AFRICAN PORTRAITS
In 1993, I was photo-documenting a World of Language project in Kenya. I had been to East
Africa several times but this journey was for a long nine months. I brought watercolors and
large archival watercolor paper. I started painting landscapes but soon realized that I was
interested in the young people who were working to make a better life for themselves. In
the watercolor portraits, I tried to capture the quality of their optimism, cheerful countenance
and good will.
I carried a large portfolio of paper and paintings through Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe on
buses, trucks, trains and planes. The paper is hot press cotton rag which causes the watercolors
to pool on the surface to create rich blends. I never used blacks or brown from the tubes but
mixed them from complimentary and triad colors. To create the skin tones, I washed color wheel
hues on top of each other. Some of the colors used were rich vermilions and true cerulean blues
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Click a picture for a close-up view.
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DOROTHY
watercolor on paper
20" x 30" |
PASTRY CHEF
watercolor on paper
22" x 30" |
WOMAN
watercolor on paper
20" x 30" |
SARAFINA
watercolor on paper
20" x 30" |
BELL BOY
watercolor on paper
22" x 30" |
JASON
watercolor on paper
20" x 30" |
KARISA
watercolor on paper
20" x 30" |
WATAMU KENYA
watercolor on paper
16" x 20" |
BLESSED ARE THE
POOR IN SPIRIT
watercolor on paper
22" x 30" |
LAUGHING FISHERMEN
oil on canvas
64" x 72" |
LAUGHING FISHERMEN
STUDY
gouache on paper
16" x 12" |
MEAT MARKET
oil on canvas
51" x 66" |
