This morning I am working this little painting. She is one of my smaller and newer paintings in the works. It's a little cholita. Which I am always facinated with painting. I am deciding what she will be holding. I was thinking either some coca leaves, a basket of coca leaves, petting a little llama..decisions..decisions..I am using acyrlics and also watercolors. I actually really enjoy working with watercolors on canvas. It's a different technique, but when I was younger I loved doing it, because if I wasn't happy, I would just wash it off the canvas.
Even though the recent paintings I do in the theme of Bolivian art and Day of the Dead are simpler, but vibrant, I am still trying to sharpen my techniques with certain things, such as the way the clouds should look and making small strands in the hair.
Two of the most valuable things I have learned are:
1. Paint only what you love.
You need to create something you love, or your entire heart won't be in it.
2. Brushes matter.
I use to actually use the same brush for everything, small details, background. Now I use brushes of all different sizes, which should be a given, but at one point I thought I could get away with one brush or 3 different brushes. Now I understand that 1 tool cannot be used for everything. Like a screwdriver cannot be used to hammer:)
Happy Fourth of July! I hope your having a wonderful day either relaxing, or outside in front of the grill bbqing some delicious things.
I think I will be doing a little bit of both!!
I love the cholita up at the top of your blog, and the one you're working on now. (I love all your pieces, but especially them!) How/why did you get into painting Bolivian characters?
ReplyDeleteHi Cassy,
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I Am so glad you like them. To answer your question. I am Bolivian, well technically half Bolivian:) But I feel fully Bolivian, because out of all of the nationalties I am, which are a few, it is the one I feel the most connected with. I have visited Bolivia a few times and I photograph the Cholita and their daily activities and admire their culture. Everyone around them has adapted to "regular" clothing, yet the cholitas continue to wear traditional clothing, like their long braids, bowler hats and colorful clothing. Painting them makes me feel closer to my culture and brings me a little bit if Bolivia in my home and heart wherever I go. So I hang the art around me. Thank you for the question:) and visiting my blog!!