Aunt Bea's Barn

15x22 watercolor, copyright 2009 Kay Smith. For more information about this nostalgic old scene contact me 1971ks@att.net or visit my personal website www.kaysmithbrushworks.us

This old barn was a demo painting done as a composite of two decrepit structures. Wild sunflowers added on its right side from a photo at Aunt Bea's Antiques here in town, hence the title.

Winter Roses

12x9 watercolor on Canson rough paper completed a few days ago as already am so done with winter. Time for some bright sunny uplifting color! I used a pencil to draw the large main bloom but the rest of this was painted negatively using no photo references.

Divas

Copyright 2010 Kay Smith

Image two antique ceramic ladies head vases having a conversation, all dressed to the nines, primping, gossiping, checking out their false eyelashes and latest admirers. Size: 15x22 watercolor completed today.

New Watercolor Collages

Jailbird

Copyright Kay Smith 2009

Cat Tales and Fish Stories

Yesterday and today was fun day in the studio for me to relax after the holiday hubbub and hoopla. I'd already prepared two 11x14 approx sizes of matboard, one had been brushed with black gesso (cat above) and the other white gesso along with torn tissue toilet paper covers. This cat here I placed cut out plastic shapes into another coat of white gesso over the black gesso, let dry, then applied paint where I saw shapes. Christmas miracle! There appeared a cat and fish!

With Jailbird, I collaged a man's eyes photo detail I'd torn out of a newspaper, then the bottom half of his face appears on the left side. Portions of an article about a suave and shrewd swindler are scattered about including info about the police. Just last week had been reading about Mr. Madoff and how he got caught in his Ponzi scheme. With multicolored pencils I wrote words across such as ruthless, mean, schemer, etc. Also I stamped words and postmarks with black gesso. Using colored pencils, watercolor, Caran D'Ache crayons, I put colors down then removed until a design emerged of birds, then jail bars, almost by magic. Green areas were added to symbolize green grass Mr. Madoff won't be seeing as well as hear birds singing.

Pretty Poinsettias

12x9 inches, watercolor on Canson rough 124 lb, done last weekend. I added a mysterious background with negatively painted leaves, then the 3 colors of poinsettias.

Cold Snap

Copyright 2009 Kay Smith

"Cold Snap" 15x11 watercolor on gessoed matboard, American Journey/Daniel Smith paints. Today, Christmas Eve, we are having a cold snap with wind, snow, and icy conditions. I want to wish all my friends, followers, and fellow painters a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Baby Bath

Copyright 2009 Kay Smith "It's a Small World"

15x22 watercolor painted today of this sweet kitten taking his bath, all roly-poly and fluffy as he should be. This one is SOLD.