A Hole in Rodanthe

 

A Hole in Rodanthe   watercolor   29 x 20 

It was November...a short trip to the Outer Banks where we stayed in a little house to soak up the wildness that this part of the country offered to us.  It was so momentous to me as our youngest son met up with us there...many beach-combing hikes, many great meals, some entertaining card games.  And THE WIND...OH, THE WIND.  

The ocean had offered up twigs, branches, and many many conch shells, each showing the wear of the tides.  It was impossible not to feel amazingly primitive...so opposed to the sequestered lives we live daily.  

In this work, my challenge was to merge the figure with the seaside.  While working, I was able to relive the experience.

I am satisfied.

Gal from Maine

Gal from Maine   watercolor/cold wax/wood cradle    11 x 14 x .75

                           

When our son's family comes to visit, they bring along their two delightful Maine Coon cats.  These felines are gentle giants...fluffy, snuggly and easy to get along with.  One of their endearing quirks is that they love to drink from bathroom sink faucets and cozy up in the bathroom sinks....lucky for us that we have two side-by-side sinks to accommodate them!

The greatest challenge in rendering animals is to get the feel of the fur without getting too detailed, as detail takes away from the coat as a whole.  These cats have a tortoise appearance, with many layers of color rolled into one.  I began with some warm washes and tried to sublimate the fur to the form of the animal.  Cooler and neutral layers were placed on top.  Initially, I started to put in the actual spigot and handles, but that was much too much detail for my liking.  They disappeared into the dark background.

I like the feel of this work.  I also like the placement of the whites, which were toned down a bit at the end.

Most of all, I love these cats!