Mangosteens

This studio piece started with a photograph of a beautiful, white porcelain vase with intricate blue patterns and a table full of juicy mangosteens. These individual elements are perfect subjects for an intimate visual conversation.

I selected three very interesting colors for this very playful and intuitive painting process:

• Green Apatite Genuine for its highly granulating and organic texture – watch how the paint morphs into an alchemy of olive green, brown and black bits.
• Lunar Blue is a dual-pigment color that can split and separate in vibrant, dimensional tones.
• Rose of Ultramarine is also dual-pigment

Instead of mixing on my palette, I chose to mix individual colors directly on the paper. This method requires patience so as not to over-agitate the colors. Watch the paints push and pull against each other. I do recommend allowing the paints to dry slowly (instead of using a hair dryer) to allow for the natural sedimentation of various pigments.

Pears & Persimmons

I found some oddly shaped pears in the kitchen, and they paired really well with the deep orange persimmons I bought from the supermarket. Perfect subjects for a small still life painting. The kitchen is always a source of inspiration and offers endless possibilities.

For this painting, I worked without any initial drawing to keep the process spontaneous and keep myself in suspense. I like responding to the movement of paint and water on paper. Blending watercolors directly on paper allows each individual color to push and pull against each other, very much like two partners on the dance floor. This can help create very interesting textures and also preserve the vibrancy of individual colors. As the washes are drying, I switch to drawing tools to interrupt and manipulate the surface. I slowly add new lines to define and extend the colored shapes.