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Monday, October 14, 2013

Berries and buildings

Berries, watercolor 24 x 21 cm
Berries, watercolor 24 x 21 cm
I picked these berries during a walk the other day and while the streets scenes below were not "cooperating", I painted the berries just for pleasure.

Back in January I found out that Alavaro Castagnet would be giving a workshop in the fall close to Toronto. This must be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I signed up immediately. I admire Catagnet's style. Back when I started painting, his works showed me that watercolors can be as vibrant and colorful as any other medium, and even more beautiful. I have been excited for months. But as the workshop approaches, I get more and more anxious. Am I going to be up to the tasks? Am I taking up the spot of someone better who would have benefited much more from the experience? Well, there's no going back now. It is next week and I have to try to make the most of it!  

Maybe after that I will be able to paint the cars in these boulevard scenes in a less childish way...

The boulevard, watercolor 38 x 28 cm
Hotel Bulgaria, watercolor 38 x 28 cm

16 comments:

Sadami said...

Hi, Blaga, the paintings are lovely. I totally agree with you that watercolour is no less than other medium. And please be yourself fully at any time and anywhere. It's not the obligation, "have to (be someone else)," but our will, "will do something (in own way)." Have fun!
Best wishes, Sadami

Judy said...

Hi Blaga, I totally agree with Sadami! Don't be nervous, you are good, enjoy the workshop fully please! The berries are beautiful, I can see you painted them with joy!

Polly Birchall said...

You will enjoy his workshop. He is a larger than life character and not intimidating at all. You will pick up several gems from him to adapt in your own work, but hope you have a good memory, he doesn't like you taking notes! Oh have fun. Your berries are so beautiful perhaps you could teach him how to paint them.

Lydie said...

Oh Blagga, just enjoy the moment :))) what a super opportunity !!!

Your berries are marvellous

alina_ledin said...

The last painting is from Sofia downtown!! :) I am Bulgarian, are you too? Nice work

Tito said...

Hi Blaga, what a super opportunity you have! You do not imagine how much I would like to have a stage with Alvaro. You are already a good water-colorist, and I'm sure you will improve a lot following his ways of painting. Ciao!

Blaga said...

Hey, Sadami, I like your advice. I'll try to be myself and to have fun...

I will try to enjoy it, Judy, thank you!

You apparently are talking from experience, Polly, thank you for the heads up! I'll try to make mental notes.

Thank you, Lydie, I'll try to enjoy it!

Здравей Иван, радвам се да "срещна" друг сънародник със същото увлечение! :)

Thank you for the encouraging words, Tito! Hey, you're in Italy, the favourite place for workshops. I'm sure that Alvaro will be there soon.

Rita Vaselli said...

I agree with Polly!
  If Castagnet must paint berries <could learn from you!

Blaga dear, you're so talented and skilled watercolorist ... no problem to follow the workshop and become even better at taking confidence from a very good teacher. Maybe now the teachers are those who teach to dare and have confidence in what we already are. Have nice painting days!!!

Jane said...

I see some changes in your works here, like a different style....absolutely gorgeous berries ! I don't think you should worry about anything !

Catharina Engberg said...

Oh I just LOVE the way you have painted the top one with berries! And another favourite of mine is the bottom painting. I find it very very interresting! The two people to the left gives the painting alot of interrest. And the cars are good with this painting too. Don´t be so hard on yourself! I Love this painting. It is something very speciall with it.
Enjoy yourself at the course, and no need to be nervous!

Merce Ares said...

Hola Blaga. Muy delicadas y sútiles acuarelas, que buena oportunidad de poder hacer un taller con tan importante acuarelista. Felicitaciones!!!

Blaga said...

Dear Rita, you and Polly are funny :)
This will be my first time painting in a class with live teaching - a new and interesting experience for me and for sure a very beneficial one. Thank you for your encouraging words!

You are right about the different styles, Jane. I'm still at the phase where I follow different artists' styles when painting different subjects. I know that gradually they will all merge into one, "my" style, so I treat it as part of the process. Thank you!

Thank you so much Catharina for all these nice things you say. I was debating whether to post this last painting. I liked different parts of it (roof-line, the two figures...), but the whole together didn't seem quite right. I'm glad that you saw good things in it too, to disperse some of my doubts :)

Muchas gracias, Mercedes! Probablemente voy a tener mucho que decir la semana que viene

Jean Lurssen said...

The berries are lovely soft watercolors. I admire anyone who paints street scenes with buildings and people and cars. Getting the perspective correct is quite difficult. Hope you enjoy your workshop.

Introverted Art said...

the berries are my favorite.

JANE MINTER said...

you sound excited blaga ....enjoy !

renate said...

Hello Blaga:) I'm sure you will do fine on the work shop. Your work is already amazing so what can go wrong? Your berries are so beautifully painted and the two other paintings are everything beside childish. Go for it and have fun!xx