Iwork from photos and take all my reference shots. In composing my work, I avoid centering the subject in order to create a more engaging environment for the viewer. Asymmetry requires the viewer to be an active participant, visually moving through the work instead of being directed to the center and looking no further. Each painting starts with a series of photos that is winnowed down based mainly on composition and lighting. Two things set my paintings apart from that of many other watercolorists. First, all of my color mixing is done on the painting itself. I create color depth and subtle nuances with multiple layers of weton-wet applications, frequently mixing anywhere from two to six paints at a time. Painting in this manner requires knowledge about your paints, color theory and how X will react with Y. Some color combinations are a disaster in wet-on-wet applications, for instance, but might work well in
layered applications. Secondly, I don’t use masking fluid. I painstakingly paint around all of the intended white spaces. The glowing brilliance in my work comes from preserving the white of the paper through extreme planning and forethought. I like using extra white cotton paper, for an added glow. This process is very timeconsuming, with most of my paintings taking several months to complete, if not more. They each reflect a fine dance between extensive planning and improvisation.
The Three Fates, watercolor, 14 x 21"
This piece was particularly challenging to work on. I painted around every spike on the succulent leaves, and left the paper white until about two-thirds of the way through the painting. At that point I started visually pushing them back to incorporate them into the work and help create depth, while leaving the ones adjacent to the most illuminated areas paint-free. I really enjoyed playing with the texture, and creating a moody atmosphere with elements of a mystical nature. The Three Fates won an Award of Merit with the West Virginia Watercolor Society’s Aqueous National Juried Exhibition 2019.
The Last Bow, watercolor, 10.4 x 10.3"
I was inspired by a vase of wilted tulips picked from my back yard. The petals were full and brightly colored, however they were close to withering away.
I was attracted to the graceful beauty they still possessed, even in their last stages. The perspective is purposefully skewed, with an angled, upward view. The combination of upward and downward movement leads the eye throughout the painting; first gravitating to the large tulip, down the tips of the petals to the bottom corner, then back upward following the slant of the windowsill to the top, before sliding back to the large tulip.
Broken Silence, watercolor, 11.8 x 17½”
Part of being a truly creative artist is pushing boundaries, and not being content with the status quo. For about seven years I painted naturalistic representations. I knew my skill set, and my abilities. However, I felt compelled to push beyond my comfort zone, challenge myself, and develop nonrepresentational work. I sought to create an environment unlike our physical world, but still conveying a sense of life, or intelligence. For this I utilized the same skills, creating texture with wet-on-wet, salt-effect, splatter and combinations thereof. Lacking a visual road map, the developmental process was far more challenging.
Whispers in the Morning, 15.2 x 19.3” Here I was exploring the paint’s capabilities of conveying textures, colors, movement and light. I use the paint to express my feelings and thoughts, generally without visible brushwork. Wet-on-wet and salt-effect are my two strongest allies. I use the natural organic movement they create in my favor, giving my paintings a strong sense of naturalistic texture. My latest work incorporates elements of an undefined, unknown mystical quality. I design these to accentuate and invigorate the work. I have been using the reference photo as a generalized blue-print, rather than following it to the letter.