Night, All
Posted on September 8th, 2016
Night, All, 7″x5″ watercolor on watercolor paper
Sunsets and sunrises hold a lot of fascination, the liminal spaces of dusk and dawn where light bleeds and changes, washing the world in reds and golds, turning the crisp shapes of day into the soft silhouettes of night.
This sunset sky is a soft fade from fiery orange into the deep blue of dusk, vivid color making a beautiful backdrop to a very mundane view. Birds on a wire, trees in full summer form, and the roofs of houses echo the views where so many of us live.
There’s a beautiful juxtaposition in the layers of civilization and nature, light and shadow, oranges and blues.
Night, All, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the tiny birds settling in on their wires for the night. Below, the painting is tucked into its temporary frame, a window out into an imaginary world.
Night, All, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes, Series and Books
Tags: horizons, nfs, primatek, sold, watercolor
Birthday Poddles
Posted on September 7th, 2016
Birthday Poddles, 5″x7″ pen & ink on paper
Putting a bow on a sleek black cat might seem like a good idea, at least until you find out how the cat feels about it. This big-eared beauty is modeled after my own black cat, Pod, but has beautiful crosshatching in place of fur, giving it some gorgeous graphical detail to go with the bad attitude.
This intricate drawing is perfect for someone with a great sense of humor and a special love of cats — even the ones with murder in their eyes.
Who’s your favorite cat person?
Birthday Poddles, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the intricate detail in Pod’s unimpressed face, the crosshatching and hand-texturing of his big ears and beautiful bow. Below, Podzilla is contained in a frame, ready to bring sarcasm to some lucky recipient.
Birthday Poddles, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Card Design, Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: cat, etsy, for sale, pen and ink, pod
Outside
Posted on September 6th, 2016
Outside, 5″x5″ watercolor on Arches cover buff paper
This newest Pathways painting is quite a small example of its kind. An off-kilter view suggest the viewer is laying down, looking out at some sort of mountain landscape through vine-laden bars on a square window.
There’s a tiny bit of sparkle in this one, but mostly it’s just lovely violets on the warm buff-colored paper.
This piece would display beautifully in a frame with a white mat to set off the delicate warmth of the paper, or even floated on a dark, pearly grey to display the hand-torn edge of the paper.
Outside, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the subtle variations in the violet much better, and just a hint of shimmery sparkle hiding in the deepest purples. Below, you can see this small painting in a small frame, perfect for adding color to a small space.
Outside, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
Tags: duochrome, nfs, pathways, primatek, purple, sold, watercolor
Yellow Flower
Posted on September 4th, 2016
Yellow Flower, 5″x5″ pen & ink and watercolor on bristol
Tiny, intricate pen-and-ink details combined with a cheerful, loose-painted yellow halo of petals make this small art the perfect thing to brighten up your space.
The middle is painted in a rusty ochre over the black ink, with the petals bursting forth like light from the solidity of the center section.
One patron described it as a Golden Snitch, with its combination of warm yellows, complex inner motifs, and airy-light outer wings.
Yellow Flower, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see a close-up of the middle section, tiny circles nestled together and washed over with rusty ochre. Below, you can see this piece in a frame, a burst of light out of the warm center.
Yellow Flower, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Flowers, Trees and Landscapes
Tags: for sale, pen and ink, primatek, watercolor, yellow
Growth 5
Posted on September 3rd, 2016
Growth 5, 5″x5″ pen & ink and watercolor on watercolor paper
It’s a celebration of purple this month! The inner circle moves from deep violet to black etched over with the sheen of purple ink. The outer edges mix the intricate circles grouped together like fish eggs with the splash of brightly-mixed ink, purple bleeding into pink.
Like all of my Growth paintings, there is a suggestion of sending parts of the central self out into the aether, of reaching into the void despite the obstacles and finding something beautiful in it.
Where in life do you need a little bit of growth?
Growth 5, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see how the purple ink separated into almost luminous pinks, reds, and violets, but there are some little circles left intact to hint at the structures that once were. Below, the art is in a small frame, waiting to bring unexpected beauty to a neglected corner of your home.
Growth 5, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Abstract and Just Plain Weird, Floating Gallery, Series and Books
Tags: for sale, growth, japanese watercolor, pen and ink, purple, watercolor
Leafy Sea Dragon
Posted on September 2nd, 2016
Leafy Sea Dragon, 12″x9″ watercolor on Strathmore watercolor paper
The leafy seadragon is a type of sea horse, which directly inspired this gorgeous creature in all its glory.
The body is textured in watery violet scales, exploring the richness of purple from pinks to blues in the way the paint overlaps and blends. The intricate frills imitate seaweed in a gorgeous blue-green mix, and a rich rusty garnet finishes off the horns.
The best part, though, is the dragon’s attitude, as though they’re telling you like it is and won’t take any of your guff. This is not a dragon whose hoard you want to mess with!
Leafy Sea Dragon, detail, by Amy Crook
Above, you can see the beautiful, watery details of both the scaled body and translucent frills. Below, this lovely large painting is in a frame, just waiting to add some elemental attitude to your space.
Leafy Sea Dragon, framed art by Amy Crook
Categories: Angels, Cthulhu, and Other Myths, Floating Gallery, Sea Creatures and Other Animals, Whimsical and Strange
Tags: dragon, for sale, purple, watercolor
September is Coming!
Posted on August 30th, 2016
Sinuous curves, splashes of color, minute textures, and a lot of purple! The Floating Gallery opens Thursday, and the preview will go out to my email list tomorrow.
Which sneak peek intrigues you the most?
Categories: Floating Gallery
Tags: floating gallery
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