"Robin" 4"x6" Watercolor $75
The robins have arrived in Vermont with the sunnier days. A feel of Spring is in the air. The robins congregate at the grassy openings between blankets of snow and the snow keeps falling except that the new heavy white flakes float away on the pooling ribbons of water.
I used indigo blue, permanent rose and cadmium yellow to mix these nuanced colors. Is it simple?
Yesterday a painters called and wanted watercolor painting lessons because she had not captured the "simple" in her watercolors. What is it she wants, really?
I believe it is somewhere in this range of the robin. The sense of simplicity is from the effortless brush strokes, layered colors(warm to cool in the classic style) and cool darks. There is no simplicity in applying the paint but a clear vision and decisive paint application. The simplicity is in the eye of the beholder!

My winter skiing and birding adventures are winding down since I arrived back in California and found blossoms peeking out on leafless branches. This meadowlark streaked through the landscape at Green String Farm during a painting class where we had easels set-up out doors to capture the budding fruit trees. Clouds still hang over the electric green grassy rolling hills with lemon yellow mustard flowers marking patterns of farmer's fields and the wind has a biting chill, but California is spring-bound. I paint with three layers of fleece and mud boots until April arrives. The birds are very busy this time of year!