Orange Dinghy

In an effort to do something rather than nothing I have lately been painting small 4" x 4" watercolors. They're small enough that I can complete them fairly quickly... usually when the kids are in bed. I'm not sure what it is that I like so much about painting small boats... maybe it's the water and how it reflects colors yet has depth and color of its own. Or maybe I like the peaceful, relaxing feelings of serenity that it invokes when you look at a small boat on calm water. I hope it encourages a sense of nostalgia- helping you remember those moments in your life when you had little to worry about. I like the vibrant orange color in this painting. I used ink to give it more of a sketchy, textured and spontaneous feel to it.

I've been talking with a friend about how to make prints of my work. I think this will be one that I print. Then I'll sell it on etsy :)

Negative Space Watercolor

Negative space is a very cool technique in art. The concept is simple: one simply paints or draws the area around and between the main subject. It's often taught as a drawing exercise to get the artist to focus on what they're really seeing instead of what they remember or what their mind is interpreting. But it can be a way to emphasize the subject without ever painting it.

I found this really cool negative space watercolor by Kat Martin (a.k.a. "weighanchor"). She recently started selling some of her art on weighanchor.etsy.com. And she's from Seattle! What a coincidence! Seattle is such a cool town if I do say so myself :)

I'm going to have to do some negative space watercolors soon and post them here!

An Anniverary Gift

Sometimes it's really hard to find a gift for that someone special. Most men want to find something that is useful and practical. I knew a guy who once gave his wife car tires for a holiday present. Bad Idea! While it was useful and practical, it was not something that any wife would like to receive. That gift scores a negative number on the romance scale! A good gift not only is useful and practical but it says, "You're special. You mean a lot to me!" Jewelry is always a good gift that sends a special message, but sometimes it's not financially practical. That's where hand made jewelry from etsy.com comes into play. Not only does it meet that criteria, but because it's hand made, it's unique and more personal. Jewelry on Etsy is not the jewelry that was made in mass quantities and that you can pick up at any department store! Plus it supports local, individual artists. Who can beat that?

I just bought my wife this necklace for our anniversary. It was designed and made by a local Seattle artist by the name of Keri D’Angelo. It was so cool to be able to reach out to the artist directly and purchase this special gift for my wife. Since I was running a bit short on time, I was able to make the purchase online, and then meet the artist personally to pick up the gift. Check out Keri's work at kdangelo.etsy.com

Kevin Winzeler

Kevin Winzeler is an AMAZING photographer! And I am honored to know him personally. What a great guy! He recently did a photo shoot with a Major League Soccer team. You can feel the intensity in this shot. The high contrast lighting, highlights off the sweat, and the dagger-like stare of the professional athlete are just a few of the aspects that make this shot perfect. Check out more of his work at kevinwinzeler.com.

Kevin does a lot of nature and sport photography. Each year he releases a popular calendar including some of his best shots which are great annual gifts! You should plan on it! Maybe I can persuade him to be a guest blogger. We'll see :)

Charmagne Coe: "Give them my names"

One day while surfing the web, I stumbled across the work of Charmagne Coe and it stopped me in my tracks. Since then, I've been admiring from-afar. She is an artist from Arizona and specializes in Watercolors with Ink and Pastels. I love the organic flow to her work, the bold colors and the expressive inking. It's inspiring. Sometimes I find that watercolor artists don't use enough pigment in their art and the result is more "water" than "color". Not Charmagne. Her work is vibrant and bold. Check out more of her work at charmagnecoe.com