Rachel Wolf - Splash 15 - Creative Solutions: the Best of Watercolor

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SAN FRANCISCO STREET | Peng Cao

22" 30" (56cm 76cm) Transparent watercolor on 140-lb. (300gsm) Arches

THURSDAY ON DECATUR NEW ORLEANS | Iain Stewart

30" 22" (76cm 56cm) Transparent watercolor with gouache accents over graphite underdrawing on 140-lb. (300gsm) cold-pressed Arches

This is quite literally a slice of life in the French Quarter of New Orleans. On this busy public street we are able to see the private outdoor living space of the occupant who is contentedly cooking a bit of dinner. My goal was to show the overlap of private and public space in this dense urban setting without the image becoming fractured. My solution was to crop the drawing to focus on the people. I initially included the rooine of the building and used a lot of detail at the street level. But I decided that the real focus should be the grilling man on the third oor. I purposely left the second story balcony vacant to accentuate the transition from public to private, but, note: the doors at right on the second oor are slightly ajar as if someone has just left the seat with the red cushion.

Here we areSplash 15! Its hard to believe that its been well over twenty years since I first started viewing slides on a light table in 1990 for the first edition of Splash, published in 1991. I had the opportunity, during the last stages of editing Splash 15, to attend the annual Florida Watercolor Society convention as a guest speaker. It was a wonderful experience and a delight to see a good number of Splash artists, some from many years ago, as well as many other artists. Watercolor painters are very dedicated and passionate about their craftand it shows in the finished works! Watercolorists are masters of finding creative solutions, perhaps because watercolor can be so demanding and, at times, unforgiving. And, as usual, the artists in this volume have surpassed my expectations in giving inspired substance to our theme: creative solutions.

You, the artists represented in Splash 15, have proved that there are no limits on creative solutionsand that unless one has developed a formula, pretty much every single painting needs its own creative solutions! Many of you urged us not to rely too heavily on photo reference material, but to use it mainly for what it is calleda reference. Donald Patterson reminds us, Your reference material is not sacred. It is what you do with it that counts.

Others remind us that for releasing creativity it is important to take risks. The rewards of risk can include new confidence in your painting ability, David Savellano shares out of his experience. Breakthroughs are the result of fearless exploration and problem solving! says Jean Pederson. Sandrine Pelissier advises, When becoming too controlling with a painting, take a risk, and let the paint find a life of its own.

When your painting isnt working, give yourself permission to destroy and rebuild, counsels Yael Maimon. In the same vein Jani Freimann shares her secret: Painting over the top of an already ruined watercolor painting eliminates the fear of making a mistake, turning the watercolor process into fun. In fact, Daniel K. Tennant offers this encouragement: Dont ever give up on a painting. This still life took me over six years, on and off, and at one point I was ready to throw it out.

Likewise, Anne McCartney sums it up by saying, Never get stuck thinking there is only one way to do something; there is always another way.

We will never reach the end of creative solutions. Watercolor artists will always find new ways to paint and express their vision.

Rachel Wolf

PENNSYLVANIA IDYLL | Joyce Hicks

18" 24" (46cm 61cm) Transparent watercolor on 140-lb. (300gsm) cold-pressed Arches

The lush Pennsylvania countryside is inspirational. However, I was disappointed that the field had already been harvested. Since I wanted crops there for textural interest, rhythm and depth, I simply painted the plants back into the scene. When youre out in the landscape, dont be a human camera. Delete, add or rearrange elements as seems best to you.

Use artistic license and imagination as a creative solution!

JOYCE HICKS

SACRED PLATEAU | Richard H. Dutton

20" 28" (51cm 71cm) Transparent watercolor on 140-lb. (300gsm) cold-pressed paper

Sacred Plateau is a studio painting based on plein air watercolors, sketches and photographs done while traveling in the southwest part of the United States. I set out to experience the culture as well as the dramatic colors, forms and shapes associated with the area. I did not focus so much on the actual subject but rather on the unique abstract shapes that describe the subject. A big challenge was keeping the power of white paper, one technique that gives the viewer a pathway to the meaning embedded in the artwork.