Watercolor and Gouache on Paper

Gouache as a medium was first introduced to me while studying at Otis Art Institute in the 1980s. I like the immediacy of the medium which allows me to explore and experiment with various compositions and color. I also like its portability, allowing me to travel and sketch people’s homes, gardens and other spaces that I could then color at home. My gouaches have many different inspirations such as Day of the Dead, Christmas and one of my favorite times of year, Fall. When I am out or traveling I buy objects that I am drawn to and eventually they may show up in my work. In my home I arrange them to tell a story that can be based on memories, my culture, immediate environment or completely imaginary. Because my gouaches often do not have any people in them, I capture the feeling of people who might inhabit these spaces through objects, it could be a teapot they left steaming in the kitchen, a lit candle or a meal laid out on the table. Energetically I like to imbue the work with a sense of movement; sweeping brooms, levitating forks and floating letters channel the presence of the unseen and otherworldly. I’ve recently began to combine watercolor and gouache together. Both these mediums in combination add a softness and depth that gives a new feel and look to the works.