Longing...

Longing   watercolor   13.5 x 18

There are things and there are situations that fill me with a sense of longing.  Good longing.  A sense of the pure in this world.  One of those things is anything that is hand-carved....a one-of-a-kind object that represents someone else's longing and dedication.  Out subject for class was an architectural element.  I pulled this relief panel off the wall to take along.  I believe that it probably came from an old dresser.  When I stopped at the market on the way, I decided that these roses were the perfect companions for the work.  Hard:soft.  Geometric:organic.  Wood:plant matter.  The first step was to lightly indicate the carvings on the panel...the crevices, the shadows, the gullies.  The roses were painted at home over the week as they opened to a desirable place.  The final passes tied the entire work together....a bit of push and pull, to and fro.  The leaves and the darks were added at the end.  This is the opposite approach of my usual, which forbids me to enter the world of detail before the "big picture" is somewhat in place.  It was a refreshing departure, however.  And....an example of the particularities of each project...doing what will benefit the work itself....and staying out of familiar routines.