However, I want to talk about a wonderful thing that happened to me this week. I always wanted to try watercolor painting but the process of painting with watercolors has always really scared me off. About nine months ago I went to a watercolor demonstration at a local art shop and the artist encouraged us to try her paints and paper after the demonstration. I expressed my hesitation and she assured me that I would only ruin about 35 cents worth of paper and that it was worth the try anyway. I tried it and LOVED it!
This particular artist, Kathleen McElwaine is known as the BusPaintings Artist around here because she commutes an hour each day to work and another hour back home. She has developed a kit to use and she paints on the bus or the commuter train. I purchased materials and made a kit of my own and I use it to paint both at home and when we travel. I cannot do that with oil paints, so watercolor is my "travel paint."
A couple of days ago, on Facebook, Kathleen offered to paint a picture of anyone who sent her a picture. I asked her if she could paint a picture of me from my profile picture on Facebook. Here is the profile picture I was using:Kathleen took that rather grainy picture, and a very small version of the picture, and created this lovely picture of me.
She made me look wonderful! She clothed me in my favorite winter color--a deep lavender--and painted me without my glasses. She did not know that purple and lavender are among my favorite colors and she did not know that I had cataract surgery and don't need glasses except for reading now. The best part is that she sent me copies of the painting by e-mail to use with her permission. AND, she is sending me a copy of the original which I will frame and hang with pride! What a gift! I cannot thank Kathleen enough!
