Wednesday, November 12, 2008



Steamrise, Morning

Watercolor on paper, 10 3/4" x 13 1/2"
$500 plus $10 shipping in U.S.
Email me for purchase

A larger painting for today--mist rising off the water in the early morning sun. This watercolor is painted on heavyweight plate bristol paper. The paper is hard and very smooth, which keeps the paint floating on the surface. Washes retain beautiful clarity, but are easily lifted by successive brushstrokes. It's always a dance, partly in and partly out of control, which is what I love about it. Maybe what it really teaches me is that "control" is just an illusion, in life as well as painting.

10 comments:

Art By Erika said...

Gosh I've never worked with bristol paper before, this is lovely Don! Since the onset of the season I've been mesmerized by the steam the lingers over the waters for a couple hours but I never did get the momentum to capture it. So this is a treat to see! Well looks like the season has been very good to you -good for you!

Sheila Vaughan said...

Yes it's really got some magic and mystery to it Don, both the subject and the materials you have used.

Anonymous said...

Hi Don,

This is another very nice painting!
Ingrid ;-)

Suzanne McDermott said...

Warm and cold. Very nice!

Don Gray said...

Try the bristol sometime, Erika, you might like it. I use Strathmore plate--must be about 250-300 lb. I've never worked on Yupo, the plastic surface, but I think it's probably similar.

Don Gray said...

Thanks, Sheila--I'm happy to hear that's the feeling you get.

Don Gray said...

Thank you, Ingrid!

Don Gray said...

Thanks, Suzanne. Really enjoying your recent paintings.

Gerald Schwartz said...

WOW Don! This is a knockout of a painting..

Don Gray said...

Hi Gerald, welcome to the blog and thanks for the kind words. You do fine work yourself.