Features

"My still life, Music and Monet was painted as a tribute to great art and to the violin.

The founder of Impressionism was French painter, Claude Monet (1840-1926). I painted a photo of him at the age of 61. Below him is his painting, Poppy Field at Argenteuil, (which is one of his best known paintings) created in 1873 (painted at the age of 33) and to the right is, The Magpie painted in 1869 (he was 29 at the time). I consider it one of the finest paintings of his entire career.

The violin is considered by many musicians to be the most difficult instrument to play. Recently I listened again to Itzhak Perlman playing, "The Theme to Schindler's List". If there's a more moving piece of music - I've yet to hear it.

William Harnett (1848-1892) has been a big influence in my views on still life painting. I remember first seeing a slide of his painting, The Old Violin, when I was in 8th grade. I have never forgotten the impact it had on me. He was only 44 when he died but created a body of work that I often refer to for ideas.

This still life is actually three paintings in one ".

Daniel K. Tennant

March 25, 2023

"Fifteen years ago I did a painting very much like this one (see it under 'Features'). I enjoyed it so much I wanted to do it again but I made it a little different. In this painting I have used McIntosh apples and the composition is not quite the same. I chose McIntosh apples because of their brilliant color and shiny skins. An orchard nearby described McIntosh apples as being 'crisp and tart' and when I read that I knew it was the title for this painting".

Daniel K. Tennant

October 22, 2022

"My brother, Brian, loves to travel and collects souvenirs on his journeys. Recently he asked me to paint a still life with twenty five of his favorite collectibles in it. I was excited to do the painting because it posed a lot of unusual technical challenges for me. Each item had to have a custom stencil made for it and that took many hours to cut those out. The items had to be arranged so they would not block each other out and the colors had to be balanced in the painting. The painting was started on March 4 and completed on June 21. New to me were some of the objects like: orange glass, cut crystal, a model car, plastic robot and bamboo plants. I enjoyed seeing the objects slowly come to life as I painted them and the last day of painting was basically establishing all the white highlights and making small adjustments throughout the painting".

Daniel K. Tennant

June 28, 2022

"This stately, octagonal barn is located about 55 miles from where we live. It was built in 1882 and has an impressive interior. From the main floor to the cupola on is about forty feet. It was owned by a friend of mine (Terry) who died from covid on February 3, 2022. He was excited about my doing the painting but he never lived long enough to see it to its completion. Over the past forty years I have painted the barn at least twenty times and this is the very last time I will paint it. Back in the early 80s it was surrounded by many small buildings and it reminded me back then of a mother hen surrounded by her chicks. It is no longer an active farm and is overgrown yet still is an amazing structure".

Daniel K. Tennant

March 6, 2022

"A few years ago I came across a very young cottontail rabbit in our back yard. It was only a few weeks old and sat there very still. It didn't seem afraid of me at all. I ran and got my camera and took a close-up portrait and then it quietly hopped off into the weeds and I never saw it again. I was intrigued with the various colors of its fur as well as how baby-like its face was. Baby animals are always cute and this one was no exception. When they get full grown however, they can cause a great deal of harm to vegetable gardens".

Daniel K. Tennant

January 11, 2022

"My son, Christopher, is an accomplished photographer and a number of years ago captured some of the highest peaks in the Adirondacks in a stunning photograph. I received his permission to use his photograph as the basis for this painting. If you count over five peaks from the left you can see the highest mountain in New York State- Mt. Marcy. The photograph made me think of a complex quilt the way the thousands of trees all added their colors together to create such a brilliant result. It would have been impossible to paint each tree individually so I stippled hundreds of brushstrokes to give the impression of innumerable trees. The shaft of sunlight illuminating the background mountains and the cloudy sky added some drama to the scene. The lake is Heart Lake and although it seems small is a good sized body of water. The season of autumn in the Adirondacks clearly is the stroke of a master artist- our great Creator God".

Daniel K. Tennant

July 30, 2021

"I have always loved painting reflections on silver and this small painting was enjoyable to paint. Strawberries, besides being delicious are an interesting fruit. The shapes, colors, leaves and seeds all make it so unique looking. The tapestry underneath has always been a favorite of mine. The strawberry on the right is in shadow but you can still see where the light has hit the top edge of the strawberry. Silver actually has no real details on it unless there are a lot of things reflected on it. The reflections are distorted especially on bowls with the way they are concave at their bottoms".

Daniel K. Tennant

April 6, 2021

"My great grandmother had a large grape arbor and in the fall it was filled with luscious concord grapes. We used to eat them by the cluster and we always remembered to spit out the skins as they were sour. Concord grapes have a natural coating that looks foggy until you rub it and then the rich color of the skin can be seen. They are such a visual feast for the eyes and their vines have many different colors in them. I wanted the smooth skins of the grapes to be contrasted with the roughness of the wood behind them".

Daniel K. Tennant

January 30, 2021

"I purchased an old bugle some time ago and placed it on a cupboard door and photographed it outside. I wanted a long cast shadow from the bugle and was able to get it by adjusting the set up accordingly. I liked the colors in this simple still life and also enjoyed painting in the bullet holes, scratches and imperfections of the wood. I call the painting, "The Veteran" because the bugle appears to have been used a lot and perhaps was in some battles. Beside the bugle is a bugler patch from the military.

The bugle has played an important part in our country's military life (and scouting). It awakens troops, inspires them in battle and since 1891, the playing of "Taps" has become a standard component of military funerals. Battle hardened soldiers have been known to shed tears upon hearing "Taps" being played. It is a simple and beautiful musical instrument".

Daniel K. Tennant

November 1, 2020

"The Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown, New York is nationally known as a place that highlights early American farming and life. On their grounds they have a working blacksmith shop. I paid them a visit in November 2019 and from my photo shoot was able to paint a large portrait of the interior of the blacksmith shop. There was outside light coming in through a few windows but the main illumination was the glowing fire. When the blacksmith pumped the overhead bellows it made the fire turn white hot. The place was bathed in a reddish glow from the fire and the dark interior was warm and inviting compared to the extremely cold wind blowing outside that day. This painting took me six months to complete".

Daniel K. Tennant

June 9, 2020

"My neighbor grows a variety of lilies and these caught my eye last summer. I had painted some of her more reddish ones but these had such deep burgundy and almost black petals which I found striking. I put them in colored glass bottles and designed the flowers so they almost touched each other but still had their own space (like social distancing!). The grain of the board they are sitting on made me think of the concentric circles you get when you toss a large stone into still water. The knot hole is a minor focal point. These are day lilies as they remain open for a day and then wilt away".

Daniel K. Tennant

April 12, 2020

"About 13 years ago I painted a quilt that has a log cabin pattern design for a still life and enjoyed it so much I contacted the clients who had purchased the 2006 painting. They graciously let me borrow the quilt from them (as they bought it from my wife - who made it - to display beside the painting) and I used it again this year. The three jugs are different shades of earth tones and I purposely picked the most shiny and colorful apples I could find at our local grocery store. I lit the still life from directly above and enjoyed putting in the white highlights during the final completion of the painting. One of the reasons I love gouache is that it allows me to create fine detail and it has such brilliant colors".

Daniel K. Tennant

July 30, 2019

"Last summer I came across this 1929 Ford pick up which had been left on the edge of a field about 25 years ago. It would have been 69 at the time so the title seemed appropriate. I was intrigued with headlights as well as the shell of the vehicle. Much of the truck was made out of wood. During the winter it became even more interesting contrasted against the snow. The farm where the truck rests is two miles from our house but it seems farther away as it is the only house on the road. I had to paint in three crows flying off on the right. They are such an integral part of the winterscapes around here".

Daniel K. Tennant

January 26, 2019

"Our daughter, Megan, has a real green thumb. Last summer she grew sunflowers from seed and they grew to be about six feet tall and loaded with seeds. One day I saw a goldfinch clinging to one of the flowers and it had eaten some seeds. The brilliance of the flower with the brilliance of the bird was perfect. At the end of the growing season I was able to harvest these beautiful large flowers and put them in a vase and place them on an English tapestry. I used the tapestry in another painting called, "Still Life With Cookies". The cloth has accents of yellow in it. When I see sunflowers I am reminded of summer and that little bird enjoying its snack".

Daniel K. Tennant

December 12, 2018

"An acquaintance of mine, Don Edwards, was well known in the Syracuse area as the manager of a television station, a professor at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Communications and then as a retiree who made high end wooden toys. He died this past year and I saw his tools in his former woodworking shop. Some of the tools were used by his grandfather and Don died at the age of 86 so those tools were old. I arranged the hanging tools so they would interlock visually - like a jigsaw puzzle. I enjoyed painting the sawdust and wood shavings in the foreground."

Daniel K. Tennant

October 8, 2018

"Our youngest daughter saved her money when she was 16 to buy a beautiful new violin. She took lessons and blossomed into a fine musician. In her senior year in high school she auditioned for a music scholarship at Houghton College and did receive one. Over the years she has played special duets with my wife at church. She let me borrow her violin for this still life. I found the color of the violin to be so rich and deep. The painting was influenced by an older painting by William Harnett called, "The Old Violin", which I painted in as the postcard on the right. My painting is exactly the same size as Harnett's masterpiece."

Daniel K. Tennant

August 17, 2018

"This painting is based on a photograph taken by my oldest son, Christopher, who is a published landscape photographer. I saw his photo of Elk Lake and asked him if I could use it as a basis for the painting and he readily agreed. The image will be used on a poster ether in 2019 or 2020 in Old Forge, New York, to promote their annual watercolor show. It is considered one of the top ten watercolor shows in the country. Sales of the poster will be invested back into their budget for future watercolor exhibits there. The Adirondack region is famous for its spectacular mountains, pristine lakes and tall, elegant white pine trees. All three are found in the painting."

Daniel K. Tennant

July 1, 2018

"I painted this still life back in 2001 and had always enjoyed that it was set up outside. I started it again in December 2017 and finished it this past week. Although the first painting was more than 50% bigger (40"x 50") than the second painting, the second painting took 25% longer to paint! I've noticed as I've aged that I see more and paint more details now. The lantern was made in Syracuse and I enjoyed painting the rusty horse shoe, the transparent colored glass bottles and the five large marbles. The weathered boards added a nice texture to contrast the smooth glass in the painting."

Daniel K. Tennant

February 8, 2018

"My wife and I were at an apple stand this fall and I bought some Indian corn. The cashier told us that they were having a terrible time with chipmunks decimating their Indian corn. I looked at some that were hanging on a nail and sure enough the chipmunks had eaten portions of the ears so they could not be sold. With that idea in mind I remembered seeing a stuffed red squirrel at our local library and asked them if I could photograph it with some Indian corn. The result is this painting. My smaller paintings are done for an annual show for paintings that can't be more than 120 square inches in size. Small painting like this are just as challenging as larger paintings. They have the same composition concerns. I enjoyed painting the various colors of the hair. "

Daniel K. Tennant

November 21, 2017

"Three miles south of my studio are two large hills called Fairbanks and Mystic Mountains. They seemed like mountains when I first saw them in 1960. Now they seem like large hills and running in between them is a dirt road. It is surrounded by a small stream, waterfalls, some shale banks, fields and woods. One particular spot is quiet and seems far away from everything. It is this spot I painted. When it is foggy it seems extra still and I love the way colors and objects fade off in the distance. Fog seems to soften and quiet the world"

Daniel K. Tennant

November 7, 2017

"A young friend of mine said his grandfather owned a nice collection of old books. I was able to look over the books and they were striking. Many were leather bound with gold leaf. The books were set up on a book case we found in his deceased grandfather's house. I placed some books in stacks on top of the book case as well as an old clock. The wallpaper was from my first house which I lived in from 1980-2008. The painting of the ship was important. The still life needed something to break up all the shapes of the books (there are 58 books total)."

Daniel K. Tennant

July 10, 2017

"I was mowing my neighbor's lawn when they were on vacation and spotted some burgundy lilies growing in their flower beds. I asked them if I could paint them and cut nine of them down. The still life set up was composed outside with some barn siding I purchased and old bottles I borrowed from an old barn's second floor attic. The sunlight gave such beautiful even lighting. The background took up a third of the time invested in the painting as it was quite tedious. I arranged the knots so they were interspersed around the flowers. The title is based on the words of Jesus from Matthew 6:28 (KJV) where Jesus taught us not to worry, when we are His followers, about clothing or food.".

Daniel K. Tennant

April 20, 2017

"This smaller painting was done as a commission. The basket was used by my client's father on the farm she grew up on and has a lot of sentimental value. The blanket on which the basket of apples sits has a Gordon plaid pattern on it, my client attended Gordon College where she met her future husband- Gordon. I invented the light on the left of all the items in the still life to illuminate the dark shadows the original photos I took had on each item. It brightened up the entire painting and they were very happy with the results.".

Daniel K. Tennant

March 20, 2017

"While visiting a small country store about 18 miles from us I noticed an "old" flag. Although the flag is new it was made to look like an antique. I liked the faded reds of the stripes (which were almost a burgundy) and the white on the flag was beige. The blue was made to look sun bleached so it was not the deep blue our flag normally has. The painting was done for a miniature art exhibit which will be at my newer gallery in Tucson in February 2017. The painting is 120 square inches so I had to use a quadruple zero brush to get the highlights on the jugs- which are no more than two inches tall. A small painting has the same design concerns and challenges as a larger painting. In the deep shadows is a sign which has written on it, "American Antiques".

Daniel K. Tennant

December 2, 2016

"This recent portrait is an unusual subject for me. I love good portraits but my first love has always been still life. The man in the painting is John. He is a widower who lives two miles from me. He is always working whether it is cleaning out his barns, mowing, feeding his goats (he has over 100 of them) or weeding his garden. He is one of the most knowledgeable persons I've ever met when it comes to weather, farming or growing things. He also has some thoughts about politics as well.

I asked John to pose for me last year standing in front of his biggest barn with a short shovel in his hands. The interior of the barn was perfect with the lighting coming in from the two windows raking across the stanchions and hay. I also painted John during a work day with chaff on his shirt and arms and he even has a bit of facial hair which to me adds real character to the painting. His faded blue jeans, comfortable cap and work t-shirt define John as a farmer who works hard each day and enjoys what he does.".

Daniel K. Tennant

July 1, 2016

"My wife and I (as well as our oldest daughter) went apple picking back in October. We saw so many beautiful varieties of apples on the trees. After picking them we placed them in a basket and as I studied them I was taken by their color, their shape and how delicious they looked. They are not my favorite fruit to eat but they are far and away my favorite fruit to paint. It is a combination of their shape, texture and the way they reflect light off each other when grouped. The basket was tough to paint but I thought the wire handle of the basket looks metallic and successful ".

Daniel K. Tennant

March 22, 2016

"This painting was a commissioned painting. My client saw my original photos of the road which I walk on and we agreed that it could be improved. I changed the paved road into a dirt road, added the pond, replaced a white barn with a red barn and painted in a farm house to balance off the painting. I intensified the colors only slightly and deepened the blue of the sky. It was a good challenge and doing a landscape lets me use my imagination more than a tightly painted still life. The colors this past fall were vibrant and varied. It was one of the best autumns we have had in many years. The challenge of a commission is to paint what others like but in this case- it was not hard to paint this one. It was very enjoyable".

Daniel K. Tennant

September 1, 2015

"After working on a large still life for almost ten months on and off I wanted to paint something smaller and looser. Each night I try to walk about two miles and I do that on a road two miles from where we live. The road is about a mile long and I walk down it and back. During springtime it is filled with bird songs and activity. By the end of August it is much quieter and in winter it is harsh- strong winds and snow. An elm tree at the end of the road caught my eye and I loved the backlighting of the sunlight shining through the foliage. The long shadows across the road often gave me some coolness because part of the walk is in the direct sun for about a quarter of a mile. I admire Claude Monet's paintings and this has a little of his pointillistic qualities about it. I thoroughly enjoyed painting this scene which- means a lot to me personally".

Daniel K. Tennant

October 28, 2015

"The inspiration for this still life were the props I have used over the years in my paintings. The only object that was new was the French horn in the background. I assembled all these items back in August of 2014. The painting was the most time consuming painting I've ever done. I put about three times the amount of hours I normally invest in a painting in this large piece. It was done in part as my competitive piece for art shows in 2016. I got symmetry in the painting by offsetting the telephone cord with the string of beads on the right, the flowers on the left are balanced by the flowers on the right and the vase on the left is offset by the pitcher on the right. As an afterthought I decided to paint in a shaft of light coming in through a window which is suggested. It needed something in the top right to balance off the rest of the composition. I've called the painting, Loyal Subjects, because these items have appeared many times in my work. Not only are they subjects in my paintings but I have subjected them to my interpretation of what they should look like".

Daniel K. Tennant

August 31, 2015

"I recently saw a small still life by Dutch artist, Pieter Claesz (1597-1661). I was struck by its simple beauty. One thing he liked to paint were olives on silver or pewter plates. It was the plate of olives that inspired me to set up a still life in tribute to this Dutch master. I also included some Jarlsberg cheese, a loaf of whole grain bread with sesame seeds on the crust, red grapes (some in a silver bowl), lemon with peel, two glasses of wine, a soft muslin type cloth, a silver tray, three books and a Persian rug. The wine and bread are also symbols of the sacrament of the Lord's supper. The Dutch saw beauty in the common place. It is not so much the subject matter that can make a strong painting but how it is painted.".

Daniel K. Tennant

September 18, 2014

"The idea for the title came after I heard about a number of high schools that were slowly getting rid of their library books. What a shame. For those of us who love books, nothing can ever replicate the smell, touch, feel and experience of reading a book and turning the pages. As handy as the electronic books are, they don't offer the same sensory experience as an actual book. It was with that in mind that I painted 129 books in a very small format. The eye glasses on the right helped to break up the shapes of all the books. What enjoyment I had in studying each binding and doing the designs of each one. (Don't try to read the titles they are not legible.)".

Daniel K. Tennant

August 7, 2014

"After painting 294 books in a recent painting I wanted to paint a simpler, smaller still life. I purchased the handsome basket and filled it with red apples and red grapes. The cloth has been in anther painting of mine (Abundance) and I have always loved its design and color. By placing a floodlight on the lower left I was able to create some unusual lighting on the grapes on the left and the wrinkles on the cloth. Even though this is a smaller painting it took me a lot longer than I thought it w ould as there is quite a bit of complexity in the cloth and the weave of the basket. Apples and grapes both ripen in the fall here in New York State hence the title".

Daniel K. Tennant

March 10, 2014

"Many times ideas for paintings are in the incubation stage in my mind for years. The idea for this painting came in 2006. I photographed a used bookstore's interior back then. From the many slides I took this one was my favorite composition. I was attracted to the repetition of all the books/rectangles in the set up as well as the sunlight pouring in from a small window on the left. The many colors of the 294 books and the different angles in which they are randomly piled also helped the painting. The painting took three months to complete. If the bust of William Shakespeare had not been in the shop it would have lacked a major focal point.".

Daniel K. Tennant

March 10, 2014

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"Strawberries always signal the start of summer to me. They are not only tasty but a beautiful fruit to paint. My wife made the melon basket and I filled it with ripe strawberries and placed it on a patterned cloth I have used many times".

Daniel K. Tennant

October 18, 2013

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"This complex still life was started in November 2012 and finished in September 2013. The painting consists of all Scottish objects. From left to right they are: a brandy snifter with Scotch in it, Scotch decanter, metal jigger, small set of bagpipes, can of Haggis, cup of Scottish (breakfast tea) with Scottish tea biscuits, portrait of the poet Robert Burns, book of his poetry opened to the poem, "Address to a Haggis", dagger resting on the book, artificial thistles, silver broach of a Celtic cross, horsehair sporran Scottish men wear in the front of their kilts, two color photographs: one of the Scottish highlands and the other of a rustic Scottish castle by a lake, Scotsman in a Plexiglas cube, the magazine-Royal Scotland and a Scottish terrier fashioned out of cast iron. The foreground cloth is called tartan and in the background are the two flags of Scotland and partial map of Scotland.

Each January the local Scottish Inn (the Brae Loch Inn) has a Robert Burns night (attended by a few hundred people) where they include a haggis cutting ceremony. The painting was done to commemorate that event and prints will be made of the painting.

After completing it I realized that the largest shapes are the primary colors: red, yellow and blue. It wasn't planned but makes for a colorful still life".

Daniel K. Tennant

September 12, 2013

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"Silver continues to interest me a great deal. With these two bowls the convex shapes created interesting reflections on them from the patterned cloth. In this small still life I wanted to simplify the painting to just four textures- fruit skin, cloth, metal and the background wall. Small paintings have just as many technical challenges as larger paintings and some of the greatest masterpieces the world has ever seen are not big at all- I think of Jan Vermeer's paintings. He was called, "The little master"."

Daniel K. Tennant

September 2012

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This winter scene was done as a commission. I took many liberties with the composition. The background hills are actually from New Woodstock- at least eight miles from the barn. The white pine on the left in the background is also transplanted from a few miles away. The barn itself is in great shape- getting painted every few years- although no longer a working barn. It is impressive to pass it on a winter's day. The red of the barn contrasted with the more muted colors of winter make it a cheery sight to behold."

Daniel K. Tennant

November 2012

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"I started this painting on January 16, 2006 and finished it on July 28, 2012. When I originally began the painting I was so excited about doing it but then things like retiring from the classroom, moving and five commissions made me put the painting in storage until I could finish it

The initial attraction to me was the eagle on top of the teapot. I also loved all the reflections on the silver and the plump blueberry muffin. (After blueberries are cooked they turn a deep reddish. I have asked others if they know if there are any blue foods. To my knowledge there aren't any). All the various textures and the lighting made this painting a real challenge."

Daniel K. Tennant

July 28, 2012

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"In the summer of 2011 I was approached by a couple who wanted me to paint a small collection of their most prized antiques. They delivered the pieces to my studio where I spent a day photographing them all. Throughout the painting I wanted to intersperse it with various colors to lead one's eye around the finished painting. When I completed the painting (almost seven months later) I noticed all the pairs of objects: doves, candles, peaches, peach colored calla lilies, statues, silver slippers, lemon wedges, cologne bottles, walking sticks and candle sticks. Silver is always a great challenge but one I enjoy immensely. My clients were very pleased with the end result."

Daniel K. Tennant

2012

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"The client, John Herr, gave me such a wonderful assignment: paint things you like for me. I took him at his word and painted books I have loved to read, a postcard he sent me, an apple, a string of black pearls and a small reproduction of Van Gogh's, "Sunflowers"- all on a bookshelf. It was not a big painting but I enjoyed painting all of it. It didn't have any technical problems or struggles that I usually have with painting. He was extremely happy with the results and the apple was one of the best things I've ever painted."

Daniel K. Tennant

2006

"This painting was commissioned by one of my former high school teachers -math teacher, Barry Parker. He was one of the best teachers I ever had and he influenced me to pursue a career in teaching. In the still life I was asked to paint some of his favorite books and other items that were important to him: the drill symbolizes Mr.Parker's love for building birdhouses, logs represent the wood he splits by hand, a map of his favorite area in northern New York State and the weather report from the local newspaper- as he loves the outdoors and studying the weather patterns. Other items such as a feather, small ceramic vase, crow feather, brass calendar, yearbook, smooth rocks form Lake Ontario, iron wedge for wood splitting, black and white photo of an elm tree are all important items for him as well. It was a serious challenge to design it to be an interesting still life. He was delighted with the results- which made me extremely happy and relieved- as the artist."

Daniel K. Tennant

June 2010

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"My oldest son Chris, an accomplished photographer, captured this early morning image of a farm house about four miles outside of the small village I lived in from 1976-2008. That area of New York State has lot of fog rising off the Susuquehanna River as it meananders through the villages and farm land. On some summer mornings, when the fog is quite dense, you can drive out of the fog into brilliant sunshine. As you drive away from the river the valley is filled with a blanket of white. We always thought the rest of the county was enshrouded in fog when it was simply those places close to the river.

A friend of mine saw the color photos of an old farm house in the morning mist and asked me to do a painting from the photo. I was happy to do so. It is unusual for me to paint such a small painting. The painting is 16x20 and I was able to complete it in three days.

Visit my son Chris's website at www.christennantphotography.com to enjoy more of his impressive work."

Daniel K. Tennant

November 7, 2011

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"I have been patronizing a bookshop about 45 minutes from our home for almost thirty years. Besides having cats who often sleep near the cash register they have a variety of unusual chickens penned outside the shop. There is always something to see. On entering the shop you go through a small mud room and it's in this area they keep the older sets and reduced priced books.

About four months ago I came across these old leather bound books. They were all neatly placed on the shelves and I requested permission to rearrange them. One of my favorite books is the blue one almost in the middle.

The painting was done specifically for a small works show in Tulsa for December 2010."

Daniel K. Tennant

November 10, 2010

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"I was intrigued with an old cupboard my former neighbor had behind his garage. The peeling paint was so unusual and I was interested in all the strange shapes the peeling paint had created. I set up the cupboard in my backyard and attached an old shelf to it where I put some colored glass bottles, marbles, lantern and some freshly picked day lilies.

In talking to a friend about the painting he said that the day lilies only last a day and that they are here today and gone tomorrow- hence the title. I thought too that the fresh flowers were quite a contrast with the old bottles, lantern and old paint.

I didn't realize it but there are groups of five in the painting. There are five bottles, five flowers, five marbles and five panels in the cupboard. It was not conscious but it seems easier to compose a painting with odd numbers of objects as opposed to even numbers of objects.

I believe I used every tint there is available to artists in this painting. I enjoyed painting it- it only took two months."

Daniel K. Tennant

April 15, 2010

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"Four years ago I purchased this dazzling piece of English cloth at an antique shop and wanted to incorporate it into a still life. This past summer I was able to do that. Picking some lilies from a neighbor's flower garden and incorporating a brass vase, small ceramic jug, the cloth and chocolate chip cookies on a piece of wax paper gave me just what I wanted. I also tried for the first time an all black background to make all the objects really stand out. The details of the cloth took over twenty hours to paint and I used some extremely small brushes to get those details.

Due to a number of commissions in 2009 this is the first feature painting listed in a long time. Hopefully more will be coming and more quickly."

Daniel K. Tennant

February 10, 2010

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"My wife makes beautiful quilts and smaller ones as decorations for tables. I used one of them in this still life painting. I found these wonderful bottles and the jug at an antique store about four miles from my studio. The jug was made in Mohawk, New York and is a two gallon one. I loved the light glistening off the side of the jug as well as the patterns of the quilt seen through the brown glass bottle on the left. I used two floodlights to get the interesting shadows and highlights on the wood on the right foreground and the left background.

I remember setting this still life up in the antique shop and outside was one of the heaviest snowfalls I've ever driven through. I was glad I had a four wheel drive vehicle that enabled me to navigate the unplowed roads!"

Daniel K. Tennant

April 8, 2009

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"I started this painting back in September and it was a struggle the whole time I painted it. Some paintings just flow off the brush and others kick and fight the whole way. It is one of those mysteries in being an artist. These jugs are the ovoid type and have that great oval shape about them that I like to paint. They are usually very shiny and that adds to the drama of the still life- seeing the reflections in them.

My wife made the beautiful triangular patterned runner and the basket as well. Now that the painting is finished I am warming up to it. For a while I wasn't sure how it would turn out."

Daniel K. Tennant

January 28, 2008

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"The idea for this painting came from a brochure in the mail. In the brochure was a fabulous painting by Michelangelo Caravaggio titled, Still Life With Fruit on a Stone Ledge (1603). I was really struck by his beautiful rendering of a basket with fruit in shadow. His painting was done in oils and I work in opaque watercolors so there was quite a challenge to create a painting with a similar feel.

I found a beautiful old vine basket and filled it with grapes, pears, apples and plums. I also had some fruit spilling over into the foreground."

Daniel K. Tennant

August 31, 2007

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"This commissioned painting was a painting that had its beginnings about a year ago. I did a commission in 2006 and my client asked me to paint this beautifully restored mill that is located in Baldwinsville, New York. It is about two hours from me so I drove up twice to get photographs to work from. The mill was built in the mid 1800s and then was eventually abandoned. It sits on an island in between the Seneca River and the Erie Canal. When you are on the island it doesn't feel like one but aerial shots clearly show it is.

The mill was stripped down to the bare beams and very carefully restored. Each of the thirty-two rooms have lacquered barn beams in them. No expense was spared in creating this magnificent inn which is called The Red Mill Inn.

In doing the commission I fixed the crumbling seawall. I also left out the many buildings which are behind the property on the mainland and excluded power lines, telephone poles and brightly painted fences on the sides of the canal. I also was able to plant three extra saplings on the side lawn which at present does not exist there. It is all open gravel and fill.

It is a magnificent structure. The PT Cruiser was painted in to give a sense of the size of the building. It is enormous."

Daniel K. Tennant

May 28, 2007

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Check out The Red Mill Inn official link at http://www.theredmillinn.com for more information. Gicleé prints of this painting are available at The Red Mill Inn.

"I filled this exquisite melon basket with the most beautiful apples I could find. The apples were from New Zealand and they were waxy and brilliant in color. I placed the arrangement on top of an ornate flowered cloth. I had never done a painting with the lighting directly overhead. I painted a violet background so that it would recede slightly and still have a warm tone."

Daniel K. Tennant

April 10, 2007

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"My son recently saw a still life done by the Italian master, Michelangelo Caravaggio, and sent me a postcard of the painting. In the still life Caravaggio had painted there were two pomegranates. My son thought a still life with these magnificent fruits would make a beautiful still life. He was correct. The arils (seeds) are filled with juice and have many colors in them. The skin of the fruit is often freckled with patches of browns and blacks on them and the juice is the color of blood. Pomegranates have been painted as symbols of eternity, royalty and the resurrection of Christ. I really had an enjoyable time painting the complex pattern of the cloth."

Daniel K. Tennant

February 23, 2007

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"The juicy peaches and bright ripe strawberries worked well on a rich blue setting. The bright colors look even brighter contrasted with the cools of the cloth and metallic box. There are many varieties of peaches and these had light colored pits. Some peach pits I have seen have been quite dark. Peaches are noted for their fuzziness and strawberries for their shiny surface.

It was enjoyable capturing the various surfaces, colors and shadows in this more simple still life. Although smaller than many of my other paintings, it had the same challenges as much larger paintings."

Daniel K. Tennant

December 5, 2006

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"Ten years ago I did a small still life with an ovoid shaped jug in it. It was an enjoyable challenge getting the patina, shape and reflections in the painting. This summer I again tried the same subject but on a grander scale. The apples are not real- they are the wooden crab apples you can buy at any country gift shop. My wife made the basket and quilted runner. They are all early American items as well as being rural. The runner took a long time to paint due to the variety of patterns. It is interesting to note that when art students major in surface pattern in college they always use gouache when designing patterns for clothing, wallpaper and other products."

Daniel K. Tennant

December 5, 2006

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"My wife, Karen, makes beautiful baskets and she recently made a small melon basket. I have painted it before ("Melon Basket"). I painted it again and filled it with plump strawberries.

My home is in Bainbridge, New York and across the river from us is a well known strawberry farm where you can pick them in June. This little still life symbolizes my wife's creativity, the delicious berries of early summer found here and my love for strong Dutch type lighting. It is a small painting but takes just as much concentration as the larger ones."

Daniel K. Tennant

April 6, 2006

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"The initial spark for the idea of this still life came from a painting by Dutch still life master- Willem Kalf (1616-1693). He had been captivated by the beautiful complexity of a lobster 352 years ago. After looking at his painting, "Still Life With Drinking Horn" I too wanted to paint a lobster! Kalf used oils whereas I have used opaque watercolors (gouache). In my painting I have also included a silver cup, grapes, glass of wine, Persian rug, Gouda cheese, pearl handled knife, silver trays, brown bread and a leather bound book. All these items speak of craftsmanship or good taste. I especially loved painting the highlights on the shiny shell of the magnificent lobster- it was almost a four pounder."

Daniel K. Tennant

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"This painting was a commissioned painting. The beautiful view of the farm so densely enclosed with trees is one of the prettiest areas in New York State. The farm has been a family getaway for over two generations and the family wanted the view you see as you approach it by the only driveway. During the summer it is lush, shaded and quiet. It is a bird watcher's paradise and a place to withdraw from the harried pace of today's world. It will eventually be displayed in a private collection in California. There are over twenty different colors of green in the painting."

Daniel K. Tennant

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"Our second son attended college in Delhi, New York for four years and the quickest way to take him back to college was to take the back roads. Over the years I passed this old barn many times. It always impressed me with its sway back roof line, its board and batting siding and the interesting angles of the barn's structure. I also was drawn to the little vents on it top. In the fall of 2003 I had a perfect day to photograph it: when the skies are deep blue and clear, the foliage has its most brilliant colors and the grasses have started to turn from greens to browns and ochers.

Putting all these characteristics of October together I created this portrait of autumn. I did leave out an old road sign and the road as well as a run down old building up the road from the barn. The barn also had a long concrete wing on it to the left which looked a lot more modern than the barn and it took away the rustic qualities I liked so much in the barn.

Using opaque watercolors (gouache) is always a pleasure as they can be used in a linear fashion and are perfect for capturing the variety of textures and colors that made up this particular scene."

Daniel K. Tennant

"This painting was commissioned by Radio Shack. They have a new world headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas and wanted to create a collection of contemporary artwork that included their products in the artwork. I immediately thought of a still life that incorporated older items contrasted with their newer products- things like: a phone, a radio, a camera and so forth. Radio Shack sent me their latest items and I searched in second hand shops for the older things I needed. The most difficult item to find was an old rotary phone as most people had simply thrown them out. The painting was the largest gouache painting I've ever done- 48" x 72" and it was so tall I had to sit atop a small step ladder to paint the upper portion of the painting. I loved doing this still life especially the old wood in the background and things like the cord of the rotary phone with all its coils. There were so many interesting textures and it took me all summer to paint it. It is now displayed in their corporate headquarters."

Daniel K. Tennant

September 2004

"About five years ago someone told me about a pretty blonde girl who lived nearby. I finally got to meet her one Sunday morning at church and was taken by her wholesome country looks and her light blonde hair. I asked her to pose for me and she said yes. I was surprised because she was somewhat shy.

I used her in the painting not only as a true portrait but also as a symbol for summertime. Many artists have used the figure in a symbolic way. Ashley represented to me the countryside, summer and sunshine.

She posed with her mother's best tea set at her home. I used a totally different background- the rolling hills of Bainbridge are seen only slightly in the background and at our local track (which I walk on often for exercise) you can see the wonderful lush trees when they have leaves.

The painting was started in February 2003 and completed in September of 2005. It was the most time consuming painting I've ever done for my gallery."

Daniel K. Tennant