A Seasons greeting-" Beannacht "
On the day the weight deadens on your shoulders, and you stumble,

may the clay dance to balance you.
And when your eyes freeze behind the gray window,

and the ghost of loss gets into you,may a flock of colors indigo, red, green, and azure blue,
come to awaken in you a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays and the currach of thought,

and a stain of ocean blackens beneath you,

may there come across the waters a path of moonlight to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,

may the clarity of light be yours,

may the fluency of the ocean be yours,

may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow wind work these words around you,

an invisible cloak to mind your life.- John O'Donohue

Screens for flexibly delineating space

I created this screen from luan wooden doors, and used the textured sculpture to paint the image of Kingsley plantation near Talbot Island Fernandina Florida. Screens can come in handy for breaking up a space without building permanent walls, and gives an artistic ambience to the room that no other kind of work can do. Its a sculpture, painting and divider in one!

Watercolour painting: from catastrophe to harmony

Upcoming videos and Art Newspapers

I will soon be posting some videos of my own unique watercolor technique, but I wanted to share these art networks and Art Newspapers for your reference library of learning tools. I am largely self taught but in truth no one is wise to be totally self taught. I have learned through years of study, and of course much practice. I have also had teachers and these have been of immense help to me, shaving years off my trial and error time.

Watercolor in Motion with Birgit O'Connor

My favorite Art Newspaper

I was thrilled to have this wonderful video art newspaper available to me on the internet. I read art magazines, but I love the way this "newspaper" brings the artists and their conversations to life as if visiting them in person. This a rare and wonderful resource for any artist interested in staying in touch with great minds in the currents of culture. Take a look from time to time as they change articles and artists interviews.

If Da Vinci where here

When I was in college I had many virtual conversations with the master Leonardo Da Vinci. I know it sounds crazy, but it seemed like he or his spirit was guiding me to reach higher. I recently discovered this video and newspaper and wanted to include it in my blog,. Note: the sayings at the top of the video, and imagine yourself in a conversation with the master.

Artdaily org The First Art Newspaper on the Net

Art Basel Miami Beach - What is art for?

I teach watercolors because I love them as an end in themselves, and because they are a poetic medium. They are also helpful in preparing for a large mural project. I will show this new watercolor, and though I did not use this particular one for the new mural I will post, I used photographs and sketches taken while in the Talbot Island area, for the mural reference. and this watercolor. So the personal adventures you take can produce a lot of material for all sorts of uses, so don't go anywhere without your sketch book and a camera!

I found my students in watercolor had a hard time when I was trying to get them to draw from their imagination a landscape, so I went back to basics with the still life then likened it to a landscape, or conversely a landscape is likened to a still life. You have to find a light source and the shapes are roughly based on the circle or sphere , (bushes trees are really in a sense a series of spheres) then I set them to work and got much more practical results. Here are some students working hard on that and my demo for the day.

Artists frequently find themselves in a position of being called upon to be the attraction at an event, to liven up a wine tasting, fundraiser etc. There is nothing wrong with it, and it is great for everyone. A great use of imagination in marketing. I was doing a demonstration at an event for the Cultural Center of Ponte Vedra Beach , Florida. The event was a fundraiser for them, and was to be held a the Casa Marina Hotel. Unfortunately for me I set up as predetermined outside on the patio. The weather turned windy and cold as the night progressed ( cold by Florida standards!) . Everyone that attended ended up at the wine bar (big surprise) and I was hammering away at the watercolor in the wind, with a few brave souls coming out to see me as I worked. At first I thought "What a bust!" but I decided to perservere, and get on with it. I started with a get it done and over with" attitude. As I got deeper into the watercolor though a transformation took place, I warmed up in spite of the wind, to the idea of getting this right under duress. It actually made me swift of stroke and edit to the point. I believe the watercolor was a success after all and I was proud and satisfied when finished and soon enough joined the others to drink and eat til full. The weather forced me to get too the point and it was an unforseen blessing. The point of the story is that great gifts can come in what seems to be disaster! Apply that lesson wherever you will, in life or in painting!

Cheers to art and passion.

Gordon