Annie

Annie   watercolor/relief ink   9.75 x 9.25

is an enthusiastic volunteer at "our" art center who posed for our watercolor class a few weeks back.  It was a two-week pose, the first week relegated to drawing and familiarizing; the second to the actual painting.  My "spot" was way off to the side where I saw only the shadow side of Annie's face.  I decided to use only monochromatic cool washes for the rendering, partially because that told the story of her pose relative to my easel, and also to oppose her colorful floral scarf with the simplicity of the face. In the end, I decided to cut a template and print the background area with relief ink, again to oppose:  the light airy watercolor strokes with an opaque and solid rest area.  This is certainly unlike anything I have previously done....and, I can honestly say, I like it...this was the story that presented itself to me.

Thanks, Annie!

Words Can Hurt As Well

Words Can Hurt As Well   charcoal and watercolor   16 x 10.75

is the result of a class drawing project.  I find that drawing things inside a glass jar helps to be able to draw what you see, rather than what you know to be there.  The paper:  an unknown specimen from my stash....always a risk.  (Note to self: remember to label paper.....there is nothing worse than investing creative time and energy using a support that doesn't jive with your intent)  I chose sticks and stones.  It was rendered with a Derwent charcoal pencil.  The color:  slate.  These pencils allow for a softer rendering than pure black....and come in several earthtone flavors.  When getting my setup ready, I was disappointed that my Ball jar was a turquoise one....thought I would have preferred clear.  However, while completing the work at home, I added a light watercolor wash in a turquoise mix and was pleasantly surprised....and quite happy that the paper held up.

My usual process is so much more complicated.  This simple project allowed me to get back to basics...drawing from observation.  Discipline before freedom.  Here.  Here.

Jig

Jig   watercolor/relief ink   14 x 28

is the result of openness.  A conflict has arisen in my artistic pursuits.  My favorite subject:  the human figure.  However, posed models are usually at rest, and often the result of someone else's idea of a terrific pose....the artist providing for and arranging the model session.  A group session, of course, has the advantage of the shared expense of the model.  My own studio is rather small and cannot provide the distance I need for my own "big picture".  So, more and more, I am relying on photographs which, for me, do provide that distance, as well as the ability to be altered and pushed into my own vision.  This young woman was playing the fiddle in the middle of the gazebo in my small town during our Wednesday Farmers Market.  She was back-lit, unfortunately, so I had to cull out information from the darkness provided.  I love her gesture...an active one to be sure.  And...as in all meaningful rhythms, runs counter to the direction of her bow.  In order to give more power to the gesture, my task was to combine shapes where possible and eliminate unnecessary detail.  I am happy to have kept my eyes open to possibility and to accept what which was given to me.

Pumpkin and Pediment

Pumpkin and Pediment   watercolor   12.5 x 20

is the result of a challenge that I offered to myself...that of painting only from a sketch.  In years past (decades, actually) I found myself married to the reality of the subject.  We are then, I think, subject to the reality of the objects in terms of "getting it right".  I am hoping that "getting it right" in the future includes much more of my personal expression...in the strokes and in the paint quality itself.  I have found that the more I remove myself from the objects themselves, the more I rely on my personal observations and feelings...the result is less emotional, less trite, I guess.  Two favorite objects are the subject:  a pie pumpkin and the broken back of a former patio bench that is saved in our garage.  I cannot resist hand-carved things.  Shapes are polar opposites:  organic and geometric.  Patterning which I adore.  Textures opposed as well.  A limited color palette featuring complements and the resultant green.  I am quite happy with the result and plan to continue working from sketches.