BUTTERFLIES & ROSES
Watercolor Collage - 15x22
Creativity is a deeply layered process both figuratively and literally. We are always pulling from our artistic experiences, our life and our emotions along with a sense of spontaneity and improvisation, especially with watercolor. I am always telling my students that the 'happy accidents' that occur while they are trying to control the paint can lead to new and exciting colors, shapes and compositions that they would otherwise never have found. Learning to trust the discovery process as we weave together all of the artistic techniques available to us is when we truly begin to enjoy the creative journey more than the final product.
When I began painting BUTTERFLIES & ROSES I applied the paint to wet paper using strong colors and bold shapes, painting around the flowers that I had lightly sketched in. I collaged pieces of very thin rice paper in the background to add texture and a path of darks to guide the eye through the composition. Combining watercolor with collage provides opportunities to be spontaneous and controlled at the same time which adds to the fun of the whole painting experience.
