Shimmering Woods by Ellen Jean Diederich
Mixed Media
Last fall when I returned from my visit to Master Artist Jerry Smith’s Studio- Crawfordsville, Indiana, courtesy of an Art Partnership grant, I pulled off the interstate to take pictures. Turning my car around to get the opposite view of a farmstead, this magnificent Maple tree appeared my side view mirror. It was a Wow! Just seeing it that day, having my camera and the time to stop was truly a gift from God.
Jerry told me how he uses whatever media a painting needs to make it work. It was a much needed message for me. Still this painting was stuck in my closet for over a year as a pure watercolor. This fall, I used a watercolor pencil grid to guide me through this complicated space and added Metallic Watercolor and Gouache which made the piece sparkle. The proportions of orange and blue in “Shimmering Woods” are significant to its success. This original is very fun to see in person.