Waiting for Halcyon Days

Waiting for Halcyon Days

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This painting developed intuitively from my response to my initial mark making and paint application. I began with a resist of masking fluid in a big, sweeping, circular motion. Then with the paper randomly sprayed with water I applied washes of color. From there I considered what I wanted to happen in each area. I used a stamp inspired by a fossil shape that I created from a white plastic eraser as well as stencils to create some of the shapes. I have long been fascinated with mythology and folklore. As the painting began to suggest water I imagined the kingfisher from the Greek myth of Halcyon and its power to calm the waves. As our time of Halcyon Days ends for this year I wish you calm waters in the new year.

Halcyon days, now wars are ending.

You shall find where ere you sail

Tritons all the while attending

With a kind and gentle gale.

~Halcyon Days by Thomas Shadwell~

12 in 15

As a review of the year this post is a selection of twelve works I have completed in 2015. I actually had a fairly busy year creating approximately 48 paintings, not counting the ones that went into the bin. I often feel that my work is going in several directions at once, not that it's a bad thing, but it is helpful to take some time to review where I have been and assess where I'd like to go next. I was inspired to choose twelve for this review by artist Jeanette Jobson and her recent 12 in 15 post. They are listed here in order of creation, not by preference. I would love to know which are your favorites and why.

Sea Souvenirs

watercolor

6 x 12 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available at With These Hands Gallery

Ocean Dreams V

watercolor

8 x 8 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Dreaming of the Sea

watercolor

6 x 12 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available from the artist

Market Sunflowers

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

sold

Calloway Gap

watercolor

8 x 10 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Tide Rising

watercolor

12 x 12 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available from the artist

Midsummer

watercolor

8 x 10 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Endive Basket

watercolor

8 x 8 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Sunflower Play

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

sold

Gathering Season

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Autumn Spirit

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Landscape Study III

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

winter light

Landscape Study III

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This is a view from up near Howard's Knob as you head towards Rich Mountain. With this small study I was interested in pushing the values in order to express that low and intense light we experience in winter. After doing this small study I would like to have a go at making a larger painting from this scene. But for now it's on to more landscape studies.

landscape studies

Landscape Study I

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

I have decided to close out this year with a series of small landscape studies. I am revisiting some of my favorite scenes with more interpretive landscape compositions emphasizing an expressive approach to watercolor painting.

Landscape Study II

watercolor

8 x 8 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

The advantage of working on a small scale with such a big subject as landscape is that I am prevented from becoming too obsessive with detail. And I get to play with using a new color to my palette, cobalt blue, as well as with my new brush, a Robert Simmons 1/2" dagger. I bought the dagger brush to use in my sketch kit, but I am enjoying painting with it too much to reserve it for only sketch outings.

December Bloom

December Bloom

watercolor

8 x 10 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

It wouldn't be December without a painting of a poinsettia. My poinsettia sits in a sunny spot on our table. I enjoyed the play of sunlight and shadow on those velvety red leaves.

The Tree I Can See

The Tree I Can See

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Weather can be quite dramatic here in our Southern mountains. Winter's snow, ice and wind aside, we tend to get a lot of foggy days in the autumn. And summer. Well, winter and spring can have foggy days too. And my neighborhood lies in what is known as the "fog likely zone".  Living at an elevation even higher than our town, there are days when we are socked in with fog at our house, yet a short drive down the hill reveals an entirely different kind of day. Once down the hill our road meets another and there have been days so foggy that I sit at that stop sign unable to see beyond the front of the car. Cars zoom by at that cross road and when the fog is thick and I am unable to see if one is coming I roll down the car windows and listen. Then when all seems quiet I hold my breath and pull out fast. But because I would rather avoid this kind of excitement when driving I have come to rely on our local weather guy's web cams to see what the roads look like before venturing out. Luckily for me there is a web cam right beside this very cross road. It shows a view of the farm there, and on a nearby hill sits a lone tree. When I am considering going out on foggy days I consult that web cam. When the fog is very thick the entire image is gray. When it's not so bad you can make out some shapes. If I can see the tree, then I feel confident. All of this to say that the painting above is of that tree, although from a different view point than the web cam, inspired by my own reference captured in the late autumn on a rather pleasant day.