Surprise!

Jardiniere   watercolor/mixed   20.5 x 12

is a wonderful expression....and most often conjures up a birthday party.  Most recently, my work "Jardiniere" was the subject of surprise for me.  This painting, a watercolor, was begun in class from a model who posed as a gardener.  I continued the work at home, filling in the spaces with an imaginary garden.  Soon, I was overwhelmed with a sameness of color and a busy-ness that had taken over.  It looked like most of my other garden paintings droned into sameness.  I yearned to simplify the background and, thus, shift all of the attention to the gardener whose work is unending.  I am quite a fan of the teachings of Robert Henri who believed that the evolution of a work depending on the altering of passages that seem wrong.  As the work progressed, I found myself using gouache as well as printer's ink which was applied to a plate and pressed onto the surface.  Colors were urged into excitement.  The journey became totally unpredictable.

Surprise!  Immediately afterwards, I was very confused as to the amount of affection I felt for this work.  Now, several weeks later, I find myself liking it.

SURPRISE!