Preparing for a Party. Saskia Ozols, 2025. Oil on Prepared Panel
This painting highlights the autumn blossoms of New Orleans arranged in and around artwork & vessels by New Orleans artists. I utilized oil painting techniques of the 14th-19th centuries, and the work was painted from direct observation of the subject.
I arranged the objects after creating a custom sized panel. Careful drawing and multiple layers of color are structured with a traditional grisaille underpainting. Passages of alla prima are separated with veils of translucent glazing. The painting took 6 months to create, and completed without the use of photography or AI.
Flowers include Japanese Magnolia, Hibiscus, Sasanqua, Camellia, Kumquat, Meyer Lemon, Tallow berry, Cypress, pine, and oak leaves as well as acorns. The red clippers, Champagne cork and dragonfly represent moments of change and celebration.
The Japanese magnolia, cypress balls, and tallow berries rest in a hand blown ruby/garnet colored Chaffe Mcllhnny vase, The crème colored hibiscus sits in a vase made and painted by Walter Anderson, the pink sasanquas occupy a handmade Jo-Anne Greenberg vase. The sculpture to the left of the Mcllhenny vase is a bronze sculpture by Enrique Alfarez. The second Mcllhenny piece is a glass sitting alongside a champagne cork. Close by are two 17th century Dutch Delft vases. One holds an orange double ruffled hibisqus with kumquats, and the other larger delft piece remains empty awaiting the next step. The red clippers and meyer lemon alongside them.
The objects in this picture bridge history with the present day and celebrate the vibrant color of New Orleans, its culture, and its artists.
Video of process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZtUbZpedrE
I began with a piece of birch then applied three layers of gesso, letting dry and then carefully sanding between each layer. I then created an oil ground applying in two layers, again letting dry and sanding between each layer of the paint.
I knew I wanted to include my grandmother’s Delft vase, so that is what I began the drawing with. Establishing the height of the vase as a constant and choosing its placement within the picture plane. The entire composition is built around proportional relationships to this vase.
I then related the width to the height of the vase and sketched it in.
I then decided to add the orange/red vase for contrast utilizing complimentary colors. I established the height of this second vase in relation to the already established size of the first blue vase.
