Galactic Litter Redone

This may look familiar to you.  Above is a re-worked painting that I originally painted about 6 months ago but there were parts of it that I didn't like - to the point that it almost made me shudder when I looked at it.  I loved the background but the shapes in the foreground looked like internal organs to me.  Yuck!!!
Below is the original:

The picture of the re-done painting (at the top of this post) is actually brighter but it isn't coming across very well on the computer.  I didn't change the background except to add a little bit of red to lead the viewer's eyes around.  While I like the colors better in the new version and the loss of the body parts, I miss the strong sense of depth that the painting had because now it no longer has the strong value contrast that I originally created.  It no longer looks like "Galactic Litter" to me.  Now it looks like an underwater scene.  Or maybe it's some of the litter that we've dumped in our oceans that's floating on top.  What do you think?  Do I need a new title?  Also, I would love comments (positive or negative) on what I've done.  If you like the original better, too bad!  It's gone forever. : )  I can sleep better now knowing that I won't ever have to look at those internal organs again.
One of the things that I really like about abstract paintings is how everyone sees something different in them but once I saw those original shapes as internal organs, I couldn't see them as anything else.

Delicate Ruffles - Watercolor

Back to my beloved watercolor.  This painting started out as a full sheet of watercolor paper (30" x 22") but has continued to shrink throughout the painting process.  After I painted the background, my starting point, I decided that there was too much background on the sides.  Hollyhocks are such a vertical flower, I really should have started with a longer, skinnier piece of paper.  I took a few inches off of one side, then a couple off of the other, then more off of the first side.  After that, I decided that there was too much stem on the bottom so off went more inches.  And finally, I took some off of the top to change the focal point of the painting.  I'm very happy with the final result even though the painting shrunk to 20.5" x 15.5".  Thank goodness that painting on paper gives the ability to change the composition after the fact.  Of course, if I were more careful with my initial composing, I wouldn't need to crop it later.

Hollyhocks seem to be one of my favorite flowers to paint.  With this painting, I feel like I've finally captured their delicate beauty.

Delicate Ruffles
Image Size 20.5" x 15.5"
Watercolor
Unframed

Missing Mexico

This is another departure from a typical painting of mine.  We just got home from Mexico and that is still in my head.  I love everything about Mexico; the people, the colors, the weather and good friends.  I wanted this week's painting to have the bright colors that are so prevalent there and a feeling of happiness.  This was painted with a palette knife so it was hard to control the edges of the flowers because I had already painted the background so as I was doing the petals, the paint was lifting but I'm really happy with the way it turned out.  The petals remind me of the palm fronds on a palapa (where's my margarita?) and the colors represent the happiness of Mexico to me.

On another note, today I was able to go see an exhibit of Joseph Raffael's watercolor paintings at Soka University.  I feel so fortunate to have been able to see his paintings in person.  You really can't get the feeling of the paintings from the website.  They are HUGE!  Most of them are in the 5' x 8' range.  The show closes April 15th, but if you are in the So Cal area and have some time, going to the show would be a very inspiring way to spend it.

Missing Mexico
Image Size 6" x 6"
Oil

Home Sweet Home

This week's painting is a portrait.  Okay, not one in the typical sense of the word but a home portrait.  Our friends just bought this house and I think it has such a beautiful entrance, I wanted to try to capture it on paper.  I love the door and that tree looks so sculptural and it creates a nice balance for my composition.  I'd like to say that I created the composition but it really looks like this.  There are actually still a few colored leaves on the tree (only in California does fall last until March) but I wanted it to look completely skeletal so I left them off.  Artistic license again...I'm feeling the power!

This photo doesn't really show the colors very well.  The painting is more colorful.

Home Sweet Home
Image Size 16" x 12"
Watercolor
Unframed