Heads Up "Heads Up" began with lots of masking fluid drizzled around and allowed to dry.  Then many 'pours' were laid in with several wild colours. That was fun! It's painted on Arches Hot Pressed paper (which I love and don't use enough!) and is 13.25 inches by 9.5 inches. Each petal was painted OPAT (one petal at a time). More paint was dabbed off than was left on! I lay down paint, dab most of it off, lay down more, dab most of it off again, and so on until I have the look I want. The main colours here are Winsor Newton Quin Gold and Daniel Smith Burnt Orange - two colours that I love for their intensity. The reference shot was from Ruth Harris in England. Many thanks, Ruth!

Olga's Venice Watercolour on Arches 140 lb cold pressed paper. Approx. 20" x 16". One of my favourite paintings, Olga's Venice received third prize in the watercolour division of the Massena Artist Association's Annual Juried Show. It has also been exhibited in a juried Ottawa Watercolour Society show and also at a juried show at the Cornwall Regional Art Gallery. Collection of the artist.

Tulip Watercolour. Painted on Arches 300 lb Soft Pressed paper, approx. 14" x 11".  Painted for a "Weekend Drawing Event" in an online group I belong to.  Private collection in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada.

A Homer Pastiche I once belonged to the online group called Watercolor Landscape. During the month I left, a Winslow Homer pastiche was being done. Since then, it's sat on my table. I'd look at it often and think how I "should" finish it. One night, I took it to a local painting group I was in and worked at it. I stuck with it and finally started getting somewhere. A pastiche is a work that imitates the style of an artist, usually one of the great masters who has passed on ages ago, and it's done for learning purposes. I am finding that they are wonderful learning experiences! This is my second pastiche and I'll definitely do more. One thing I love about them is the way you study the original soooooo closely. You notice the tiniest of brushstrokes and study them intently, gradually forming such an understanding of what the artist was trying to accomplish and why. You kind of get into his/her head. Pastiches are an awesome learning tool but to keep it real, you have to live in your own paintings rather than someone else's, or you're going to lose yourself and just not know how to paint what YOU want to paint. To see the different stages of this painting, you can go to my blog and see these posts, in order. One .  Two . Three .

Hydrangeas Watercolour. Painted on Arches 140 lb. Cold Pressed paper.  Approx. 5" x 7".  Private collection in England.

Fall @ Plaisance This was first painted with Chinese Sumi Ink on Japanese Unryu Rice Paper.  Painting on Unryu is like painting on wet Kleenex!  The colour was applied using watercolour paint, then when very dry, it was mounted on Arches 140 lb. Hot Pressed paper.  Approx. 16" x  20".  This painting was accepted into Cornwall Regional Art Gallery's annual juried show.  Since the show, I tried something new with this painting.  I varnished it!  Then it was mounted on a piece of masonite board and mounted in a frame usually used for oil paintings.  Looks great and there's no need to have glass in front. Artist's collection.

Ghost of the Samurai The ghost of a Samurai Warrior stands under the 'gate', yet his shadow remains strong. The shadow represents the legacy of the great Samurai Warriors.  Watercolour. Painted on 16" x 20" Arches 140 lb Cold Pressed paper.   Many glazes were applied to get the fiery red/orange, which actually glows much, much nicer in real life.  The colours and nuances just didn't photograph too well. This painting won the Member's Choice Award at an EBSQart show.  It was also accepted into the Eastern Ontario Visual Arts Association juried art show, where it received First Prize in the watercolour division.  It appears in the 2007 Focus Art Calendar.  Additionally, it was accepted into the Massena Artist's Association Annual Juried Art Exhibition.  Private collection, Cornwall, Ontario, Canada

Vin Watercolour. Painted on Arches 140 lb Cold Pressed paper. Approx. 14" x 11". Private collection in Québec, Canada.