Sunset Lace

"Sunset Lace"
2.5" x 6"
Watercolor on Yupo

The sky had been turbid as the sun nestled into the bosom of the Plains that evening. Then, either my contacts needed to be changed, or something else was going on. A pattern of lace veiled the horizon, just as the yellow orb disappeared. 

Here's another watercolor that I impressed with a plastic lace — with the intention of making a sunset.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
Carolkeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Hawked

"Hawked"
6" x 6"
Watercolor on Yupo

Feathers were fluttering from the pine tree in my courtyard the other day. When I looked up at the source, nondescript bird parts were lodged in the spiny needles overhead. The wind distributed them onto my sidewalk according to weight and size. Now all that's left up in that tree, after a couple of days of gravity and wind are downy tufts.  I've seen a hawk swooping in my neighborhood in suburban Chicago, so I suspect he dropped the unsuitable plumage where he thought it would do the most good — at the feet of an artist.  

Yup, it's on Yupo.  And They were FUN to paint.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Trio

"Trio"
6" x 8"
Watercolor and Ink on Yupo

The title "Trio" refers to three colors and three applications. My first application was to slather grayed blue over the Yupo and press a plastic lace into it.  I let it dry and then stenciled the acanthus swirls in analogous, yet the remaining complementary colors. After it was all dry, I used a waterproof pen to squiggle and dot in the shadows. 

I had so many ideas of what to paint on or around the blue pattern, but the swirling acanthus won… this time.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Zowie

"Zowie"
6" x 6"
Watercolor on paper

This piece is made almost entirely of watercolor sticks and watercolor markers. The pines are markers. I held the sticks like my hard pastels and allowed my hand to do the squiggle like I do with pastels. Then I took a brush of clear water and wet the highly pigmented squiggles to drag color over the entire page. I may do more of these, but I need to control the intensity — just a bit!  Ya think?

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net 
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Welcome

"Welcome"
6" x 12"
Watercolor on Yupo

The wide, red pathway maundered between an opening in a fence… not quite a gate, but welcoming, nonetheless. Come see what's beyond, it beckoned.  

I shall, once I get there to see it with my own eyes. This is from a photo I found. I'm trying to match colors to see if I'm taking the right palette with me. Space is limited! I will be responsible to carry everything myself… no man will be with me to help. Alas, I'll manage. Giggle.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Hopes and Dreams

"Hopes and Dreams"
6" x 9"
Watercolor on Yupo

In preparation for my visit to Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, I'll be doing a series of landscape sketches to capture the essence of the sky, rocks and vegetation. I'm unaccustomed to the shapes and colors of the subject matter, so I need to figure it all out. 

Put it down, let it puddle or play with it. It doesn't seem to matter. I can move paint around for the day if I want to with this "paper." It's fun to play, but I need to think about the economy of strokes and time spent on a … sketch.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Daillypainters.com

Impression-Scape

"Impression-Scape"
5" x 12"
Watercolor on Yupo 

The simple landscape was appealing yet intimidating as I taped the "paper" to my drawing board.  No easel here… gravity has her way with this material, more than ever before. 

The purpose of this painting was to see if I could do the natural progression; to paint something else I've done before, just not on this ground. I like the Impressionistic strokes that occur easily. I'll be doing more of these.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net 
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com