Spring

I have painted several dozen nests but I never cease to enjoy the process of creating another one.
Each nest painting turns out quite different because I  choose to vary the position, colors and style.  I start with a plain piece of watercolor paper and put down some paint with a circular motion to create the body of the nest.  Then comes the best part, I throw paint to create the twigs and branches that surround the nest adding some spatters for good measure.  Deep dark paints fill the center of the nest.  When the paint dries I am able me to wash out the egg shapes which finishes this artwork.

Big Brushwork - 5

This is a favorite way for me to paint.  I start and continue to the finish only using a very large brush and start with  a plain piece of paper.  No drawing is done but I do know what subject I want to paint. This process definitely has some limitations but does ensure the creation of a very loosely done and freeing piece of artwork.  Ask most watercolor students what they most want to do and the answer is invariably "paint loose and free"!

Wildfire!

Birch trees are a favorite subject of the artists in my watercolor classes.  These are started with pieces of masking or artists tape that are shaped to get rid of the straight lines.  A colorful diagonal sky is washed in followed by darker paints on the bottom of the page.  Previously I had painted several renditions using spring or summer greens and yellows.  This time I wanted to paint autumn but somehow wound up with the look of a wildfire!

All is Calm, All is Bright

 

This is one of my "Big Brushwork" pieces, meaning I only use a large brush when painting. This was a 1 1/2" wide flat brush. It has certain challenges particularly when trying to create fine grasses and other smaller lines. The benefit is that it gives the ability to paint a very loose watercolor that is clean, crisp and bright.

Fixer Upper

 

This dilapidated cottage is located at Eden Lawn Plantation in Jensen Beach, Florida. Somehow even though it is falling apart it has an appeal that I wanted to capture in paint. And, living in this town made me want to preserve some of the memories from the past. Eden Lawn in it's heyday was a community of cottages surrounded by lush tropical foliage and even had colorful parrots flying around free! Sounds like a little bit of Eden, doesn't it?