Happy holidays!
Posted: December 24, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 45 CommentsThe days are short but there’s still a lot of beauty in my woods. This year I’ve been enjoying the different types of plants and wildflowers that grow around the perimeter of the quarry. I’ve photographed them in all seasons but of course they are most beautiful in winter when the dry seedpods are covered in snow.
I painted this quarter sheet wet-in-wet watercolour using lots of Lunar Blue from Daniel Smith. It’s a colour I haven’t experimented with much but wow, it’s amazing. I need to do further experimentation but with the holidays here, I didn’t really have time to create swatches to explore its full potential. From my first few washes, I can see that it’s very granulating but also sometimes blue and sometimes grey when diluted. I also used some Naples Yellow, Umber and Indanthrone Blue for the darks in this.
I hope you have some time to rest, enjoy family time and of course be creative during the holiday season and the coming year. As always, it truly wonderful connect with all of you online and in person. Happy New Year and all the best from snowy Montreal.
Incredible combination of techniques and beautifully rendered. Love it!
Jeff, thanks so much. Hope you and Ellen are enjoying a snowy December in Vermont. Happy New Year to you both.
Beautiful!
Thank you Kathleen!
beautiful
Thanks so much Janet!
Gorgeous! Loving the colors.
Merry Christmas to you… enjoy!
You bring so much joy!!! Thank you.
Linda 🍒
Linda, many thanks and happy holidays!
Hi Shari! Wishing you every joy for Christmas and all things wonderful in the New Year. So grateful to be a student of yours–thank you for bringing this former Montrealer to my favourite places via video!
Sending you all my best from the Rockies,
Lori
Lori, this is so nice to read. Thanks so much for writing and hoping your holidays are wonderful!
Shari
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your artistic talents! Wishing you the best of the holidays!
And the same to you De!! Thanks so much for reading and looking at the blog all year long. I really appreciate it!
Thank you Shari for sharing your gifts , I’m learning so much and having so much fun! Happy Holidays!
Happy holidays to you too Maureen!
Magnifique cadeau de Noël que ces herbes sèches magnifiées par la neige. Joyeux Noël de France, à vous Shari, et à votre famille! J’apprends beaucoup de ce que vous faites… Merci aussi de m’avoir fait découvrir James Gurney à travers vos commentaires. Certaines de ses vidéos sont pleines de commentaires sensibles. MERCI à vous deux,
Jacqueline
Merci beaucoup Jacqueline. Je suis contente que vous aimez le travail de James Gurney! Bonne année!
Shari
A very beautiful winter capture. Merry Christmas to you, Shari!
Thanks Lois. Happy holidays to you and all the best for 2025!
I love the stillness of the painting. Beautiful! Merry Christmas, Shari!
And all the same to you Frieda!!
As always, inspiring. It also reminds me to back-off from too much pigment, too much overpainting, too much… my mantra this week will be “better planning, fewer brush strokes in washes.” Have a wonderful holiday.
Thank you Michael. I hope you have a wonderful holiday too!!
Would make a beautiful Christmas card just as is. Happy Holidays!
Happy holidays Mary!!
Thank you for sharing the gifts of your talent, experience and knowledge to help us better enjoy our own watercolor adventures. All the best to you and your family.
Denise, I hope you are having a wonderful holiday with your family!
Shari- I love this color palette and your line work. Enjoy the holidays with your family. Happy New Year too. Carol
Thanks Carol! Happy New Year to you too!!
Hi Shari,
Happy Holidays to you as well and a wonderful year ahead. I love this painting and how you explained your colours. I recently bought a DS colour sampler and you have inspired me to use it…soon! And also to start your course on the David Drezil (sp?) group of courses I purchased.
Laura
Laura, happy holidays to you too. Give the DS colours a try. I bet you will find more than Lunar Blue to love.
I think you will love the Sketching Retreat courses too. Enjoy!
I can just imagine those woods! Beautiful painting! Just added Lunar Blue to a wish list. 🙂..Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Betty, my new woods are really spectacular! And Lunar Blue is a new favourite for winter scenes. Happy holidays!!
Merry Christmas to you and yours, and wishing you another great art-filled New Years. Thank you for all your creative inspiration!
Gayle, thank you and I send those good wishes back to you!
Merry Christmas to you and yours! Have a Blessed Holiday season 🙏
And all the best to you too, Linda!
Wonderful Shari! I love the abstract quality of this. It also feels musical, with crescendo and denouement. Thanks for the beautiful seasonal wishes in and image.
Thanks Alison. I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your family too!! I am pretty sure there was music in there too. Xoxo
I Love this!!!! The colors, the snow, the dead branches :). You captured it so well!
Lori, thank you!!
Hello Shari,
I’ve been following your work for years and have bought your classes. Thanks for being a constant inspiration for me. I hope to join one of your classes in person some day. This winter scene is stunning.
Paula
Paula, thank you so much. Happy New Year and hope to meet you sometime!
You always make a complicated scene look lovely! Great job on this!!
Thanks for your inspiration and best wishes for 2025.
And the same to you!