Monday, January 11, 2010

Featured artist...


Chilean Jasmine
watercolor, 10" x 14"
Chris Beck

I'm the featured artist this month for the Grupo de Acuarelistas Hispanoamericanos on Facebook. Please pop in for a visit if you're on Facebook. The group was formed in Caracas, Venezuela in 2003 by Consuelo Moros for the purpose of sharing all things related to watercolor. I'm grateful to her for the invitation, first to join the group and now to be the featured artist.

Chilean Jasmine (Mandevilla laxa) is a vine that, although not native to my area, will grow in sheltered garden conditions here. It has incredibly fragrant flowers -- a cross between gardenias and Easter lilies is the best description I can provide. I painted this some time ago, but the piece sold immediately and has had no public visibility. I'm so glad to be able to share it with everyone now.

20 comments:

  1. Gorgeous, Chris! You've not only captured the flower, but the feel and mood of a lush tropical environment. Wish I were there!

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  2. Chris, I can just smell the fragrance in this!!! Thanks for sharing a superb piece of your work

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  3. A fabulous painting! I'm so glad you shared it here, and can see why it sold immediately. Congratulations on being selected as a featured artist!

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  4. So pretty! I had pink mandevillas for my wedding - I just love them!

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  5. Thanks, Terry, Julie,and Kathy! Glad you like this painting!! I received very harsh feedback on this when I first shared it with a group of artists. At the time, I was too green to realize that the attacker was probably jealous!! But the result was that I put it up for sale rather than hold onto it for a while and try to exhibit it. Nice to be able to share it now.

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  6. Beautiful painting; I'm not on Facebook, tho, so if you have more like this I won't get to see them. People can be cruel and sadly jealousy can be an issue in a critique. Glad it sold!!!

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  7. Congratulations Chris! The painting is beautiful. What others meant for harm has turned into good for you.

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  8. Beautiful, Chris. Congratulations on your latest honor. Interesting comment on the critique. The lessons we learn along the way!

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  9. Chris, this is a beautiful painting! I wish you had held on to it longer, but then, a sale is a sale. I have learned, as I am sure you have by now, not to trust some opinions. I have had a painting rejected by one juror and then have another juror award the same painting an eye-boggling award. So it goes.

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  10. Deb, this is it!! No other paintings on exhibit on Facebook so you aren't missing anything!!

    Thanks Vicki, Myrna, and Genie!! We learn as we go along to trust our own evaluations!! Thanks for the compliments on the painting!!

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  11. Hey, Angela -- didn't mean to leave you out. Your message came in before my first comment but it didn't appear in my inbox until later so I missed it when I came back to comment. I love the appearance of the pink mandevillas too. I've never seen the Chilean Jasmine in a garden center -- I saw one blooming in a public garden here and went back in fall and gathered some of the seeds. We have a vine that's struggled in our somewhat shady yard, but comes back every year. Unfortunately the flowers are always so high up that I can't get at them now.

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  12. It is so beautiful Chris. I love the mood it evokes.

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  13. Thank you so much, Jeanette! Glad you like it.

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  14. Chris!

    I always struggle creating a sense of depth when the main subject is all white and yet you do it with relative ease!

    I bow down to you!

    Fantastic floral painting!

    -Dean

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  15. very nice, Chris. Good luck and what fun.

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  16. Thanks, Dean! You can bow down to me if you want, but not because you think I did this with ease!! It was tough!! ;-D But thanks for the compliment!!

    Thanks, Gary!

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  17. This is so stunning. Lush, rich, clear color. You are amazing. Congrats on the feature...I'll pop over on FB :-D

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  18. Thanks, Liz! I'm going to have to get a special neck brace to hold my head up, what with all these compliments, but I love every minute of it!! ;-D

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  19. This one just sucked me right into your blog. Bravo, my friend. It's incredible.

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  20. Thanks, Belinda! Your words are music to my ears!!

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