Last fall, I was invited to paint during a corporate event at Columbia Museum of Art. If you missed the original post, you can read about here. Painting at CMA
Water Lily by Lucinda Howe, original painted at Columbia Museum of Art, November 2019
After looking at the painting for a few days, I wasn’t satisfied with the result. It felt dark and incomplete. I put the painting in my storage room along with art supplies and other abandoned starts. It collected dust and sank to the bottom of the stack. Since then, I’ve been working on monotypes and collages, and forgot about the water lily painting.
One day, I was looking for cradled panels to recycle and found this piece. Never wanting to waste a support, I considered painting over it. But it seemed like it had possibilities. With a little effort, I could finish it off.
In the studio, I considered it in daylight for a couple of days. I added more light greens to the lily pads and blues in the water.
Water Lily by Lucinda Howe
More light on lily pads
Water Lily by Lucinda Howe
More light yellow green and light blue
Then I wanted to warm up the yellow-greens in the front. Eventually I was happy enough to call it finished and sign it.
I still need to let it dry completely and varnish it, but it’s well on the way to being ready to hang.
Water Lily Series VIII
12 x 12 inches
Acrylic on cradled panel
©2020 Lucinda Howe
9 Comments
I love what you’ve done! Before my eye was stopped on its way to the Lily. Now the light leads me in and the whole mood is lifted.. I’ve painted Lily pads before and after someone commented that a few looked like Pac man, that’s all I could see from then on. There’s not a Pac Man to be seen in your painting!
Thanks, Sharon. I’m so glad you don’t see Pac Man!
I also like the added light to to the water lilies . I added light to a waterfall long after it had dried and was pleasantly surprised . Keep up the good work!
You just keep getting better!
Thank you so much!
I have done one painting of water lilies and it is not easy to get them looking flat, shaded and floating on water. Yours are beautiful.
I have some questions: So, now that this is on a cradled panel, it stands out from the wall and can be hung without a frame?
Do you paint the wood that stands out from the wall around the sides of the painting? I’m not sure I understand the cradled panel.
You did this at the Columbia Museum of Art in a class?
A cradled panel has a wooden frame attached to the back. It looks and hangs like a gallery wrap canvas except that it’s wood instead of canvas. I paint the sides black, but you can paint them any color or leave them natural.
The museum invited several of the painters from About Face to paint during a corporate party as part of the entertainment. It was not a class. We could paint whatever we wanted. I used a photo reference, but set up my plein air easel as I would if I were painting outdoors.
Cindy, job well done. Persistence paid off. A terrific painting.
Jim
Thanks, Jim!