Friday, November 29, 2013

Resist Temptation

Thanksgiving Day 2013, 7 x 5"
oil pastel/watercolor
We are in the holiday season and there are a lot of temptations. It is the season to give in to those temptations. I'm giving in to the temptation of resist: where a medium is used that repels another medium that is laid over. My dominant mix of media are watercolor and pastel. I've been intrigued by oil pastel and its added quality of resisting water based media. I thought it would be fun to make a watercolor/oil pastel painting, starting with the oil pastel. This scene, with a canopy of pear tree leaves worked well, because I could use the oil pastel to create the spaces where light shines through. It was also useful in rendering the light layer of snow on the grass and on the hedge. The leaves were then created by rich layers of watercolor. The most striking thing about this setting was the intense color of the leaves: red and green with highlights of golden ochre. After a good bit of paint had been put down, I went for a walk to let things dry. When I came back, I added more layers and finished detailing with watercolor. Since I can, I added oil pastel on top. This made for a nice little painting finished in an afternoon.  Thanksgiving Day 2013 will be for sale at MS Rezny Studio/Gallery for Holiday Revels, and it can be found in the drawers at the back of the gallery. If you buy the work during Holiday Revels 40% of the price will go to Hospice of the Bluegrass and their art fund. You can buy gifts of art and help an important local institution at the same time!

Holiday Revels
MS Rezny Studio/Gallery
903 Manchester Street, Distillery District
Thursday, December 5th
4 - 7 pm
40% of purchase price will go to
Hospice of the Bluegrass fund for art