Lilies on the Rocks

Lilies on the Rocks, watercolor, 9x16", NFS

Private collection of Rep. Mac Gipson, Montgomery, AL

This is a piece that I recently finished amid a few additional commission works. The Charleston House Gallery will be displaying this piece in preparation for an exhibition of J. Sidney Kelly works tonight. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am fascinated with patterns and fabric design. I attribute this fixation partly to my wife who make awesome purses and purse accessories, using a large collection of patterned fabrics. I never know what she'll be putting together on any given day.
In doing this particular piece I drew the initial wall pattern on grid paper and used transfer paper to trace it to the watercolor paper. After doing all this, I realized that I had wasted all my time. The thought hit me that I could have transferred the original drawing to a linoleum block and carefully cut-out the design. Then I could have used masking fluid to stamp the design over the entire background, allowing me to apply a wash to the background without painting in the areas of the motifs. Once the wash had dried I could have gone back and removed the mask layer and added the darker sage green to the pattern. Of course this is classic for me; always learning after the fact.
Anyhow, I am really pleased with how this piece turned out and I have bigger ideas for the next few watercolors. Enjoy - Jared.

New Watercolors

Little Boy, watercolor, 6x6", 2009 SOLD

The Ascent, watercolor, 6x8", $100 (scroll below to purchase)

Patterned Blooms, watercolor, 5x8", $100 (scroll below to purchase)

The Watchmaker Watches, watercolor, 8x6", $85 (scroll below to purchase)

Pet Portrait Commission, watercolor, 16x9", 2009

These are some of the pieces that I have been fortunate to work on as of late. My wife and I like to work a booth at the monthly Santuck Arts and Crafts Market where she sales her totally sweet purse organizers, checkbook covers, and handbags and where I sale my artwork. These watercolors were completed for this Art Market. If you are interested in purchasing one of these, contact me immediately so that someone else doesn't snatch up your favorite.

I will honestly be saddened greatly once The Little Boy watercolor sells. I am really fond of that painting. Though it is small, only six inches square, it is emotionally intriguing. I wonder what could have had this young boy so festered and pensive? I will truly miss it.

Let me know what you like. Keep up the creativity
- Jared

Choose which watercolor

The Ascent $100.00 Patterned Bloom $100.00 The Watchmaker $85.00

Gone to the Dogs

Dog Commissions, 9x12" each, watercolor, 2009

I was able to do these pet portraits last week after the Charleston House called me and said they needed some breathtaking and amazing dog portraits for a client. I hadn't used watercolors in years before these commissions but it eventually came back to me. I have started working on more small scale watercolors just for fun. I am still very serious about my new graphite works and will hopefully have pics posted soon for that work.

Both of this paintings were done in one sitting from photographs that the owner provided me. I used Cotman watercolors and Strathmore 140 lb paper. I like to soak my watercolor paper for 15 - 30 minutes in a water bath before starting. To a 5/8" thick Birch board, I then staple the paper around all sides about a quarter inch in from the edges and spacing each staple roughly half an inch from the next. Once this dries I start drawing in my composition and painting. I find that soaking the paper beforehand reduces the amount of buckling that will happen from subsequent washes. Of course, I have a lot to learn but I thoroughly enjoy the process.

If you'd like to commission your own pet portrait, please contact me at jaredkelley@bellsouth.net or click on my profile pic for a link to my email. Thanks and ENJOY - Jared