This is an 8 x 10 oil on board – my first attempt at clouds.  I realized that this is the third painting I’ve done of railroad tracks – must be subconscious because I’m certainly going places this summer.

New Watercolor ‘How To Paint’ Article

Currently, I’m working on a new painting project – demonstrating how to paint snow for Watercolor Artist magazine, December’s issue.  (Of course, I’m using my new paper from St. Cuthbert’s Mill in England – I’ll let you know how I like it.)  I’m doing a new video to go along with it.  The painting will be a snowy alley at dawn, with a snow covered  truck and paper boys on their route. 

 Shows Worth Seeing

I would recommend the Portrait Exhibit at the Brandywine Museum in Chadd’s Ford and the Lancaster Art Association in Strasburg, PA  juried exhibit - many interesting pieces of art.  While I was in New York, I took in the Rockwell Western Museum, which I discovered has nothing to do with Norman Rockwell, (but the National Gallery in Washington has an exhibit of Rockwell’s work that lasts until January, so I’ll get to see that, too.)  Being self-taught, I try to see the best art I can, often.  

I’ve been spending a lot of time immersed in learning about oil painting, trying different things, reading about how to paint and seeing great paintings.  It’s a busy summer.    After I get the video and article done, I will be finishing another snow scene for the upcoming Berk’s Art Alliance juried exhibit in Reading, PA and have a commission to paint my dentist’s horses.   Saturday, July 31st, I’ll be one of two judges for the Lititz Outdoor Art Exhibit - another great local show to visit, and this one has free admission.  Hope to see you there.

Plein Aire Painter – Oil – 8 x 10 $100 Framed

Hold on to your hats – I’m jumping into the oils.  This painter was at Monhegan Island in Maine.

“Debi,
Yes, both paintings are original and what you are doing is completely ethical. For centuries artists have painted the same image either with the same medium or with a different medium. For example, Gilbert Stuart did at least a dozen paintings of George Washington from the original painting he created from life. They are now considered to be among his most valuable portraits, so obviously the copies were well accepted and prized.
Thanks for asking. Steve”

This is “Heading For The Weekend“, a new original (watercolor) figurative painting, size 15 1/2″ x 11 1/2″.

‘Debi Watson’ No More

I recently wrote in my newsletter that I feel ‘Debi’ doesn’t sound like a serious artist.  I asked a gallery owner and he agreed.

After all, Andrew Wyeth wasn’t called Andy.

And initials are even better.  (think N.C. Wyeth)

After getting a lot of feedback from my readers, I decided to go with D. Watson.  It sounds serious, maybe mysterious and possibly male, or who the heck knows?  It turns out many artists use their initials to sign their original paintings, so I’ll be in good company.  I’ll be changing over gradually.

Oils Vs Watercolor Con’t

And I rapidly found out that I don’t have the convenience of cropping oil canvases like I do with my watercolor paintings.  That means I have to do more planning, maybe a watercolor sketch to test my diminsions before I start the oil……..

It’s ironic – for years I while I was learning to paint with watercolors I was told, “No, no, no!  That’s not how you paint with watercolors.” because I do full color realism, not loose and watery paintings.

Along the way, while I was, according to most teachers, doing things ‘wrong’ I gve myself an education on art in general and came to love the mysterious, loose effects you can easily get with watercolors.

Now, after learning how to paint watercolors ‘wrong’, I’m planning to apply those same concepts to my oil paintings.  You can bet they won’t be traditional oil styles, just what I make up as I go along.  Doing it the wrong way is a lot more fun and your work stands out as totally original, which this oil isn’t, but hey, you’ve got to start somewhere.

P.S. Hard Work Does Pay Off

My daughter, Kelly, is a writer and has had an article accepted by Forbes magazine, click here to see her on their web site.  Congrats, Kelly.

This group was at Yellowstone National Park, getting ready for a long day of trail riding.  I tried to minimize the background to put more attention on my subject – different for me.  I’m really tempted to put a tree or a distant mountain in the right corner, but adding things often changes the composition for the worse instead of better.  I used a new color from Cheap Joe’s for the horses – transparent oxide brown.  Image size 12 x 16.  Does it look complete?

This morning I finished Shades of Winter – a half sheet painting that began as a class demonstration.  The scene is an old railway stop on Rt 30 East (of Lancaster.)  I was out early, and the warm sunrise hitting the snow made fog or glare, I’m not sure which, but it sure was dramatic.  Price:  $600 framed, in an 18 x 24 black frame.

I got a letter yesterday - “Congratulations!  Your art has been accepted in Art of the State:  Pennsylvania 2010 at The State Museum June 27 – September 12.  There were only 150 works chosen from 2,076 entries.”

This watercolor painting is a scene from Columbia, PA, coming down from Chickies Rock. 

I painted this because of a remark made by a teacher at a workshop I took.  John Salminen, a very well known artist, had looked at one of my other paintings (a schoolbus) and remarked that I’d made a mistake, I should have made the road equal on both sides of the white line.   He explained that the uneven road in my photo was probably caused by camera distortion.  I snorted.

 “John,” I asked, “have you every been to Pennsylvania?”  It wouldn’t matter where it was, he explained, roads were the same all over the country.  I don’t think he’s been to Pennsylvania - our roads are a bit different.    I’m just going to paint what I see.  If my roads seem uneven, it’s not camera distortion, it’s life as usual, in Pennsylvania.

•  ’Just Passing By’ will be at the Philips Museum of Art at the Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, opening April 30th
• ‘The Race’ is at the Newman Gallery at 1625 Walnut Street in Philadelphia, PA until April 24th.
• ‘Car Show’ is going to Illinois fine arts center The Next Picture Show  May 7 – June 1
• ‘Early Flight’ and ‘Parking in the Back’ are in Middletown NY until March 26
• ‘Art At Rest’ is going to Louisianna, ‘Fry Guy’ went to Missouri, & ‘Bubbles’ is in an online exhibit

While my artwork is traveling, I’ve been home doing yard work and remodeling an upstairs bathroom.  I replaced a tub & surround and laid new flooring in the bath and the hall.   I haven’t gotten much painting done, but will get back to it in April, as soon as I get the tub to stop leaking…

The watercolor painting of the bunny and hydrangeas was sold last year, but I have another bunny painting on the drawing board, this one with old fashioned roses.  I have lots of neighborhood bunnies willing to model for carrots.

Required Reading ~ Original Watercolor Painting ~ Image Size 18 x 18″            Price:  $450 framed

The Berks Art Alliance has an upcoming show titled ‘Fabulous Fakes.’  This watercolor painting is ‘ faking’ childrens illustrations.  Sometimes it’s fun to venture outside your normal artwork.

Sitting In The Shade – The newest watercolor painting in my ‘Fast and Furious’ series of class demonstrations.  The image is 7 1/2 by 10 1/2″.  This shows how to successfully create natural green colors in a painting.  The best time of year for green is, of course, summer, when flowers rule the yard.  This painting is available for sale on eBay – click here to view.

I’ve scheduled many of my Fast and Furious demos on sale with eBay, so you’ll find a selection of sizes and prices and different subjects each week.  With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I’m putting lots of the floral and flower paintings on.

Art At Rest 

This original watercolor painting (of a messy artists studio at the Goggleworks, Reading PA) was accepted into the Louisianna Watercolor Society’s 40th Annual International exhibition and will be going to New Orleans shortly.