Watercolour

'Moving Colour with Water'
(an experience of watercolour for those who do not draw!)

Some years ago I played around with watercolour, however,
having not acquired the skill of drawing,
nothing seemed to 'look like anything'
and I really didn't want to spend the time it would take to 'learn to draw'!

On New Year's eve, 1999 I called a friend in Oklahoma City since everyone was in the Y2K panic mode that at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2000, there would be no computer service, water, electric, etc., etc...

I figured I might as well talk on the telephone one last time! I couldn't figure out
what to do those last few hours and she said, "why don't you meditate or write
or 'move some colour'".
I said, "I don't know what that means, 'move some colour'".
She said, "Yes you do, just get out your watercolours and
let the water move the colour around."

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm I thought.......never have tried that. So I did.
And this painting 'happened'. . ., although I didn't really see the beauty in it
until the next morning after it had dried . . .

I discovered that the 'outside' world was no different
than it had been the night before;
however, my 'inner world' had changed dramatically . . .

I had allowed the colours to express themselves without my trying to control them!

Then I realized that in the Singing Bowl sessions I did with people,
I always allowed the Bowls to just sing their songs . . .
but had never considered trying that with colour!

A whole new world opened to me . . .

The more I looked at the painting, the more I saw . . . like the 'stairway'
just to the left of the blue 'doorway' . . .
and light filtering down from the top of the stairs!
I even entered the painting in the County Fair
(another first for me!)
that summer and it won 2nd prize!!!!!

Every now and then I get out my watercolours and
let the water move the colour again just to see what will appear!
And last autumn, this one created itself . . .

I had wanted to use a longer canvas,
but the watercolour paper I had was not long enough,
so I pieced it together before I began to use the colours!
And the wave-like edge I tore to join the pieces adds texture
and a different feel to the painting!
Again, after the painting dried,
I began to see forms in it . . .
a woman and man 'melting' into one another!

This piece shows what can be done by cutting a watercolour into strips,
then re-weaving them into a new design!

As I have often-times learned,
the most extraordinary (Bricolage!) pieces present themselves
through our so called 'mistakes'!

This watercolour caused me the most stress;
however, as you will read, it was the
result of a 'seeming mistake'!

During the summer I had arranged for a talented local still-life artist
to conduct a watercolour class in my 'Summer Room Studio'.
As you have read, 'drawing' was not my cup of tea
and I have always struggled with 'perspective'.
Somehow, what I see does not translate out my hand!

The session began unsettling for me
as it was apparent that we would be doing 'realistic' drawing!
The instructor worked diligently with me,
but my heart just wasn't in it
as I was, at the time,
exploring the 'flowing method' of painting!

Finally I began to loosen up
and decided that the bottles
were actually representations of myself and some of my friends . . .
and I got really excited about the 'transparent' look of the bottles.

I felt I was finally doing a real still-life . . .
of a blue bottle and pieces of matboard . . .
until I looked more closely and discovered
that I had drawn and painted both objects 'standing up'
rather than the bottle standing up
and the matboard laying on the table.

The patient artist helped me through the process
as he proclaimed my style to be . . .
'delightfully abstract'!!!!!

That evening I placed it ceremoniously on the table near my bed,
dimmed the lights,
examined the subtle complexities of it. . . .
all the while exclaiming to my Teddy Bears....
"I AM an Artist!!!!!!!"
And off I went to sleep......
smiling!

The next day wanting to know more about ancient Byzantine music,
I looked up the word 'byzantine' and read these words . . .
"#5 art . . .
designating the decorative style of mosaics, frescoes, etc.,
of the Byzantine Empire,
characterized by lack of perspective,
use of rich colours,
especially gold,
with emphasis on symbolism".

"WOW! I'm a Byzantine-style Artist!"

And my whole body relaxed
when I realized that my perspective
is really . . .
the lack of it!!!!!!!
How freeing!

(So I added this to the description of my 'Becoming Transparent' painting) . . .

Transparency means:
~ free from definitions
~ ability to play any part without attachment
~ having all the keys to the 'costume closet' called . . . LIFE!