When my daughter and nieces were small, my sister and I piled all of us in the car for an arts adventure. I’d asked my friend, Beverly Key, a visual artist who does abstract landscapes, oil paintings, and collages, if we could come and watch her paint. She graciously agreed.
Beverly does what she calls “pours” to create her large landscapes: She pours watercolor paint on top of paper and tissue that has been placed on watercolor sheets. She also uses dried beans and peas and string for design elements and to keep from painting over areas that she doesn’t want to lose. She lets the paint dry and then, using different colors, she repeats the process until the painting is done.
When we arrived that morning, Beverly took us downstairs to her studio. She showed the girls her works in progress, her art supplies, and the area where she’d already set up the watercolor paper for the day’s work. She laid the tissue, beans, and string on top, explaining what she was doing as she went.
Then, when everything was ready, she poured the paint over the elements. It was fascinating to watch the process, to actually see the colors blend into a stunning abstract landscape. The girls stood, wide-eyed and quiet, while my sister and I asked questions.
Beverly says, “It’s a wonderful mix of spontaneity and control. You can sort of set up a design with the papers and textures but then you pour and you have no idea how it will turn out until you take off the filters. It’s like opening a present.”
That night, my daughter and I told my husband about our morning with Beverly. We wondered what the finished product would look like. Would we be able to recognize it as “ours”, or would it be totally different?
A few weeks later, on my birthday, my husband surprised me with his present: the painting! (Yes, he did good.) I recognized it immediately, and the finished work was gorgeous. It hangs in our living room now. Ever since then, it’s been one of my favorite pieces of art.
Do you have a favorite piece of art? Maybe it’s something you bought, something given to you, or something you saw somewhere. I’d love to know!
I'm honored that you've taken time out of your day to stop by my blog, Glimsen. If you like what you see, sign up to receive my blog posts and updates by email, and you'll receive a free gift of beauty in your inbox. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. I look forward to connecting with you!