“Loose flowers - watercolor on paper - approx 7″ x 11″

This was yesterday’s study in our watercolor class. The objective was to paint the still life arrangement using a split complement color scheme. I did … using a red violet, a red orange and green. But the only mixable background color ended up being brown … Not exactly what I had in mind, so when I got it home I glazed it with blue. Next time, I’ll pick other colors to experiment with and maybe save the green red split complement for a landscape where brown would be a welcome consequence.

Now, I have to confess the flowers were some wispy looking orange bougainvilleas, but we were encouraged to paint shapes, not the individual blossoms, so mine ended up looking more like roses. And … there wasn’t another fallen blossom at the base of the glass vase. I threw that in because I thought it needed something for balance. And when I got it home, I cropped it (in the computer) and like it better than seeing the whole thing. I like the suggestion that there is more than just what we see.

Inspiring Quote of the Day:
” The struggle is not to be a great artist. It is to be a great student.” - Robert Henri

I read someone’s email recently in which the person sounded a little apologetic for being a beginner. How I wish I could change that person’s mind about that belief. Being a beginner is a wonderful thing because it means we’re still open to change, learning, growth and new discoveries. There’s no shame in being a beginner, and we are all beginners at something. My teacher is a master watercolorist but a real beginner at computers. Our veterinarian is an incredibly skilled doctor but a beginner at welding. My father was a master welder but a beginner at metal sculpting. I know superb sculptors who are beginners at oil painting. And outstanding oil painters who are beginners at watercolor. How sad it is to apologize for being a beginner at anything. It’s a good place to be - and may we all continue to be beginners at something as long as we live.