Painting the National Parks

Between the pandemic and my recent bicycle accident it's been tough for me to get out of my Brooklyn apartment and enjoy the outdoors. Before the pandemic, my plan was to go on a trip to Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon this summer, however my southwest national parks tour will have to wait another year. On the upside, my wife and I recently purchased a car which has been great for getting us out to the beach on the weekends. I'm hoping all of you are finding ways to get outside as well.

In the spirit of getting outdoors during the summer, I thought I’d share some of my national park paintings. I’ve been exploring national parks only in the last few years and each one I’ve been to is truly amazing. If any of you are planning on visiting a national park this year, or have already visited, please let me know in the comments. I’d love to read where people are going. The first few paintings in this gallery are still available if you're interested in owning one. Just click on the image to find out more.

Zion National Park (Available)

Mesa Verde National Park (Available)

Acadia National Park (Available)

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park

Yosemite National Park, Tunnel View

Yosemite National Park, Half Dome

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park, Half Dome

Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park

Denali National Park

Q&A About Being An Artist

I recently got an email from a fellow artist, Kenny Wu, who found my website and reached out with questions about my experience as an artist. I thought others might be interested in the answers, so rather than answer privately, Kenny agreed that I could share his questions and my answers here:

What is your current creative process?
I typically paint in one or two sittings, working quickly and mostly with a palette knife. I like to apply thick impasto paint on wood panels, typically painting from photos of places I’ve been or that my client’s provided me with. I just bought a car and would like to get out and paint more in real life. I’ve been an artist all my life, but have only been a landscape painter for the last 3 years, so I still feel like a newbie.

Do you currently work in a studio?
Yes, I rent a studio about a mile-and-a-half from my home in Brooklyn. I share a large room in an old industrial building with several other artists.

My studio space

What work has greatly influenced you?
My original inspiration were artists from the Impressionist era: Monet, Van Gogh, Bonnard, Vuillard, Soutine and Klimt. But I also love O’Keeffe, Diebenkorn, Fairfield Porter and Hockney. Contemporary artist Sonya Sklaroff has been a significant influence for me this year as I've been doing a lot of urban landscapes.

Raining at the Pub, Sonya Sklaroff

Any courses, learning material you highly recommend for a self-teaching painter? 
- Seeing art in-person, although that’s tough to do at the moment
- Books: The Art Spirit by Robert Henri, The Letters of Vincent van Gogh, How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist by Caroll Michels, Start Your Own Etsy Business by Entrepreneur
- Podcasts: Art Marketing Podcast, Plein Air Podcast with Eric Rhoads
- Wet Canvas painters forum
- MoMA’s online course In the Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting
- YouTube, there’s so much available, including the MoMA Painting webinar I hosted

What are the three most valuable lessons you’ve learned as an artist?
- Having total compassion and trust in myself during the creative process.
- My artwork will probably be fun to look at if it was fun to paint. I try to have fun when I paint and let go of perfectionism.
- The secret to good painting is good drawing.

I think paintings that are fun to make are also fun to look at

What was successful in building a presence and a client-base (Etsy, Local, Online)?
There is no “best” platform, each has pros and cons. Marketing success comes from the amount of time I dedicate to fostering a real conversation with each different audience. I would say people feel the most connected when they get to know me and that usually happens fastest face-to-face. That being said, there are few opportunities to sell in-person these days and I’ve had plenty of success connecting with people online as well. It just takes consistent work for people to get to know you online.

How do you price your work and why?
I started by pricing my work very inexpensively which provided me with a lot of sales, experience and a feeling of immediate success, if not a ton of money. As I’ve gotten better at painting I’ve been modestly increasing my prices. For me, the most important thing isn’t money but making a connection to people with my art.

Have you ever dealt with international shipping?
Yes, for international shipping I charge for the artwork + shipping. For simplicity, all domestic shipping is free.

What were the three most valuable lessons you learned as a business person?
- My success has been built on making and reaching simple, achievable goals one step at a time.
- In order to make a sale or gain support I’ve found it’s usually not enough for a person to like my work, they need to have a sense for who I am as a person. This means my job is to learn how to make art that makes an impact and also to provide opportunities for people to get to know me.
- Realizing there is no authority figure out there that is going to “discover me” and that if I do the work, I can learn the skills to make and sell my art on my own terms.

Thanks Kenny for all your questions! I hope you found this helpful.

If anyone has any questions or comments, feel free to include them below, maybe they’ll become my next blog post!

Watercolors During the Pandemic

During the stay-at-home phase of the pandemic I didn’t go to my studio where I make oil paintings and instead started using some watercolors I happened to have at the house. Below are some of the watercolor landscapes I did this spring when I could only really get around in my north Brooklyn neighborhood.

Although I prefer oil painting, watercolors are fun too and I can make a finished work of art a bit faster than I can with oils. I’m not very experienced with watercolors and overall I’d say I have no idea what I’m doing when using them but I feel weirdly OK with that. The only “rule” I’ve made for myself is to paint one layer only and not to fuss with anything. It’s hard not to fuss and let things be, but I think it’s a good discipline to learn both in painting as well as in life.

Now that the virus cases have gone down in New York I’m starting to go back to my studio and picking up my oil painting practice again. But hopefully I’ll keep making watercolors too since they’re fun and I think they might help me further my drawing skills.

Empty lot in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

View of the city from the Koscuiuszko Bridge

Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Kent Ave and North 10 Street

View of Manhattan from Long Island City

MoMA Painting Course

I hope you’re all doing well and staying healthy.

As many of you know, I’m not only a painter but I also work at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and get to do some fun projects at MoMA from time-to-time. I recently hosted a webinar with three of MoMA’s amazing conservation experts where we discussed the painting techniques and methods used by postwar abstract painters.

Being part of this panel was an extension of my work helping moderate the forum for MoMA’s online course In the Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting. The course has been very popular during the pandemic and covers the materials, techniques and thinking of some of the most famous mid-20th century abstract artists. In the class, students not only watch videos and read about abstract painting but are also using the techniques discussed in the course to make their own paintings.

Anny Aviram, Senior Paintings Conservator, Michael Duffy, Paintings Conservator, Chris McGlinchey, Senior Conservation Scientist, and Alex Roediger, painter ...

I took the course a few years ago and loved it. Here are a few of the paintings I made as I experimented with the techniques taught in the class.

(Video) New York City Paintings, Spring 2020

With the pandemic keeping me out of my studio in Ridgewood, Queens I thought I’d learn how to share my artwork in new ways.

This video is a love letter to NYC and shows a selection of my New York City paintings accompanied by my thoughts on each location. During shelter in place I’ve been missing the city I’ve known for over 25 years and putting together this collection of NYC images is a nice reminder of what we’re all working so hard to save.

Painting locations in this video include: Chinatown, Chelsea, The High Line, MoMA, Jamaica Queens, Rockaway Beach, McCarren Park Williamsburg and the Newtown Creek.

Do any of these locations hold special meaning for you? Share your comments.

Although I’m not able to paint or ship paintings at the moment I have been accepting sales and commissions both of which I can complete once it’s safe for me to go back to the studio.

Also, please stay in touch by signing up to my email list below:

Available Works

I Don’t Like This

My social media feed would have me believe that sheltering-in-place has given us unlimited time to be creative. I however am as busy as ever, working my MoMA day job from my Brooklyn kitchen table, cooking, cleaning and performing basic chores just to keep my life going. What free time I do have doesn’t come with energy or a creative spirit. My studio is a communal space that I don’t feel safe to visit and I have yet to feel motivated to make art at home when zoning out to T.V. feels vastly more healing at the moment.

It’s depressing not being able to paint or be creative, but being creative feels like a luxury when my life feels so vulnerable and many of my friends are getting sick or losing their jobs.

I think the best part of my days have been when I go outside for a walk or a run. In order to social distance I’ve been visiting the eastern half of my Williamsburg, Brooklyn neighborhood which is an industrial zone and superfund site. I find exploring East Williamsburg relaxing because I don’t have to worry about people on the street and the general vibe is appropriately depressing given the situation.

Since I usually paint romantic and beautiful landscapes it seemed appropriate, given the pandemic and my mood, to share my depressing cityscape photos from my walks.

Wishing you all good health and peace of mind.

See available works

The Power of Art in an Overwhelming World

See Available Works

Original Artwork on a Limited Budget

UPDATED on January 20th, 2022

I’ve had a few inquires in the last couple days from interested buyers who are on a budget. These conversations got me thinking about ways I can be flexible to meet the needs of my potential collectors.

The only thing I love more than painting is finding a permanent home for my artwork where it will be seen and enjoyed for years to come. I’ve always been conscientious about having my artwork at reasonable prices. I believe everybody should be able to own original artwork. However, I understand that affordable artwork can still be out of reach for certain budgets. If you’re interested in buying one of my works but finances are a stumbling block, please reach out. If we can’t make it work right away, I appreciate knowing you love my work and I’ll keep you in mind in case the right opportunity comes down the road.

Here are just a few ideas for the budget-conscious:

1. Layaway & Payment Plans

If want to buy a painting but can’t afford it immediately, I’m happy to put it on hold for a few weeks. If you need more than a couple weeks, you can put down a deposit and have the painting held for an additional period of time. Longer term payment plans are a possibility too if you wish to pay over the course of several months.

2. Have Someone Buy a Painting for You: Birthday / Holiday / Housewarming / Wedding Gifts

Don’t keep it a secret that you’d like one of my paintings! Let your friends and family know that you’d like one of my works by sharing a link to a specific painting or by sharing my email (alex@alexroediger.com) or one of my social media handles. I’m also happy to accept payment from several people for one painting. If you’re getting married, be sure to add a link from my site to your wedding registry.

3. Barter

I love bartering! You may have something of interest that could pay or partially pay for an artwork. For instance, I would be potentially interested in furniture, restaurant/retail gift cards, discounts from your work place, a free/discounted place to stay for a vacation, etc. One client who worked at a paintbrush factory paid for half of his commission by giving me paintbrushes! Do you make nightstands? I really need a couple of new nightstands.

4. Buy Multiple Works

If you buy multiple works you will get the best deal. For instance, if you’re buying a painting for yourself, you would get a great deal on any additional paintings that could be used as gifts for upcoming holidays, weddings and housewarming parties.

5. Referrals

I’m happy to give you a 25% off code if you refer me a new collector. The new collector needs to be someone who 1) I don’t know and who is buying for the first time 2) tells me at the time of purchase that they were referred by you 3) is buying online (does not apply to in-person sales)

6. Join my Mailing List to Learn About Sales

I occasionally have sales on older works. Be sure to sign up below to find out about limited time sales:

7. Email Me

Do you want to own one of my paintings but have a limited budget? Email me at alex@alexroediger.com and let me know what work(s) you’re interested and what your budget is. It may not lead to a discount or a sale in that moment, but then again it might. Even if you say your art budget is extremely modest and you love a painting I have at a much higher price point, I will be both grateful for your enthusiasm and totally understanding of your budget. I probably won’t reduce the price of an artwork by an extreme amount, but I can tell you what works I have that might fit your budget or it may inspire me to make a similar work that would fit your budget. Regardless, it’s always nice when people reach out and express interest, even if the price isn’t right for them in the moment. I’ve found a deal can often be made.

See Available Work

Painting Landscapes While the World is on Fire

My goal when I paint landscapes is to pay homage to the natural world by showing nature in its best possible light. However by doing so I also feel like I’m ignoring the global environmental crisis that desperately needs more attention.

I try to make paintings that express calm, joy and connection with the natural world because I think those are the qualities most important and lacking in our lives. But how do you make art that is about joy and simultaneously about ecological collapse? I don’t know, but I suspect I should start by thinking about how I might be able to use art to inspire action.

Although it’ll take time for me to express my environmental concerns in my painting, transitioning to environmental sustainability is definitely about taking action now. My New Year’s resolution has been to start making changes in my personal life to reduce my carbon footprint and I’ve been surprised by how easy, fun and empowering it’s been. I think the key has been to have fun with it, work in small steps and fight the pressure to feel like I need to be perfect about it. As I keep making changes I’ve felt much less anxiety, hopelessness and guilt around the issue.

I think a big part of reducing our carbon footprint is to feel inspired and connected to each other by sharing our progress with those around us. In the spirit of sharing, here’s my personal list of eco-friendly products and habits I’ve started this month, take a look and please share with me what big or small changes you’re making!

Although I believe sustainability will largely come from individual action, I also think it’s important for me to get involved on a political level - be it at my workplace, community or at the state and country level. If you have any suggestions please let me know!

Yosemite Valley, commission I did last year

Thank You All and a Look Ahead at 2020

Thank you all for your sales, commissions and for encouraging me to keep painting this past year! I started landscape painting 3 years ago because I wanted a really simple way to connect to people with my art and it’s worked out better than I could have imagined.

In 2019 I made 43 paintings, sold 28 of them, participated in an art festival at Fenimore Art Museum, got a bigger studio space, hosted my first open studio, and started this website, blog and email list.

I have big plans for 2020, including plein air painting (painting on location) around Brooklyn and Manhattan, painting more ambitious compositions and exhibiting my work at more in-person events and open studios. Thanks for supporting my creativity, it really means a lot to me!

Here I am prepping for 2020 in my new Christmas socks