That Beautiful Neutral Palette

When the three primary colors yellow, red and blue are mixed together, the result is brown. There are infinite varieties of brown, depending on the proportions and intensity of color, but it is always a result of mixing the three primary colors. Add white to the mix and you have delicious beige.

A neutral palette, then, is one where this mix is achieved. The neutral palette is the one preferred by nature.

In January 2002, scientists at John Hopkins University announced that they had discovered the color of all the light in the universe… and it was beige! The color was quickly renamed “cosmic latte” by the team.

In celebration of all things neutral and brown, here are some of my mixed media pieces from the ongoing series "Of the Woods".

Ferns of the Woods

20 x 32

Sage Green

20 x 32

Tawny

8 x 10

Patterns

8 x 10

For information or to purchase, visit my shop

I wish you a healthy and prosperous new year,

and look forward to seeing you again

at one of my 2024 art shows.

Comments

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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