International Artist Magazine- April/May 2010

I just bought my copy of INTERNATIONAL ARTIST Magazine April/May issue.

Inside is a 10 page article.

My work is on the cover.

The magazine is by a publisher in Australia.

If you happen to see it in a bookstore... let me know!


International Artist
April/May 2010
book stores everywhere

Recent Watercolor-- PigsRus

Here is the PIG! recent watercolor painting... C O M P L E T E L Y out of the box for me.... but...

i believe that is healthy and good for artists to do things out-of-the-box at times....

I went to the ILLINOIS STATE FAIR in Springfield, IL this summer.. and fell in love with this PIG!

so.... felt compelled to paint him. First.. the small maquette [posted on www.watercolor300.blogspot.com]

and then.. gradually this week.. the larger version of the pig began to emerge.

so far.. i LOVE it! it says everything i wanted to say.. and more.

it's big.. it's bawdy.. it's in-your-face fun... so totally unscripted and energizing to paint.


Swine Clue
watercolor on Arches 300 lb cp
40" h x 30" w
2009
unfinished

Big Splash-- watercolor

Reworking an older watercolor... bringing to life an older watercolor that intrigued me once again. the splash is the central focus of the piece --- but the abstraction is also a big part of the piece.


Big Splash
watercolor
30"h x 22" w
2009

nocturne

this watercolor.. on unknown paper.. has been slightly a challenge for me. there were many times i felt like giving up.. and actually did.......
but... another day.. and another try and bringing it to conclusion.

at the end.. i used a scrub sponge.. and wiped out many areas to lighten the darks and add more shimmer and sparkle.

i can't say that it's finished.. but i can say.. that it's posted here.. and tomorrow.. perhaps.. will bring on another day's efforts.



Nocturne
watercolor
30" h x 22"w
2009
unfinished

Watercolor Portraiture

I spent the last two days.. doing 2 portraits of the same little girl. One for the child's parents.. and the other for the child's grandparents.

Each painting is similar.. and distinct!

Back to back portraits have their challenges and virtues. It was easy to make them related... and also... try to make them different.

The client picked them up as soon as I was finished -- very fine!


Baby Karakus
watercolor
20" h x 20" w
2009
commission



Baby Karakus
watercolor
15" h x 15" w
2009
commission

Shattered- Watercolor

I am developing a very detailed image of an energized leap out of the pool. it is a metaphor for life. sometimes... with activity.. there is no rhyme or reason --- all is in flux.. and all we can do is capture the verb.




Shattered
watercolor
30"h x 22" w
2009 almost finished.

More Development of a Botanical Watercolor

Had a wet day to paint .. and made some headway on this watercolor.

The good news is... I found a great pigment to work with-- OLD HOLLAND Mars Yellow. It behaves like my old paint..and wasn't at all frustrating!

So.. I have added it to my stable of colors. My journey of finding suitable pigments is slowly evolving.

Colors is this painting:

Old Holland Mars Yellow
Winsor/Newton Green Gold
Quin Magenta
Winsor Green
Dioxazine Purple
French Ultramarine Blue

Development of the Watercolor

The next intermediate stages............... will have time to finish tomorrow --

It was a nice rainly day today --- perfect for laying down the washes.


Untitled
watercolor
22 " h x 30 " w
2009
unfinished

Rainforest! watercolor

this botanical watercolor was done about 15 years ago! i was introduced to Rachel Crandell of the Monteverde Conservation League and was inspired by her knowledge and enthusiasm for the rain forest.

i decided to do a painting based on ferns -- and present it to Rachel.

i haven't seen it in years.. and was mildly surprised by how much i still enjoyed it.

Rainforest Rescue
watercolor
35"h x 45" w
1993

Hey Babyers- watercolor

Painting from the GOOD GIRL/ BAD GIRL show from 2006. I finally got around to photographing it for my book. I still like it after all these years~!

It has an edge... a surliness to the gals... an irreverence of spirit --

a message that captures the change of roles in today's adult female --

you GO girl!

Hey Babyers
watercolor
30 x 40
2006

State of the Arts Gallery: Sarasota FLORIDA

These two huge swimmers are packed and ready to ship to STATE OF THE ARTS GALLERY in Sarasota, FLORIDA.

They are testing the waters of the art market there [so to speak...] ....

and I can't wait to hear of the response.

If you are anywhere near the area... and want to see large scale watercolor up close.. please check out this gallery!

State of the Arts Gallery
1525 State Street
Sarasota, FL 34236
http://www.sarasotafineart.com


One to Leave
watercolor
40" h x 60" w
2006
$4800


Memory Lane
watercolor
29" h x 40" w
2008
$3300

new swamp watercolor

here's about two day's worth of painting.... i LOVE the swamp! especially in the winter... when it's REAL cold outside my studio. i imagine all the warmth and humidity.. and pungent smells of heat and moisture.

so.. here's to the swamp!

on a side note... i found an old tube of WINSOR NEWTON Indigo [before 2000] and tried it in the background water. it is exactly the right binder that i'm looking for! now.. i have to find a suitable brand to replace W/N.

i wish i could document and visualize the nuances and changes that are frustrating me -- and convince W/N technicians to return to their old formulation!

anyway, here's to watercolor!


Swamp
watercolor
15" h x 60" w
2009 unfinished

Napa Valley watercolor

A view of 80% completed watercolor of some leaves and grapes during Crush time in Napa Valley last October. It was a golden time --- sunlight and leaves were warm and yellow. I worked on this watercolor for a few days -- but wasn't able to finish it. As soon as I get back from my trip - I will resolve some final areas.

I like the kaleidoscope of color, pattern, and abstraction. Here's to watercolor!


Sara's Napa Valley Front
watercolor
30" H x 22" W
2008

Tobacco Sunflower Floral

Here is another acrylic tutorial. I like to share the various stages it takes to make a painting. I find it fascinating and helpful myself.

Each stage takes time.. and over all -- I think there's about two week's worth of work here.





I begin with a slight outline-- and under paint with Cadmium Orange.

I then add the deeper purples -- mixed in with Liquitex Baltic Gray and Baltic Green.

After most of the passages are defined according to value and weight-- I am free to add the background.

The subject flower is then "taped off" -- so that the image will be protected as the background gets painted.

There were a couple of attempts to get the background color right. I took great care to blend the right softness to add volume of space.

The first background had more orange. Subsequent layers took that away-- but you can always see little remnants and underpinnings of previous layers.

Mid State Sunflower Floral

The layering continues-- and painting in the intricate greens and greys give form and share to the cascade of leaves underneath the blooms. The flowers themselves are painted in deep purple -- to resemble end-of-summer timeliness. The weight and sense of summer's turning -- was what I'm trying to capture.

Tobacco Sunflower Floral

These are the last few stages of the floral. There are many more -- as you would expect... but too many to post.

I added yet another layer of depth and glaze today -- finishing off the surface and deepening color.
Cadmium Orange and Dioxazine Purple we rolled on-- adding flexs of detail and color. that pops
I can see this framed with a heavy black frame.






Voila!

Tobacco Sunflower
acrylic
48 " H x 24" W
2008

email for purchase

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