"Gratitude" (final)

($300.00......11" x 14".....Watercolor on Fabriano 300 lb. CP.....presented on a 2" depth cradled board)

"Seeing and noticing are the heartbeat of a thankful heart. Writing it down makes it visible." (paraphrase from One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp) It's done at last....unless something else comes to mind during the day. You never know. Thanks for hanging in there through the process on this one.

Any artist trying to juggle lettering and fine art and integrating them into one piece has some difficult decisions. For a long time now, I have opted to have my artwork look like a fine art piece from across the room. And the viewer then has the option of coming closer and reading the text, but that would not be absolutely necessary. It could also work the other way around. The lettering could be read from a distance and the background art taking a supporting role. It has been an interesting process and one which leads to endless variations on the theme.

Another point to consider is the color of the text. If I had chosen black text and painted a black feather on the piece, it would have looked completely different. However, I like the ethereal quality of white so that was my first choice. I also chose Spencerian Script because it has a "quieting" effect on dynamic backgrounds. It also has a poetic feel and much of my work trends in that direction.

The piece will now be sprayed with varnish (3x) and then varnish will be brushed on (3x). This varnish (Golden Acrylic Spray Varnish with UV filters) will ensure that the piece can be mounted on a 2" depth cradled board and be impervious to touching or spills.

My next move is to use similar techniques with more vibrant color and see how it goes. And there you have it...just a few more things to think about.

Please contact me personally to inquire about this piece.