Finished Peppers !

The watercolor painting of Peppers is finally finished !  I built up the vibrancy of the colors using lots of washes, allowing them to dry between applications, some dry brush work, and added the lavender checked cloth that was under the basket.  This was the dazzling image that inspired me to start painting the Farmer’s Market series.  My plan is to keep going with the next painting of some gorgeous lettuces of different greens, reds and purples arranged artfully in their container to look like budding flowers.  Or maybe I’ll do the eggplants ….

Peppers

Farmer’s Market Peppers – Stage 2

I always like a painting when I first put paint down, feel into the shapes, shadows and highlights, but the challenge is to continue to like it as it progresses.  There is usually always a point where I get frustrated with what’s happening and don’t know exactly how to proceed to turn it around.   I’ve learned to breathe and step back to study the work …. I look at the painting while I’m talking on the phone, reading the paper, watching TV.  I also find that getting away from it for a while – going for a walk, doing errands, etc – allows me to come back and see it with fresh eyes.  Inevitably, I’m able to see a new way to work through the issue and move through the rough spot.  After painting for over 25 years, I know this will happen and trust that it usually resolves itself if I just continue working the process.

PEPPERS

The challenge with PEPPERS is to create the shiny wax-like texture of the peppers, allowing some to recede using cool tones in their shadows while others, or portions of others, become warmer bringing them to the top of the pile.  Maintaining the high reflections of light helps to give them form and I’m also working on putting in the reflections of colors I see in peppers sitting next to each other.   At this point, I’m still not sure whether to paint in the rim of the basket and checked tablecloth that was underneath.  Time to go for a walk !

Farmer’s Market Series

A few weeks ago at the Durham Farmer’s Market almost every booth had several containers of peppers of all colors, shapes, and sizes. I was drawn to the bright and clear colors of the peppers, but began noticing other beautiful patterns of fruits and vegetables on display. I love to cook, usually creating meals based on colors, textures as well as taste, and the market has been a highlight of living in North Carolina. It’s always exciting to discover what delicious, mostly organically grown items are for sale each week.

“They” say you should only paint what inspires you (and what you know), so I decided to start a series of paintings based on the Farmer’s Market visuals that draw me. Because of all that’s gone on in my life over the past five years – numerous moves for myself and parents, dealing with ailing parents and parental deaths – painting has been haphazard and inspiration fleeting or non-existant at best.

So here’s my start on Peppers.

PEPPERS watercolor

As you can see, I’ve done a light,  not too detailed drawing, and  I’m beginning to lay in color washes.  This process starts to give me a sense of how the viewer’s eye will move around the painting. The peppers were in a basket and I’m not sure whether  I’ll use the basket in my painting,  but have drawn in a hint of it at the bottom just in case.   Say tuned  – more painting stages to come !

Motivation

Trying to get motivated to paint ! Our home just went on the market last week and I’ve been distracted by all the necessities to get it ready to show. Have some great photos I took at the local Farmer’s Market a few weeks back, stretched a new piece of watercolor paper so am already to go. Just need a day to myself with no “have-to-dos” …. the good ol’ days, seems like a real luxury now ! But I WILL paint and hopefully, post some new paintings in a few weeks. Onward >>>