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CATHERINE J MARTZLOFF / Bright and Expressive Original Oil Paintings

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  • The Golden Pour: An Expressionist Still Life of Pears

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CATHERINE J MARTZLOFF / Bright and Expressive Original Oil Paintings

Category: Still Life

The Stories We Paint: Turquoise and Twigs Every spring, I look forward to a specific view outside my kitchen window. There is an old Weigela shrub out there—about 30 years old now—that bursts into life with the most lovely pink florets. I have always been drawn to its delicate, almost magnolia-like flowers and the woody, tree-like structure of its branches.Lately, my studio practice has been deeply focused on still lifes, particularly exploring the forms of fruit and bowls. But on this specific day, I felt like I just needed a direct hit of nature and the outdoors. I went outside, clipped a few twigs from the Weigela, placed them in a simple glass cup, and sat down at the easel.The glass added a beautiful sense of fragility to the setup, and I loved being able to see the raw branch stems submerged in the water.Around this same time, a painting friend had introduced me to working with a black background. That concept was still lingering in my mind. For years, I have been so comfortable using white, patterns, or solid colors behind my subjects. Introducing black felt entirely different.Leaving that dark backdrop up in my studio has been incredibly enlightening. It has pushed me to see the vast array of subtle colors that can actually come through within "black" shapes and deep shadows.Turquoise and Twigs captures that exact moment of transition for me—finding the delicate balance between the woodiness of the branches, the fragility of the glass, and a brand new way of looking at color and shadow.
3 weeks ago 1 Comment by cmartzloff Flowers

The Stories We Paint: Turquoise and Twigs

Turquoise and Twigs 10″x 8″ Oil on canvas – $475 Every spring, I look forward to a specific view outside […]

Capturing Fleeting Beauty in ‘The Unexpected Garden’ An impressionist oil painting featuring a cluster of purple irises with long green leaves, set against a textured, warm yellow background. The flowers display rich shades of violet, lavender, and dark indigo, while small hints of yellow accent the lower right foliage. The artwork has visible, expressive brushstrokes and the artist's signature is faintly visible in the bottom left corner.
1 month ago 2 Comments by cmartzloff Flowers

Capturing Fleeting Beauty in ‘The Unexpected Garden’

The Unexpected Garden Oil on canvas – 20″ x 16″ – $1850 A fleeting moment on a hometown walk The […]

Unlocking the Secrets of ‘The Floral Halo’ Painting Still life oil painting titled The Floral Halo featuring a blue-rimmed bowl with a floral interior pattern against a warm terracotta background by Catherine J. Martzloff.
2 months ago 2 Comments by cmartzloff Flowers

Unlocking the Secrets of ‘The Floral Halo’ Painting

The Floral Halo Oil on Canvas 8″ x 10″ – $475 Every object brought into the studio carries its own […]

Edges of Comfort — Exploring Everyday Objects in Oil Painting Colorful contemporary still life oil painting of a patterned lavender and cream bowl resting on a bright yellow surface beside a green shape, with floral wallpaper and a dark charcoal background. Bold outlines and vibrant color contrasts create a modern, expressive composition.
3 months ago Leave a Comment by cmartzloff New Paintings

Edges of Comfort — Exploring Everyday Objects in Oil Painting

Edges of Comfort – Oil on canvas – $475 Edges of Comfort explores pattern, contrast, and the quiet familiarity of […]

Sunlit Stripe: A Journey in Color and Light
April 29, 2026 1 Comment by cmartzloff Abstract

Sunlit Stripe: A Journey in Color and Light

Sunlit Stripe 8″ x 10″ Oil on canvas – $475 Sunlit Stripe holds a single bowl in a field of […]

Exploring Shadow and Light in Midnight Light Painting This is a minimalist still life. There are dramatic contrasts in light. Vibrant warm golds and subtle oranges are set against a dark background. A subtle abstract patterning rests in the back. This is a luminous, modern still life. A bowl is the main subject. The painting is high contrast, playful and offers a new way to experience it.
March 27, 2026 Leave a Comment by cmartzloff Interiors

Exploring Shadow and Light in Midnight Light Painting

Midnight Light 8″ x 10″ Oil on canvas – $475 Midnight Light captures a single, luminous bowl set against a rich, […]

Stolen Moments: A Still Life Reflection
March 16, 2026 2 Comments by cmartzloff Interiors

Stolen Moments: A Still Life Reflection

Stolen Moments – 14″ x14″ Oil on canvas – $1140 An intimate still life reflecting the quiet moments we carry […]

Still Life Art: The Charm of a Violet Table with Pitcher
March 12, 2026 Leave a Comment by cmartzloff Interiors

Still Life Art: The Charm of a Violet Table with Pitcher

Violet Table with Pitcher – 10″ x 10″ Oil on canvas – $580 Violet Table with Pitcher continues my recent […]

‘Stacked with Light’: A Personal Journey Through Still Life
March 3, 2026 Leave a Comment by cmartzloff Interiors

‘Stacked with Light’: A Personal Journey Through Still Life

Stacked with Light – 10″ x 10″ Oil on canvas – $580 Light feels different against a dark ground. In […]

Books and Still Life: A Creative Journey
February 17, 2026 Leave a Comment by cmartzloff Interiors

Books and Still Life: A Creative Journey

Between Pages and Fruit – 10″ x 8″ Oil on canvas $475 This still life grew out of being open […]

Exploring Light and Color in Still Life Paintings A contemporary still life oil painting titled When Light Shines, featuring a tall, slender purple lattice-patterned bottle, two vibrant yellow lemons, and a small white ceramic dish arranged on a patterned tabletop against a moody gray-green wall.
February 11, 2026 Leave a Comment by cmartzloff Interiors

Exploring Light and Color in Still Life Paintings

When Light Shines 10 ” x 8″ Oil on canvas $475 This still life continues my exploration of working against […]

The Mood of Morning: Before Sunrise Artwork
February 4, 2026 Leave a Comment by cmartzloff Interiors

The Mood of Morning: Before Sunrise Artwork

Before Sunrise 8″ x 10″ Oil on canvas – $475 I titled this piece Before Sunrise. I was thinking about […]

On the Shelf: Captivating Oil on Canvas
January 25, 2026 3 Comments by cmartzloff Interiors

On the Shelf: Captivating Oil on Canvas

On the Shelf 10″ x 10″ Oil on canvas – $580 On the Shelf extends an ongoing exploration of still […]

“A Wonderful Life”
January 14, 2026 2 Comments by cmartzloff Flowers

“A Wonderful Life”

A Wonderful Life – 16″ x 20″ – Oil on canvas – $1450 This painting came from a period of […]

Bearing Fruit and Frame
January 9, 2026 1 Comment by cmartzloff Interiors

Bearing Fruit and Frame

Bearing Fruit and Frame 10″ x 10″ Oil on canvas – $470 Conceptualizing a painting before it begins has never […]

Winter Hydrangeas: Celebrating the Season Between
December 10, 2025 2 Comments by cmartzloff Nature

Winter Hydrangeas: Celebrating the Season Between

The Season Between – 14″ x 18″ Oil on canvas – $1125 These winterized hydrangeas came straight from my yard, […]

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