Tiny points of magic

Looking for sparks in the dark corners of the night

It's the first week of June, and my heart leaps as I see my first lightning bug of the season. It's across the street near the ground, a shimmer of brilliance racing toward the sky. It blinks out. Moments pass. And once again, the light shines and shoots toward the sky.

Two weeks pass, and each evening I scan the yard's dark spots, peering into shadows, bushes, tall grass, and the compost bin. The night remains still, with the last hues of sunset fading into night.

And now, in a moment of stillness, I see an energetic spark shooting toward the sky.

Purple and yellow

Imagining a scene with light coming from multiple places. Playing with complimentary colors.

A sunset in stages

Version #1. Exploring and designing an imagined scene.

Version #2: Brighter colors and more contrast added on top of the first version.

Abstract shapes explored

Version #1: Exploring some shapes and colors.

Version #2: Pushing the drawing into an abstract landscape.

Version #3: Increasing the contrast. I lost some of the subtlety I liked in version #2, but it’s been helpful as a learning experience.

Play and testing papers

I'm testing various watercolor papers to see which ones I like.

Test #1: I started with the magenta, black, and dark orange acrylic. And on the remaining white of the paper, layered watercolor and gauche. Excellent — it works well with acrylic and watercolor!

Test #2: Testing another type of watercolor paper. I didn't get the delicacy I was looking for. But a different way of applying the paint may work better.

Test #3: Testing a smooth watercolor paper, oh so luminous!

Imagining a sunset scene near water, again

I’m having so much fun playing with the sunset with an almost invisible horizon line for the water.

Thank you!

Thank you for being here — for your curiosity and interest in my work. I appreciate those who have reached out and shared feedback (directly or have left a comment). It means a lot — thank you!

Wishing you a weekend full of joy and light.

Sending my love,
-Tamara