New Year - New Life - New Inspiration

It has been a whirlwind settling into our new home and new life in New Hampshire that is providing oodles of new inspiration!

I have found my new "art tribe!"  The Greater Salem Arts Association is a perfect fit for me.   At the December juried show, my painting of "Delightful Dahlias" won first place in watercolor and best of show.  What an honor.

In New England style, I participated in a Christmas market at a Evergreen Farm, owned by friends.  People could come and cut down their own tree and shop for gifts in the barn.  I painted watercolor Christmas ornaments on heavy watercolor paper, sealed with encaustic wax.  There is also a fabulous printer here who printed cards for me of my paintings.

Now I'm painting marsh scenes inspired by our backyard.  We only had snow for a few days, but enough to take some great reference photos.  The grandkids have been able to ice skate on the frozen pond right in their backyard!

The marsh will continue to be a wonderful source of inspiration as it changes through the seasons.

Happy New Year!

Spring Painting Explosion!

 Spring has sprung and I have absolutely enjoyed painting in a friend's woodland wonder garden. Sitting outdoors, listening to the birds, feeling the warm breezes and soaking in the beauty, has been amazing.  I will be going back weekly to capture the season.

Tissue Textured Watercolors

16 x 20 painted tissue on wc paper - "Oberlin's Oak"

16 x 20 tissue texture on wc, "Winter Glory"

5 x 7 tissue texture on wc paper

5 x 7 rice paper texture on wc paper

Students have been wanting to have a class on painting tissue paper textured watercolors.  A class was planned as a "Super Bowl - Super Paint Out" for those wanting some escape from the Super Bowl hype. That class was snowed out and rescheduled.  Yesterday eight students came to play!

 The technique in a nutshell is this.  You can use either rice paper, or regular gift wrap tissue paper for this project.  You begin with a sheet of 140 pound watercolor paper, it can be a cheaper brand than normal.  Mix 1/2 elmer's glue and 1/2 water.  Brush this mixture on the paper.  Roll up a piece of tissue or rice paper, cut a couple of inches larger that the wc paper.  Roll it into a tight ball, very, very tight, to create the intricate wrinkles.  Open up the paper carefully so as not to tear and lay it gently down on the glued wc paper.  Gently pat from the middle to the sides.  You don't want to smooth out the wrinkles, but you don't want to have an puffy pillow air packs either.  I found it helpful to lay another piece of watercolor paper on top and press the whole surface with my hands.

When the tissue is flat, add another coat of the elmer's glue/water mix. Dry with a hair dryer if you are in a hurry.

Paint and see what lovely patterns the tree branches take as the paint follows the wrinkles and creases.

Although the rice paper is acid free, and I don't know about the tissue paper, I do prefer the tissue paper over the rice paper.  Rice paper tends to feather out quite a bit more, even with the glue treatment.  The tissue paper creates a wonderfully free surface that facilitates the branching out with a bit more control.

I do think I'll paint the four seasons with this textured style for the upcoming May exhibit I will have at the Tippecanoe Arts Federation.  So far, I've mainly painted fall and winter because the wrinkles create the wonder branches that you see when all the leaves are gone.

It's so fun to play!