Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Hip Hop Bebop...



Hip Hop Bebop
watercolor, 12" x 12"
Chris Beck

I've been wanting to use these crazy salt shakers since I bought them a couple of years ago, but just didn't have a well-formed idea of what to do with them. A few weeks ago, I did some serious brainstorming and discovered I had the perfect set piece in Frogs, which has been tucked away on my bookshelf for years. Take a minute to check out the central illustration on the book jacket -- I couldn't have special ordered a more fitting scene!!

As we come to the end of the year, I'm going through the flat file drawers and pulling out a few paintings that I set aside because I ran into problems and needed a break from them. I have a bunch of new things on the to-do list as well and I'm looking forward to a creative and fun new year.

Happy New Year to all of you -- I look forward to sharing more art and artists with you in 2012!!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Spotlight: Ramesh Jhawar


Poster Wall
watercolor & collage, 14" x 21"
Ramesh Jhawar

Ramesh Jhawar's interest in color and the play of light and shadow is immediately evident in the works he shares on his blog. From the brilliant colors of an urban street scene to the muted tones of a rural landscape, he skillfully captures the essence of his subject. Ramesh's compositions are strong and he incorporates the details of a subject without losing the freshness that is the hallmark of the watercolor medium.

Although he started out getting a degree in commerce and working in his family business, he was inspired to become a professional painter after taking up oil painting. He has also worked in other media in the past, but now concentrates on watercolor, and he is garnering increasing attention on the international level with inclusion in the most recent issue of the French art magazine, Practique Des Arts.

Please go to Ramesh's blog to see a wonderful collection of his paintings and links to gallery displays of his work.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Yes, Virginia, these are REAL postage stamps!!



Custom postage stamps make a great gift -- fun *and* useful!! I've just posted six new stamps to my Zazzle store!! -- all images are from my original watercolors or acrylic paintings.

If you order today, you can take advantage of Zazzle's 15% off sale by entering code DECDELIGHT11 in the box in your shopping cart. Stamps ordered today will arrive by Christmas!