Ripple-- surface of water

This RIPPLE painting is a maquette for a larger work that I will begin this summer.

I am intrigued with the surfaces of water-- and want to protray water in all sorts of colors and sensibilities.

Very challenging to be sure!  Must work out the schemes on smaller scale though ---


Ripple
watercolor
22" h x 12" w
2012

Firefly-- swimmer watercolor in progress

The watercolor has been worked and reworked for days and days.  Yesterday-- I finally wetted the entire paper--- drenching it in Prussian Blue and Trasnparent Yellow.  I added a touch of Quin Burnt Orange.. and a little Opera.

I could not "babysit" the overall glaze-- but left it in the studio to dry on its own.

Today-- I spend a huge amount of time developing and painting in the jewel like dazzles of color in small passages.


Firefly
watercolor
30" h x 22" w
2012
in progress

Teaching Teaching Teaching

Teaching the workshop in Columbia South Carolina was the highlight of my week.  The class was superb-- and the camaraderie excellent!

Everyone was special--- and the group dinner was outstanding.



There was even time left over in the day to do some nature sightseeing--- the Riverwalk and the Botanical Gardens for reference photography.

Thank you Renea -- for the amazing visit.  Your hospitality really was "Southern Charm"!

Thank you too -- Trenholm Artists Guild and SouthCarolina Watermedia Society-- for sponsoring the workshop and inviting me to be juror for your current exhibition.

I had a wonderful time~!

South Carolina workshop for Trenholm Artists Guild

Successful workshop for the Trenholm Artists Guild of Columbia, South Carolina these past few days.  Many new friends and paintings created and imagined by a great group!

I had a blast...and look forward to seeing more good work.

Thank you Renea-- for helping to make it all happen!


Tomorrow -- I jury for awards at the exhibition for the South Carolina Watermedia Society.


What a great week!

[more pictures to follow]

Shrimper from the Gulf Coast

I took a chance to do something different yesterday ---    a shrimp boat from the Gulf Coast.

It was a way to figure out how to play with light, distortion, shadow, reflection, atmosphere.


I think I will redo this as a larger painting--- but abstract the nets more so there imagery isn't so noticable.

It was fun... tricky, and full of promise!


Shrimp Boat
watercolor
15" h x 11" w
2012

Spring Bounty!

I sold the three paintings here this weekend.  The lovely SPRING BOUNTY will be hanging with the two smaller IRIS to make a statement.

I couldn't be happier!

So happy that art is being collected.  It's especially important for an artist!

I am always honored when someone likes my work enough to feature it in their home.

Thank you Chris and Michael!  Your support means so much to me!



Spring Bounty
watercolor
30" h x 22" w

Iris 1 and 2
watercolor
15" h x 11" w
private collection

Moving ART in MALTA

A friend and client sent me this photo of moving the watercolor of mine from her old residence to her new!  Look at how careful the movers' are !


This is exciting!


Swimmer
watercolor
45" h x 35" w
private collection

Fizzy Swim

Fizzy Swim!!!  new watercolor in the works!

A challenge for sure....

I am looking for make the nuances a little more details and spectacular.

All in all..... it's coming along.  Hope to finish soon!

Fizzy Swim
watercolor
30" h x 22" w
2012

Dragonfly!

Sometimes... painting the simple things in life is much better and more powerful than painting larger themes.

For instance... the simpicity and quietude of a dragonfly.

He's absolutely powerful in his beauty.

I love summer.. and bugs are a part of summer.

Dragonflies, fireflies, bees, beetles, mosquitos, grasshoppers, ants, cicadas     . you name it -- they are all SUMMER!

Big and small...annoying or pleasant...they are my muse!

Dragonfly
watercolor
11" h x 15" w
2012

Nude Swim

This painting got a second consideration--- after being in a gallery for a number of years.  I frequently rework older paintings when they show up again in my studio.

I see things that need more depth and resolution -- that I might have missed when I worked on it initially.

This beautiful piece got a second glaze of blue--- puddles and all!

Then I reworked the skin underneath the water for greater depth and luminousity.

All in all......  I feel it's in a better place now!

Nude Swim

watercolor

25" h x 60" w

2012

HASBRO PUZZLE!

Years ago.... HASBRO brought the copyright to my Prel's Iris watercolor to make a puzzle.

The distributed the puzzle worldwide-- and I found them everywhere.  I even bought them in Ecuador~

I had a ball sharing the puzzle with clients.  You can assemble the puzzle--- and then frame it.  It had interlocking pieces.

I couldn't buy a lot of them-- only could buy the ones I found in Target or Walmart.  It was always a surprise to see them on the shelf!

You can find them today on ebay.

This puzzle is being assembled in Arizona.  

Oh, by the way -- it's a hard puzzle to put together!

Prel's Iris Puzzle

Hasbro

200?  don't remember

End of the Day Iris Watercolor

Iris's are my love.  I used to grow them in my garden.... and photograph them incessantly.  I painted them every spring-- because they usher in the promise of warmer weather.

Now... I go to the Missouri Botanical Gardens to photograph all the iris's.  There are so many lovely varieties!


This partiular iris was a challenge.  The use of complimentary colors helped me resolve the issue of making the background unify with the foreground.  I wanted to create scale and impact by having the bloom being half the size of the paper.  The petals and the buds are off-center -- and create an interesting composition.

I never tire of painting iris!


End of the Day Iris
watercolor
40" h x 30" w
2012
almost finished some tweaking needed