In retrospect....

Melon Sill   watercolor   6.75 x 12

things often appear differently.  Sometimes paintings that we adore don't seem so noteworthy.  And, just as often, the reverse is true...paintings that we feel ho-hum about take on a fresh look.  We may even say to ourselves, "hey, that isn't so bad after all".  It's true.  In viewing "Melon Sill", I feel that I really like this painting after all.  And I think I know why.  In most of my work, I strive for strong value contrasts....these provide drama and the ability to read a painting from a distance.  But what about those often understated and underused mid-values?  In the ever-present light of summer, aren't lighter values appropriate and appealing?  And....shouldn't we consider the use of value to be an important ingredient in the story we are telling?

Note to myself:  Always consider value to be maneuverable.....adjustable....to support the visual story.  And, don't neglect the mid-tones....they are beautiful in a different way.

Values tell the Story

Sand Dollar, Starfish, and a Stone with a Hole in It   watercolor   6.75 x 8

We can easily use values to help purvey a mood. Values that all hover toward the lighter end of the scale emit "lightness", romanticism and a lack of seriousness. Those are my interpretations. Beach condominiums are filled with prints of such artwork. Of course, vacationers are vacationing FROM seriousness and responsibility, so these pictures work quite well. The mood is set for lightness and fun. Also, there is so much light in the South and at the beach, that a higher drama picture with darker values is simply not possible. Light is everywhere. I find that most watercolor painting students love these kinds of paintings. I think that these works represent the quintessential watercolor in so many ways. It also could be that these very students leave their responsibilities at home and at work and want to have fun at painting class. O.K. I am all for that. I much prefer works that convey both darkness and light and a resultant feeling of the interlacing of both the darkness and the light, the combination of which makes life so ripe and so genuine. But I guess that it doesn't hurt to leave the responsibility at home now and then.