Size Doesn't Matter

tbd (help me title him on my Facebook page!)

5"x7" Watercolor on Aquabord

Click here to see a larger photo of the painting.

 If you know me or are fairly familiar with my art, you know I love animals, especially dogs.
All dogs are great. Allow me to explain and get Seuss-esque for only a moment;

Fluffy or sleek, loud or meek,
Agile and spry, or just happy to lie,
I love dogs, the great and the small.
I love the dogs, I do love them all.
Yes, breeds A to Z,  their pups I adore,
Except that I love,
Small ones a bit more.

  WAIT! Don't get me wrong, and don't sic your  Staffie on me. I've loved my fair share of medium and large dogs. My first dog was a chow chow and my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th were Aussie mixes. (Super smart and loving dogs!) Neapolitan Mastiffs simply melt my butter. If we ever live in a colder climate and have the acreage, Husboo will certainly be in search of a Russian Caucasian before we unpack. I'm also in love with Irish Wolfhounds. But when you've had the experience of being rescued by a teeny tiny canine and her becoming your companion, it's hard not to project those same feelings onto similar sized pups.

 I may like small dogs, but guess what;

I hate painting small.

For my second September painting (I'm not even going to say it's the 2nd of 30, because that's just insane) I attempted my first teeny tiny watercolor portrait.
For me, watercolor is so nice because it flows and has a mind of it's own. You think you know what will happen, then the paint laughs in your face and you either readjust or go with the flow and see where it takes the painting. This aspect of the medium is also what can be ultra annoying if you have a specific end in mind. Couple that with a 5"x7" portrait on aquabord and quite a bit of strife can ensue. By no means was this a fast, whip it out in under an hour, quickie painting.
I struggled to retain a wet-on-wet technique and still have the detail I wanted for this piece.
(A couple of paper towels were harmed in the making of this painting.)

I have a new found respect for the daily painters that crank out small works all the live long.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of fight in the dog. And this one  gave me a pretty good round, now to give him a name...

Look at the birds of the air...

  September is upon us and another challenge has been posed. However, this month is pretty busy for me. I have a few prior commitments, so I don't think I can realistically crank out 30 paintings and get anything else done. (One painting usually takes me 2-7 non-consecutive days to complete.)
I've been a bit anxious lately with all I have to get done. Most of those things are self-imposed, but sometimes that's even more pressure. I'm resolving to at least try to post weekly (and daily if I'm lucky) the smaller paintings I do finish, here on my blog.
  Yesterday was a somewhat stressful, worrisome, and overall blah day. 
I took a walk to clear my mind and look to nature for some respite. I set the intention to see something that would bring me clarity and peace.

Birds of the Air

 Watercolor on cold press

Total size 15" x 17.5" including frame.

Click here for limited edition prints.

 As soon as I rounded the corner, I saw an unbelievable sight. Several dozen sparrows were flying around a churchyard field. They were diving, soaring, and circling at a frenetic pace.
In awe, I stopped to watch them for a bit. By the time I realized I really needed to take a photo of the birds, they were flying away. 

 This painting is inspired by that brief and beautiful encounter. It had an unexpectedly profound effect on me. Sparrows are a symbol for many things, among them freedom, creativity, and Love.
It was just the lift I needed.


  Birds of the Air cheered me. Marvin Gaye cheers me, too. I'll leave you with this Marvin version of a sparrow themed song. An oldie, but a goodie. 

Fly high, my friends.

~D. Renée