UGallery Figurative Paintings

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A cluster of butterflies beckons a young woman. Artist Sharon Sieben used graphite and acrylic paint to create this expressionistic portrait. With Sharon's th...

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A small bright yellow bird closely perches beside a young woman. Artist Sharon Sieben rendered this expressionist portrait with thick painterly strokes and fragments of dispersed bright colors. The woman, caught in a moment of thought, stands before a lightly shaded background while she entertains the personal visit.

About the Artist
Sharon Sieben prefers working in a loose, fluid technique and finds inspiration in the most unexpected things. Her parents bought her a set of oil paints when she was ten years old and it sparked her love of art. She especially admires the work of Impressionist artists such as Paul Cezanne because of how they broke tradition. When she's not making art, she enjoys reading and playing classical guitar and piano. She currently lives in Arizona.

Words that describe this painting: portrait, face, expressionism, bird, woman, expressionism, people, acrylic painting, blue

Bird Song...

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"A young woman appears in an abstracted flowery dress on a very luminous background," explains artist Diana Elena Chelaru. "Tones of greens, yellow, and blue ...

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A playful scene of four boys getting ready to take their surfboards into the cool summer waters. While contemplating the incoming waves, the sun moves across the sky drawing long shadows on the sand. "This piece reminds me of fun relaxing times at the beach during the summer months," shares artist Claudia Verciani.

About the Artist
Inspired by the great Impressionist painters, Claudia uses paint emotionally to depict the beauty of life. She is most inspired by light, and as such, tends to paint en plein air frequently. Claudia strives to capture singular, transient moments in time in which the contrast between light and dark values are striking. She presents a body of work that conveys traditionally Impressionist influences across varying choices of subject matter.

Words that describe this painting: beach, ocean, boys, play, impressionism, seascape, surf, surfboards, shore, sand, water, waves, children, kids, impressionism, people, seascape, representational, oil painting, blue

Boys of Summer...

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One of artist Onelio Marrero's close neighbors is a master at the art of Bonsai. "When spring begins, my neighbor, Mark, goes about placing his potted plants ...

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Using her signature folk art style, artist Jessica JH Roller captures a tranquil scene of a woman sitting on the shore, looking out longingly at the sea. A q...

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A couple engages in deep conversation over a glass of wine at a Parisian street cafe. "The light is what first caught my eye," says artist Faye Vander Veer...

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"These spring flowers from a friend's garden made a beautiful and inspiring floral wreath for my model, Samantha," shares artist Sherri Aldawood. In this deli...

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In this hyperrealistic painting of a close-up view of an eye framed by delicate white flowers, artist David Shepherd investigates taking people out of gender....

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A hyperrealistic painting of a close-up view of an eye framed by glistening white and pink flower petals. Part of artist David Shepherd's series investigating...

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A colorful scene of a carnival in Rochester, Minnesota, with two young people strapped into their seats waiting for the ride to start. "I love the tawdry splendor of gaudy carnival attractions," says artist Leroy Burt. "Flashing lights and bright colors. One often sees the most unlikely combinations of people who might never meet except during those moments when they sit next to each other on rides."

About the Artist
Artist Leroy Burt paints playful, offbeat landscapes and portraits based on his experiences living in Milwaukee, New York, Costa Rica, and currently Rochester, Minnesota. "I think of my paintings as short stories," he says. As a young child, Leroy faced a number of obstacles. His parents divorced when he was four years old and he was raised by his grandparents in a three-room shack without running water or electricity. Leroy worked hard to pull himself out of poverty. He studied graphic design and painting, which led to a 30-year career in graphic design - five years at WMVS, the PBS television station in Milwaukee, fifteen years at city hall in Milwaukee, and ten years at WNET, the PBS station in New York. In 2015, Leroy retired to focus his energy on painting. Today, he works from a tiny studio filled with half-finished paintings stacked against every wall. "There are photos and sketches for future paintings taped everywhere," says Leroy. "My windows are filled with orchids. There are books, films and music CDs in every corner. And the room is dominated by a black and silver Andy Warhol silkscreen print of Marilyn Monroe."

Words that describe this painting: David Hockney, Edward Hopper, carnival, lights, excitement, colorful, folk art, people, representational, primitive, acrylic painting, blue

Carnival Ride...

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A flowing, expressionist portrait of woman lost in dance and embracing the promise of a new day. "I created this painting as 2020 drew to a close and 2021 daw...

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"This piece is a powerful depiction of love, friendship, and courage," shares artist Miranda Gamel. A contemporary portrait of a young woman, set in a bright ...

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A woman sits contently on a green swing with tea and a bouquet of roses. Soft, dappled sunlight falls through the trees and warms t...

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Part of artist Naoko Paluszak's signature series Who Are These Angels. A diaphanous figure appears to be swaying on her feet. Focused light shimmers on her wh...

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"The inspiration for this painting came from a visit to the Rodin Museum in Paris," says artist Faye Vander Veer. "As a painter, I always get excited when I s...

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"I wanted to capture an air of mystery as my model Staceye gracefully turned around," shares artist Sherri Aldawood. Clad in golden garb, she twirls all while staring confidently ahead. With her background shrouded in shadows, she is cast in soft elegant light.

About the Artist
Sherri Aldawood didn't intend to always paint flowers, but over time her love of gardens started to permeate her art. She focuses on the light and color of the flowers on the canvas. Sherri prefers alla prima, working with wet layers of paint instead of letting them dry. She keeps the paint as wet as possible by using walnut and clove oil to extend the drying time.

Words that describe this painting: figure, figurative, woman, female, portrait, realistic, impressionistic, gold, chiaroscuro, dance, fashion, dress, people, classical, fashion, representational, oil painting, green

Lady in Gold...

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"This dramatic image of a winged figure creates a brightly colored yet soft composition that fills the room with warmth," shares artist Gary Leonard. Inspired by the beauty of wings, Gary says it was a challenge to render them in a soft flowing manner with the model. "The warm color palette creates an inviting and peaceful feeling," he adds.

About the Artist
Through composition, color, texture and more, Gary Leonard celebrates beauty. His works start with the subject, but then he lets the work evolve into a more complex composition. Oftentimes, he enjoys merging figures with abstract images and varying textures. He hopes that his works will leave the viewer with a sense of warmth and peace. When he's not making art, he enjoys listening to music and learning how to play the piano.

Words that describe this painting: figure, fantasy, peaceful, wings, figurative, ethereal, face, flying, angel, expressionism, fantasy, people, representational, oil painting, yellow

The Phoenix...

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In this contemporary expressionist portrait, artist Ryan Pickart explores negative space with ethereal shapes. The model's gentle ...

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"This peaceful composition was inspired by the lush green colors of a summer day in the forest, with the softening effect of light rain and the sun finding it...

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A modernist portrait combining a realistic face and an abstract figure. Artist Ryan Pickart uses bold linework to explore how the ...

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A modernist portrait combining a realistic face and an abstract figure. Artist Ryan Pickart uses negative space to explore how the...

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"A woman is walking away from a house, and she is leaving behind her old life," says artist Kira Yustak. "She is deep in thought, wondering what her future will hold. She also has many memories in the old house that she called home. The painting is meant to be hopeful in the face of adversity and change, reflected in her large soulful eyes."

About the Artist
Kira Yustak paints fantastical scenes that come from her childhood memories, dreams, and the natural world. Each piece feels like part of a larger narrative of an alternative reality, rendered in a style she describes as comic realism. She feels art must trigger something inside the viewer’s soul.Kira currently lives in New Jersey and finds inspiration in the work of Lowbrow, Folk, and Surrealist artists.

Words that describe this painting: portrait, woman, house, home, landscape, sunset, folk art, naive, face, eyes, people, representational, primitive, acrylic painting, green, blue

House on the...

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In this provocative hyperrealist painting, artist David Shepherd uses honey and leaves as symbols of health, well-being and sexuality. "By only showing a part...

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"Isolation sometimes bodes well for artists," says Mary Pratt with a smile. "Since I am a people person, being trapped in my house has allowed me to paint wit...

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A contemplative portrait rendered in bright oranges and green. Artist Gary Leonard first developed the abstract background and then worked the figure into the...

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A whimsical portrait of a dancer in an expressionist tutu. "I wanted to create an image coordinating the model's brilliant white cotton candy hair with her da...

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Artist Sherri Aldawood posed her model, Alana, in her backyard garden on a warm summer day. She positioned in her the shade of dense green plants and glowing ...

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Provocative hyperrealist oil painting created with breathtaking detail. Artist David Shepherd explains that he used the glass surface in this piece as a light...

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A young girl walks along the beach in search of shells buried in the sand. Artist Claudia Verciani used the light coming off of the water to illuminate the ch...

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Onelio endeavored to convey our culture's modern fixation with our phones. "It seems that wherever we are, we feel compelled to 'stay connected' even at the e...

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Sherri posed her model, Alex, in a wooded area near Sedona, Arizona on an autumn day. The late afternoon sun glows in the trees and silhouettes Alex as she pu...

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Sherri posed her model, Bridget, in her backyard garden just as the sun was setting to capture the dramatic backlighting. Golden light silhouettes the figure and works with the shaded areas to build three dimensionality. A timeless and gentle portrait in the warm Arizona light.

About the Artist
Sherri Aldawood didn't intend to always paint flowers, but over time her love of gardens started to permeate her art. She focuses on the light and color of the flowers on the canvas. Sherri prefers alla prima, working with wet layers of paint instead of letting them dry. She keeps the paint as wet as possible by using walnut and clove oil to extend the drying time.

Words that describe this painting: woman, female, feminine, light, evening, garden, impressionistic, figure, figurative, person, people, Sargent, Sorolla, impressionism, people, representational, oil painting, green

Lost in Thought...

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"What could be more relaxing than the gentle sounds of the outgoing tide as it recedes from the shore, leaving behind little pools of water?" asks Faye. Throu...

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I have always been fascinated by images from the past that exist today divorced from their original intent or context. Clearly, someone believed the image was...

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I have always been fascinated by images from the past that exist today divorced from their original intent or context. Clearly, someone believed the image was...

Artist Comments
I have always been fascinated by images from the past that exist today divorced from their original intent or context. Clearly, someone believed the image was...

Artist Comments
"Girls in Blue" is a portrait of two girls exploring the juxtaposition of fluidity and transparency of oil paint. In this piece, I continue to experiment with poses and their relationship to each other.

About the Artist

Words that describe this painting: portrait, girls, people, fashion, representational, oil painting, yellow

Girls in Blue
Ryan...

Artist Comments
"It's all about the subject and the light," says artist Faye Vander Veer, when asked about her inspiration for this painting. "I saw this young girl talking on the phone while I was doing some sketching at a local coffeeshop. The light was the first thing that caught my eye, then I did a few sketches to design the composition. I kept wondering about her. I never saw her face, but it is so interesting to me how our lives can change in an instant all because of one phone call...

Artist Comments
This piece is number 53 from my "Who Are These Angels" series. The painting is on a gallery wrapped canvas with finished edges. It comes ready to hang.