My first watercolors

4 x 4 1/2 in (10.2 x 11.4 cm)


After moving to a new apartment this summer and finding that I have a much smaller space to work in than at Swarthmore (my tiny cubicle in Beardsley seems huge in comparison to my new space), I spent a long time struggling with my art making environs. I felt confined and restricted to working at my desk, sitting down, as opposed to on an easel with room to walk around and pace back and forth. This translated to a reluctance to paint, which was rather disheartening. I found that while I wanted to paint, I ended up frustrated that I couldn't paint the way I wanted to. The current solution I have found is my new watercolor set. I have never used watercolors before, so this is an experiment, and it is sort of like I am learning how to paint all over from the very beginning. They are much quieter, and offer a more tranquil, desktop-appropriate alternative, which I am thoroughly enjoying. Watercolors have a very different feel than oils, and it is very fun to explore the properties of the paint. I have not given up oil completely, and I hope to combine the two in the same piece soon.

3 1/4 x 4 1/2 in (8.3 x 11.4 cm)

These 2 watercolors stem from the oil paintings below, which originally came from a few Bonnard paintings. I do not intend for the final product to necessarily look like a copy of its source image, but as a way to explore and push the various shapes and colors in space. Shapes will get expanded or shrunk, rotated, colors get darker or brighter, and different compositions will become melded together into one.