Universe

This little painting has metalic paint as the background. The orange is a cadium based paint, which gives a nice saturation to the yellow hues. This remindes me of pictures of the solar system, how space seems to spiral. We're affected by what goes on out there beyond our solar system whether we know it or not. Ha, what does that have to do with painting? Well, everything has to do with everything. That's what is true.

River Valley

There have been places I've lived in my life where I've investigated rivers. Priest River, Spokane River, Little Spokane River, the Naches River, and others not coming to mind right now. Rivers are always moving along, unlike the tides that come back, go away, come back. Then there are the flood plains, like where I lived in Yakima, where water crept in the night toward the house, and that's what it sounded like, this stalk, sluicing closer and closer. Here this painting, with iridescent paint, looks like an aerial view of meandering water. I like the colors and the shimmer the mica in the paint brings to the finish.

Sound Current

This is an acrylic painting on watercolor paper. I tape down the edges of the paper first, using removable masking tape. When I peel up the tape after the painting is dry, I have a very nice border around the image. My inspiration for this painting came from the current on the water. Where I live, the Puget Sound is constantly changing colors and textures, from the wind, the clouds, the sun--even the rain. Snakes of current travel with the tides, the current moving in or out of bays and along inlets. It's beautiful, the smooth texture reflecting the light, edging the rougher grays. Of course the colors in this piece make use of artistic license.

Inside

This painting was painted in the same series as "It's Beneath". I was inspired by an artist's abstract work that I'd seen in Art News, and thought the way I was painting could change a bit, try something new for a thrill. The series didn't go far, but I do have several paintings now of round shapes with blobs in them that remind me of crows.

Rose of Watervein: copywrite Aug. 2007

The painting process: Tape down the paper with removable masking tape. This will give you a clean edge when you are finished painting. The tape should not be left on the paper for a long period, I remove mine the following day. Most of my small pieces are painted in an hour. This one includes metallic paint by Daniel Smith and other acrylic paints. I like painting with acrylic instead of water color, because the colors are more intense. I can also get texture with the acrylics.

Once the paper is taped to the table, I begin painting. My process is to not think. Like my writing, beginning with knowing nothing is better for me as an artist, than to think up what I will do. Then everything is fresh and bold. Brush strokes are alive, vibrant, confident. Try a painting a day, like a writing practice. A short piece, perhaps ten minutes worth of words on the paper a day. Paint fast, write fast.