Springtime Splash

 Capturing the Season in Oil

Even though it is summer I still hang on to spring! The first blush of spring has a way of taking our breath away — a sudden burst of light, color, and fragrance after the quiet months of winter. Springtime Splash 18"x 14" oil painting on panel - was my attempt to capture that moment in paint.

With my easel set by the window and fresh blooms on the table, I reached for my oils, ready to translate the energy of the season onto canvas. I wanted this bouquet to feel alive — the lilacs billowing with pastel purples and pinks, the yellow blossoms catching sunlight, and the bold splash of red flowers adding a joyful spark of heat like adding hot sauce to a pile of green beans.

After I painted and thought I was done I picked up this oil painting again to tweak it to get it as I wanted it and I filmed that process, (maybe the neurotic part), for my YouTube channel so you could see each layer build — from the first loose strokes to the final details that brought the vase and petals to life. The light streaming in from the window was as much a part of the painting as the flowers themselves, casting warm highlights and gentle shadows that give the piece its depth.

Springtime Splash is a celebration of renewal, joy, and that irresistible burst of beauty only spring can bring. Whether hung in a living room, kitchen, or entryway, I hope it radiates the same freshness I felt while creating it. 

I believe the world needs beauty and love. I hope I achieve adding to that with my art.

Peace and be well,

Kristen

**Watch the process on YouTube here: Springtime Splash

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Springtime Splash purchase here:

https://www.kristengrunewald.com/portfolio-viewer?collection=215604#lg=1&artworkId=6102973

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Red Sweetness

By Kristen Ulla Grunewald

There’s a reason red stops us. It’s not just bold—it’s primal. It’s the color of blood, fire, and deep-rooted emotion. It’s in our veins, in our memories, and in our love stories. And in my newest painting, I wanted red to do all the talking.

“Red Sweetness” is a 14" x 11" oil painting of a single red rose in a simple glass vase. But to me, it’s more than a still life—it’s a portrait of red itself. I wasn’t just painting a flower. I was exploring how this color holds a thousand meanings all at once: vulnerability, vitality, strength, sensuality, sacrifice.

Why I Chose Red as the Star

In so many rose paintings, red is just the expected hue. But I wanted it to be the focus—the subject, the mood, the message. I envisioned a rose where the red wasn’t just sitting on the surface but glowing from within. I added the earthy orange-brown background in fast short brushstrokes to add warmth and motion.

To achieve the vibrant red color in this painting, I used a traditional oil technique called glazing. With glazing, I apply multiple thin, translucent layers of paint—each layer builds depth and shifts the light subtly. The result is a richness that can’t be captured with opaque color alone. Light actually travels through the layers, reflects off the base, and bounces back out, making the rose appear to glow from within.

You’ll notice how the reds shift and sing through the highlights, midtones, and even the shadows. It’s not one red—it’s a symphony of reds, layered and tuned.

Stillness Meets Intensity

The glass vase and earthy background are intentionally understated. They don’t compete. They cradle the rose in a warm atmosphere so that its voice—its deep red presence—can rise to the surface. It’s a painting of stillness, yes, but it pulses with feeling.

There’s something about the contrast between simplicity and intensity that I keep coming back to in my work. In “Red Sweetness,” I hope you feel that pull too: the calm and the fire, side by side.

Available Now

This original oil painting is now available on my website, and I’m also offering fine art prints for those who connect with the piece.

If you’re a collector, a curator, or simply someone who loves art that feels alive, I’d love to hear what this painting says to you.

Thank you, always, for following my journey and supporting the work I pour my heart into.

With gratitude and paint-stained hands,

Kristen Ulla

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