With the incredible 5 day workshop with Joel Popadics in Vermont ever approaching this past August, I decided it was time to get serious and work on developing some basic skills. To help in this endeavor, I took 4 lessons from my friend, teacher, and fellow artist, Mary Negron. With her patient guidance and instruction, I was able to get a beginning grasp on this new media as I worked on brush strokes, wet on wet techniques, and specifically landscape composition, tree study, and even using one of Joel's paintings as a guide to create believable boats and water. Below are two examples of the studies I did (and I was amazed at this most adaptable medium).
These are my early studies to hone some skills for my new adventure. I was ready - or so I thought.
The workshop in Vermont was not only memorable for the valuable insights, skills, and techniques learned from Joel, but it was set in the most beautiful Vermont venues with gorgeous scenery and subjects to paint plein air.
Joel is a fantastic and patient watercolorist and teacher. Below is one of many yet unfinished attempts to utilize the techniques he demonstrated and taught this group of students as well as accomplished professional artists.
Practice and a desire to use what I learned, I created the watercolor works below which were both juried into the Sawnee Art Associations' Color's of Fall exhibition September 2016. What an honor! Both watercolors were of scenes photographed during the Vermont trip.
Not only was the Plein Air Watercolor Workshop an incredible experience shared with my sister, Lauren, but it gave me tools and techniques to use in my oil paintings.
- Janet