"On The Edge"
Watercolor and Collage on Paper
20" x 32"
In February, I took an amazing workshop from very famous watermedia artist John Salmanin. John is both a great urban landscape painter and a fabulous abstract artist. I missed taking urban landscapes from him, but managed to enroll in Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society's abstract workshop featuring John. I really believed myself incapable of doing abstract art, but he proved me wrong. He is a wonderful instructor and his wife teams with him. In their workshops, everyone has equal access to the instructor and assistance.
He had us sketch four individual random objects, then we drew the objects onto a full sheet of watercolor paper, overlaying them upon each other. We removed some lines to create pleasing shapes in mama, poppa, baby sizes, while maintaining a path of unpainted white that is not cutoff at any point--a mouse could run through it. We spent the entire week painting and reviewed our progress each day in an individual session with John.
Along the way he taught us some favorite techniques: taping a shape, removing the paint, and repainting if we desired; using the Pat Dews atomizer to add shading to some areas; and adding bits of collage. Because I do collage, that part was especially pleasing to me. We were artists at various points in our journey, and he made sure that everyone was successful.
I was pleasantly surprised to have John tell me in a private conversation at the end of the class that I am a very good artist and to keep going.
6 comments:
John is right - you are a very good artist. This turned out great! (This is Candy commenting. I'm somehow signed into my husband's account:))
Cute little oops, Candy. Thanks for your kind comment!
Hi Mary,
Have you done any more abstracts? I do agree with Mr. Salminen that you are a good artist! I particularly like how you've grown into the world of collage! Thanks for sharing!
Peggy, I have and I will be putting a few more on my blog. I think my love of shape is evident an sbstracts are a natural progression. Thanks for following.
Mary, You excel in so many ways in your art ventures. Not only do you try but you seem to do so well ... in all mediums, ... Yes, you are a true artist.
BTW after 3 years of admiring collage work by others (you were my first inspiration) I've finally made my first attempt in the style/technique of Derek Gores.
Since he has a gallery/studio right here in Florida, I'm looking for him to have a workshop close by that I can attend.
hugs,
Barbra Joan, more travel so I am tardy in publishing your comment. Thanks so much for visiting and commenting. I am delighted to hear that you are venturing into collage. I visited Derek's gallery in Melbourne a few years back. He gives an excellent workshop. If he has nothing posted online, he is really good ab out responding to emails. You could mention my name. I think he will remember me because I took two workshops here in California and also hosted him for dinner each time. He is a terrific artist.
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