8/12/08

DANCING WITH PAINT

This is my second painting of Day One from our Carol Carter workshop. She said to paint what we love (so true always,) and I seem to lean toward nature a lot.

These three trees were supposed to have shadows filtering toward the viewer, but just before I was ready to put the shadows in, I noticed that the unpainted shadow areas looked like white skirts on female trees. I don't know what music they're dancing to, but they seem to have lost their heads. These paintings are great exercises to teach us how to let the water and paint do the work.

"STRUTTING OUR STUFF" transparent Watercolor on 140CP Arches 14 x 11"

6 comments:

Nava said...

I can see the dancing figures. This style has an almost eerie edge to it - which is quite unique!

I wonder how I'd survive a workshop where neutral colors are not allowed...

Myrna Wacknov once challenged me to do a painting with no grays (she said "think that you have to get the class' permission to create grays!"), and though I managed to do it mostly, and it turned out to be a gorgeous painting, it took months of therapy to get over the shock. Just writing about it gives me cold sweat... ;-)

Vicki Greene said...

Thank you for sharing some of your exercises with us from this wonderful workshop. I really like your trees.

Dawn said...

My favorite part is the part of the trunks that you cut out. very cool!

RH Carpenter said...

Sandy, I know you aren't crazy about this painting but it is really lovely and lively and creative and - well, I really like it!

Ann Buckner said...

What I like Sandy, is that it is the same trees in different moods. Love the way you left the background become part of the trees and can see why they are 'strutting their stuff.'

Billie Crain said...

I think you were absolutely right in leaving the shadows out on this one, Sandy. I can see three feminine torsos/thighs with arms upraised. Very exciting and intriguing painting!