space art. I titled the commissioned painting “Man’s First Footprint on the Moon”. It now resides in the private art collection in Japan at an American military base. A few months later I was also commissioned to paint another cosmic painting. This time it was to be the land rover tracks left behind on the planet Mars.

Night Sky Over Delicate Arch
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
6″ x 6″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Space…The Next Frontier
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

First Man on the Moon
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Moonset
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Land Rover Tracks of Mars
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

First Footprint on the Moon
Space Art by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

UPDATED: 29 July 2018

Why I love Sunset Oil Paintings

Texas is known for its many beautiful sunsets in the evening sky. Growing up in Texas, I had opportunity of a lifetime of observing many beautiful skies filled with a wide array of shades of orange, yellow, purples and blues. Is it any wonder that I would choose to create sunset oil paintings as part of my repertoire of art? Sunsets are certainly a favorite genre of oil painting for me because of the many bright colors. I also appreciate the fact that the sky at sunset (or sunrise) can be incorporated into many different settings of landscapes, seascapes, and even skyscapes.

I love beautiful sunset oil paintings and I’m not alone. Here’s why:

Sunset paintings are a picturesque representation of the evening sky and sun in all its grandeur and splendor. Just the way God intended.
Artists worldwide love to paint sunsets because it gives them opportunities to include vibrant shades of yellow, orange, blue and purple, along with earth colors of dark browns and rich blacks which work together to create warmth and charm within the wall art.
The rays of light that bounce off and peek through the clouds create excitement and drama like no other. They catch the eye of the viewer drawing him/her in.
Sunsets are for romantics and many artists of oil paintings have captured the romance of a setting sun in some of the most exotic places in the world. Sunset paintings in these settings allow the viewer to be whisked away in their imaginations to some faraway places.
Sunset paintings look great in just about any room of your home, office, or place of business.

Click to see more of my sunset paintings in “Paintings of Sunsets Collection“.

UPDATED: 30 October 2015

Sunset Paintings Collection

Sunsets have been a favorite genre of mine to paint throughout my life as an artist. Sunsets (and sunrises) are beautiful subjects for paintings with the rich, vibrant, warm colors like red, yellow and orange. They may be outlined with the beach, sea or mountains. And clouds are also an integral part with their multitudes of colors as the they capture the last rays of the setting sun. Each painting below is an original painted by me. Several of the ones shown are also part of other collections or series.

Cowboy Sunset
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

The Garden Tomb at Sunset
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 9″
Oils on stretched canvas

Camelthorn Trees of Africa
Landscape painting by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 24″
Oils on stretched canvas

This is a sunrise painting of a famous national park in Africa. I love the surrealness about it, yet this is very much a realistic painting.

Calvary at Sunset
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

Sunset Over Texas
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
12″ x 9″
Oils on canvas panel board

Return to Peggy’s Cove
Seascape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 18″
Oils on stretched canvas

This is a sunrise painting I was commissioned to paint. Sunrises are also a favorite of mine and this one particular is no exception. I love the way the warmth of the sun begins to peek from behind the building on the peer and shine down in the water and bath the side of the boat.

Scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro
Snow Painting by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

A sunrise painting I was commissioned to paint of this famous place in Africa. I love the way the mountain is silhouetted against the sky with a rising sun.

UPDATED: 29 April 2016

Developing an Art Style of Your Own

vincent van gogh self portrait — Vincent Van Gogh – Self-Portrait 1886

One of the greatest compliments I ever received was from a renown artist who, after having viewed several of my paintings, pointed out that I had my own art style. I was surprised to hear that, because without realizing it, through the years, I had actually developed my own unique style of painting. Up until that day I hadn’t given much thought to even having my own style much less trying to develop one. What’s more, I barely even knew what an art style was. I knew all the Old Masters had it, or so I was told, and that it was something good to have. So I set out to find out more about artistic style, what it is and where it comes from.

What exactly is art style?

Artistic style is a specific characteristic or group of characteristics that is consistently present in the artworks of an artist. It’s that extra little thing, referred to as “identifiable style,” that an artist does to distinguish his/her work from the work of other artists.

Many artists, whether they realize it or not, have an identifiable style of painting. Their personal style is neither good or bad. It is simply the result of the particular choices and decisions a painter makes in the course of composing their oil paintings. These decisions are what defines the identity of an artist’s style and is made up of a combination of the mediums, technique and subject matter chosen. It’s not that an artist chooses to paint landscapes, still life or portraits — those are only genres. Rather, it is HOW the artist handles each of the various art elements (line, form, texture, value, color and shape) that make up the composition. Click for more information about the basic art elements.

Should you develop an art style of your own?

If you ever hope to be taken seriously as an artist, then I would definitely say “YES,” for the following reasons:

(1) Developing your own original style will help to define you and set you apart from other artists. It’s your individuality and uniqueness as an artist.

(2) It’s what allows others who view your work and know that it is a work painted by you without having to look at the signature on the canvas.

(3) It offers you a way to have personal satisfaction from your works by expressing your own ideas and inner vision.

(4) If you plan to display your paintings in art galleries, then a distinct art style is something a gallery owner or curator will want to see in your work.

(5) Finally, developing your own style is a necessary thing if you want your paintings to capture the eye of art collectors. Many collectors hold to a certain opinion of, “if it looks just like the real thing, then I’ll just take a photograph and hang it on the wall.” For many art connoisseurs, an artist’s personal style is the essence of the art.

How do you develop your personal painting style?

Before I can tell you how to do that, I first need to tell you how to absolutely NOT develop one. You won’t develop your own style by copying the works of other artists. Let me repeat that. If you copy the works of another artist, you will never develop a unique art style of your own. The reason for this is when you copy someone’s work, you are merely imitating the choices and decisions that have already been made by the artist who’s work you are copying. Novice painters often do this. They copy the works of other artists they like and this is a disservice to the world of art. As long as they continue to do this, they will never develop their own form of unique artistic expression and move beyond being a mere hobbyist to a serious artist or even a professional one. Your style is developed by the decisions and choices YOU make about the different elements that go into your painting.

An artist’s unique style does not develop over night. It evolves over time as a result of either conscious or unconscious effort on the part of the artist and it will most likely change a number of times as the painter grows as an artist. The best way to develop a style is to do a lot of painting. In doing so, you can expect your style to progress as you acquire more experience, knowledge and skills. As you move from painting to painting, you will find that certain artistic characteristics or qualities will keep reoccurring. This is your unique style. One thing to keep in mind about style is that you do not have to stick with the same one all your life. You can change it at any time and you will be surprised to find that it can and often does evolve.

UPDATED: 18 October 2015

Index of Art Articles

Jump to articles about:

Art Glossary | Art Lessons | Art Resources | Art Supplies | Art Tips | Business of Art

• Art Appreciation

5 Tips on Choosing an Oil Painting for Your Home or Office

A Practical Guide To Caring For Your Oil Paintings

Becoming an Artist of Space Paintings

Classification Of Fine Art Paintings By Genre

Evening Sky Captured in a Sunset Oil Painting, The

Everyone Loves Wildlife Art

Floral Canvas Art In Your Home

Flower Art Through The Ages

Flower Paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe, The

Flower Paintings of Vincent van Gogh, The

For The Love of Flower Oil Paintings

From Flower Gardens to Flower Paintings

Importance of Varnishing Oil Paintings, The

Know Your Art Painting Styles: 7 Most Popular

Many Types of Oil Painting Surfaces, The

Notes on Becoming an Artist of Flower Oil Paintings

Paintings of Sunsets by Claude Monet

Proper Care of Your Sunset Oil Paintings

Some Things To Consider When Buying Oil Paintings For Your Home

Speaking the “Lingo” of Oil Painting Artists

What Are The Classifications of Art?

What is Art Appreciation?

What is Fine Art?

Why Space Paintings Are Loved By So Many

“Van Gogh’s Church at Auvers, France”
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

• Art Glossary

Glossary of common art terms and their definitions.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

“Yellow Rose of Texas”
Flower Art by Teresa Bernard
18″ x 18″
Oils on stretched canvas

• Art Lessons

Basic Elements of Art, The

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 1

Basic Art Element — Color, Part 2

Basic Art Element — Line

Basic Art Element — Space

Basic Art Element — Texture

Basic Art Element — Value

Can You Name These Famous Paintings From History?

Good Design Principle: An Introduction

Good Design Principle: Balance

Good Design Principle: Contrast

Good Design Principle: Emphasis

Good Design Principle: Movement

Good Design Principle: Proportion

Good Design Principle: Space

Good Design Principle: Visual Economy

Good Design Principle: Unity

Test Your Knowledge of Art Appreciation

Test Your Knowledge of COLOR Theory

Test Your Knowledge of Fine Art: Elements and Principles of Design

Test Your Knowledge of Fine Art: Painting

“Cowboy Sunset”
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

• Art Resources

Art Movements From A – Z

Bible Scripture and Visual Art

Blog and Article Topics for Fine Artists

Career Options For The Fine Artist

More Places To Sell Your Art Online

Some Famous Places Around The World That Would Make A Great Sunset Painting

Some Popular Beaches Around The World That Would Make Fabulous Oil Paintings

Some Unearthly Landscapes Around The World That Would Make Extraordinary Space Art Paintings

Where To Sell Your Art Online

“Covered Wagon on the Prairie”
Western landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

• Art Supplies

About Artist Stretcher Bar Frames

All You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Artist Brushes and Then Some — Part 1

All You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Artist Brushes and Then Some — Part 2

All You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Artist Brushes and Then Some — Part 3

Anatomy of The Artist Paint Brush

Artist Grade or Student Grade Oil Paint, Making a Choice

Common Paint Media Used By Artists

Complete List of Art Supplies for The Beginning Oil Painter

There Are Palette Knives and Then There Are Painting Knives

Taking The Mystery Out of Mahl Sticks

Types of Artist Brushes for Oil Painting

Types of Canvas Available for Painting

Types of Bristles for Oil Painting Brushes

What Every Oil Painter Needs to Know About Artist Oils, Part 1

What Every Oil Painter Needs to Know About Artist Oils, Part 2

What to Know About an Artist’s Oil Painting Palette — Part 1

What to Know About an Artist’s Oil Painting Palette — Part 2

What to Know About Gesso

“Monument Valley”
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
16″ x 12″
Oils on stretched canvas

• Art Tips

10 Tips for Painting Mountains

10 Tips for Photographing Your Own Paintings

10 Tips for Taking Artist Reference Photos

Creating Better Compositions In All Your Paintings

Creating Depth On A Flat Surface

Creating Depth in Your Paintings via Atmospheric Perspective

Flower Oil Paintings From Reference Photos

Is It Really Okay For Artists To Use Reference Photos? Part 1

Is It Really Okay For Artists To Use Reference Photos? Part 2

Making and Using a Viewfinder to Compose Better Paintings

Naming Your Artwork — Tips for the Fine Artist

Photographing the Setting Sun for Your Sunset Paintings

Rules of Perspective, The

Tips For Creating Stunning Sunset Paintings

Two Composition Techniques to Use in Your Paintings

Using a Grid to Enlarge and Transfer an Image to Canvas

Using Linear Perspective to Create Depth in Your Paintings

Using Photographs As Reference Material to Paint Flower Oil Paintings

“Forgotten Roads of Bygone Days”
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
24″ x 18″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

• Business of Art

Marketing Your Space Paintings Online

Pricing Your Artwork — Taking A Two Step Approach

Ways To Market Your Artwork

UPDATED: 28 July 2018

A Painting In The Making

All my paintings are composed and painted on commercially pre-primed and stretched canvas. I prefer the type of canvas that wraps all the way around the stretcher bar support. This allows me to carry the painting around the edge of the canvas giving it a more finished look. This also means the painting will not require a frame for display unless one is desired.

Gesso Primed Stretched Canvas
Even though the canvas I use has been pre-primed by the manufacturer, it’s not sufficient. Additional layers of primer need to be applied to provide adequate support for the pigment. Before I can begin a painting, the canvas must be primed and prepared to receive the oil paint. I apply two layers of gesso on the stretched canvas and allow each layer to thoroughly dry between coats. Then the canvas is lightly sanded to smooth out any rough spots. It is during this stage that I try to prepare as many canvases as I have on hand. This provides me with a ready supply of primed canvas to have on hand anytime inspiration strikes and I want to start a new painting.

Click for more information on what to know about gesso. For step-by-step instructions on how to prime a canvas using gesso, check out this article on WikiHow: “How to Prime a Canvas“.

Sketching The Image
After the canvas has been properly prepared, it is now time to start sketching the image on to the canvas. Every painting starts out as a simple grid drawn on canvas. This grid serves as an aid in placement of the focal point and other elements where they will best compliment the overall composition. Using a pencil or stick of charcoal, I begin sketching the image that will eventually become the painting. I try to make the sketch as detailed as I can making sure to include the shadow areas too. BTW, I don’t usually make my grid lines this dark. It’s best to keep them light. I only made them dark for the purposes of this example. I will erase them before the layer of underpaint goes on.

The Underpainting
An underpainting is the first layer of paint to go onto the canvas and serves as a base for the additional layers of paint that will follow as the painting is developed. It is an important layer and is made up mostly of medium (a mixture of mineral spirits and linseed oil) and pigment. I use this underpainting layer to get rid of the stark white canvas surface and to begin blocking in color which also helps to define the basic outline of the image. I keep this layer thin making sure not to cover up my sketch lines. That will happen later as I develop the painting. Once the underpainting layer has dried, I begin laying in oil paint layer upon layer until the painting is complete.

Painting In Layers
I paint in layers and allow each layer to dry before applying the next. This takes longer to finish a painting, but this technique allows me to achieve the affect I’m working toward on each of my paintings.

Applying Varnish
After the painting is completed and has had opportunity to dry for a minimum of six months, I will then apply at least two coats of artist grade clear varnish to protect the painting and make the colors pop.

The Finished Painting

The Large White Dog
Pet Painting by Teresa Bernard
16″ x 20″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Sneak Peeks
I like to share my finished paintings on Facebook as sneak peak for all my followers before adding it to this website. Click the LIKE button to the left to receive these sneak peeks in your newsfeed or click here to visit my Facebook page.

UPDATED: 31 May 2016

Christian Art Collection

The Christian Art Collection comprises paintings of a religious theme. God is very important to me and is a huge part of my life. I am very grateful to Him for my gift of oil painting and everything else He does for me. Through my paintings, it is my desire to communicate all the wonder and majesty of the great I AM. I attempt to achieve this through a painting technique called “realism”.

Realism in art is a style of painting which depicts the subject matter as it actually appears in real life. There is no attempt to artistically stylize or distort the subject matter in any way. Instead I spend a fair amount of time and effort paying attention to detail and creating an accurate depiction of life forms and objects, perspective creating the illusion of reality, good composition, lights and darks, and color and tone. However, I stop short of my paintings looking like a photo, but rather prefer to communicate a Christian message by representing God’s handiwork in nature through realism.

Van Gogh’s Church at Auvers, France
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 24″
Oils on gallery wrap stretched canvas

Vincent van Gogh is one of my favorite artists. I find his life and paintings to be so interesting. During his life he painted many works of art people aren’t even aware of. The painting he did of this church is one of his better known paintings.

Calvary at Sunset
Landscape by Teresa Bernard
20″ x 16″
Oils on stretched canvas

Scripture tells us the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross just before sunset on Good Friday, also referred to as Holy Friday.

The Communion Table
Still Life by Teresa Bernard
14″ x 11″
Oils on stretched canvas

This oil painting depicts The Lord’s Supper a ritual instituted by Jesus the night of Passover observance.

UPDATED: 29 July 2016