Watercolor in the Village

"Old Rusty Truck"

11" x 15" I painted this old truck in response to the April project on Watercolor Workshop, which was to paint something rusty. Since I love to paint old trucks, this project was right 'down my alley!' I painted it from a photograph my sister-in-law Peggy took in Bay Village, Ohio. She took several photographs from different angles and there is a very good chance that you will see this truck again in one of my paintings. The truck is from the photograph, the background is generic. Actually, the truck is near an old filling station, I think. My family is always on the lookout for old trucks. My brother, Tim, Peggy's husband sent me a lot of pictures he and Peggy took in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa - a real goldmine of old truck pictures. There is one particularly interesting picture of an old junkyard in Colorado - Old Jules - which I am anxious to start this summer.

Tomorrow I set up my one-man show (14 paintings) at The Meeting Place on Market in Lima, Ohio. It will be on display until May 29. I am very excited at "hitting the big time!" Tee Hee! Seriously, I am thrilled to have this opportunity to get exposue for my art in a larger community. This is a first! I will post pictures tomorrow!

Watercolor in the Village

"Living Water" In 2002 a friend asked me to do a drawing for her of Christ's hands with 'living water" falling out of them. She wanted it as a gift for her pastor who had touched her heart with a sermon about 'living water.' I asked my husband to model the hands for me, and I had to imagine the water because, of course, the water would not stay in his hands. This drawing is the result. It is graphite on illustration board.

Watercolor in the Village

"The Rusty Pot"

11"x 15"This painting was my answer to the April Watercolor-Workshop project in which everyone painted from the same source photograph. It is so interesting to see all the various, beautiful takes on the same theme. Some are loose - some are tight; some are done in intense colors and some are muted. It certainly illuminates the fact that though we are all created in the image of God, He created us all as individuals.

Watercolor in the Village

This is a picture of me taken in the fall at the last paint-out at the Lake Loramie Artist's Cooperative. It was a lovely day - the sun shone, there was fellowship with other artists, and, of course, good food. (looks like I don't need too much of that!) A good time was had by all! Today the sun shone, the daffodills are blooming and there is hope that the long winter is finally over - we will, perhaps, be able to get outside and paint again.

Watercolor in the Village

A Treasure In the Forest

15" x 22"

I painted this floral a few years ago. I find as I age, I really like the color purple - a color I never liked before. It just goes to prove that our tastes change throughout the years. In this painting I attempted to give the viewer the impression that he/she has come upon these flowers, a well kept secret, out in the middle of nowhere! A pleasant surprise!

Watercolor in the Village

A few years ago, I started experimenting with the watercolor technique called 'pouring.' In this technique, you prepare a paint mixture of paint and water that is the consistancy of thick cream. You prepare a mixture for each color you intend to use. The paper is wet on both sides, and then laid on a flat surface like plexiglass. You pour the paint on the paper and move it around allowing the colors to mix and mingle together. The artist can assist the process by spraying the surface with water. More paint may be added at any time. In this painting two colors were used for the background - indian yellow and cobalt vioilet. After the paint was dry, I drew the details of the painting with pencil and painted it with the two original colors and sap green, which I darkened with the violet. I have done many paintings using this process, and almost always like the effects that pouring achieve.

"Vivid Sunset"

11" x 15"