Reflection (2010)
Medium: Watercolor on Paper (Arches, Grain Fin, Cold Pressed)
Size: 22 x 15 inches, 58 x 38 cm."

Last year I was traveling around the vast countryside of Brazil and found this beautiful scenery. The dramatic light and intense colors offered by the contrast between the highlights and shadows were an inspiration and I tried to capture it.

When I'm painting on location, I look forward to capture the essence of the scenery, so I edit and change things, to make the painting work and emphasize the focal point: here I added an extra light effect, like a spotlight.

It's a very quick work, made in 30 - 40 minutes, wet-on-wet technique, using just two flat brushes and a liner brush. By the way, I love to paint on wet surfaces; it's a wonderful control device.

Dordogne River (2010)
Medium: Watercolor on Paper (Arches, Grain Fin, Cold Pressed) Size: 15 x 11 inches, 38 x 28 cm."

It's another beautiful region of France: Dordogne, where I particularly love the patterns of the landscape. I'm fascinated by aerial perspectives and I strive to express its diverse characteristics in painting in my en plein air workshops.

I restricted my color palette here to yellows and blues, so each green came from these two colors mixing. That's one of my usual color exercises I teach to my students: how to produce intermediate hues with restrictive palettes.

I avoid adding too many refined details during plein air painting sessions, however, some diffused effects are allowed to create the local atmosphere.

Poppies (2010)
Medium: Watercolor on Paper (Fontenay)
Size: 11.8 x 15.7 inches, 30 x 40 cm."

I am drawn to the simplicity and beauty of flowers, that's my favorite subject. There are a number of different species of flowers; each one's markings are unique. 'Poppies' was painted from life, during one of my workshops.

Painting in the wet-in-wet technique allows colours to be laid into or over another while the paper is still wet, creating a naturally diffused effect. That's the way I feel most comfortable in portraying my own view of my subjects. I added paints to almost soaking paper and got unexpected results, such as the out-of-focus edges between the flowers and the background. I also wiped out some paint from the main flowers to restore some light.

Orange, Provence (2010)
Medium: Watercolor on paper (Arches, Grain Fin, Cold Pressed)
Size: 12.6 x 9.4 inches, 32 x 24 cm

I think that Provence is one of my favorite painting locations mainly because I can find inspiration around every corner. This scene was painted during my last trip to Orange, France: I sat outside the balcony door which was flooded with morning sun. I made a quick sketch and completed it when I came back to the hotel. Observed light is usually what inspires me to paint, so you'll find a frequent interplay between light and shadow in my work. That's the way I bring my paintings to life, make them feel real.