NAPA Valley

I've spent the last week traveling in California-- and the last few days in NAPA VALLEY. it's spectacular here this time of year-- Fall is "the Crush."

I'm staying in St. Helena where there are many galleries and artists. NAPA OPEN STUDIOS was going on this weekend -- and i visited a few of them. Art is alive and well here!

The Valley is a good marriage of agriculture, wine, tourism, organic responsibility, art, and money!


I found some bottle of wine with my artwork on the label in Calistoga -- ON THE EDGE WINERY and Dick Vermeil wines.





One of my very dearest friends -- Sara Weinheimer lives here. A fellow watercolorist and buddy-- Bruce MacEvoy from http://www.handprint.com/ drove over for lunch at Solage in Calistoga.

A glorious weekend was had by all!

Stay tuned for more.

Black and White Nude

This painting is from the Black & White series.... a mid size watercolor of two figures. I was glad to see how smooth the paint application appeared.

Black & White
watercolor on Arches 300 lb cp
35 " H x 45" W
1995

Getty Museum

my friend, sara weinheimer and i -- at the Getty Museum in LA. we took a tour and had a wonderful lunch on a spectacular day!

Here comes HOLLYWOOD!

hiya... i'm in HOLLYWOOD... enjoying the sights. the home i'm staying is has a collection of my work. Here is one piece... that i know you'll enjoy.

me in the studio.........

here's a working shot of me painting a portrait commission for last year. it was a huge watercolor... 8 feet square!... i paint flat.. and have to put fomeboard underneath me -- to keep the painting from getting damaged.

the method of painting flat -- allows the paint to puddle and washes to dry slowly.

the painting now hangs in the PURSER BUILDING at LOGAN UNIVERSITY in st. louis.

Pescados from Ecuador Watercolor- Part 1

Allrighty.. another tutorial!

i'm trying my best.. to reach out and make changes in my watercolor method... so.. this painting is done with ALL DANIEL SMITH watercolor!
yep... i need/want/have to try to integrate away from WINSOR NEWTON.
so i threw myself into this painting... with a new palette and plenty of new pigment. most of the color recommendations came from Sandy Maudin's workshop class. each student told me their favorite pigment -- and i threw in a few more -- to make my palette complete.
i decided to mix things up even further -- by trying new subject matter -- fish.

so..here's the first installment of the development of the painting---
colors used are:
Prussian Blue
Quinacradone Burnt Orange
Rich Green Gold
French Ultramarine

Pescados from Ecuador Watercolor

These last few stages are pretty self evident.... The development of the piece takes place-- pretty much from fish to fish. i leave the final fish for the last-- the lightest in value and the center of interest.

the total painting has a brief feel to it... which i enjoy. there are many many statements of mine that are overworked -- and i'm trying my best to keep things fresh and abbreviated now.
enjoy !

Pescados from Ecuador
watercolor on Arches 300 lb cp
22" H x 30" W
2008
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Figurative swimmer.........

this painting needed to be tweaked..... i started it over a year ago.. as part of the "Bad Girl" series of work. but.. after reinspecting it from the flat files... i decided it needed some fine tuning! in particular -- i added another Prussian Blue wash to the background-- and got ride many of the 'saved whites' in and around the figure.

with the current status of light in my studio-- i sometimes leave too many whites... which then flatten the painting.

i like the feel and mood of the figure. i also like the overhead perspective... and acidic palette fits the woman's attitude.

What Did You Say?
watercolor on Arches 300 lb cp
22" H x 30 " W
2008

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~~Mosaic Swim~~

I was interested in trying out a new paper.... the Twinrockers brand... with handmade surface and edges. it's a gorgeous, receptive paper....which allows the paint to swirl and settle into the graininess of paper. i used a more organic pigment... Cereulean, Maganese, Veridite Blue, Opera, Transparent Burnt Orange... which held up magnificently.

i like the paper.. and i will use it again.

Mosaic Swim
watercolor on Twinrockers 300 lb cp
20" H x 20" W
2008

Evan's Twenty Two Year Portrait!

Okay guys... here it IS-- a small tutorial on how i paint a portrait.

as many of you know.. i am painting a portrait a year... of my son. this is his 22nd portrait!
i feel privileged and honored to capture him as he marches from childhood to adulthood. it's been a wonder and joy to watch his personality emerge -- and his maturity evolve.
i hope you enjoy viewing them -- as much as i have painting them.
if you'd like to see the OTHER portraits--- please go to my web site:
http://www.carol-carter.com/ and look under GROWTH PORTRAITS.

Evan at 22
watercolor on Arches 300 lb cp
40" H x 30" w
2008

Evan's 22 Year Portrait- part deux

here are the final few stages-- there are many more -- but i condensed it down to these 9 digitals.
enjoy.!

voila!