Brushes with the Landscape

Pen and Ink - Breakers Two I'm not sure what started me on this particular exploration of pen and ink but I do find it quite enjoyable.  I work in a variety of media: Watercolor, Charcoal, Acrylic, Oil, Pencil, and most recently Gouache, and Mixed Media experiments.  I'll write more about the differnt media in subsequent posts. I do find that the different mediums I work with all inform one another.  For instance, I find working in pen and ink makes me think further about composition and design as the medium is so direct and unforgiving.  I know that I've barely scratched the surface of Pen and Ink. I enjoy studying the many moods of the ocean.  The power of the waves.  The color and the shapes in the rock and in the surf, the reflections of the sun and moon, the mist, sea fog and foam, and , the movement of the waves create constantly shifting and new fascinations to me.  This is all purely the visual and doesn't even take into account the impact of the

These paintings are quick and simple experiments utilizing watercolor on tracing paper.  I occasionally paint on tracing paper as a quick way to get down some ideas for paintings.  This has always been studio work for me.   To say that tracing paper is not meant for watercolor is an understatement.  However, I also find that not considering a painting for display is incredibly freeing.  The subject matter was inspired by Aiden Lassell Ripley. The second painting is simply a view of the reverse side of the paper.  It shows the mirror image of the composition.  This can be done electronically through most photo editing as well, but I like to work with brush on paper. The bottom painting view was a simply accident.  I placed the tracing paper on my easal on top of a previously completed landscape.  This shows how I might combine the compositions into new paintings.  It shows what some different color combinations would look like.  Once again, these effects could be