It was a month ago today that I celebrated my birthday in Puerto Rico. And today in the depths of January, it seems like a good moment to reflect back on the time I spent there, and the work I produced.
I took a small set of Windsor Newton watercolors with me. It contained only thirteen colors and white and I thought this vacation would be a good chance to explore a little color theory. I was of course inspired by the light of the beach and ocean in Puerto Rico. Below is a photo I made one morning sitting at the beach-side tables in front of out guesthouse.
The guesthouse is called Numero Uno and is located in the Ocean Park neighborhood of San Juan.
Which made me think of Richard Diebenkorn and his series of paintings titled 'Ocean Park.
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| Richard Diebenkorn - Ocean Park #79 - 1975 |
My homages to Diebenkorn. Watercolor on Arches Paper - 12" x 9"
I would work during the middle of the day. Sitting outside my room, protected by a wall from the sun and the wind.
I would got out to the beach periodically, to swim, or to make a panoramic photo
The work became a bit more simplified as I the days went on. I felt like I had jumped in to quickly, and need to explore a few basics, both in terms of watercolor technique and color theory. Below are a few more pieces I made, roughly in chronological order. All are in my studio here in Chicago.
