Speak to me about art -- but keep it real!

Surrounded by flowers

Black marker and watercolour

on watercolour paper

(work in process)

9 x 12 inches

Barbara Muir © 2015

 I was going to call tonight's blog -- "Don't shoot
me red." Why?  I am a bit tired of the idea that the
paint dictates what we do on the canvas or paper.
Really.  Maybe that's why a red ground appeals
to me so much -- because I have a big jar of it and
it begs to play.  (Note: I'm talking about an unfinished
painting I'm not showing you here -- yet.)

I don't think so.  I think I decide -- Huh maybe some
red, and then maybe I fall in love, and get seduced
by it, and spend the rest of the painting trying to
decide -- should red get to show here, or not.  But I
think I decide.  Perhaps I'm crazy.

Now take someone like David Lobenberg.  He keeps
it real.  He's a great painter, but he's not all up his own
inflated ego explaining his oeuvre.  No he's trying to
teach you how to catch on to his magic (without
ever calling it that.) 

Tonight I tried a "California vibe" style watercolour
of a beautiful girl who visited the other day and far
outshone the spring flowers.  Limited to a very
smooth paper -- (in watercolour the paper definitely
should make some of the decisions, and smooth is
not ideal), I tried colours I would never use without
watching David paint on one of his DVDs.

He may be embarrassed to hear I named him as
inspiration for trying this out.  But I had fun -- and
ultimately that is what it's all about.

Have a having-fun-painting day.