I have been such a good little blogger this week. I am taking a lot of photos and putting paintings into frames. Some of the works are new, some are reworked.

New York Cotton Candy
Watercolor.
13"x 17"
$400.00

This painting was started several years ago. I used three different reference photos that were shot in New York City, just before 9/11. This was a street fair in the summer just up from Radio City. I fell in love with photo of the Grandpa and little girl. Then I really liked the cotton candy tree. I had never seen it carried that way.

This painting was worked on off and all through years. It is quite detailed and lent itself not to be finished. Finally I decided to finish it and submit it to this Springs Waverly House show, 'The Flavors of the Season.'

I did not think this painting was coming together. There was a lot of different disconnected colors. Pulling this totally together would happen after most of the painting was done. A little trick I often use is general light wash of a color. In this case yellow ochre. It tones most of the whites and pulls the painting together. Care must be taken not to go over area more than once. The wash brush must be cleaned often after going over dark areas. A light tough is important.

I also used a little creative cropping, to make the composition stronger. Watercolor artists have an advantage in being able to do this. This is one reason my paintings are often not standard sizes.
This painting did get into the show and has drawn a lot of comment. I like how your eye is drawn on down the street, but the cotton candy pulls you back.