View my watercolors at State St. Market, Los Altos & Saratoga Library in Sep/Oct 2023
I worked with Griffin's owner who commissioned this piece as a surprise for his wife. Griffin passed away in April 2023. We worked collaboratively, with colors to represent how the owners felt about their beloved pet. After several studies exploring different color palettes and watercolor styles, I did this final painting in a limited 4-color palette, and the owner loved it!
Done en plein air at Los Altos Heritage Apricot Orchard on a warm spring day, I enjoyed the looseness of this gestural painting where just enough was conveyed yet everything is clearly understood.
Done en plein air at Los Altos Heritage Apricot Orchard on a warm spring day, I enjoyed leaving the whites of the paper for the bright blossoms.
Done en plein air at Los Altos Heritage Apricot Orchard on a warm spring day,
I find I am drawn to watermarks that add unexpected charm to my paintings.
I happened on these roses through my bedroom window, and was struck by the color temperature variation on the petals that told me where the sun was hitting the translucent petals and where some petals were in shadow.
I love playing with white and dark shapes in a simple still life with limited color.
I delight in doing these small value studies and am always suprised by how the adjacencies of darks and lights still tell the viewer what the study is about.
I did this en plein air at Allied Arts, Menlo Park, paying attention to color temperature and complementary colors.
A black and white value study of the Orchids painting on the right.
Just two colors, and what a harmonious palette and astonishing number of colors emerge.