ABOUT MY ARTWORK |
MY MAIN PASSION IS WITH WATERCOLORS, THE KIND THAT COME IN A TUBE. CURRENTLY I USE COTMAN AND HOLBEIN WATERCOLORS. I HAVE FOUND THAT CERTAIN COLORS DON'T WORK WELL, SO I HAVE TO FIND OTHER BRANDS TO GET THE CONSISTENCY THAT WORKS WITH FOAM BRUSHES. SOMETIMES I USE WINDSOR & NEWTON DESIGNER GOUACHES TOO. I USE MOSTLY FOAM BRUSHES OF VARIOUS SIZES. MY FAVORITE SIZE IS THE 3". THEY ARE VERY VERSATILE IN CREATING THE KIND OF IMAGERY THAT FLOWS OUT OF ME. SOME OF THE CIRCLES HAVE BEEN MADE WITH A KIWI SHOE POLISH APPLICATOR. IF YOU WANT A CERTAIN OUTCOME YOU GET CREATIVE. I ALSO USE AN ASSORTMENT OF WATERCOLOR BRUSHES AND A REGULAR 2" LATEX PAINT BRUSH. . I USE A PLATE TO PREPARE PAINTS. ONCE I GET THE AMOUNT SQUEEZED OUT I USE A EYE DROPPER TO ADD JUST A BIT OF WATER. I ALSO GET THE TIP OF THE FOAM BRUSH WET, THEN WIPE IT OFF BEFORE MIXING UP THE PAINT. I LIKE A CERTAIN FLUIDITY TO IT TO CREATE DIFFERENT EFFECTS. THE SPECTRUM OF EFFECTS IS IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO THE WATER USED. MANY PEOPLE THINK MY ARTWORK IS PASTEL AND ARE QUITE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT OTHERWISE. I LIKE THE WATERCOLOR BECAUSE AS A MEDIUM IT DRIES QUICKLY AND ALLOWS ME A GREAT DEAL OF FREEDOM TO EXPRESS WHAT IS COMING OUT. I HAVE WORKED WITH OTHER MEDIUMS, BUT I FIND MYSELF IMPATIENT TO WAIT FOR THEM TO DRY SUFFICIENTLY TO CONTINUE PAINTING. TO EACH THERE OWN. A TYPICAL PAINTING WILL TAKE ME SEVERAL HOURS TO COMPLETE, YET THERE JUST AS MANY TIMES WHEN SEVERAL DAYS WILL ELAPSE TO GET THE FINISHING TOUCHES. I HAVE MY MOMENTS WHEN SOMETHING WISHES TO BIRTH ITSELF AND I AM LITERALLY UNABLE TO GET IT OUT. WHILE WORKING ON MY PAINTINGS FOR MY THESIS I HAD A COUPLE THAT I GOT SO EMOTIONAL OVER THAT I HAD TO STOP AND PUT IT ASIDE FOR AWHILE.
I ENJOY WORKING WITH OIL PASTELS. I USE SENNELIER'S AND MY FINGERS. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT GETTING ONES FINGERS/HANDS INVOLVED WITH THE MEDIUM. IT QUENCHES SOME SORT OF THIRST AND CRAVING FROM WITHIN. AT TIMES IT CAN BE QUITE LIKE BEING COOPED UP IN A SMALL CONFINED SPACE AND NEEDING TO GET OUT FOR SOME FRESH AIR. OTHER TIMES IT IS LIKE BEING POSSESSED OF SOME GREAT NEED TO TOUCH SOMETHING THAT ONLY OUR SOUL KNOWS ABOUT. I HAVE FELT THIS SAME FEELING WHEN WORKING WITH CLAY. I HAVE NO OTHER WORDS TO DESCRIBE THIS PHENOMENON. PERHAPS IT IS GOD WORKING THROUGH US TRYING TO TOUCH CREATION ITSELF, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY ONLY BE ONE PERSON, ONE PAINTING, ONE DAY. IMAGINE BEING THE DIVINE ONENESS AND NEVER BEING ABLE TO KNOW THE COMPLETENESS OF WHOLENESS, NOR THE WHOLENESS OF COMPLETENESS. IMAGINE NEVER BEING ABLE TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE COMPLETELY AND YOU BEGIN THE TIMELESS, ENDLESS JOURNEY OF SEEKING...MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL...
Updated: 9/16/07