One day I may give up paper surfaces completely! I am painting more and more of my watercolors on a special clay surface called Aquabord™. When you use Aquabord, there is no need to use a mat and glass when framing. The surface remains beautiful, without the reflections caused by glass.

If you are interested in commissioning a portrait in watercolor but have put it off because of the hassle and expense of framing, you may want to request the use of Aquabord instead of traditional paper. Similar to an oil painting, a watercolor on Aquabord requires only a simple frame. Some people even ask for a “cradled” Aquabord surface, which does not require framing at all!

NEW WORK

I recently completed this portrait of two young brothers. The reference for the painting was an amazing photograph by photographer Katie Mosley (k. mosley photography), who found a way to capture the boys in a rare still moment!

***Burton and James***, watercolor on Aquabord, 16x20 inches

***Tater***, watercolor on cradled Aquabord, 10x8 inches

Tater is an adorable chihuahua rescued by dear friends. Though he weighs only six pounds, Tater is a plucky little fellow. He was found running around on the busy streets of East Nashville by Bonaparte’s Retreat! The painting is based on a photo taken by Ernie Boyd.

IN OTHER NEWS

It’s time to order new business cards! I kept the original format by Kate Cunningham Design, with information on the front and my art on the back. Below are the ten new backs!

BONUS IDEA FOR ARTISTS

from LCLewis

Special Tip for Boosting Your Creativity: If you paint with music playing in the background in your studio or work area, find an unfamiliar kind of music to listen to. Instead of playing a familiar genre you enjoy, search online for music in another style or from a different region.

*Roxy and Harry*, watercolor, 10x8 inches

A few genres to choose from:

Classical music (piano, symphony, opera)
Easy listening (ballads, movie themes, popular music)
Broadway tunes
Jazz
Country music

If you like to listen to music with vocals, find and listen to songs in a language you do not understand. Observe what the music is doing. Imagine what the story might be.

And if you do not usually paint with any music playing, then set aside a painting period or two during which you will paint accompanied by music of whatever genre you enjoy, or select an unfamiliar style and language as described above. Use your enjoyment of what you’re hearing to inform your feelings and vision as you plan and paint.