Website

Here is my painting of a spider spinning his web. This is one of the paintings that I did for the show at Pembroke 4 Art Gallery. The theme was home and I painted animals in their habitats. The spider web was a great deal of fum. First of all I painted it on Masa paper which gives the background it's texture. Then I used guoache to paint the web itself. (I had originally tried using masking fluid on regular watercolor paper but it came out too thick.) It's certainly not the best painting I've ever done but it is kind of cute. Don't you think?

Lately I've been painting for the fun of it. I'm currently painting roses, seashells and another pineapple. Next weekend is Artisans in the Park. After that I have to crack down again start working on some paintings for the Seawall Art Festival. Does it ever end? I sure hope not.

Trees in the Sunset

This is my fourth and last 5 x 7 painting for the No Bigger than a Minute show at the East Beach Gallery. The Opening Reception on Friday was very nice. The art there was terrific and presented so well. John and Betty Hadfield always do a wonderful job at presenting the art in their gallery. If you have the chance stop on by and see it. They are open Tuesdays through Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. They are located at 9559 Shore Dr., Norfolk, VA. I think you will enjoy it.

Purple Clouds

Here's another one of my 5 x 7 watercolor and gouache paintings. I really enjoyed painting the sky and clouds. I used a fan brush and white gouache to blend the clouds into their unusual shape. I love experimenting with new techniques. It is amazing how doing something a little (or alot) differently, using a new tool or mixing media help you to get different looks.

The question I have is how using different materials and techniques effects your style. I feel that I'm starting to develop my style but when I try new "ways" of painting I wonder if it is different from my usual style of painting. Or is it just expanding my style? When I look at other artists work sometimes their style is consistent no matter what they do. But others have different styles for different ways of painting. For example an artist that I greatly admire, Birgit O'Conner paints vivid flowers that are crisp and sharp. She has very distinct way of painting. But her landscapes are more "watercolory", vague and almost mystical. They look like they could have been done by a different artist.

Well I guess I will just continue to explore new ways of doing things. I think I would be bored if I didn't. I just love the feeling when trying something new and "voila" it works!!!

Mountains on the Lake

Here's another of my "mini" paintings for the No Bigger Than a Minute art show at the Gallery at East Beach. The art show runs from January 15th to February 14th. There is an Opening Reception January 15th from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm. If you have the chance come on by and see the art and meet the Artists.

It has been alot of fun painting these small paintings. I'm almost done with them and now I am looking forward to freeing myself to work on some larger paintings.

What am I going to do next? Well I'm thinking of doing some more Masa paper paintings that I have in my mind or I might try some abstracts. It will be whatever moves me at the time I start.
It is certainly an interesting journey that I am on.

Birch Trees on the River

I have been painting "miniatures" getting ready for the "No Bigger than a Minute" show at the Gallery at East Beach. The show is from January 15th to February 14th. There will be an Opening Reception January 15th but the time has not been set yet. I will let you know as soon as I know. The show is not really for miniatures, but small paintings no larger than 8 x 10 inches. It ought to be alot of fun. I know I'm enjoying painting my small paintings.

I have been working on mini landscapes. They are 5 x 7 inches. So far I have painted four of them; two which are going in the show. It is different painting small with small brushes. In a way it's easier as I experience having more control over what I am doing. But of coarse when using large brushes you can let the watercolor flow freely. Also I have been working on landscapes more recently and they are more expansive than flowers. When painting flowers I zero in on their form. I still try to capture the beauty and serenity of whatever subject I'm working on. I have two more paintings to complete then I need to start working on my next show.

Ice Storm

This is one of my paintings that I will exhibit at Riverview Gallery in Portsmouth's Holiday and Winter Art Show. The event starts Friday December 4th with an Opening Reception from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. It runs for the entire month of December. You can find it in Olde Towne Portsmouth at 1 High Street. Stop by if you have the chance and experience a Winter Wonderland!

This is another example of painting in watercolor and white gouache. First I placed down a blue wash then went over it with white gouache. This helped to cool down the background to allow the tree branches to be able to freeze. (Figuratively not literally.) I went on to paint the trunk and branches with cool colors and the smaller branches in white. It really was alot of fun and I really like the look of it. And I did not even use a drop of green!

Magnolia II and Magnolia III

If you have not figured it out yet I love painting Magnolias. I was not that familiar with them as I grew up in the North. But when I moved down here I became fascinated by them. I have painted them many times, in many media and colors and styles. They are always fun to do. I guess over the last ten years or so they have become my friends.

These paintings came from demonstrations in one of my classes. I was presenting how to paint in light colors and how to paint in dark colors. I probably did not get my light colors as light as I had wanted to but I got carried away with the colors of the petals. (How unusual for me to allow color to dictate my Painting choices.) In painting light colors you need to mix your color with a good amount of water to make it very light in value and when painting dark colors you need to mix the color up very thickly, but not so it is dry. This goes back to one of my "rules" of watercolor painting. Always keep scrap paper by your side to test colors as well as techniques for your painting.

It is helpful to keep painting the same subject over and over again. It helps you explore and re explore all the different way one subject can be presented. It becomes a learning process that I do not know if ever wears out. I'll tell you if I ever get tired of painting Magnolias!

Golden Mountains

Recently in one of my classes, Jenny Wong did a demonstration of how she uses gouache in her landscapes. Jenny is a very talented artist and her landscapes are beautiful. Check out her website at http://www.jennywongart.com/.

When I paint in watercolors I hardly use gouache at all. Sometimes I use a little bit to depict snow or mix with another color to show an area that needs to be more opaque. I mostly paint with transparent watercolors and I enjoy the build up of transparencies that allow your colors to come alive. Adding the gouache gives a more opaque covering of the paint. I think the colors are bright and clear. It gives a look almost like acrylics or oil painting. It is just a different way of painting.

I enjoyed doing this painting. It gave me a feeling of freedom. Was that because there was no sense of needing to be successful? Or perhaps because it was a simple subject? I really do not know but it sure was fun and I will try it again.

Santa's Stocking

Santa's Stocking was a very good show. It is always alot of fun.

I have to say goodbye to my Magnolias IV and two other paintings that I sold. I will really miss my Magnolias IV. It was a fun painting to do. It was my third painting that I did on Masa paper and I really like the textures and colors of the painting. I think it will enjoy it's new home.

Magnolia

This is another recent painting of mine. It is currently hanging at the Gallery at East Beach, Norfolk, VA.

In it I used gouache in the center of the flower. (The off white and yellow is gouache and the pink is watercolors.) Gouache is an opaque watercolor. Watercolors are more transparent. The gouache allows you to "cover up" more easily.

Traditionally when painting in watercolors you do not use gouache. Especially to paint the whites. You leave the paper to show the whites. I do not use gouache in my watercolor painting as I love the transparency of the watercolors. But sometimes I use it to capture a more opaque area like the center of this flower. I also use it to add a little white as in my Central Park and Ocean Wave paintings. This is why I think of it as mixed media.

Some people use gouache with their watercolors. They mix it with the colors and paint beautiful opaque paintings. Gouache can be mixed with watercolor colors and or the different colors of gouache can be mixed together. Some people paint with gouache alone.

There are three nature books by Maryjo Koch that you should check out. They are Seed Leaf Flower Fruit, Bird Egg Feather Nest and Pond, Lake River Sea. Her paintings are beautiful and she uses gouache.