Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Fresh Color


I get to play with fresh color today. Blank pages to be filled with the color of puddles, grasses and sky. Colors of sand and colors of water. And I need to find mangrove green, pelican brown, and red for blackbirds wings. Shall I include shark grey? I want tone poems of gentle hues. A smattering of unexpected flashes. Nuances of neutrals. I think it must be like creating characters in a story. These colors are to go with the drawings. They all have a purpose. I want one glance around the full exhibition to show the whole of it, but I also want you to be drawn in to take a closer look. Find a favorite that speaks to you.

That's what it is like you know, when mounting a show with a theme. A big story. One strong point to drive home. All the supporting characters echoing, amplifying, elaborating in their own character's way, but staying on message or helping the mystery unfold. Color is a key to character. So today I am after fresh color. Very selective color that I will continue to refine. Tone poems of an island. That's what will go on those pages, lots of possibilites to get to the chosen few.

Brush, no. Not the Speedo. Save that for Barcelona. Go get Pencil will you? No, he cannot be drinking Lemoncello this early in the day. What? Oh, practicing for his dream of Capri. We are very partial to islands around here. Come on let's go splash around in the paints, guys. I'll get some lemonade.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a kid, I used to love playing with watercolours! Of course I'd get into big trouble with my dad for making a mess of his paint set, but it would be worth it.

Seeing your two images put me back in his study sliding the brush across stacks of paper while sitting in his over-sized (for me) mahogany faux-leather chair.

Thanks for the reminder!
Alex

Janice C. Cartier said...

Alex, I am so glad you have those memories ...endless paper and beautiful pigments to spread and child like wonder at work.

It's sprinkling here again today, so playing with these kind of puddles is just right, as dear Goldilocks would say. : )

Anonymous said...

@Janice

The picture of your pallette makes me want to paint again.

I'm on watercolor "Hiatus". Haven'tdone anything since early May.

For the life of me, I just never paint during the summer.

Each year, I say I will, I'll stick with it. But I NEVER DO. I'm too busy playing outside.

Then like clockwork, I start again in the fall.

So I've learned to accept this part of myself.

Though I'm feeling the itch to start again. The nights are getting noticeably shorter. I supsect I'll start producing again before the end of September.

PS. Sap Green, Cerulean Blue, and Cadmium Yellow are my favorites.

- Friar

Janice C. Cartier said...

You have warm favorites. That's interesting.

I think you spend all summer renewing, soaking up every bit of outside you can, so in the darkness and chill of those Canadian winters your brush can play again. :-)

I love golden ochre, ultamarine violet, and rose doré, but honestly I love them all. I haven;t palyed in the puddles in a while. It feels so good.

Parisbreakfasts said...

YUM YUM YUM!
Barcelona?
Go see Vicky Christina Barcelona
Lots of fresh color there too..
Lots of freshness here!

Janice C. Cartier said...

I just looked at the trailer for the flick- will go see.. thanks .


Fresh is feeling very good. :)

I am so liking those hand made paints MS PB.