PPWS 2018 Members' Show

The Pikes Peak Watercolor Society will be holding a Members’ Show of "miniature" works at the Plaza of the Rockies from March 2 to April 2, 2018.  The venue is a premier downtown office building at 111 S. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903.  They host various exhibitions every month and are very accessible to the public.

I will have two of my 6" x 6" florals in the show.  There will be a First Friday Art Opening, March 2, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM.

 "Blushing Peony" 6" x 6" Watercolor ©Johanna Cellucci

Easter Lily, 6” x 6” watercolor, ©Johanna Cellucci

Blushing Peony

Took a picture of this flower at a newly discovered nursery early this spring. I believed it to be a peony, so I did some research and discovered that it is an Itoh Peony, a cross between a tree and herbaceous peony. It is describe on the Peony Farm website as "white to pink/lavender petals, almost as if somebody painted it with watercolor." Well, how fitting that I chose to paint it! My photo led me in a different approach to start this small 6x6 inch piece. I first put in the shadows on the petals with "neutral tint," after which I added many light washes of yellow, red and some blue pigment. Here is the result for what I'll call "Blushing Peony."

"Blushing Peony" 6" x 6" Watercolor ©Johanna Cellucci

Peony

Had planted this peony a few years ago and captured a photo of the first bloom last spring.  Wanted to paint it as I like the center on this "Bowl of Beauty" variety. Had started this small 6 x 6 inch painting a few months ago and decided to finish it. Might do another small peony painting just to keep me in the habit of painting.  It took a workshop to get me back, and I don't want to let it drop again. Posting might help toward that end as well.

Peony, 6 x 6 inch, Watercolor ©J. Cellucci

PPWS 2016 Members' Show

This is the eleventh year I am participating in the Pikes Peak Watercolor Society Annual Members’ Show.  The Artists’ Reception was held on November 11 at the beautiful Pikes Peak Center.  I haven’t been painting but did not want to miss being a part of this show, so I pulled out a poured watercolor piece and had it framed.  I had redone it with better color results, but always thought this one had a certain appeal.

The show will be open for viewing through January 4, 2017, to ticket holders during regularly scheduled events.  There will also be two special receptions open and free to the public on December 9, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and on December 17, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Water Lily I, 11 x 11, Poured Watercolor ©J. Cellucci

Keeping Me Going

Saw this white dahlia outside of a store under a canopy of soft light unfurling into a perfect bloom.  Not having a sunny spot in the garden to plant it, I settled for a picture.  Felt it was perfect for a small painting.  I enjoy painting white flowers, which was done first.  After putting in the dark background, the shadows certainly needed to be deepened.  I’m finding that doing these small 6” x 6” pieces keeps me going in between finding inspiration for larger paintings.

White Dahlia, 6” x 6” Watercolor, ©Johanna Cellucci

Just to Get My Brushes Wet

Having not painted in a while, I decided to try this rose in a small 6” x 6” square format just to get my brushes wet again.  This was done on my usual Saunders Waterford 200 lb. paper working wet-in-wet with mostly the Quinacridone watercolors of Coral, Pink, Rose, Magenta, Violet and Gold.  It accomplished my goal, and I am pleased with the result.

Quinacridone Rose, 6” x 6” watercolor, ©Johanna Cellucci

Same Subject, Same Process, Different Result

Water Lily 2, Poured Watercolor, 11" x 11"

After not having achieved the result I thought I would get in Linda Baker’s workshop, I was determined to try pouring the same subject again.  For this piece, I used 300 lb. HP paper and a warm triad of New Gamboge, Naphthol Red and Cobalt Blue.

I intended to do more pours, but the color built up quickly.  By the fourth pouring of the darks, I felt the piece was ruined.  Had meant to do an even darker pour, but could no longer make out what I had, and the paper was already mostly covered with masking which doesn’t allow the color to flow.

I took off the masking with mixed results.  I was pleased that the painting had somewhat of the “glow” which pouring can give.  I did not like that the leaves and the flower appeared to have lost much of its color and texture, which was most likely the result of the liquid masking.  The mask also left streaking, perhaps from being applied with too much water on the brush, or from using HP paper, or a combination of both.  I’m accepting it as a different textural effect.  The painting did need a bit of finishing, which is to be expected.  It does help to use the same, or similar, subject matter to gain an understanding of how the process works and where improvement can be made.  Next time I might not mask out all the leaves, but paint in the darks to retain the fresher color and texture.  I was surprised that the HP paper had enough “tooth” to capture the granulation of the Cobalt, but it is probably not the best surface to use for this technique.

In the end, I am satisfied with the finished result and feel have a grasp of the workshop lessons.

First time I documented the stages of a painting.  It is helpful in explaining the steps and will help me remember how to approach a poured work.

Masked water droplets; applied initial color with a large brush to establish where the colors should be; masked out lights

Second layer applied with a pipette; masked most of the flower

Poured the third layer; masked the remainder of the flower and all the leaves

Poured fourth layer of darks

Removed the masking

Finished painting with edges cleaned, added touches of color and deepened areas of water

First Attempt at Pouring

Water Lily Poured Painting resulting from

a workshop by Linda Baker

Put he finishing touches on a poured watercolor from a recent  Linda Baker workshop.  Using 300 lb. CP paper, the intention was to do only three pours because of workshop time constraints...light, medium and dark.  Therefore, I poured the paint rather heavily using quinacridone gold, red and indigo blue.  The gold disappeared, the red became overpowering, and the blue turned gray on the paper.  I found that the heavy paper retains moisture for a long time.  The texture in the lower left was the result of putting the masking on paper that was still damp.

I like the pouring technique, the subtle variations of color it can create, as well as the textured effects created by using a water spray bottle to move the paint.  When the frisket is taken off, the result will always be a surprise, and the painting will need some finishing with a brush.  Pouring is still a labor intensive process, but it is fun to have a piece almost paint itself.

When trying this technique again, I would do many more pours with much thinner paint using different primaries.  In between pours, I would mask out fewer areas at a time to create more layers.

Even though this turned out looking like a “block print,” I think it has some merits.  Although it is not a “show” piece, there is something about it that appeals to me. 

Total Experience

My painting, "Peony Perfection" (bottom), with Arena Shawn's painting, "Spring Breeze" (above),

in the International Watermedia 2013 "Legacy" Exhibition at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum

at the Opening Reception on June 7 and hanging through September 7, 2013

As the juror, Linda Baker, said, even if one does not receive an award, being accepted into the PPWS International Watermedia 2013 “Legacy” exhibition should be considered an award in itself.  Yes, I’m always happy to receive an acceptance.  I enjoyed the opening reception on June 7, attended the very informative gallery talk the following day, and took Linda’s three-day workshop, which was the best workshop ever attended.  I learned so much from what was for me a “total experience.”

Finally Accepted

Recently, I received notice that my painting, “Peony Perfection”, was selected for inclusion in International Watermedia 2013, which is the open, juried biennial exhibition of the Pikes Peak Watercolor Society.  "Legacy" is the theme of the 2013 exhibition, which will be held at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, June 7 through September 7, 2013.  It will open with an Awards Reception on Friday June 7 from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

“Peony Perfection”, Watercolor, 10.75 x 14 ©Johanna Cellucci

Although this painting had been shown in local juried shows, this is the first time it has been accepted in a major exhibition.  I had submitted my three most recent works and, to my surprise, this one was chosen by our juror, Linda Baker.

Always painting wet-in-wet, I wanted to challenge myself by not pre-wetting the paper, but working the numerous petals, with all of its shadows, by simply glazing one color over another without the use of frisket to preserve the light.  I used multiple layers of yellow, pink, red and magenta, and feel I have succeeded in capturing this flower’s beauty and depth.

Ready to Take Flight

Having enjoyed browsing, and having become a follower of, blogs of artists whose work I admire, I’ve decided to create my own.  For the past two months, I’ve been sporadically working on my blog, as well as a small watercolor painting.  They are both finally done and ready to take off.

Monarch on Marigold, 8x8 Watercolor, ©J. Cellucci

I would like to use this blog as a way of sharing my art with other watercolor artists.  I will also share other noteworthy news.  I don’t expect to be posting as actively as others, but will try to build on this start.

My appreciation to all of the artists who share so much of their wonderful art and advice in their posts.