In the Coleman
Gallery
May 2005
Marla Greenfield
see gallery
see resume
I am drawn to watercolors because of the transparency and the luminosity I can achieve with them. I paint primarily to depict the beauty of light and the delicacy of the medium enables me to capture the range of variations in value and color that light reveals, from striking to subtle. The objects I paint are mostly an excuse to paint the light that plays off their surfaces. Sometimes the light is reflective and creates almost abstract patterns of that which surrounds it. Other times it is translucent as in “Bougainvillea”.
The light is often defined by the absence of paint, the white of the paper, augmented by colorful and interestingly shaped shadows. In watercolor specifically, planning for and leaving the lights constantly challenges me, as does the task of creating wide value variations with numerous glazes, to get those deep darks. The need for planning does not eliminate my spontaneity, which happens as the colors merge and bleed beautifully on the paper within shapes, often the shadow shapes, a characteristic unique to watercolor that I love to observe. The shadow shapes offer me a chance to enhance the hues that I see with the colors of my palette. And the luminosity of the media allows prior layers to show through, revealing an exceptional glow.
I
often like to zoom in on my subjects, leading to intimate portraits,
closely drawing the viewer in. This is evident in my florals and still
lifes. I am also drawn to interiors with sunlight streaming in and scenes
from local New England towns, from Nantucket to Maine including porches,
store fronts, street scenes, doorways, all illuminated by early morning
or late afternoon light. The sun at these times of day, creates the
most interesting patterns of light and shadow. I paint things that I
find beautiful, situations of find peaceful and calming. I wish to bring
those feelings to the viewer.
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