PAINTING AND ROSES

Today was a great day to paint ... and see the nurse and physical therapist, too. Painting with a good friend was the BEST part though.

These roses are on a card on their way to thank Brenda for such GORGEOUS roses. This was just one sprig in the florific bouquet that added both beauty and fragrance to our house. More cards to paint this weekeend... and I loved holding that brush in my hand. Now off to bed. Everyone have a glorious weekend!

THE EYES HAVE IT!

"What's your favorite flower?" Brenda asked this week in class. Though I never answered her, I might have said that a rose is my favorite, or a daffodil or an exquisite Hawaiian orchid or wisteria or, actually, anything in bloom.

Bwc (before watercolor) my passion was gardening, and I went all out, planting and caring for hundreds of perennials in our yard, along with a delicious assortment of unique dwarf conifers and shrubs. My favorites then were the tiny rock garden plants that just peeked up from under a boulder.

This rose painting was just a demo for a class back in the 90's, to help the artists see how to paint better. Undoubtedly, the most important thing we can use for painting is our eyes.

It's not that perfect color or a special magical brush or a unique technique or even a good teacher. It's our eyes.

SEEING, not just looking, but really observing, is what makes artists be able to interpret and convey what they experience. Toss in some good composition and design, along with accomplished technique, add to that a lifetime of experiences and emotions that are unique to each artist, and art that no one else has ever done can be created. SO much fun!

AN OLD ROSE

This rose, a Queen Elizabeth Grandiflora, was painted lots of years ago as a demo for an intermediate level class I was teaching. Back then, I'd provide the drawing for everyone to trace before we began painting. Then, I'd show them where to miskit, how to glaze, when to paint wet-in-wet, etc. Most all the paintings would turn out really nice, but because of following the process of painting along with 'teacher,' the artists seldom ventured out of the nest to create their own work.

It's tough painting without guaranteed results, but working a painting from the initial start up 'idea' stage through to completion is really what it's all about. The reward of creating a painting from your own heart and head is so worth the struggle. Now that's the only way my classes operate.

The success rate may be lower, but the overall growth is MUCH stronger for each artist as they learn and discover how to unfold what they want to say with paint. Somehow, there's actually less whining now than there was when people traced and followed along in years past. Surprise!

Newer work will be posted as soon as I have an operating photoshop program. I have yet to find my Adobe program, but hopefully, it may be in the bank's lockbox.

"ONLY A ROSE" Transparent Watercolor on 140#CP Fabriano Artistico 15 x 11" COLLECTED

BREAKING IT UP

Artists can be notorious for not giving up on a painting..... all that time and effort, let alone the paint and paper expense. We keep at it no matter how bad it gets - we can be such a stubborn bunch.

Fortunately, most of us have discovered that we can salvage parts of a painting by cropping. I'm posting the original painting below that really must be cropped into smaller shapes. Here you see my future book mark, business card, greeting card, a coaster? and possible grocery list! (I'm just kidding... I'll pitch it before I go to all that hassle.)

The poor composition and design made the painting a loser from the start, and that circle of the roses was my fatal mistake.

Although I really liked the way the paint hit the paper 'loosey juicy style,' the overall painting just didn't happen. Got the title right, though:-) Since it's overly sweet, it's appropriately named "COTTON CANDY," on 140#CP Arches, and presently about 14 x 20" - from the archives.

DAINTY LADIES

I love the first snow each winter, but as soon as it melts, I'm so very ready for spring. Maybe posting an earlier painting of spring roses will hurry the season here. Just wishful thinking...

Many, many decades ago, I used to grow and show roses at the state fair, but now it seems like the craziest thing to do. Painting them is a whole lot more challenging, and the results last much longer (if the painting's successful.) One warm day in late May, these Dainty Bess roses begged to have their picture taken, and, of course, later I knew had to paint them.

"DAINTY LADIES" Transparent Watercolor on Arches 140# CP, 44 x 33" SOLD