paper cut from a unsatisfying watercolor painting

last year, I painted a watercolor painting of a white cattleya orchid but it was not satisfy with the result and then put it away for months. later I pull out the painting to look at it but was still …

A New Year, a new day with a new painting

I have a New year tradition : every year I would create a painting to welcome the new year and this year is no exception. Unlike some to celebrate the New Year by dipping into the icy water for a …

Butterly lover

I particular like the yellow Phalaenopsis orchid because when the blossoms open the color almost looked green, usually take a few day for it to turn yellow.
I painted this watercolor a few months ago but was not to satisfy with it. It seems needs something more but I couldn’t think of what to add so put it aside.

Last week, I took it out again and an idea came to me: The Phalaenopsis orchid’s common name is butterfly/moth orchid. I decided to play with the name and process to add a woman surrounded with butterflies in the background
Here are some shots from beginning to the finished work.

watercolor with paper cut, 24″x16″

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Escaping the heat while making art

 

All week the temperature keeps climbing and my studio became more and more uncomfortable with the heat and humidify Early this week I thought if I focus on my work I might able to forget the heat. It almost worked.  However, today it reaches to 35c and with the humidity it was more like 45c.. Even with the three fans going I was still sweating without moving much.

Later, when I step out the hall way to get some water and was surprise it was actually cooler there. As it turned out, someone has the fire escape door open, there was some breeze coming in.

This gave me an idea to move my studio outdoor! At the end of my street is the Grange Park with many mature old trees. I packed up my camping chair and all the art supplies I need then headed to the park.

Almost all the park benches at the park were taken and I was glad I brought my own chair. , I found a shady spot under an old maple tree and set up my outdoor studio. There were lovely breezes coming from two directions, it was such a relief from my over- heated studio. Even the noises of talking, laughers and occasionally of dogs barking are not much a distraction for me. In no time I completed the art work I had spent the last two days working on..

“Moth orchid with moth”, It is another of my watercolor with paper cut. The main image are the white Phalaenopiss Orchid which is also called “Moth Orchid”. I added the paper cut Moth with the columbine flowers in paper cut in this piece, kind of playing with the name of Moth. The painting is 22”x18”.

Chase the Winter Blues Away

One of the common complain from artists is the “artist block” especially during the winter. Seasonal affective depression (SAD) or commonly known as winter blues. Often cause artists feel lack of motivation and uninspired to make art. However I am more focus during the winter, I am lot more productive during the cold winter than the rest of the year.

I found when the weather is nice it actually offers too many distractions for me. I would out more with my camera to capture the changes of nature and the many events the city has to offer.

One of my secret of keeping the winter blues away is living plants and flowers. I often visit my local green house which offers a wonderful display of early spring flowers. At home and in my studio I keep a number of orchid plants. Many of them bloom during the winter.

This  latest watercolor is form one of my winter blooming orchid, when the flower first open it has this yellowish green color, watercolor on paper 11”x8.5”.

Art Imitating Life

 

I paint and also take photo. One day after I finish painting a  Phalaenopsis orchid from an blooming orchid I grow in my studio. An idea came to me, why not taking a photo of the painting with the model?

 

Here is my art imitating life.

watercolor painting with orchid

As Frida Kahlo said, “I paint flowers so they won’t die”.