5/22/21 watercolor/collage 11x15” mixed media and collage on arches paper
LEFT: or do you prefer vertical?
DETAIL
1:35 PM: i took a little oatmeal break, then scooted over to the house to bring some to mikela, then got back to work on 5/22/21 watercolor/collage. about 20 minutes ago, it found it’s voice and began to sing. i love that moment. just the right balance between white space and marks. just the perfect use of color and line. and the big clue in this one was choosing to use the side of a crayon to scoot over the rock shape on the upper right and the indication of water beneath. the crayon, used in that way, picked up the uneven surface below in a way that is reminiscent of bonnard. it differs from the rest of the flatter areas of color so that it creates a distinct melody. good job, philip. just kidding; the spirit is in charge here!
by the way, if you make the image full page and look carefully at the area adjacent to the blue triangle of color, you will detect the profile of an egyptian sphynx; it’s from a metropolitan museum brochure advertising a trip to egypt.
9:43 AM: i thought i had completed work on this new watercolor/collage, but after looking at it this morning over at the house, it still seemed like it was divided into 4 equal rectangles. didn’t hang together.
so this morning i arrived early at the studio so i could do a bit more work on it before returning to the house in 5 minutes for our bi-weekly 10am zoom with our friends in germany.
i may do a bit more once i’m back, around 11:30.
BELOW: yesterday’s version and, on the right, today’s
