Wisteria Mystique

"Wisteria Mystique" • Original mixed watermedia on 100% cotton paper • 25" x 38.5"

This painting is on a big sheet of watercolor paper that's a little heavier than 140#. I began with watercolor and acrylic inks creating an impressionistic wash onto which I could make flower shapes. I worked on the green part on top separately while the purples were still wet. After everything was dry I tried to figure out where the flowers and leaves should be and added them by painting with watercolor, acrylic and gouache depending on if I wanted opaque paint or not. I finished with the curving vines and brushwork accents.

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Chickadee and Green

This is my latest chickadee painting. I really wanted to use a variety of greens contrasted with the browns in the bird. The little peach accents  add a lot of zing.  I always think it's interesting to imagine what it would feel like to perch in a tree and look through the canopy of leaves.

"Chickadee and Green" • Original acrylic on 7/8" deep cradled wood, sides are painted dark brown

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Painting Hellebore

This is definitely hellebore season and these flowers are SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I really love how the flowers hang from the curved stems as well as the contrast between the pointy leaves and the rounded flowers. These are 3 of my recent hellebore paintings.

"Magic & Hellebore" • Original watercolor on 140# cold press paper • 11" x 7.5"

This piece started as a wash that I looked at for weeks before deciding that it would be a perfect hellebore piece. It was a challenge to find the flowers in the wash but very rewarding.

"Hellebore Magic" • Original watercolor on handmade rough press paper • 8.25" x 8.5"

This piece started with just 2 colors, bloodstone genuine and duochrome bronze. The wash was pretty light, so as I added the flower shapes I darkened around them. I like the color variation. This paper is rough press, so the texture shows in the painting. All edged have a deckle.

"Hellebore Minuet" • Original watercolor on handmade rough press paper • 9.25" x 12"

I really like the simple shapes in this piece.
If interested in purchasing any of these pieces send an email to: info@melissagannon.com