Saturday, February 6, 2010

Watercolour World

When I was a young teen, I used to dabble with art – mostly charcoal pencils or oil pastels. Primarily I copied pictures I liked or tried my hand at exercises in the “Learn to Draw” books my aunt gave me for Christmas. But my talent was meagre, and insensitive art teachers in junior high soon persuaded me to pursue other interests.

I don’t think I ever tried watercolour, yet I am constantly drawn to watercolour originals and prints in art galleries and stores. It seems to me the most magical of art, that which captures nature most realistically, most perfectly in all its hues and subtleties.

There is not a morning sunrise that I do not long to paint – would that I could! There is something mystical in soft greys and blues of water and sky, ever changing as the sun climbs out of bed and stretches its rays. Magic happens as those rays, feeble at first then stronger, embrace the world and change red and pink to gold and yellow before flooding the bay with the full light of day. I wish that I was gifted enough to capture such beauty and splash it across my livingroom wall to brighten a gloomy day or calm a chaotic mind.

Here, from my sunrise walk with Oliver today, is the magic that paints my watercolour world:
















5 comments:

EvenSong said...

Lovely! I especially like the fifth and eighth ones, with the wharf(?) silhouetted against the water. (Does it have no connection to dry ground?)

Sheryl said...

That's what retirement is for.....trying things you've been told you "can't" do.

I think you should give watercolour painting a try. It's the colours, after all, that are the most beautiful, so paint in abstract if you want to.

If your painting is half as good as your photos, they'll be amazing!

Black Jack's Carol said...

HI Jean,
Interesting post with wonderful pictures and insight into what makes you tick. I totally agree with Sheryl that you should consider either taking a course, or just playing with watercolours on your own, perhaps with the help of a "how to" book. As for my favourites in this post, I love numbers 1, 5&8 (like EvenSong), and the last. I seem to be attracted to skies with lots of variation in cloud patterns.

Anonymous said...

I feel exactly the same about watercolours and always have. I think you should attempt it.........those would be wonderful shots to copy.
Bev

Jean said...

Evensong, at low tide it is connected to dry land by a gravel berm; but at high tide the berm is covered with water. I often wonder how many visitors to the nearby RV park find themselves seperated from their boats when they are about to go out fishing!

Sheryl, Bev and Carol - I need more hours in the day, days in the week, to take up a new hobby. But if a set of waterpaints happens to pop into my life (I'm a thrift store addict), I'll take it as a sign I should give water colour painting a try.