Heading Down River

(C) 2015 Dale DiMauro

This is a watercolor I started in early October which was finished the other day. I had the good fortune of paddling with a group of outdoor enthusiasts, in September, from the Brattleboro Outing Club, on one of the most beautiful days of the year. The humidity of Summer was gone, the colors were vivid and the water was sparkling. 

I was struck by the quality of the reflections projecting from our colorful kayaks and the mesmerizing patterns of the moving water. I have painted scenes of placid water before with some skill, but had yet to tackle dark, moving currents. The vertical format seems to strengthen the movement and clarify the colors. 

Friends have told me this is my best watercolor to date. They like both the composition and the way I went about painting the watercolor. I personally, like how the trees and vegetation above the paddler were handled. I am considering entering this picture into an American Watercolor Society competition.