Six month watercolor journey begins in March

March watercolors--turn on the sound

(The third slide is my impression of the virus)

In early March, there was a storm on the horizon.
"It's coming," said my doctor during a visit, referring to the COVID virus infecting the world.
We didn't understand how serious it would be, in middle America, where we feel relatively secure or isolated.
We celebrated St. Pat's day a week early, and during the first two weeks of March, I only did two watercolors...ironically one of a thunderstorm on March 4, and another of a lone canoe paddler on March 7.
March 15 changed that with quarantine, and I began painting daily watercolors, thanks in part to Doodlewash, which provided daily prompts. I didn't always follow them, but when I look at those from six months ago, I can almost tell you their stories, the prompts, what was happening. They are in effect, the beginning of a six month journey, a watercolor history.
I decided to try to paint something to lift spirits, light  against the darkness of disease.
Since then, in the next four months of daily challenges, I painted 98 watercolors, and completed 15 more in August.
I won't bother you with comments or captions on these, though you can easily guess the one for St. Pat's Day as I reflect in this slide show. If you want daily comments and captions, you can click on the blog posts of March and scroll forward, beginning with the March 4 post, Beauties and Beasts.
One other one  included in the show is of my beloved Sandias, in New Mexico...it was a birthday card for my brother.

Blue symbolism

"Turquoise Door," 5 x 7 watercolor, Fabriano Artistico extra white 

Favorite color?
That was easy to answer, but how to paint it? It was today's #WorldWatercolorMonth challenge prompt from Doodlewash.
I have used more hues of blue paint than almost any other, and never thought about it much, until I found something about it being the significant color for the name "Terry" recently. 
Coincidence? Probably, unless you're into New Age stuff, but part of what I read fit me, even subconsciously: "The color blue helps attract mental and physical relaxation as well as relief from negative thoughts." I'll take that as an added antidote to the #pandemics of disease, racism and a divisive president attacking our country and mood.  
But there is  blue  that is my most  favorite--turquoise, though it is has many shades of color in nature.
That's the influence of New Mexico, and turquoise also has a spiritual and historic background of thousands of years. For me, the turquoise doors and window frames and  other trim set against the earthen adobe of New Mexico always beckons.
So today's watercolor is a one-brush, a hake, effort--a minimalist multi-hued turquoise, with a touch of some green,  plus a slash of ultramarine for shadow. 
I'm ready to walk through that door, relaxed, just by painting it.

When it's time to play

"Playtime," 5 x 7 140 lb Fabriano Artistico extra white paper

"Playful." 
That was Doodlewash's #WorldWatercolorMonth prompt for today.
So appropriate because of the July 4 holiday, and even more this year as people struggle in social distancing to fight the viruses of pandemic, racism, political chaos and hatred.
Where would you like to be? I've had enough "alone" time these past three months...what I'd like to do is find a secluded beach, warm sunshine, loved ones and a dog, and ...you get the picture.
It's time to play, safely, intelligently, but oh we need to be playful to remind  and bolster ourselves of the basic humanity we're missing, that holds us together.
How do you paint ""Playful?" Perhaps, people having fun together.
Thus today's #watercolor,  "Playful."

A month of color challenged watercolors

"Sunrise Walk," in response to "Golden Opportunity," 9 x 12

Yesterday's color-a-day watercolor challenge from #doodlewashMay2019, "Purple Heart," drew many reactions on Facebook. In previous years I'd been posting them on this blog, and neglected to do so this year. 
So with three days left in the month, here are the ones I've done...challenges indeed. I've skipped a few days, being out of town, or having failed or not reacting--the most recent was yesterday's "Brown Sugar" and  before that, "Green Thumb." Notice also that I missed prompts for the first two days of May, and for May 12-17.

Some of these are favorites "Battleship Gray," and "Blue Plate Special," and "Proud as a Peacock," for instance. And a couple I just did down like, nor did I enjoy--"Black and White," and "Pot of Gold." All but one are 5 x 7s. "Golden Opportunity," at top, titled, "Sunrise Walk, " is 9 x 12, all on 140 lb. Fabriano Artistico cold press paper. 
For the last three days of the month...still stewing on those, Red Tape, Blue Moon, Beet Red.
So here they are, not in order, with the list of prompts...they all have stories, but I won't repeat them. Can you guess the colors?

With homage to Cezanne

Chaco Canyon pictograph

Illusion

Semper Fi!