My art projects began by doing bulletin boards, stage scenery and art classes with children, when I worked as an educational assistant at an inner city school in Toronto. It was great fun and I loved every minute of it.
But now, retired, I get to paint whatever and whenever I want and that is wonderful too. I love the old buildings, lakes and the natural beauty of trees and plants in the Kawarthas and try to include them in many of my paintings. My other favourite subject is the scenery in the rest of Canada.
Marilyn will be in the gallery next on July 31st. (tomorrow)
When the paper dries out, the brush strokes become sharper and sharper, because the paint stays in place more easily. It’s a balancing act for sure. You have to work quickly sometimes and at other times, you must wait. As some of the water is absorbed into the paper, the sheen of wetness on the paper surface subsides. It is at this exact time, that you have better paint flow control, but still can maintain a soft, painterly look….easier said than done sometimes.
As the paper continues to dry (loses it’s sheen), you move from painting the soft areas – sky, distant hills and trees, to the sharper, deeper coloured, foreground areas. This is what is meant by the term ‘painting light to dark’.
Although I have done paintings of our beaches and falls – I have yet to do any on slate. I guess it is time to do some strolling over the bridge and take a walk along the beach.
I am an Artist in the “Watercolour” medium because of the inherent transparency qualities. Using many traditional techniques, I can achieve my style.
