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Sunlit Reverie – Painting of the Week
Breaking Up Shapes
One would think, of all the petals that form a flower, there would be enough shapes to look at. In Sunlit Reverie, an irregular grid breaks though the various flowers multiplying the petal shapes and exploring more changes of color in the Sunflowers. By letting the watercolor do what it does best, the transparent layers and soft edges create a sense of light that feels almost as important as the flower itself. This variety was extended by adding opaque gouache as well.
Breaking up subject matter works well when painting larger shapes too. The decision about where you want things to rest and where you want them to activate is important. In this painting, see how there are groups of similar values- like the darker leaves which are also gridded. Slight transitions quiet activity and keeps the shapes descriptive. That provides an expressive, painterly quality inviting viewers to discover new shapes and colors the longer they look.
Sunlit Reverie will be on display at the Art Advocates Show at West Acres Mall, August 29th– October 5th. It has a beautiful frame that I modified for the painting.