Brush Storage

                                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

Recently, when I completed my income taxes for 2020 it seemed like a good time to better organize my studio space. So, naturally I started thinning things out. In addition, it was a high priority to clear surfaces off so I can lay out paintings and watercolor blocks which would not hinder my creativity.

One thing lead to another. Soon I started entertaining the idea of storing my watercolor brushes differently. From my experience it is good to store your brushes flat so the bristles dry with a good point.

The issue became what to do with my large brushes which do not fit in most storage sleeves. Also, I was trying to get away from having brushes in contact with other ones. I am pleased to report this brush wrap was found at my local art store by chance. It has wide brush pockets and lays flat to my liking. Another benefit it that I am less likely to knock brushes off my desk which has happened on occasion.

Perhaps this is more information than you would want to hear about. However, I like this new approach to navigating my workspace. It gives me a fresh new perspective as I move forward.

Abstract Landscape

                                                                                (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Watercolor is such a diverse medium. An artist is restrained only by their own limitations. There are unlimited ways of marking the paper or cropping a subject matter.

This sketchbook painting is the result of color mixtures new to me. It is a great opportunity to watch color bleeding into each other and observe what the pigment does. The use of warm pigments along cool ones, seem to be key.

For a change, it is satisfying to not apply paint to the whole sheet. As the paper begins to dry it is exciting to drop in richer pigment which gives greater depth and character to your landscape. Is that a reflection in the foreground or a massing of vegetation along the river bend?

Change of Season

                                                                            (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

This is a new watercolor I started a few weeks ago. I still am not convinced winter is truly over. In fact, tonight's temperatures in southern Vermont are expected to approach the upper twenties and snow is falling on the hills above us. Just when you think it's okay to put away the snow shovel, the daffodils disappear beneath the white.

I am inspired by the snow depicted in this scene and that blue sky. To me, light projecting across the winter landscape is special. Warmth in the chill.

Down by the River

                                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Recently, I have been filling up a spiral bound watercolor book with color combinations. As I mix pigments and progress through the book I began turning them into landscapes.

I realize there is so much more of my palette that I am not utilizing. It is a real learning process. I think of it as expanding my vocabulary, something a writer could relate to.

The first wash you put down in watercolor can set such a dramatic mood for your painting. It can really change your outlook. Also, it makes you consider how you want to proceed with your painting. I find this exercise really important for when I am painting down the road.

 

Winter Transformed into Summer

                                                                                    (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro

This watercolor sheet had a life of it's own before it became the image you see. Sometimes the most creative pursuits happen on the spot without thorough deliberations. 

A year or so ago I did a portrait on the back of a black woman. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I was searching for a paper to quickly put pigment on. The darker value left of center was where I tried out some washes with a clump of grasses at the top. 

This image sat in my mind for several days partly because I loved the juicy quality of the washes. Before long I began to develop this image as part of a larger landscape. 

This is what I ended up with. Not bad since I really didn't have anything to begin with. No reference photographs to rely on. Or perhaps I was envisioning a summer scene after that dreaded winter which has ended so suddenly.

Brattleboro Retreat Ice Pond

                                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

Saturday was a glorious day here in southern Vermont. I took the opportunity to paint my first plein air painting of the season. 

The ice pond on the Brattleboro Retreat trails I find to be one of the most appealing spots to pull over and take in some of the natural world. I set myself and painting equipment on the concrete wall so I could get a better vantage point and stay dry. As I painted the number of fish swimming below me was unbelievable.

I painted this picture in an hour as I had an appointment to have my winter tires removed. Other than wishing I had more time I am pleased with the overall watercolor.

Off Shore

                                                                                      (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

It is amazing what you can do with two pigments. On Easter morning I painted a bunch of color studies blending two pigments and this is one of them.

The pigments I used here are viridian and raw sienna. By varying the proportions of the colors, the values for the sky, vegetation and water all are clearly defined. In addition, if you don't overwork the painting, the marks left by the pigments on the paper can be quite interesting.

This watercolor reminds me, to some degree, of the old British watercolors you see in museum catalogs. They used such muted colors with such a range of grays which can be quite lovely on their own.

A SELECTION OF WATERCOLORS FROM THE WINTER.........

                                                                          (C) 2021 Dale DiMauro
 

It is important to step back from a painting you are working on to see it from a distance. Likewise, it is important to view some of your work as a collective effort so you can get a broader perspective.

During these challenging and isolating times I find it necessary to notice the progress you are making and which pigments I may be favoring over others on my palette. In another words, what direction am I heading towards.

Earlier today while acknowledging it is Easter Sunday, I painted some simple color swatches. For some time I have been seeking mixes of rich, lively browns to use in my watercolors. At this time of year many of the local rivers have rising water levels which stirs up the stuff on the bottom. This stuff on the river bottom is often a variation of browns. Also, I admire the way John Singer Sargent used browns in his paintings.