Original Watercolor by Judy Lavoie

IMAGE SIZE: 30" x 22"

STATUS: Will be for sale at the Tennessee Watercolor Society Exhibition (see note below)

"I hadn't done a true watercolor for several years, even though I often use acrylics in a watercolor manner. I decided to tackle this one as an entry into a Tennessee Watercolor Society Exhibition in 2008. I combined many of my own photos of this old truck, the pasture, puddles and the distant barn, and saw the various rich textures as a good challenge for using transparent watercolor, and I was up for it. My tubes of watercolor paints were mostly stuck closed, but I managed to reclaim them. The process of creating this painting reminded me of why I've always loved watercolors... and why I don't like watercolors! I love the reactions achieved from mixing various watercolor pigments, as in the greenish areas of the truck, especially the watercolor pigments which are more grainy as opposed to staining. Acrylic pigments tend to be finer and create much smoother mixtures. But I missed the ability to layer subsequent glazes of paint over dried areas, which lifts the first layer of many watercolor pigments, but is very easy to do with acrylics. The technique I've used is considered 'totally transparent watercolor,' which means I've used the white of the paper rather than using any white paint, and used thinned washes of color to create light tones rather than using any opaque pastel hues. I paint in such detail, that I get to know my subjects intimately. Just days after I finished this painting, I drove by the barn and was surprised to see a pile of boards on the ground in front of it. I quickly noticed the whole section of siding from the top right of the facade had let go and fell off the building!"

NOTE: This painting is one of only 60 chosen, from entries throughout Tennessee, for inclusion in the 31st Exhibition of the Tennessee Watercolor Society. This statewide organization holds its major show only once every two years, rotating the location around the state. It will be held this year in Knoxville, Tennessee, from June 7 through July 25 at the Arts & Culture Alliance at the Emporium, 100 S Gay Street.

Renowned watercolor artist and juror Mr. Chen-Khee Chee based his selection of entries from all over the state on four criteria: craftsmanship, composition, contents, and creativity. He said "Overall I looked to identify works that possess esthetic impact, imaginative power, intellectual inventiveness, metaphorical intent, psychological insight, spiritual quality, and pioneering spirit which contribute to an artist's unique vision." Over $5000 in awards will be presented at the opening of the show.