African Violets

African Violets
Watercolor on 300# Arches

9x10
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Original Watercolor
$125.00
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This is one of the latest from my "little paintbox". Yes, I've been splashing the paint around again. My framer is getting ready to do her Spring and Summer window. I paint and she frames and displays...a great relationship.

African Violets always remind me of my Grandmother. I remember how she would start new plants from a single leaf. I found the whole process quite fascinating as a child. When the plants were mature and had blooms...she would carefully wrap the pot in colorful cloth scraps and present them to others as gifts.

She took such care of them...and of course had all these little secret potions. I never learned what she put in the water and certainly did not inherit her green thumb.

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1 Corinthians 3:7
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (in Context)

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Sunlit Tulips..new watercolor

Sunlit Tulips
Watercolor on 300# Arches
17 1/2 x 11 1/2
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Original Watercolor
$150.00
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This is one of my most recent watercolors. Spring is in the air...I know it's a bit early to see tulips in bloom, at least here in central Illinois. Yet, I simply couldn't resist. This photo has been in my files for a couple of years now and I figured it was time to see if I could do it justice with a watercolor painting.

I was particularly attracted to the angle of the photo and the way the light and shadows played around on the petals. I will admit, the colors you see here are a tad more vibrant than my reference...but that is our option as artists isn't it?

I always thought I would use this reference photo for a drawing...I'm glad I held off and chose to do a watercolor instead.

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On a different subject...I have a HEALTH UPDATE:

I'm not going into detail...but I have been 'issue free' for 14 days now. I'm believing that I'm on the mend. This has been a long ordeal (almost a year)...I feel like for the first time in months I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

I just want to say thank you for the encouraging emails and prayers. God does listen and does answer if we just believe.

Bless you for caring,
Marsha

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Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark 11:23-25 (in Context)

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First Colors of Spring

...First Colors of Spring...
Watercolor on paper 7x10

Here is another look at my progress with watercolor. I actually took the photo last summer at a friends house with the idea of using it for a drawing. Every painting is a 'new' struggle. I'm still 'fiddling' too much...in my fiddling, I'm loosing highlights. The background is a little darker and the leaves not quite as prominent as they show here. Yet, the colors of the tulips are fairly accurate...interesting.

I've always wanted to do really 'loose' watercolors...I think I'm stuck on the detail. When you figure I came from drawing, I guess it's only natural. So...I guess I'm going to quit fighting it and settle for the realistic style of watercolor you see here. Maybe I can loosen up later.

When walking in my own garden this week I noticed that my tulips were bursting through the ground. It always fascinates me...once they stick their heads up, it's like they grow in front of your eyes. My tulips aren't nearly this pretty. Possibly because my flower garden doesn't get the care it should.

My friend is a 'master gardener'...I just love visiting (with my camera) and sitting on the patio with a glass of wine. She doesn't even have mosquitoes! We have a deal...she provides the wine, the grill, and the 'extras'...and I bring the steak. Such a deal. We get together several times during the summer months. She is just as a good a cook as she is a gardener.

I'm open for critique...I look forward to your comments

I've Been Unfaithful...to my first love

I cleared my drawing table, put away my pencils...and got out my watercolors, brushes, and paper. As I neatly placed my drawing stuff on the shelf and closed the door...I did feel just a little 'unfaithful' to the thing I love, but I did promise to return.

I started trying to paint water color maybe 10 years ago and my instructor stressed so strongly the importance of drawing and composition and being able to 'see' light and shadow that I laid the watercolors down and took a drawing class. The drawing class rekindled my childhood love...and you know the rest.

I've written often in my comments on other blogs and in the things I write here that I am a "watercolor want-a-be". I have never lost my desire to conquer 'watercolor'...I'm always drawn to the medium as I look at your websites and blogs.

OK...you said you wanted to see. I wasn't going to post anything until I was satisfied but thought my 'journey' might be an inspiration to others who want to try a new medium.

My love is of course Portraits and Still Life...and would love to someday be able to paint some street scenes. Yet I chose to start with flowers because I thought they would be less complicated and help me practice the layering of colors and once again learn my pallet.

I probably struggle most with watercolor styles that I like and what I am able to do now. I'm not a patient person and very critical of my work. Right now...I tend to rework too much and wow, staying away from the wet areas was a challenge. In my drawings I start on one side of the paper and move to the other...this jumping around to stay out of the wet areas so the paint didn't run together was a challenge.

My plan is to paint again next weekend. Most likely more of the same 'simple' subjects. I'm still trying to learn my pallet and get a feel for the process.

Be kind. Remember '"I'm still just a watercolor want-to-be"....with much to learn.

Sincerely...I'm very open to critique and would love to here what you have to say. This is a learning process and I'm no where near where I want to be.


Links:
Website ...Marsha Robinett Fine Art
The Extraordinary Pencil...blogspot
My Squidoo ...Drawing Techniques

Midnight Rose...carbon and graphite

...Midnight Rose...
carbon and graphite pencil on paper, 7x7
prints available
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Small Open Edition Giclee Print
$40.00
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Also Available in:
Large...open edition Giclee Print @ $49
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The Story Behind the Image: Have you ever looked into your rose garden on a warm summer night when there is a full moon. Take a look sometime, you'll find your roses dancing in the moonlight!

I thoroughly got into this drawing. I swear I could almost feel the velvety petals in my mind as I worked. I applied carbon directly to the paper in the deep creases of the petals, using a stump to blend towards the areas touched by the moonlight. I then applied graphite with a chamois square to the brightest highlights and used a 6B carbon pencil to fill in the background.

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I'm proud to share an exurb from Matthew Merrighn's essay, "The Gray Rose". I sponsor a Literary Contest each year for Young Authors at our local High School ...and Matthew's essay won third place this year. The students must select one of my drawings as their subject and Matthew chose to write about "Midnight Rose". Read all winning entries.

The Gray Rose....by Matthew Merrighn

"The gray Rose is most desired, not for it's beauty, but for it's uniqueness. The Gray Rose Will be immortalized for it's uncommon color. As time progresses, people will realize the greatness of the Gray Rose and in doing so the Gray Rose will become most desired. But only those who first recognized it's significance will have a Gray Rose of their own."
Click here to read Matthew's entire essay.

Links:
My Website...Marsha Robinett Fine Art
Portfolio of Works...learn more about "Midnight Rose"
Literary Contest...introduction to the 2008 Literary Contest
Literary Contest...2008 winning entries
"The Gray Rose"...by Matthew Merrighn


PS...make a "Point"...leave a comment

Old Fashioned Iris...carbon and graphite

...Old Fashioned Iris...

carbon and graphite on paper, 6x7, double matted,
prints available

This is the companion drawing to "Dutch Iris".

The Story Behind the Image: The tubers of this iris were actually given to me by my grandmother when I was first married. I've moved them many times over the years and given many starts to friends. It is a spindly little thing, getting lost easily in the garden. But for me it's beauty is in the special memories that come to mind every season when it blooms.

I took the photo reference early one morning after a spring shower. You can see the droplets of water still on the petals.

The drawing "Old Fashioned Iris" is on cream toned fine art paper and presented in a double mat. It is offered in two sizes of Open Edition Prints...check my Portfolio for the availability of the Original and prices.


Links:
My Website...Marsha Robinett Fine Art
My Squidoo ...Drawing Techniques
"Old Fashioned Iris" ...learn more
"Dutch Iris"...learn more



PS...make a "Point"...leave a comment