Setting the Scene

Los Angeles-based artist Hilary Pecis makes paintings of domestic spaces, landscapes, and cityscapes. Sometimes her paintings show her friends’ homes.

In her 2022 Patio, above, Pecis depicts an outdoor space at an L.A. home. Patterns and textures define the areas within the space, and diagonal lines move the viewer’s eye through the scene. The wooden bench slats guide the eye toward the door. Stacked rectangles form stairs to an upper level. Pale stones contrast with leafy potted plants and the home’s blue exterior. Which parts of the scene move your eye quickly? Which areas invite you to linger?

Hilary Pecis is an artist based in Los Angeles, California. She makes paintings of homes, landscapes, and cities. Her 2022 painting, Patio, above depicts an outdoor space at a friend’s home in L.A.

Pecis uses patterns and textures to define different areas in the scene. Diagonal lines, like on the bench, guide the viewer’s eye.

Which parts of the painting move your eye quickly? Which areas do you want to look at more closely?

Cy Gavin’s painting above seems to vibrate off the canvas. “I’ve spent a lot of energy with plants and talking about plants,” the artist says. Through his large-scale paintings, he pays homage to nature and its power.

Gavin grew up in Western Pennsylvania. After he completed a master of fine arts degree in New York City in 2016, he moved to a farmhouse in Upstate New York. Gavin wanted more space to paint and looked to the rural location for inspiration.

In his 2022 Untitled (Baldcypress), above, he depicts a scene near his home and studio. He paints with gestural brushstrokes, evoking the place’s untamed nature. A lattice of deep-blue intersecting lines forms an abstract background. Gavin juxtaposes this with a bright, more clearly defined tree in the foreground. How does the artist use varied brushwork and color to emphasize depth in this scene?

The 2022 painting above seems to be full of energy. The artist Cy Gavin makes large paintings of plants, like the cypress tree in his Untitled (Baldcypress) shown here. He honors nature and its power.

Gavin grew up in Western Pennsylvania. As an adult, he moved to a farmhouse in Upstate New York. He wanted more space to paint. The nature around his new home inspired him. The painting at right shows a scene near Gavin’s home. He paints with gestural brushstrokes. These loose, energetic lines show the place’s wildness.

The tree stands out against the crisscrossing blue lines in the background. Look at the different colors and lines. How do they create depth in the scene?

Brooklyn-based artist Daniel Heidkamp uses color to explore the places he visits. He considers himself primarily an oil painter. But for his 2020 Coach, above, he uses hand-cut paper, which provides a palette of flat colors.

Heidkamp layers the paper, creating the highlights and shadows in the quiet street scene. This technique helps create the illusion that the forms are three-dimensional.

Compare the warm lights coming from the windows in the background with the cool colors Heidkamp uses for the rest of the scene. How does he use color to set the mood?

Daniel Heidkamp lives in Brooklyn, New York. He uses color to explore the places he visits. For his 2020 Coach, above, he uses hand-cut paper.

Heidkamp captures a quiet street scene. He layers paper to add highlights and shadows. This helps give the shapes depth. He uses warm colors for the lights from the windows. Cool colors make up the rest of the scene. What kind of mood do the colors create? What might it tell you about this place?