10 X 10 Oil on Canvas The grand schoolmaster of painting is still life. Within the implements of the creation of a still life set up lies the shine of silver, the glow of light on glass, the colors and fluid movements of nature and, of utmost importance, the absolute complete still in the stillness of the life in front of the aspiring artist. Learning light and shadow, cool against warm, from the sunflower. Squint as long as you need, the model never moves. Feathers on a stuffed bird, or learning your scales from a fish out of water, no hurry, it will be much the same in an hour or two. There are principles to be learned in art without which no brilliance of creativity can reach its pinnacle. Invention has a hard go without information and skill. Drawing, values of color, cool against warm, composition, where and how the shapes are placed, edges, textures, and on and on. Ergo, still life. Draw ellipses until they are perfect every time, because the plate never moves. Practice how to handle shadows in yellow on a sunflower until you have discovered the secrets. So still life teaches all the principles and can do it from the security of a kitchen table. Ovanes Berberian, who I admiringly call the Sorolla of our time, has been my mentor in the genius of what can be accomplished while learning the above named skills. The beauty of creation in flowers and fruit and the beauty of other artisans in silver and crystal and pottery that man makes, can be breathtaking when arranged in patterns of shapes and color harmonies that describe them uniquely. Folds of cloth and shadows of the leaves as the sun shafts through can move us to tears as we become familiar with how to use our paint to depict them on a two dimensional surface. Grandma''s spoons or her silver tea set can become immortal. Yes, photographs hold still but their colors are seriously lacking, plus they have little ability to fire within us an adrenaline rush as real objects in stillness can and do. So look closely at this body of still life paintings, picking up on the intensity of color, the looseness of shape, the cool colors making the warm ones sing. Just enjoy the tactical variation and decide for yourself how the Schoolmaster has broadened with practicing this artist''s abilities. Reproduced from the artist''s original artwork of Oil on Canvas 10 x 10. Framed at 16 x 16.