• Chef Johnny Series No. 4
22 x 22"
Watercolor on Saunders Waterford 140# Rough
3rd Place - Northwest Watercolor Society 78th International Open Exhibition
1st Place - Tennessee Watercolor Society 2019 Online Juried Exhibition
I love doing demos. Because I'm teaching things and working fast, they take on all the great qualities of a plein aire painting. I work from the gut more and try things I wouldn't think to do if not for someone's "what would you do if" question. This one was the workshop demo for my 2017 Painting Real People workshop at Fountain City Art Center, and it was no exception. My background decisions ended up giving me some trouble, as I had demo’d one too many techniques with my spray bottle, so I faced an extra challenge.
And that was a gift. Any time a painting forces me out of a rut, it's an enormous gift. Besides, paintings without challenges are predictable, boring. It's why artists continue to grow and change throughout their careers. Then, of course, there's the fact that every time I paint Johnny, I find more that I love.
