Bird of Drama...inspired to paint watercolors!

Fresco Watercolor Painting on Board, 8" X 8"
Painting can be purchased for $125 plus $6 s/h: from the artist, Jenny Floravita

I have been really missing painting in watercolor and have spent much of the last two years working in oil. As an artist that has gone between the two mediums several times over the last several years, I've learned that some subjects simply come across better in certain mediums, for me, at least. And I've decided that if I'm going to paint florals in watercolor, they will most likely be high in contrast.

I started out life as a serious artist through watercolor painting. Many of you know that I was introduced to painting at an early age and when I was 11, I learned through a private art instructor, who is also a good friend and collector. This was many years ago, of course! Watercolors were my tool of expression and I focused on both watercolor and fine pencil drawings all the way through college. My style was realism and through the years, I've explored trying to "soften" what comes naturally.

My large watercolors have always been my best pieces. This year I hope to finally bring a vision to light that I've had since 2002: to expand a series of paintings about tropical lakes and present them in a show. A few of these may become oils but I suspect that I paint this particular subject best in watercolor and have a couple of the paintings in my office that I will not part with.

Of course, I'm balancing all of this with my oil landscapes and my painted chandeliers. It's not easy to work in different mediums and I often find myself revisiting themes that I've explored before as these themes go round and round in my life. Sometimes I want to paint flowers when I am doing landscapes and sometimes I have great ideas for watercolors when I am doing oils and vice versa. It's this inspiration that keeps me creating!

www.floravita.com