Ocean Tide Study III

Ocean Tide Study III

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

I simply never tire of painting the sea. Not yet, anyway. My intent is to paint several of these small studies in preparation for a few larger works. And I am still having fun with these small captures of light and water in motion.

sketchbook :: looking out my back door

We had a good deal of rain this past weekend. I made this sketch while sitting at our dining table, looking out the back door, watching the sky through the trees darken with approaching rain clouds.

Ocean Tide Study II

Ocean Tide Study II

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This is the second in my series of small paintings studying the waves at the beach. I am not wanting to be too literal, yet still convey that glow of early morning sun on the water. And I am enjoying the process of allowing the watercolor paint be watercolor paint, where colors flow into each other creating unexpected results that are just right.

sketchbook :: pepper picker

This past Saturday morning our farmers' market was a very busy place. I came home with lettuce, tomatoes, corn, apples, two lavender plants, and a few photos. It was so full of shoppers that I was not able to get very close to this glorious display of bell peppers, which was crowded with folks picking out the perfect peppers. I wonder what dish she made with her red and yellow peppers? This was sketched in my Strathmore watercolor journal with pencil, watercolor, and a little white gel pen for the chalkboard signs.

Ocean Tide Study I

Ocean Tide Study I

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

I have begun a series of small paintings inspired by the ocean tides. A recurring theme in my painting that continues to inspire me to put paint to paper. They are about the light, color, and movement of the sea as it comes to shore in its eternal, comforting rhythm. As a subject, these images provide me with a place to expand on my painting vocabulary, how to show all of that watery motion with sharp and soft edges, brush strokes, and changes in value and hue. This painting was inspired by the beach in the early morning light of the sunrise, when the pastels of sea and sky blur on a misty horizon.

sketchbook :: sunflowers

We went to our local farmers' market last Saturday where sunflowers were abundant. So I brought some home to paint in my Strathmore watercolor sketchbook. Of course, I put the wrong date on the page - it was sketched on Sunday, the 24th, the day after the market.

However, the sunflowers are still glorious today as they continue to grace our dining table.

watching the river run

Watauga River at Valle Crucis

watercolor

8 x 10 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

We live in a place where rivers begin. I have always thought there was something special about that. One of our rivers, the Watauga River, runs through the beautiful Valle Crucis Park here in our mountains. It is a spot we often visit for sketch outings. This painting is inspired by one of the lovely views of the river there.

Morning in the Neighborhood

Morning in the Neighborhood

watercolor

8 x 10 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

My little rural/suburban neighborhood is not more than a stone's throw from the Blue Ridge Parkway. And it can be, at times, full of noise and activity. Lawn mowers, kids, the summer sounds of cicadas and the nearby cows calling. But early in the mornings there is a peacefulness when the light is soft and the grasses are still damp with dew. This painting is inspired by such a morning in summer.

sketchbook : random still life

It has been cool, very wet, and very foggy for days on end here in our Southern mountains. Wanting to sketch I chose random objects from my kitchen for a little watercolor play time.

I am still enjoying this Strathmore watercolor sketchbook. However, when I sketch across the page, as I did here, the entire page spread does not fit on my scanner. So you are left with a less than crisp photo in order to view what's inside my sketchbook.

Where Huckleberries Grow

Where Huckleberries Grow

watercolor

8 x 10 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

There is a hiking trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway where we have been told wild blueberries, sometimes called huckleberries, grow in abundance. We have not picked the wild berries, or even been along there when they are ripe, but the views from the top of the hill, looking down on Bass Lake, are beautiful.