Painting still lifes inspires me, especially the elements I chose because of the shapes and colors and their relationships with each other. This painting is a series I began in 2006 which includes the elements of glassware, paint brushes and pots.

After setting up the still life, I take photographs and rearrange the elements to create a pleasing display of the elements. I create a pencil design on the 100% rag paper, then I lay the paper flat on my table to begin painting. This allows the paint and water to mix and blend the pigments, and creates interesting color mixtures that cannot be achieved while painting upright on an easel. I watch the colors puddle and blend and use a brush to move them, creating soft passages and also hard edges within the design. Occasionally I use the Aquapasto medium to blend the colors while they are wet.

My goal is to create a strong design, interesting colors, strong values, and a combination of both hard and soft edges. The fractured shapes within the glassware interest me because they create abstract patterns within the design, giving it depth. I also achieve a freshness of the medium and a transparency which is characteristic of watercolor. I used a limited palette of monochromatic colors for this painting.