Magnolia

 

One of the beautiful flowering trees that flourishes here in Florida is the Magnolia. The blossoms are huge and creamy looking providing a wonderful contrast with the leaves of two colors, dark green on one side, maroon on the other. This strong color differential provides great material for watercolors as the flowers immediately become the focal point.

Not for sale

Mountain Haze

 

This painting was first done in pencil and then color was added afterwards. Working this way gives more depth and dimension to a piece of artwork. The original composition came from a hand drawn notecard. I'm always looking for inspiration for my painting classes and sometimes I find it in the most unusual ways. I just purchased a decorative gift bag that gave me an idea for a beautiful watercolor. I'll combine this design with other elements to achieve a unique finished piece.

Watercolor 8x10 $65
email sferina222@yahoo.com

Celebration

 

This is a watercolor done with a new technique that I learned in a workshop. You merely toss drops of water onto the paper, using 10 fingers, achieving a randon pattern. After mixing rich puddles of analgous paint, you proceed to fling the paint onto the paper, never touching it with the brush. Some green is added if you want to make a bouquet, which I did. The result is varied and interesting and of course, never the same. A few lines are added for interest to resemble stems along with the vase. That is it.

Not for sale

Batik Iris

 

This painting was done on rice paper with gold threads throughout. To learn the batik technique I took a workshop with Carol Ann Sherman. It is a multi-stepped process and took all day to finish two paintings. Lots of hot melted wax is used, along with brilliant color and indelible ink to attain this unusual stained glass look. The last step requires an iron and a stack of newspaper to melt off the wax and voila! you have a finished piece.

Batik on rice paper 10x14 $150
email sferina222@yahoo.com

Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, Holland

 

It brings me great joy to visit gardens, whether near or far. On a trip to Amsterdam I was treated to the wonderful experience of visiting Keukenhof Gardens at tulip time. Imagine seeing thousands of tulips, hyacinths and daffoldis of differing colors, all in bloom at the same time! The gardens are also surrounded with fields of these flowers, as far as the eye can see. Large shade trees, the greenest grass ever, winding paths and streams make this an amazing experience.

Not for sale

Squawk

 

Roosters are so interesting to paint. Like most male bird species they are more colorful than the females thereby commanding more attention. This guy is letting everyone know that he is king of the barnyard. His beak is open, his jaw flapping, thereby indicating he is announcing the break of day with lots of loud squawks!

Sold

Taking Over

 

Two beautiful yellow flowers painted on yupo paper, the synthentic, smooth paper without tooth. It's a challenge to keep things looking like they are supposed to but one I totally enjoy. Looks like one flower is trying to be superior, doesn't it? Vying for attention, standing tall? Guess we could look at it differently and say one is being protective and guarding the other, being the courageous one.

Watercolor 9x12 $80
email sferina222@yahoo.com

Monet's Japanese Bridge at Giverny

 

The local Garden Club asked me to donate a painting to their French themed annual card party. There was the thought to do a Parisian street scene but then the Impressionists popped into my head. Looking through my library of art books I came across this world famous scene, complete with water lilies. Monet painted in oil so replicating the work in watercolor took many layers of paint, and many hours of work. Enjoyable all the way, it was like a journey and a challenge to try and make it look similar.

Just Ducky

 

This is my first attempt at painting a waterfall. Let me tell you it's plenty hard to make it look like water falling. The entire compostion was conceived from my mind. The ducks add a natural focus. I've seen many waterfalls and do find them enchanting. I enjoy the pure beauty of rushing water cascading over the rocks, the mist and foam at the bottom and the resolution of the water moving away.

Watercolor 16x20 $175
email sferina222@yahoo.com

Time for Tea

 

For a long time I purchased art books because they called to me. Then when I got them I wouldn't even look at them. I am happy to say that now I use them all the time. Guess the timing wasn't quite right before. This piece has Shirley Trevena's influence from her book but it is my own composition. It's a combination of pastel and watercolor. I didn't have any idea how it would look like until I finished. I worked happily across the paper, adding whimsey as I painted.

Mixed media 16x20 $200
email sferina222@yahoo.com

Fields of Gold

 

An upcoming exhibition requesting expressions of Florida prompted me to paint this picture. The town of Jensen Beach where I live had a thriving pineapple industry in the late 1880's. Thomas Richards, an early settler along the Indian River realized he could grow pineapple when he successfully cultivated some on his land. He planted over 40,000 pineapple slips. His plants flourished for about 30 years until red wilt developed followed by freezes in 1917 and 1918 which wiped out the industry. I call this Fields of Gold because back then pineapples were truly like 'gold'.

Watercolor 18x24 framed $400
email sferina222@yahoo.com

Faith

 

I received a phone call from my childhood friend Pat. She was fighting the valiant fight against cancer. We were keeping in close touch and I was praying for her mightily so she could beat this invasion. The news wasn't good. I was so upset that I just had to do something to try and raise my spirits. I chose to paint, just wetting the paper and putting down bright, cheerful colors. This is my painting called Faith.

Porcelain and Poppies

 

This painting works because it is composed of complimentary colors, blue and orange. The cools and warms play off each other in a visually engaging way. Notice that it is complosed of mostly these two colors, yet it is not boring or unappealing. Shading knits this still life together.

Not for sale

French Cafe

 

For some uneplained reason I am very attached to all things French. French food, bread, wine, pastries, music.....you name it, I enjoy it. A neighbor gave me a cocktail napkin and told me she would love a painting of the scene that was portrayed on it. It was a French cafe done in oranges and greens. This is my rendition. I not only changed the colors but added a patron and a dog to give the scene 'life'.

Watercolor 12x12 $125
email sferina222@yahoo.com

Mean and Green

 

The funny thing I find when I paint birds or animals is that they wind up with a personality. I sat in a sand chair at the ocean and painted this bird. I was working on being loose which is one of the hardest things to do for some of us. Me in particular. Anyway when I got done I realized that the bird looked real nasty. Ready to bite. It was in the eye. A beady eye. Decided to leave it alone and accept it. It's like life.

Watercolor 6x8 $75
email sferina222@yahoo.com