Study Values, Choosing Wisely and Being Present

The view from my hotel window in Assisi was so wonderful. This image is cropped so that I could see more of the texture in this watercolour, mono-print. If any of my artist friends want to "play" then here are the steps to creating mono-prints:

• Begin by purchasing several pieces of CLEAR (not frosted) plexi-glass plastic.
• Bevel (you can purchase a bevel for under $20-) or you can sand the edges of the plexi-glass, doing this, gives an interest to the border of your finished art work. (Optional)
• Wash the plexi-glass and gently polish with comet cleanser. Rinse well.
• Coat the entire surface with a diluted gum arabic solution. 60 water, 40 gum arabic. Let plexi dry overnight.
• Place plexiglass over a sketch, a finished pece of art or a photograph.
• Now you will see through the plexi-glass at your image. 
• As you paint directly onto the plastic surface, add small amounts of gum arabic to your water based paint as this will give the colour more texture and retard drying time.
• When finished, place a piece of hot press paper or special print paper over the piece of plastic, plexiglass.
• Burnish the entire surface (I use a wooden spoon)
• Peel off the paper.
• Enjoy your beautiful, watercolour mono-print!

When I did this watercolour of a vase of flowers, I focused on keeping the colours of each rectangle, the same value. I appreciate the movement in this composition.

The landscape above is of the Assisi valley. I was in a 14TH Century convent during the summer of 2007. The former convent is now an elementary school. A small group of painters (me among them) were able to rent spaces in the buiding. The views were so amazing.

Close to Assisi, another mountain top town in Umbria called Spello. The Villa Fedelia was a perfect place to paint.

A song in my heart

I woke up at 5AM today. I've been cleaning my studio and organising my art supplies. I prepared a small and inconspicuous, travel-size art kit. I am going to the J. Paul Getty Villa in Malibu this morning. I'm sure many of you are familiar with the main entrance of the Getty Villa on Pacific Coast Highway. My plan is to sit on one of the bench's along the pool. I'll be painting,

 small (postcard) size watercolours. (to be posted tomorrow)

Warm wishes,

Faern

A song for my Italian friends...

Voglio restare così,
magari fino in fondo.
Il mondo attorno ormai
non mi interessa più.
Mi basta averti qui
e stringerti così.

Mi basta un gesto tuo,
un sorriso,
una parola,
e un attimo così
vale un’eternità.
Accendi un fuoco e poi
restiamo soli!
Noi.

Voglio restare così,
magari fino in fondo.
Il mondo attorno ormai
non mi interessa più.
Mi basta averti qui
e stringerti così.

Mi basta averti qui
e stringerti così.

WE ARE ALL CHILDREN

The most radical thing we can do in this world is be joyful.

Patch Adams

Sometimes we need to stretch our imagination to get free. My inner-child loves elephants. I created a teapot-mother elephant with her babies. I used  condensed water-colours and painted on clayboard.

Have fun and be well!

Faern

Completion

My watercolour and graphite drawing is now complete and so is the Zen still life above.

Good Night

LOST AND FOUND

In this world of change,

nothing which comes stays,

and nothing which goes is lost.

       Annie Sophie Swetchine

My greatest joy these days is to express myself. Express what I've held deep inside. I am learning the value of being present. When I am present my expression is free and child-like. I feel no restrictions, constrictions and cannot hear myself editing or judging myself as I express freely and openly.

For many years, actually for most of my life, I have attempted to express by first thinking, what does this person want me to say. It's an approval technique that I learned as a child. My new and more authentic expression comes bubbling up from my deep well of  the hard earned wisdom of living and enduring life.

It is because of my new openness that my paintings have taken on a freshness, a vitality and a strength that says here I am and what are you going to do about it? I feel the alignment of being able to ask for what I want even though I don't always get what I want, I am still able to express myself. My former tendency of witholding how I feel, stuffing hurt feelings, made the many challenges of life, even more painful. Expression has revealed my integrity, the stuff that I am made of  such as caring, compassion, sharing , touching and kindness. This is the real part of me and the pretending that I am okay by presenting a facade to the world is the illusion of my false self.

My goal today is to have a KIND-MIND!

Faern

Wet on wet

The flower above, is painted on hot press paper and I enjoyed how easy it is to pick out the lights with a flat and slightly moist brush. Also easy to blend colours,
Whereas with the watercolour  of apples in a glass bowl (above) because of using heavy, 300 lb. Arches paper, I used 2 glossy peices of paper and a sea sponge to pull up the white highlights in the bowl of apples.

Fun morning, applying wet on wet glazes and blending opposite colours for shadows. I also had a great time with spattering (in a subtle but effective way).

Transparent Water colours

My beautiful selection of transparent water colours.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

Don Juan: "To seek freedom is the only driving force I know. Freedom to fly off into that infinity out there. Freedom to dissolve; to lift off; to be like the flame of the candle, which, in spite of being up against the light of a billion stars, remains intact, because it never pretended to be more than what it is: a mere candle."

Carlos Castaneda

Love and Light,

Faern

Observing My Visual Field

1. Villa Oliva, Lucca Italy- An enchanting place to paint and please check out the guest cottage!

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2. Another Villa in Spello (Umbria) Peaceful place to paint and learn about ancient history.
3. An old olive grove in the mountains above Lucca. Fresh country air, great Italian LIGHT!
Painted while standing on the medieval wall that is 2 miles long and surrounds the city.

I sell boxed sets of  fine art cards. If interested please leave a comment on my blog!

I am working on two watercolors today and enjoying my choice of colors. I love mixing rose madder with auroulian yellow and then glazing a very pale alizarin crimson over the entire area when dry.

Love and LIGHT,

Faern