iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Texas artist friends, registration is now open for my painting demonstration October 25th at the Kerr Arts & Cultural Center: www.outdoorpainterssociety.com/event-6834894 “No Place Like Home” • Oil on Linen • 30” x 30" • Private Collection

Animal portrait painting in oils of a gray horse in a custom saddle, red ribbons braided into its mane and red painted hooves waiting to participate in a Fiesta parade in San Antonio by American artist Patrick Saunders

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is a piece by John Singer Sargent from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. "Courtyard, Tétouan, Morocco" • John Singer Sargent • Oil on Wood • 1879-80 • 10.25" x 13.75" Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Landscape painting in oils of a partially sunlit Moroccan courtyard with two keyhole arch doorways, one a dark door and the other a red door by American artist John Singer Sargent

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I mentioned in my workshop this past weekend that we should always be open to embracing mistakes in our paintings, and I was reminded of this piece. "Burst" • Oil on Panel • 6" x 8" • Private Collection Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Plein air floral painting in oils of a cluster of purple hydrangea blooms by American artist Patrick Saunders for the 2017 Plein Air Easton Festival.

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Here is a small piece by Russian artist Nicolai Fechin from the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. "Girl With Peaches" • Nicolai Fechin • Oil on Canvas • Undated Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Portrait painting in oils of a young girl in a dress sitting with peaches in her lap by Russian artist Nicolai Fechin

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

My cat portrait demonstration this morning on the last day of my painting workshop at Warehouse 521. “Opal in Repose Study” • Oil on Linen • 14” x 18” • 2 Hours • SOLD

Two-hour pet portrait study in oils of a reclining black and white cat backlit by bright indirect light from a window by American artist Patrick Saunders for a painting workshop

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

My floral demonstration from life this morning on day two of my painting workshop at Warehouse 521 in Nashville. “Three Sunflowers Study" • Oil on Linen • 12" x 12" • 2 Hours

Two-hour floral demonstration in oils of three sunflowers in a vase painted from life by American artist Patrick Saunders for a painting workshop at Warehouse 521 in Nashville

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

My landscape demonstration this morning on day one of my painting workshop at Warehouse 521. "Storm Over the Circle 13 Ranch Study" • Oil on Linen • 12" x 16" • 2 Hours

Two-hour landscape demonstration in oils of a storm front moving in over a Texas ranch field with a stand of trees in the middle and a small group of brown cows nearby by American artist Patrick Saunders for a painting workshop at Warehouse 521 in Nashville.

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is by Italian painter Ulisse Caputo. "Evening Work" • Ulisse Caputo • Oil on Canvas • 1909 • Private Collection

Richly colored interior figure painting in oils of a seated young woman hand sewing a large garment or blanket next to a table with a lamp, a clock and a mirror behind them reflecting her by Italian artist Ulisse Caputo

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I love this piece by Russian artist Pyotr Kotov. "Laundry Day" • Pyotr Ivanovich Kotov • Oil on Canvas • 84 x119 cm • c.1935 • Private Collection

Whimsical, richly colored, impressionistic figure painting in oils of a group of Russian women doing and hanging laundry, with a small boy in tow drinking from a cup by Russian artist Pyotr Kotov

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Sometimes the most simple of subjects hold so much subtle beauty. “Hoya” • Oil on Linen • 16” x 20” • Available at patricksaunders.com/paintings/av... Painting and reference photos by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Still life painting in oils of a large Hoya plant in a terracotta pot on an outdoor wooden table bathed in sunlight by American artist Patrick Saunders

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

It often seems that when less detail is added to a painted rose, the stronger it feels. This piece by Belgian artist Frans Mortelmans is a perfect example. "Flower Still Life" • Frans Mortelmans • Oil on Canvas • 67 x 53 cm • Private Collection

Still life painting in oils of white roses in a dark blue vase on a table top, with smaller red and white flowers lying in a bunch in front of the vase by Belgian artist Frans Mortelmans

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

#ArtTips • You can make a variety of marks with just one paintbrush. Try pushing, pulling, turning and varying the pressure. Sign up for more art tips on the Newsletter page of my website, PatrickSaunders.com.

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I've included a few detail shots so that you can see just how dynamic Sorolla's brushwork is in this huge mural.

"Cataluña. El pescado" detail
• Joaquín Sorolla
• Oil on Canvas
• 1915
• 11.5' x 15.9"

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

The Hispanic Society Museum & Library is a hidden gem among New York City museums. This is one of 14 panels from Joaquin Sorolla's "Vision of Spain" that are on display in the round at the museum. "Cataluña. El pescado" • Joaquín Sorolla • Oil on Canvas • 1915 • 11.5' x 15.9"

Large mural painted in oils by Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla, one of 14 panels from his "Vision of Spain" masterpiece on display at the Hispanic Society Museum and Library, which depicts a crowded open fish market on a beach near a body of water on bright, sunny day

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I painted it on a smoother panel than my usual surface, and you can see in the two in progress photos how the paint slid around in the early stages (the first is 20 minutes in, the second photo is 40 minutes along).

20 minutes in to a one-hour portrait study in oils of a young African American woman with long hair and glasses, painted by American artist Patrick Saunders at an open model session at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art

40 minutes in to a one-hour portrait study in oils of a young African American woman with long hair and glasses, painted by American artist Patrick Saunders at an open model session at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Open model sessions always help me to loosen up and just enjoy painting. Here's my quick one hour sketch of Alondra from last Friday's open session at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art. “Alondra” • Oil on Panel • 12” x 16” • 60 Minutes Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

One-hour portrait study in oils of a young African American woman with long hair and glasses, painted by American artist Patrick Saunders at an open model session at the Coppini Academy of Fine Art

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Paintings can have more than one focal point, but it's important to create a clear hierarchy. Sign up for my latest art newsletter on how to prioritize points of interest in your paintings here: patricksaunders.com/signup.html "A Welcoming Table” • Oil on Canvas • 18" x 24" • Private Collection

Plein air interior painting in oils of a cozy, colorful kitchenette bathed in soft light with a table and chairs, and a vase of pink peonies, white taper candles and a plate on the table painted by American artist Patrick Saunders for a plein air painting competition

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Norwegian artist Frits Thaulow is best known for his paintings of rivers, which are some of the greatest of the genre. In this piece he shows his skill with a garden scene. "Summer Day" (Sommerdag) • Frits Thaulow • Oil on Canvas • 1881 • 53 x 83 cm • Kode Bergen Art Museum

Landscape painting in oils of a lush backyard garden space with a two figures near a table set for beverages with two figures talking, one standing and seated, apparently between multiple cottages, with rolling hills in the distance by Norwegian artist Frits Thaulow

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

My latest floral painting. When I saw this rose, it was as if the sunlight emanated from within it. "Light of the Morning" • Oil on Linen • 9" x 12” • Available at www.PatrickSaunders.com

Floral painting in oils of a single white backlit rose outdoors in a garden on a sunny day by American artist Patrick Saunders

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Here is a wonderful horse study by German artist Adolph Menzel. "Horse Study" • Adolph Menzel • Oil on Canvas • 1848 • Old National Gallery, Berlin

Head and shoulders portrait study in oils of a chestnut horse with a white star on its forehead by German artist Adolph Menzel

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Looking all the way back to 2016 for #ThrowBackThursday. I painted this landscape during Plein Air Richmond in the Japanese Garden at Maymont. "Enter the Garden" • Oil on Panel • 16" x 20” • Private Collection Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Plein air painting in oils of a wooden trellis over a stone pathway in the Japanese Garden at the Maymont Estate in Virginia by American artist Patrick Saunders

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is a piece by John Singer Sargent from a private collection that I was lucky enough to see in person last summer at the "Sargent and Paris" exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Staircase in Capri" • John Singer Sargent • Oil on Canvas • 1878 • 32" x 18"

1878 landscape painting in oils of a white staircase in Capri, Italy by American artist John Singer Sargent

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Artist friends, I’m returning to the beautiful Powell Gardens next spring to teach a floral workshop for Summit Art. Go here for more information, and to register: patricksaunders.com/dynamic_flor... “Wildscape” • Oil on Linen • 24” x 24” • Available

Landscape painting in oils of a stand of large Pride of Barbados, yellow Esperanza and purple blooming Texas Sage shrubs by American artist Patrick Saunders

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Here is a fantastic Nicolai Fechin portrait from a private collection. "Portrait of a Young Native Man" • Nicolai Fechin • Oil on Canvas • Undated • 19" x 15" • Private Collection Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Portrait painting in oils of a young Native American man by Russian artist Nicolai Fechin

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

My thanks to a valued collector for purchasing one of my latest florals - so nice that it sold quickly. "Beautifully Bruised" • Oil on Linen • 9" x 12” • Private Collection

Floral painting in oils of fully open fuschia rose bathed in sunlight in an outdoor garden, with its lower petals starting to curl and drop by American artist Patrick Saunders

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

In this piece by William Nicholson, the artist effectively uses the simplicity of the main flowers as a contrast to a very busy painting. "The Black Pansy" • William Nicholson • Oil on Canvas • 60 x 54.8 cm • 1910 • National Gallery of Victoria

Still life floral painting in oils of a white vase filled with black and white pansies surround by smaller blooms and greens in a variety of colors, on a table with a white glove in the foreground by British artist William Nicholson

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

My thanks to a new collector for purchasing this floral last week. "Multifaceted" • Oil on linen • 9" x 12” • Private Collection

Floral painting in oils of a bunch of pink roses by American artist Patrick Saunders

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is a still life by American artist Edmund Charles Tarbell. "Still Life: Vase of Peonies" • Edmund Charles Tarbell • Oil on Canvas • 25 1/8" x 21 3/16" • ca. 1925 • Metropolitan Museum of Art Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Still life painting in oils of white and pink peonies in a silver vase by American artist Edmund Charles Tarbell, from the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

My demonstration this morning on the last day of my second floral painting workshop at the Conroe Art League. “Red Amaryllis Study” • Oil on Linen • 12” x 16” • Two Hours

Two-hour demonstration in oils of a bunch of red amaryllis by American artist Patrick Saunders for a floral painting workshop at the Conroe Art League

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

My 90-minute demonstration from life this morning on day two of my second floral painting workshop this year at the Conroe Art League. “Pink Rose Study” • Oil on Linen • 12” x 12” • 90 Minutes

90-minute demonstration in oils of a pink rose from life by American artist Patrick Saunders for a floral painting workshop at the Conroe Art League

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

My 90-minute demonstration this morning on day one of my second floral painting workshop this year at the Conroe Art League. “Tulips Study” • Oil on Linen • 9” x 12” • 90 Minutes • SOLD

90-minute floral demonstration in oils of a garden bed of white tulips by American artist Patrick Saunders for a floral painting workshop at the Conroe Art League

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Here is a rarely seen Nicolai Fechin portrait from a private collection. "Girl with Fan" • Nicolai Fechin • Oil on Canvas • c.1928 • Private Collection Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Portrait painting in oils of model Rosa Montoya holding a black fan in a white and blue dress by Russian artist Nicolai Fechin, from a private collection

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

A new landscapes is available tonight at the Plein Air Easton Competition and Arts Festival Alumni Invitational show. “Lovely, Dappled & Deep” • Oil on Linen • 15” x 30”

Landscape painting in oils of dappled sunlight on a trail in a dense forest by American artist Patrick Saunders for the Plein Air Easton Alumni Invitational show.

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is an oil sketch by American artist Winslow Homer from the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. "Sketch of a Cottage Yard" • Winslow Homer • Oil on Cardboard • 10 1/4" x 14 1/2" • c. 1876 Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Plein air painting in oils of a group of people seated in the front yard of a quaint wooden cottage lined by sunflowers by American artist Winslow Homer

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

The 4th of July always brings our dear girl Mellow to mind. Kimberly and I found her wandering near the San Antonio River Walk around this date four years ago. “Mellow” • Oil on Linen • 8” x 8” • Private Collection Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Dog portrait in oils of a female black and tan dachsund terrier mix by American artist Patrick Saunders

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

This week's #MuseumTourTuesday is by Russian painter Léon Gaspard from the permanent collection of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. "Pearl River at Canton" • Leon Gaspard • Oil on Board • 50.8 x 56.5 cm • 1926 Painting photo by Saunders Fine Arts

Figurative painting in oils of people and boats in a busy seaport, "Pearl River at Canton" by Russian artist Leon Gaspard, from the permanent collection of the Fred Jones Junior Museum of Art

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

When we think of flowers, it's all about the petals, but when painting flowers the petals can often become a distraction, causing us to overpaint. "Wild Onions” • Oil on Canvas • 12" x 16" • Private Collection

Plein air painting in oils of a bunch of wild onions with purple flowers by American artist Patrick Saunders, painted for the Telluride Plein Air Festival in 2015.

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

You've probably seen this piece by American artist Frank Benson before. It's widely distributed as prints. "Calm Morning" • Frank Weston Benson • 1904 • Oil on Canvas • 44.3" x 36.1" • Collection of the @mfaboston.bsky.social Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Figurative painting in oils of three young children, a boy standing and two girls sitting, in a white dinghy fishing, with another dinghy and several sailboats farther out to sea behind them, from the permanent collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

My two-hour demonstration this morning on the last day of my first floral painting workshop this year at the Conroe Art League. “Snapdragons Study” • Oil on Linen • 12” x 12” • 2 Hours • SOLD

Two-hour demonstration in oils of some orange snapdragons by American artist Patrick Saunders for a floral painting workshop at the Conroe Art League

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

My two-hour demonstration this morning on the second day of my first floral painting workshop this year at the Conroe Art League. “Poppies Study” • Oil on Canvas • 12” x 16” • 2 Hours

Two-hour floral demonstration in oils of a field of red poppies by American artist Patrick Saunders for a floral painting workshop at the Conroe Art League

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

My 60-minute demonstration from life this morning on day one of my first floral painting workshop this year at the Conroe Art League. “Yellow Rose Study” • Oil on Linen • 8” x 10” • 1 Hour

60-minute floral demonstration in oils of a yellow rose by American artist Patrick Saunders for a floral painting workshop at the Conroe Art League

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Last week, we lost English painter David Hockney. Unlike much of the current representational art world, his work never centers its focus on craft or technique, and his paintings of his beloved dachshunds Stanley and Boodgie embody this far more interesting approach to painting.

"Dog Painting 30" - Head and shoulders dog portrait painting in oils by British artist David Hockney of one of his dachshunds resting on a dog bed

Photo of British artist David Hockney sitting in an armchair with his two dachshunds Stanley and Boodgie in front of a wall of paintings he did of them

"Dog Painting 13" - pet portrait in oils by British artist David Hockney of his two dachshunds Stanley and Boodgie sleeping together on a dog bed

"Dog Painting 3" - pet portrait in oils by British artist David Hockney of his two dachshunds Stanley and Boodgie sleeping together on a dog bed

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

It's okay to go darker than you think you need to. As you develop your painting, those darker values will often feel just right in context. Sign up for more art tips on the Newsletter page of my website, www.PatrickSaunders.com.

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

You can learn a lot from self-portraits, as the artist tends to approach the painting exactly how they want to, without the constraints of a commission or the opinions of the sitter. "Self-Portrait" • Nicolai Fechin • Oil on Canvas • Undated • Private Collection

Head and shoulders self portrait in oils by Russian artist Nicolai Fechin

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

It's always important to work a painting as a whole to achieve balance and avoid overpainting. Every stroke, value and color affects the entire piece. #art #fineart #artstream #arttips #arteducation #artinstruction #oilpainting #patricksaunders #patricksaundersfinearts

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

There is so much to say about this piece by American painter, illustrator and muralist Edwin Austin Abbey. "King Lear, Act I, Scene I" • Edwin Austin Abbey • Oil on Canvas • 54 1/4" x 127 1/4" • 1898 • Metropolitan Museum of Art Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Figurative painting in oils of a scene from the play "King Lear, Act I, Scene I" by American artist Edwin Austin Abbey

Detail of a figurative painting in oils of a scene from the play "King Lear, Act I, Scene I" by American artist Edwin Austin Abbey that focuses on the king's dog

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

For #throwbackthursday, a painting in Jerome, Arizona. This piece won Best in Show at the 2016 Sedona Arts Center Plein Air Festival. This was the charming house of the owner of the Rickeldoris Candy & Popcorn Company. "Hillside History, Jerome" • Oil on Panel • 16" x 20" • Private Collection

Plein air painting in oils of the home on a hillside in Jerome, Arizona, the residence of the owner of the Rickeldoris Candy and Popcorn Company, painted in the same striking blue and pinks as the candy store, by American artist Patrick Saunders. This painting won Best In Show at the 2016 Sedona Arts Center Plein Air Festival.

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Flowers move, and that's not easy to capture in a painting, but Nicolai Fechin gives these daisies the appearance of exploding fireworks. "Still Life with Fruit and Flowers" • Nicolai Fechin • Oil on Canvas • Private Collection Painting photos by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Still life painting in oils of a vase of white daisies, a tray of cherries and an apple, and assorted glassware by Russian artist Nicolai Fechin

Detail of a still life painting in oils of a vase of white daisies, a tray of cherries and an apple, and assorted glassware by Russian artist Nicolai Fechin

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

It's hard to find the perfect rose. But then, that's not the point. I find that roses just past their prime are perfect for painting. "Beautifully Bruised" • Oil on Linen • 9" x 12" • Available at PatrickSaunders.com Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Floral painting in oils of a single fuchsia rose by American artist Patrick Saunders

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Patrick Saunders Fine Arts @patricksaunders.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Here's a beautifully designed piece by American artist Irving K. Manoir from the permanent collection of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. "Aspen and Snow" • Irving K. Manoir • Oil on Canvas • 91.4 x 104.1 cm • 1923 Painting photo by @saundersfinearts.bsky.social

Landscape painting in oils of a sacred grove of Aspen trees with a distant group of figures in the midst of it by American artist Irving Manoir, from the permanent collection of the Fred Jones Junior Museum of Art in Norman, Oklahoma

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