At Garden's Edge

On an early morning drive through the city, I observed how the low-angled sunlight on the many fire hydrants created shadows and reflections. This observation posed a challenge for me. I moved the fire hydrant away from the concrete landscape to a garden's edge. A viewer of this painting will have one of two questions. "Why would anyone want to paint a fire hydrant?" or "Where's the dog?"

This 18" by 23 1/2" watercolor was fun to do.

Garden Shoes

This was done on a full sheet of watercolor paper, and is the painting that resulted from the the small thumbnail in the entry below.

Small Blooms

This hisbiscus is painted on the back of another painting. I never meant it for anything but a practice. My wife, however, had to have it because it matched the curtains in her sewing room.
















These sunflowers in a pair of old shoes were sitting in the corner of a landing half-way up 28 zig-zaging stairs. My sister-n-law used them for pots so her husband would have to get a new pair of work boots. This was just a thumbnail that might turn into something else, but it lives with the owner of the stairs.

Onions

This painting is the result of finding some items around the house and setting it up for a still-life. The challenge was figuring out how to paint a basket. Lots of trial and error till I was able to break it down and then reconstuct in watercolors.

Painting People

I never set out to paint a portrait. I only seek to capture character.

Self-Portrait

The challenge I set for myself was to convey two emotions - happy and sad- in one piece of art. All I had to do was remember a children's ward from my time as an army hospital medic to find the sadness. The clown's make-up suggested the element of happiness. I painted myself for this mission. I met my challenge to my satisfaction, but I stirred up some disquieting emotions among my family. "Quite Reflections" remains part of my personal collection.

Joe Fettingis

While taking a course at the Southwest Arts and Crafts Center, I was invited to attend a demo by Joe Fettingis and sponsored by the San Antonio Watercolor Group. Joe was fabulous and amazing. I immediately signed up for his workshop.

There are many great artists and many great art teachers, but few who are great at both the art and the teaching. In his workshops, Joe produces a real masterpiece every time; more importantly, he makes sure each student does so as well. This is the first painting I did in a workshop with Joe. I am proud to say that my son wanted it to hang in his home.

I've taken other workshops with Joe, one of which was in Michigan. That is what I was doing when 9/11 happened.

Getting Started

I like a challenge. What better way to start retirement than to take on a new challenge. A lifelong appreciation for watercolor and the desire to create something new lead me to this amazing process that moves color around in water. Althought I've always sketched, I had never tried painting. My first step was to take a couple of short classes at Southwest School of Arts and Crafts to learn the basics. Then, I started the self-learning of trial and error. This was the first picture I did on my own that I cousisered a painting.