An upside to this wet spring?
Watercolor is doing fun things. The paper is saturated before I even begin and shapes flower out. Paint textures feel more malleable. Things dry slower—and for whatever reason the slower watercolor dries the brighter the pigment becomes. (In terms of pigment dynamics, I have absolutely no reason why this should work. It just does.)
And like any good annoyance, this fosters some kind of creative solution. Like, how do you paint the pounding rain on the Esopus from this month’s Charmed Circle Fly Fishing Classic fishing tournament? Well… find some blue tape and cardboard and… OK I won’t give away all my secrets!
I also released two new 11” x 17” prints this month. Both signed and numbered. $60 including shipping.
The first is this view from the Spruceton Inn. It reminds me of the summer we’re yet to have. I really can’t wait for days like this—and if you can’t too we have one last second room this weekend.
The second is this year’s new brook trout print. For the past five years, I’ve done a new print of my five favorite brookies. This one’s extra special as that fish in the middle will be on the cover of my illustrated guide to fly fishing, a book out next year. More on that soon!
But back to drying times…
Sometimes a hairdryer is very helpful when you need to set paint quickly. Like when you’re decorating No Kings signs before running off to Woodstock for what was the most heartwarming protest in my life. THANK YOU to everyone who showed up all over the country!
Cheers to finding some art during these trying times!
-Steven