Autumn Vibes in Watercolor

I've had a blank canvas staring at me for awhile, so I decided to throw some color on it. Then one thing led to another, and now it's a full fledged work in progress.

Sometimes when I show my art, people think it's batik. The process is indeed similar to batik, where melted wax is used to block dye colors. Instead of wax and dye, however, I paint with watercolor and fluid mask. Watercolor is simply colored water, and the key to fresh, sparkling watercolor is to retain the light.

Here's the process: Sketch out the design. Paint fluid mask on the parts that need to remain white. Once the mask is dry, go ahead and paint right over it. Once the paint is dry, remove the mask and you will discover that the light areas have been saved. It's satisfying and therapeutic to peek off the mask. It balls up like rubber cement.

With this process, you can build up layer over layer of color and the light areas will remain light. Keep every layer transparent and fresh.

These photos are all details of the bigger picture, which will eventually show up in the shop. It will also make an appearance at my first show of the season, the Broad Ripple Art Fair, in May. That seems like a long way off, but having a great show to look forward to helps me stay in production mode.

What would you like to see going forward? What colors or color palettes do you like? Feel free to comment your thoughts and suggestions. Until further notice I'll be in the studio "Of the Woods"

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Where it All Started

I have always believed that people love to see behind the scenes in the artist studio. It’s like looking behind the curtain and seeing what goes on backstage, to see how the art is crafted, what tools and materials are used, and how the artist thinks. To this end, I am thrilled to unveil a new video that tells my story of the origins of Parts of Art. A big shout out to the producer and videographer @Moguefilms . Here are some of the pieces seen on the video. Want to see more? visit my shop here

Just add paint!

It’s just that simple when painting with watercolor. This is how I start my day in the studio. Open to a new page, fill a brush with sparkling clean water, and fill the page or pages. Then, add watercolor paint and let it do its thing. The daily studio routine is this: clock in at 9 and paint that page in my journal. I realize that the painting on this page could become a beautiful fabric design, a batiked collage, or an amazing painted wall hanging. But my POINT is that I start my studio day with water on a page and go from there. As far as the illustrated journal, yes it’s true. Any thing done on these hallowed pages could become some great masterpiece someday. But that’s clearly not the intent. The journal is the place to play, to experiment, to express, to answer the question “what if ?” It’s about the inspiring and refreshing place my mind enters once that water on the page turns to color. It’s where it starts. Does it matter

Best advice ever

I was eagerly, breathlessly waiting outside the door of the 3rd floor painting studio, anticipating my turn at the hallowed easel. There, the renowned and venerable professor would lovingly and patiently teach me how to paint with oils. Now here I was, in the very studio of my dreams. And all I would hear from the renowned and wise professor was (after a long and awkward pause, her looking over my shoulder) “Well, finish this one and go on to the next one.” Embarrassment. Heartbreak. Doubt. Anger. All these stirred up inside me while sitting in front of that easal. How was I to finish this one and go on to the next one when I didn’t know HOW? Could you just SHOW ME HOW? Looking back now, I fully realize that was the best advice I could’ve gotten at the time. After all, the only way to learn how to paint is to paint, paint, paint and paint some more. Now that I am a mixed media collage artist, that advice sounds in my mind every time I pain

Parts of Art

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