N Atlantic Morning, 5 x 7 study on panel and 16 x 20 oil on linen

I've been doing a series of tiny paintings, mostly in the 5 x 7 inch range for an exhibition that opens next month. It has been a great learning experience. Some days, like yesterday, I'll get to four different locations. That small size forces me to react quickly to the light and mood of a place. Tuesday I did a small study in Garfield (above, top). I then returned to my studio to start the 16 x 20 on linen. Wednesday morning the light was great again so I worked on location from 7:30 - 10. Today, Thursday, I spent a couple hours on it again trying to get the perspective correct. While working on the large one I noticed the tiny red brick building in the background. It added a nice touch of color to the painting. I'm often asked how long it takes to do a painting. I hate the question because the actual painting time is often not very long. I think I may have 6-8 total hours on the 16 x 20, but that doesn't include three trips to the site, buying art supplies, or the 30 years it took me to get to this point. So I usually say the painting took 30 years.

White Hot Steel, 30 x 40, oil on linen

Last year I visited this steel making facility. It is only 8 blocks from my studio here in Pittsburgh and I didn't even know it existed! It is tucked away in an industrial area close to the river. The management was great, allowing photography which I have used for reference. For obvious safety reasons it would be impossible to paint inside the plant. This painting above, done just this week, is about the extreme heat in the foundry. Unless you are standing there it is almost impossible to describe the experience. The white hot molten steel flies out everywhere and illuminates all surfaces with blazing warm color. I've tried to create a painting that shows how it felt. It is not like anything you see outdoors. That is why painting a scene like this is such a nice contrast to working from the cool light of day. I also like the idea of documenting the steel making heritage of this city– an era that is quickly slipping away.

House Backs by Ron Donoughe

This is a painting I did of the Hill District in Pittsburgh. It is an area that doesn't get a lot of good press, to put it mildly. Hopefully paintings such as this give a voice to areas of the city that are often overlooked as subject matter. Also, I really liked the random placement of the windows and the overall geometric feeling.

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