watercolor Archives - Rochelle Weiner Carr

Absurdity birdity

A new series of monoprints has been inspired by an upcoming show "Art is for the Birds" at the Deer Path Art Gallery in Lake Forest, Illinois.

I was looking at the bird paintings I've done in the past and at the many figurative paintings I've done in the past year and wanted to put the two ideas together.

I liked the absurdity of the presence of a bird on top of someone's head, as if it was an every day thing. The silliness of it makes me smile. Doing this series in monoprint/collage/watercolor allowed the dirtiness of the monoprint process plus the brightness of the watercolor and collage papers. All together I think the effect heightens out the absurdity of the image itself.

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Pet portraits from photos

I recently finished two new pet portraits. A portrait makes a wonderfully personal keepsake to remember someone who has passed to to commemorate a beautiful moment in your life.

The portrait of Allie below was completed some months ago but was only just given as a gift over the weekend for the owner's birthday. I knew this cat personally - I used to cat-sit for Allie as she and her owner, my good friend Barbara, used to be my neighbors. Allie had the most beautiful blue eyes, so I chose a bright blue background to really make her eyes pop. Barbara's mother commissioned the painting so I had to keep the portrait on the hush hush until the gift was received but now I'm free to post it. We all miss you Allie!

The dog portrait was a gift I gave to my good friend John this weekend. He lost Bernie (the dog on the right) just a month ago. I had already planned to do a portrait of the dogs for John's birthday - I took the source photo back in November. But now that Bernie has passed the gift is even more poignant. Bernie - most wonderful of dogs - you are greatly missed!

I personally love doing portraits and love to try and find the soul in each subject. I have recently offered a donation of a series 9 pet portraits to Felines & Canines, a nearby pet shelter, to serve as featured art in their new facility currently under construction. Stay tuned for posts following my progress in creating these nine images.

Allie - portrait, monoprint with watercolor and collage

Nina & Bernie - portrait, monoprint with watercolor and collage

By Rochelle / Collage paper / Masa paper / Materials / Monoprints / Original portraits / Paintings / Pet Portraits / Portraits from photos / Watercolor - 02/14/2012

Remembering Grandma

This Christmas, to commemorate the passing of my wonderful Grandma Gertrude 10 years ago, I did a couple portraits of her to give to family members.

I had wonderful source material - my mother had taken a series of beautiful black/white photo of Grandma years ago, so that was my starting point.

Making the paintings was a wonderful experience for me - it actually felt that I was both honoring her memory and communicating directly with her over the last couple days as I perfected her soft cheeks, her direct gaze and her arthritic hands.

My grandmother was a dear woman, greatly missed by all who knew her. Love you Grandma!

portraits from photography, watercolor artist, modern artist

Grandma Gertrude with patterns - portraits from photography

By Rochelle / Materials / Original portraits / Paintings / Portraits from photos / Watercolor - 12/24/2011

Popping up all over the country

Would you believe my artwork is now hanging in a home in California?

While visiting in Chicago, Donna Knippen of San Jose California found my booth at the Galleria and purchased this print of "Shadows". She just sent me a photo she took of the print, now framed and hanging in her home! How exciting!

My artwork is starting to pop up all over the country! I couldn't be more thrilled!

Thank you so much Donna!

Fans / prints - 10/31/2011

Pet Portraits R Us

I just finished a commissioned puppy portrait of Maya - a gorgeous Great Dane. My client purchased this painting as a birthday gift for her friend, Maya's owner. I always like to have a few paintings going at once so I'm not sitting there watching paint dry, so, while I was at it, I also did two other pet portraits. One is a portrait of Juno, a lab mix puppy owned by my good friends the Carrolls, and I also did a portrait commemorating my much missed cat, Daisy.

All three of these paintings are combinations of monoprints, collage and watercolor. I love the unexpected effect created by both the collage and the monoprint. You never know what you're going to get, but it's usually something good!

Collage paper / Masa paper / Materials / Monoprints / Paintings / Pet Portraits / Watercolor - 09/25/2011

Cleaning house and inspiration

Featured above: "Up early" - watercolor painting inspired by Milly's garden

For every finished painting, there are also a few that are started and then set aside. They're always in the back of my mind as I am working on other things, waiting for the day I am inspired to finish them up.

I finally took some time this weekend to give some attention to five paintings that have been sitting half finished for a while. Quite a sense of accomplishment. Most of them were started back in August when I was on vacation in Canada.

One of them, "Up early" (pictured at left) was started a year ago and based on a photo taken of my Aunt Milly's garden - a splendid and remarkable place. Forty years of nurturing have gone into her creation of this masterpiece which surrounds her home on the coast of Lake Superior in a little town called Cornucopia, Wisconsin. Many of my paintings are inspired by Milly's garden, including all the images in the presentation below.

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Collage paper / Materials / Paintings / Watercolor - 09/11/2011

Love a gallery night

Woohoo! Even though the holiday weekend kept the crowd smallish, I had a great time! Thanks for all who came to see me at the Andersonville Galleria last night. I met some great new clients - regulars to the Galleria - who loved my fruit and veg series (more to come there!) And the birdies seem to be getting a lot of attention too. Some lovely neighbors also came by to show support and even bought a couple things! Thanks to everyone!

Sales included the following:

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Art show / Paintings - 09/03/2011

A week of art

I just got back from a week in Canada hosted by my lovely upstairs neighbors. We stayed in a cabin overlooking a beautiful lake (photo at left) in Nestor Falls, Ontario and I spent the entire week soaking up the beauty of the place, snapping pics for future inspiration and ... wait for it... painting.

I painted most of the week (when not eating, sleeping or goofing off with my friends). I got 7 paintings going and wanted to share them here (see below).

They're all in various stages of done-ness and will finalize all of them soon. I'd love your input if you'd like to share your thoughts. Please leave me a comment! 🙂

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Inspiration / Paintings / Watercolor - 08/11/2011

Seascapes

Pictured above, "Rolling", watercolor, 32" x 40" framed.

Browsing through Facebook I saw a couple beautiful ocean shots taken by my friend Celia. (I occasionally scroll through Celia's albums because she's got an amazing eye. This is not the first painting I did inspired by her photography).

I've been looking for some subject matter that would translate well to a large canvas and my aesthetic, and that had a tendency toward abstraction. Celia's photos felt like the perfect inspiration. Following are two large scale (22" x 30") paintings finished today. I think I may be on to something here.

"Break", watercolor painting by Rochelle Weiner

Inspiration / Paintings / photography / Watercolor - 07/17/2011

Chicago Woods sold!