Deborah Secor: Gouache

Clear Stream

2012-01-21T14:54:00.000-08:00

The Canvas Paper gives this little painting some real painterly effects, I think. I painted from a photo that was posted on the Landscape Challenge at WetCanvas by Kay. I've tweaked the image a bit, adding my own touches and interpretation. The challenge of working from photographs is to make them personal, filtered through your own experience and style.

San Patricio

2012-01-06T16:16:00.000-08:00

I saw this charming shot over at the January Landscape Challenge on WetCanvas. This photo, posted by Kay (KreativeK), is the doorway of San Patricio, the oldest Catholic Church in New Mexico, she says. Love the light and shadows. (Thanks, Kay.)

2011-12-24T14:59:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tall Grass View

2011-12-09T17:23:00.001-08:00

Another sky experiment where I let the blue and white pool and mix on the Bristol paper. I love how it worked out! It really caught that sweep of the sky over the river. But I think it's the sense of being amid the grasses along the Rio Grande that give this painting its authenticity. If I was brave I'd have put in the birds that flock everywhere along this flyway.

$25
Please contact me to purchase this painting: deb('at' symbol)deborahsecor.com

Rocky Red and Greens

2011-12-07T15:15:00.001-08:00

The monumental quality of the red rocks throughout the southwest are fascinating, and the natural contrast of red rock and green trees against a blue sky is just stunning. As much as I enjoyed the light and shadow on the rocks, it was the sky that I had the most fun with on this one. It's painted on Bristol paper, which is so hard that the paint stays atop the surface, so for this sky I really rolled on some water and let the blue paint run down as I dabbed in thick white clouds. Whatever happened was fine with me (with only a little urging here and there.)

$25
Please contact me to purchase this painting: deb('at' symbol)deborahsecor.com

"Gouache Paintings in Small Scale"

2011-12-02T11:35:00.001-08:00

Sometimes a small book full of small landscapes is just the kind of gift you need. This 7" x 7" book includes three step-by-step demonstrations, as well as 68 of my little 2.5" x 3.5" paintings.

Each image is printed to scale. The color is quite good and the printing is clear. Look how close the reproduction comes to the real thing:

You can see a preview of it by clicking here. Enlarge it on your monitor using the small View Screen box in the lower right-hand corner when you get there.

Blurb will ship to lots of places outside the US. Check here to see if it's delivered to your area. Your price is only $24.95 for the softcover version.

It's like purchasing 68 paintings in one. Jingle, jingle! Enjoy!

~Deborah

Plane Cloud

2011-12-01T10:55:00.001-08:00

This piece is on Pastelmat, which is soft and absorbent and slightly fuzzy. The gouache soaks into the wet fibers and spreads out, sometimes alarmingly independent of my control. But once the first layer dries, the stiff fibers take on a lovely texture and accept lush brush strokes or dry brush treatment well. I find I can tame the accidents, add a certain amount of detail, and add gestural bits that please me. I'm happy with the foreground plane here, as I like the complex and subtle colors. (How do you describe a purple green? But that's what it is.)

$25
Please contact me to purchase this painting: deb('at' symbol)deborahsecor.com

Fall Forest

2011-11-30T10:42:00.001-08:00

I've had a long break from gouache, as you can see, but wanted to get in one painting at least during November! This one is a familiar place and time, as I revisited a photo taken last year. It's a trail we love to walk along the Rio Grande in the bosque (woods) that spread out alongside. Fall is a spectacular time to be there. I'm particularly pleased with the way the smattering of leaves along the dry, dusty path worked out in this one. I hope you like it, too.

$25
Please contact me to purchase this painting: deb('at' symbol)deborahsecor.com

The Shield

2011-10-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

There is a dramatic slab of rock atop Sandia, the peak that fronts Albuquerque, called the shield. I caught this dramatic shot of it several years ago and have painted it in pastels more than once, using various styles and colors. When I happened upon the bent and dusty old print, I knew I had to paint it in gouache. I enjoy the swooping shapes, but it's the light and color that makes this tiny painting seem to glow.

Just for scale, here it is in its little bag, ready to ship to you.

$25
Paypal or personal check

October Sunflower

2011-10-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

The canvas paper gave this just the texture I wanted. I think Vincent would get this painting, don't you? I was thinking of the famous pot of sunflowers he painted--a different variety, but related. The purple and blue ground did it for me, and I decided the sun struck petals told the tale of sun and shade.

$25
Paypal or personal check

Shady Spots and Flower Pots

2011-09-15T15:56:00.000-07:00

I had such fun painting these flowers in their pots. The idea was simply to challenge myself to paint nine of them--odd numbers being so interesting--and see what happened. Individually the paintings please me, but together I think they made a really beautiful collection!

In order to show you how they look I'm including a shot I took before framing them, just loosely arranged on the table. You can see the individual paintings fairly well this way. (You'll notice they aren't in the same arrangement as when I matted them. I spent quite a while deciding on the perfect order for them!)

Each of these little 2.5" x 3.5" paintings would normally sell for $50.00 (unframed) in a gallery. That means this collected one at a time the nine paintings would cost you $450.00, and that's without the cream color double mat. Add a 20" x 16" white or natural wood frame--or even a green one, if you're the adventurous type--and the presentation will be quite stunning.

Matted and ready to frame, these nine paintings will only cost you $300.00.
Shipping within the USA is only $30.00. International shipping price on request.

Buy through email.

Red Cliff-SOLD

2011-09-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

I just want to let you all know that I'm now selling my work via Daily Paintworks! I'm delighted to be a part of this growing and active group. I'll list paintings up for auction--starting at only $25.00. Check out my gallery there. I have two paintings up for auction already!

I love the towering red cliffs we see around here in New Mexico. They're such a delightful contrast with the surrounding greens and the blue sky. It took me a while to recognize that to get the striations in the layered rocks to read correctly I needed to paint them in perspective, but it's not stringent the way architecture is, just gently receding into space.

SOLD

Summer Afternoon

2011-08-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

These summer skies just thrill me! I love seeing the towering clouds as they build up during the afternoon, so often bringing a nice shower to cool things off. The shadows on the land are an extra bonus of contrast and color.

Bid on this painting at Daily Paintworks

Great Bay Shore

2011-08-30T09:58:00.000-07:00

Another of the Gouache Corner photos that Hal Kirby posted, this one of the Great Bay. I cropped it, too, to take out the tall trees and focus on the rocks and shadows on the sandy, rocky shore. I enjoyed sorting out the jumble of colors and shapes on the steep bank behind the boulders, letting the paint suggest to me what was there.

$25
Paypal or personal check

Pond at Sunrise-SOLD

2011-08-29T08:50:00.000-07:00

I've begun walking in the mornings and this pond on my accustomed route always catches my eye. It was 'sunrise' to me--probably not technically! But the glistening sun peeking over the top of Sandia was what made it so exciting. To me, the clean bright colors speak of the morning's beauty and freshness.

SOLD

Wentworth by the Sea-SOLD

2011-08-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

This was painted from a photo that Hal Kirby posted in the Gouache Corner forum on WetCanvas for us all to paint! It had a lovely gazebo in it, but I cropped down to the flowers and saved myself the headache of trying to paint straight lines in perspective. I love the bright yellow, green, orange contrasts in it.

Bid on this painting

Original art that fits on your desktop, or in the corner of the cabinet, or in the kitchen... even the bathroom. Gouache loves water!

Thunderous Day

2011-07-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

We've had some wonderful rainclouds hovering over the city recently, inspiring me to paint this one. I used Bristol paper, which is lighter weight and has a slight texture to it. I've experimented with washier techniques, pooling thinner paint and letting it run where it will--within reason. As I painted this I could hear thunder cross the mesa, and immediately thought of the title. It has a certain majesty to it, I think.

$25
Paypal or personal check

Shine

2011-07-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

I just love sunset! I used Bristol for this one, wetting the paper to do a wet in wet approach at the top. That seemed to capture those wispy almost-not clouds, then once dry I could go back in and add the scratchy white clouds. A blender brush softened the purple cloud, and a dab of pure white made the explosive sun. There's also a little teeny line at the bottom that mimics the land plane. I like that spot...

$25
Paypal or personal check

Lofting Sky

2011-07-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

I love playing with the way gouache works when it's re-wet. I picked up a lot of the purples from underneath, adding the greens and yellows to give it pizzazz, before finishing with more white. I think the big shadow on the ground pleased me almost as much as the cloud!

Hmmm, now that I'm getting into these larger paintings I guess I should edit the header that says all the paintings are 2.5" x 3.5"! This one is 7" x 5", on Arches 300 lb.cold press.

$150
Paypal or personal check

Mountain Morning Sky-- SOLD

2011-06-17T15:28:00.000-07:00

Why is this one so big, you ask?

I've decided to do a few larger paintings and thought I would post this gigantic one (for me)! It's 5" x 7" and was done as a demonstration for a class I taught this week on Gouache Basics. I posted a plea for some sky photos on Facebook, and my buddy David Patterson came through with a gorgeous shot of an area not far from the old homestead in the mountains above Albuquerque. I suspect I could drive you right to that same place, I know Highway 14 so well. I really enjoyed catching the arching sky and clouds above the high mountains on a sunny spring day. Such a sweet place, and sweet memories for me.

Sky's the Limit

2011-06-15T13:40:00.000-07:00

I've decided that I'll do a short series of maybe 9 or 10 paintings of the sky in which I plan to use the same kinds of brush strokes as you see in this one. I like the idea of letting them stand and when I do a series it usually challenges me to find out what works and what doesn't. For now I'm going to keep these back and not offer them for sale so that I can see how the idea progresses. I love the colors and transparency of this one, which is on Illustration Board.

Bid on this painting

Rosy Days

2011-06-08T09:34:00.000-07:00

It's been so dry but the roses are prolific this year. I wanted to catch the delightful snarl of dense bushes covered with flowers. I'm using a new set of gouache I picked up recently, made by Holbein. They are pigment rich, giving me the bright pinks and yellows effortlessly. I had to grab my Hookers Green from the M. Graham stash, however, to get that rich dark green.

On Canvas Paper.

$50.
Paypal or personal check.

The Book

2011-05-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

Gouache Paintings in Small Scale by Deborah Secor | Make Your Own Book

Last October I published this little 7" x 7" book of my gouache paintings at Blurb, a print-on-demand publisher. I was delighted! The color turned out to be quite good and the printing is clear. I included three step-by-step demonstrations, as well as 68 of my little 2.5" x 3.5" paintings.

Look how close the reproduction comes to the real thing:

It's not a big book, more like a little catalog sized booklet, perfect for browsing through now and then.

I'm now thinking about Volume II, to be published in about October this year. I think a yearly volume is a good idea. It's a marvelous way to keep a record of the paintings that have left my hands, and to share my portfolio with people who are interested.

You can see the whole book in the preview. Enjoy!

Brilliance

2011-05-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

This painting is on Pastelmat, which allows me to build up color in layers. I really enjoyed creating that punch of orange amid the gray, and developing the color of the middle distant red-violet clouds, but it was the tiny last touches of light in the dark landscape that did the trick. All of a sudden the painting seemed complete. I try to pay attention to that voice in my head that says 'enough!' I could easily go on to dibble and dabble and explain more, but usually it isn't needed. The statement has already been made.

$50.
Paypal or personal check

Fog on Tamales Bay

2011-05-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

I used a photo from Robert at WetCanvas (aka skappy), of beautiful Tamales Bay in California. It's an area I always loved visiting and I found myself letting the fog roll in as I painted. It's on Illustration Board, so I could add water and let the fog pool on top of the paper.

$50.
Paypal or personal check

Sonoran Sunset

2011-05-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

Painted on black Pastelmat, this piece was inspired by another of the excellent photos from the Gouache Corner over at WetCanvas. I love the almost magical sunset colors, turning what some might see as a bleak landscape into a romantic moment of peace.

One of my personal favorites.

$50.
Paypal or personal check

Sky Path

2011-05-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

I loved the crazy shape of this cloud. I admit that the rest is mostly imaginary, designed from a real place but made my own. It's now northern New Mexico on a crisp, clear, blue, sunshiny summer day. I've seen these white flowers dotting the landscape, adding such delight to the walk, but it's the sky that's the path that leads me onward. Want to go for a hike?

On Illustration Board.

$50.
Paypal or personal check

Arizona View

2011-05-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

I loved the photo that Lenore ("MRSBB" over at WetCanvas) shared of the mountains out by her home in Arizona. I love the way the land swings and sways, dipping and rising as it recedes.

On Canva-Paper.

SOLD

Plum Blossoms

2011-04-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

I began this painting from life about three weeks ago but was distracted by some need and the flowers wilted away before I could return. Apparently I had the sense to snap a photo of it, which I located recently and thus I completed the painting. I love the way the reddish leaves cup the delicate blossoms.

It's on ART P-400, which is a sandpaper made for pastels. It actually 'grabs' the gouache nicely, though it's tough on my brushes.

$50
Paypal or personal check

Gibb River

2011-04-26T20:27:00.000-07:00

This is a painting done from a photo provided by an acquaintance for a challenge over at WetCanvas. We have a monthly thread with photos we share, and this is the Gibb River Road in the Kimberley, Northwestern Australia. Nola tells me, "The Gibb River Road is very famous and a lot of people aspire to travel it. There is spectacular scenery in the gorges, etc., along the road, and you only go if you have an extremely sturdy 4 wheel drive as it is all corrugated gravel. This was taken at Wynjanna Gorge." I'm fairly certain I've added a touch of New Mexico influence to it, so let's say it's a Southwestern version of the area! Thanks, Nola, for the inspiration.

On Canva-Paper.

$50.
Paypal or personal check

Royalty

2011-04-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Barbara Noonan, who paints fantastic portraits, allowed me to practice with her photographs. Now, you have to understand, she is also a fine photographer, so this was quite a boon! This is one of her pics. I loved her stance, like a princess, her beautiful curls, and those eyes. I don't know that I did this beauty any real justice, but I am having a blast painting portraits. It's on Canva-Paper, so another miniature oil painting look alike.

For now I'm not offering these for sale, but I may soon. I'm becoming more confident with practice. That's the idea, after all. I'd love to know what you think, if there are any "yous" out there looking in...

NFS

On the River

2011-04-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

This one is gone already, but only because I gave it to a friend who's been wanting one like it for a long time. It's done from the same photo as Moon River. It's fun to see the differences a couple years make.

I love the texture of this Canva-Paper. If you didn't know it was the size of a business card you might think it was an oil painting.

NFS

Good Grapes

2011-03-25T12:51:00.000-07:00

I admit to having been in a pink mood lately. (My first granddaughter is due in August!) These grapes called out to be on a pink ground. I enjoyed the texture of the Canva-Paper, which makes it look like a little oil painting.

Oh, and they were good, too!

$50
Paypal or personal check

Steven

2011-03-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

I borrowed this photo from WetCanvas, too, and have never met this man. The name on the file is Steven. I couldn't think of a title, so Steven it is! I painted it on Illustration Board, which lets the paint sit on top of the paper. It's a much different experience than painting on the softer papers like Arches or Pastelmat. Every stroke shows up! I really like the hat and lanyard and decided to leave it in place, boldly black, which seems to draw the eye to his face. I'm most pleased with the glasses and with his beard. I'm still learning!

NFS

His Look

2011-03-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

Another of my experimental portraits, this time trying a man's face. I painted it on black Pastelmat paper, which has given him a swarthy complexion that I think works pretty well. The photo is another one from the Reference Image Library at WetCanvas. I'm learning a lot!

NFS

Beach

2011-03-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

Home is where your heart is, they say. I grew up on the beaches in California and this painting just has that warm, windy, summer day feeling I enjoyed at the beach. It's 2.5" x 3.5" in size, as usual, and is gouache on Bristol Vellum paper.

I'm re-posting it because I'll be donating all the proceeds to Samaritan's Purse Japan Relief, via the Daily Paintworks Japan Relief Challenge. Go take a look over there and browse through over 100 paintings (including mine, above, which has had a few bids placed on it already.)

You have a week to bid on the paintings through DPW's in-house auction site, and 100% of the proceeds are promised to various charities going to Japan. I love it when we can all give in order to benefit a need! Hurrah to the DPW group for this challenge.

To my artist friends, please also consider making a painting donation. The theme is "home" and can be any subject matter.

But above all, please keep the Japanese people in PRAYER!

Aged in Grace

2011-03-19T10:12:00.000-07:00

This is from another shot from the WetCanvas RIL--such a pretty lady, isn't she? I'm learning how to handle the shaded areas without making mud, which isn't easy. I love that gouache allows me to completely wash off and begin again in places where its needed. Her right cheek (on our left side) has had multiple passes, as well as her left eye, which I relocated several times.

Yes it is only 3.5" x 2.5" in size. Here's a shot to show the scale:

It's painted on white Pastelmat, giving it a softness that this face invited. Hope you like it!

NFS

Reflection

2011-03-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

A different kind of reflection this time! I've become intrigued with faces in miniature lately. I'm going to post a couple of these over the next few days. Totally experimental, loads of fun, probably a long, long way to go...

They aren't going to be for sale because I'll be referring back to the first few. This one was painted from a photo from the Reference Image Library at WetCanvas. I'm not sure it looks that much like the girl, but that isn't my greatest concern. I want to use good contrast, capture a mood, and paint loosely, with painterly strokes and fresh colors. This one pleased me.

And yes, it's the same size, 3.5" x 2.5", and is painted on Pastelmat.

NFS

High Plains

2011-03-12T15:24:00.000-08:00

High Plains, 2.5" x 3.5", gouache

Last Saturday I did a demonstration for the New Mexico Watercolor Society and this is the result. At the point I stopped last week, this is how it looked:

It's on a piece of Arches 300 lb. cold-press paper and is a view I've painted before, drawn from the spectacular scene I often see as I drive down the hill from my house. I always wish I had time to compete a painting at a demo, but it seems the excitement and distraction keeps me from doing that.

I was delighted to paint and talk about gouache before this large, active group. They're busy finalizing plans for the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Show, which they are hosting this year in Albuquerque, May 6-June 5. I'm sure it will be an excellent show!

Come and Go

2011-03-10T19:39:00.000-08:00

I think Canva-Paper is fun to paint on. It makes them seem like miniature oil paintings. That texture really gives a strong impression.

$25.00
Is no one paying attention?

Afternoon Light

2011-03-06T14:38:00.000-08:00

Soft pinkish clouds over golden mesas and yellow-green fields, with blue mountains in the distance--all true in New Mexico!

On Illustration board.

$25.00
Just to see if anyone is paying attention.

Sparkle

2011-03-03T20:03:00.000-08:00

A sparkling calm sea as the sun descends--just the place I want to go right now. It's been nice visiting there as I painted it. I really wish I could tell you where I got this photograph, but it's not marked and it remains a mystery to me. Wherever it was, the person taking it was blessed! Thanks for sharing your beautiful moment and allowing me to paint it, too.

Painted on Pastelmat.

$50.00
PayPal or personal check.

Yellow Lane

2011-03-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

I'd like to take this dusty little road out to the mountains and do some more exploring and painting! Last month I went to a monthly craft gathering at our church and while there I played around painting this one. Sometimes when I talk and paint simultaneously I find my hands doing the work almost independently. I was on a "new road" with the gals there--a good one, I think.

On Arches 300-lb cold press.

$50.00
PayPal or personal check.

Demonstration for New Mexico Watercolor Society on March 5th

2011-02-28T13:51:00.000-08:00

Work in progress...

I'm doing a demonstration of my gouache techniques for NMWS next Saturday. I'll be showing a few different papers, a bit about how to paint small works (yes, bring your reading glasses), and talking about the virtues and challenges of gouache.

Here's a peek at all this active society is doing.

Maybe I'll see you there!

Santa Rita Mountains

2011-02-28T13:43:00.000-08:00

Another one from a photo by a friend, Lenore at WC, of the Santa Rita Mountains in Arizona. These interesting crags were a challenge to do (and remember, you're seeing it a bit larger than life!) It seems as if the wind is blowing to me.

On Arches 300 lb. cold press.

$50.00
PayPal or personal check.

Annie's Walk

2011-02-27T15:55:00.000-08:00

I titled this for my online friend Annie at WC because I used her photograph as inspiration. She tells me it's a shot of the path out of the Boombana part of the D'Aguilar National Park, not too far from Brisbane, in Australia. I love the rich purple-green contrasts in it. I'm not sure my trees look authentic to the area--maybe more as if a bit of New Mexico was transplanted there...! But that gives it an international flavor, don't you think?

On Arches 300 lb. cold press.

$50.00
PayPal or personal check.

Daytime Sky

2011-02-10T16:05:00.000-08:00

Sunny days and warm clouds....mmmmmmmmmm! Feels so good after the below zero temperatures. Our skies are blue and the clouds are few.

On Pastelmat.

$25.00
PayPal or personal check.

Evening Walk

2011-02-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

There's a time when it's just starting to seem like evening, not quite into dusk but that moment when the shadows start to lengthen. It almost seems like the busy world catches its collective breath and starts to head toward rest. That's what I tried to catch here.

On Pastelmat.

$50.00
Paypal or personal check.

Slippery Slope

2011-02-08T12:38:00.000-08:00

The wintery weather has inspired these snow paintings. We're supposed to see more snow tonight, they say. I'm glad to be tucked safely in at the end of that road...

On Arches 300 lb. cold press.

$50.00
Paypal or personal check.

Riverside Beach

2011-02-07T15:46:00.000-08:00

The photo I used for this painting had great big boulder in the lower right corner that I just couldn't make work compositionally, so I changed it into a riverside beach instead. I'm pleased with the look of the sand under the water, a result of layering colors. The photo is Lenore's from WC, of the Poudre River (thanks, Lenore!)

On Pastelmat.

$50.00
PayPal or personal check.

Fall Reds

2011-02-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

I have some wonderful purple that just seemed to turn on the reds of these trees. I was fascinated by the glow they had. We don't get such reds around here, so you can guess that this was painted from a photo taken by a WetCanvas acquaintance, Hal Kirby--with thanks--of Great Salt Marsh NP in NH. It's my version, of course. I'm totally jazzed by the colors!

On dark gray Pastelmat.

SOLD

Plowed

2011-02-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

We haven't had much snow at our house, but up in the mountains it's been building up. I recall many a morning standing at the school bus stop on this corner. It was beautiful out there. This captures the light, I think.

It's on Arches 300-lb. cold press, with a deckle edge on the left side that I cropped out in the photo. A lot of these have deckles, which I rarely think to mention. If floated, the edge can be an interesting textural element, but most of the time these are covered by a mat edge.

$50.00
Paypal or personal check

Friendly Threesome

2011-02-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

This group ended up on Arches 300 lb. cold press paper. I felt as if they were having a discussion, with the one on the left leaning in like that. I know I shouldn't anthropomorphize this way, but sometimes I can't resist...

Last Rays

2011-02-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

Been awhile, but I'm still around and painting.

This one is on Pastelmat. It's about how my backyard looks in the fall, although the grass is mythical. I love the contrast of the cottonwood and plum tree.

Hope you like it!

New Snow

2011-01-07T15:43:00.000-08:00

I have finally managed to get back to painting after the death of my mother in November. It's so nice to find the time and inclination.

As always on this blog, the size is 3.5" x 2.5", standard ATC/ACEO size. This is on Arches 300-lb. cold press, and is done as part of my personal challenge to get myself painting again. You can read more about that on my Art and Faith blog post here. I decided to paint domestic scenes, and this is the view right out my front window on a recent snowy day.

Bosque Archway

2010-11-27T16:13:00.000-08:00

This was painted on a piece of white Pastelmat. The paper is so soft and absorbent that when it's wet you can take advantage of the washes, letting things blur into it nicely. I often allow it to dry and add more detail, but for this one the soft washes seemed to express the place well, so I held back. This was also from my walk along the Rio Grande last week, but a little inland in the bosque (woods).

I like it--but it won't be everyone's cuppa tea, as they say. What do you think?

No longer available.

Shining River

2010-11-25T09:29:00.000-08:00

On Monday I was able to go out with my husband for a nice long walk in the bosque along the Rio Grande. It was a windy, exciting morning, with the leaves swirling around us and clouds scudding by overhead. I love the dry colors of fall mixed with the lingering greens. The river was quite high again since the Conservancy closed all the ditches, so we were treated to the sheen of sunlight on the deep, moving water.

The painting is on Arches cold press. I enjoy the contrasts in the sky, which seems to capture my impression of clouds flying by.

No longer available.

North 14

2010-11-24T17:24:00.000-08:00

My husband and I lived off of North Highway 14, just east of the Sandia Mountains, for over 16 years, so when we took a drive on our anniversary in August we naturally headed that way. It had been a couple years since I'd been there and the familiar late-summer colors and clouds were a treat. If you ever get a chance to drive up this highway, called The Turquoise Trail, from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, don't miss it!

This was painted from one of the photos taken that day. It's on white Pastelmat, which I highly recommend for gouache! It's soft, absorbent and takes to wet media very well. Yet I like the fine texture of it, which allows me to achieve details when I want to.

I have a series of shots of it that I plan to add to the Step-by-Step Demo page.

Hope you enjoy it!

$50.00

Fall Sisters

2010-11-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of miles up behind my house is a volcanic outcrop where there are a lot of ancient petroglyphs, and beyond that is this lineup of extinct volcanoes we call the Three Sisters. I love seeing the fall grasses on the high mesa dancing in the cool wind. The black volcanic rock pops up out of the sea of grass, sometimes looking like the buried backbone of a giant mythical creature asleep there.

It's on Arches 300-lb. cold press, which gives it just the right texture to express the miles of grass on the plains.

$50.00

Last of October

2010-10-31T10:05:00.000-07:00

There's a maple tree in my backyard. We don't have too many maples around this area and because of the temperatures this one never shows the gorgeous colors that maples are famous for, but the shape of the leaves are lovely anyway. This one is on buttercup yellow Pastelmat. I painted the pale yellow over that ground, but it definitely flavored the colors in the painting.

Farewell October!

$50.00

Lacy Mesa Morning

2010-10-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, if it looks familiar, you're right! It's from a view I see quite often, and I have a photo that always intrigues me, so I used it again. The delicate sunrise colors please me. I wanted the mesa and that lacy tree to have enough detail to satisfy, but not become distractingly busy. I painted the details there and then added a wash over the top to unify the whole thing, then picked out a few more details again. I also used a fun technique on the backlit trees. I painted them in medium-dark green, then added the dark at the bottom and used a shader brush to integrate it. Once that was dry I added the light and did essentially the same thing, allowing the lights to dry every so slightly more to allow it to stay bright and not so blended.

I hope you like it.

$50.00

Small Scale book for Small Scale Paintings

2010-10-24T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hope some of you will join me for coffee and a look at my new little book. I just wanted to show you the scale of it. You can see a preview of it by clicking here. Enlarge it on your monitor using the small View Screen box in the lower right-hand corner when you get there.

Blurb will ship to lots of places outside the US. Check here to see if it's delivered to your area.

My Book!

2010-10-19T16:27:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned the book I recently designed a time or two on the blog and today it arrived. I have to say that I'm impressed.

It's quite a nice little softcover book. I included 68 paintings and three step-by-step demonstrations, as well as the text of the article that was in Watercolor Artist magazine in February, called Emergency Inspiration Kit. I've had a lot of paintings shown in magazines, due to my association as a writer for The Pastel Journal, The Artist's Magazine, and Watercolor Artist over the last 12 years, so I was a bit skeptical about the quality that an online publisher such as Blurb could produce. I worked hard to lay it out so that the paintings are life-sized, and they are. The book itself is only 7" x 7" in size. The intimacy of this scale is well suited to showcasing these 2.5" x 3.5" paintings.

So let me reiterate that although this is not a big, impressive book, it is a very nice little collection of photographs that pretty accurately represents my paintings, and I'm most pleased with it. I'm quite happy to offer it for sale to anyone who is interested. I kept the price modest, of course, and you can preview every page, so you'll know what you're getting.

I hope you enjoy it.

Gouache Paintings in Small Scale by Deborah Secor | Make Your Own Book

Feeling Lost

2010-10-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

In contrast to the last post, this apple seems lost and sad, as if a part of him is missing... Okay, I admit that maybe I'm carrying this anthropomorphism a little too far.

I enjoy the palette in this painting. The warm rusts enhance the cool yellow-greens nicely, and give some emphasis to the sliced areas that are lighter in value. It's also on Arches 300 lb. cold-pressed paper.

$50

Showoff

2010-10-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

I can't help it--apples just seem like they're people. It must be the roundness that makes me think of a head or body. This one looks like he's showing off as he stands in the spotlight. I almost expect him to toss out his arms to each side as he looks up into the light... Trust me, on the other side this little guy had a big grin! I found it tough to compose with a single round object, but I believe this one works. The shadow helps, and I love the glisten.

On Arches 300 lb. cold press paper.

$50

Champagne Shadows

2010-10-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

A small orchard in the hills near Santa Fe, Dixon Apple Farm, is famous for its Champagne Apples. I became the happy possessor of one bag full of these beauties and have been enjoying the delight of an apple a day (at least), and anticipate baked apples for dessert tonight.

In the last few days, I've been painting them, too. Apples aren't easy. They're so iconic. So simple. So round. And you know most people expect an apple to be red.

I cast a strong light on one, overlapped a few others, raised one up and then looked down on it. I even played with a starry sky behind one. I have six next to my elbow, and of the lot this is the only one I'm willing to share right now! But this one finally hit it for me... The orange-yellow made the greenish-yellow apple snap. The shadows behaved themselves. And the slice beamed up, creating a nice area of much needed contrast and some interesting shapes.

The only problem is, my subject matter is almost all gone now!I can't resist them.

$50.00

October FREEBIE: September Sundown

2010-10-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

I've become more and more intrigued with using watercolor techniques for the sky, just letting the paint do what it does when wet. I used a wet-in-wet layer first, let it dry and then added slightly more opaque paint over that to create the successive cloud banks. I used more opaque gouache (less water, more paint) for the mountains and foreground. I like the way this has worked, plus I love the colors in this one. It's on Arches 300 lb. cold press.

Normally these are for sale, but this one is free. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, including your name, before Friday, October 10, at midnight (Mountain Standard Time), and I will randomly choose one to receive this little painting over the weekend, and post the results on Monday, October 11. I would love to send it to you as a perfectly free little gift. From my ♥ to yours!

Why? Is it because:

Beggars can't be choosers?

Actions speak louder than words?

All that glitters isn't gold?

Charity begins at home?

Christmas comes but once a year?

Love conquers all?

The best things in life are free?

You can't take it with you?

Life is too short?

Every picture tells a story?

Good things come to those who wait?

The best things in life are free?

Maybe some of those aphorisms are true but THE truth is that "it is more blessed to give than receive." I have that on the best Authority. (Acts 20:35)

Prickly Snow & a new project

2010-10-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

This fun painting is on Arches 300 lb. cold press, and was painted from a photo I took years ago when I lived in the mountains. We saw prickly pears in snow regularly up at 7,000 feet in the Sandias. It always amused me, since you don't think of cactus and snow together. I like the contrasts of prickly and smooth, too.

I've also started on a project that might interest you. I decided to make a book of these little gouache miniatures, in order to have a good portion of the collection in one place. I'm using Blurb, and it's not finished yet, but once it is I might offer a few copies here if anyone is interested. It's a softback book, and the number of pages is yet to be finalized, which will determine the price. I'll have to finalize things and get a copy to see if it looks as good as I hope, and then I'll let you know... I'm including three step-by-step photo demos there, and the article (in part) that was in Watercolor Artist in February. I hope it might be a nice little book. Time will tell!

Floating in Summer

2010-09-29T15:19:00.000-07:00

As a farewell to summer I thought I'd post this impressive cloud I spotted over the Sandias one day. I'm not ready for sweaters and hot tea and long socks yet, which is good since the temperature is in the 90s F right now. The monsoons are past and it's chillier in the mornings, but the temps soar in mid-afternoon. The painting is on Bristol vellum. Hope you like it!

$50.00

Simple Sunset

2010-09-19T18:37:00.000-07:00

I love painting sunsets, even if they are considered trite! In high school an art teacher drummed this into us. In fact he wouldn't let any of his students paint or draw horses, cars or sunsets. I have to say that it took me nearly 40 years to break free of his prejudices. I'm over it now! In fact, the challenge is to paint sunsets that aren't trite. For instance, I make sure the ball of the sun is NOT located in the center of the composition. Ever. Most photograph are taken this way, but I always turn so the sun is off-center, as I did here. I hope you have a feeling that the hot core is on the far right. I also add some medium colors to indicate shapes in the ground plane, rather than let the ground be a black void. Cameras average the light and turn what's in shadow to inky black, but when I'm standing outside at sunset I can see all the colors and shapes in the reflected light.

This one is on 300 lb. Arches cold press watercolor paper, which is a wonderfully responsive surface for such a subject. You can see I used some wet in wet techniques, as well as a bit of dry brush in the foreground. Hope you like it!

$50.00

Huachuca Mountains

2010-09-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

This is on Arches 300-lb. cold press, and was done from a photograph by Lenore (MRSBB) at WetCanvas. I don't think it captures Arizona all that well, but I like the palette. I feel as if the wind is blowing in from that front over the distant mountain.

I haven't had much time to paint lately, but should have short season again soon. I'm looking forward to it!

$50.00

Wivenhoe Dam

2010-08-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

This is a painting done using a photograph from my friend Annie in Australia ('doppler' at WetCanvas). I'm amazed at how often Australia and New Mexico seem similar, although I think I 'New Mexicanized' this a bit!

It's on Bristol Vellum. I'm particularly pleased with the reflection in the water.

$50.00

Greens

2010-08-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

The resource photo for this painting was posted on WetCanvas by geof. I loved the lyrical greens in it, so different from anything I see daily. It's on Arches 300 lb. cold press. I find it so refreshing to look at.

$50.00

Daisies

2010-07-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

The photo I used looks nothing like this, except for the inspiration. I only changed everything, I think! I wanted to feature those soft red-violet shadows, so I used light pink for the ground plane. The pot could so easily have added too much color to it, so I muted that, and enjoyed the colors of the foliage against the grass-green background. But I think the flowers win, don't you? I transplanted the pink flowers into it and added the white ones, then grabbed the trailing red flowered vines from somewhere...

$50.00

And here's the whole collection of nine images, mocked up in the mat. It's outside dimension is 20" x 16". If you're interested in purchasing all nine matted and ready to frame, the price is $475. Contact me for purchase.

Blue Pot

2010-07-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

I wanted to add a nice blue pot to the mix, so I cobbled together a couple of different images. I don't know what these flowers are called, but I really like the red and lavender with the blue--and I had to add a touch of yellow, too. Likewise on Arches 300 lb. cold press.

$50.00

Roses

2010-07-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

Another of the Shady Spots series, this time a cooler collection of colors. It's also on Arches 300 lb. cold pressed. The purple and toasty brown please me--but it's the shadow I love!

$50

Pink Geraniums

2010-07-16T11:46:00.000-07:00

The next in the series of Shady Spot paintings, also on Arches 300 lb. cold press. I'm becoming more and more used to this wonderful paper. It really allows me to do transparent washes, as in the shadow lower left, or very opaque passages, as in the blossoms, and the light texture pleases me.

$50

Morning Gold

2010-07-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

I wanted to vary the backgrounds and colors of the flowers in this series because I'm considering grouping them into one 9-image mat, but for the moment they are still available individually--in case there is someone out there even considering purchasing one! I'm tempted to say "Limited Time Offer" but that's SO tacky! Besides, I figure no one is actually visiting this blog since I haven't had a comment in so long. For the record, this is on Arches 300 lb. cold press. I really like the combination of colors.

$50

Dockside Daisies

2010-07-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

You can probably see that this one is painted on Somerset Black Velvet from the edges around the pot in the shadow area, in particular. The lacy detail of the foliage around the daisies pleases me.

$50.00

Daylilies

2010-07-07T14:11:00.000-07:00

The textures in this painting arise from the Arches 300 lb. cold press paper and my dry brush techniques. How could I resist the orange-purple contrasts?

I can see all of the "shady spots and planted pots" together in one multiple-opening mat and frame.

$50.00

White Geraniums

2010-07-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

I painted this on the rather slick surface of Bristol smooth, resulting in the lush paint in the flowers and the brushy look to the wall and ground. I'm enjoying different papers for the various results, and if I were more disciplined I'd likely think through the painting and choose paper based on the look. However, I freely admit to picking up whatever piece of paper I have on hand and using it for the next piece most of the time.

$50.00

Azaleas

2010-07-02T15:21:00.000-07:00

I've begun a small series of shady spots and flower pots and the azaleas are my first entry. It's done on Arches 300 lb. cold press watercolor paper. The original photo, which was from the Reference Image Library at WetCanvas, has a much fancier pot, but I kept it simple. I'm using some similarities in the dry brush strokes throughout the series, as you see in the flower pot here.

$50.00

Summer Bay

2010-06-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of 300 lb. cold press watercolor paper, so I've cut some up into ATC sizes to use for my little paintings. In this case I think the light texture really works to create the subtly sparkling water. I spent one summer living on the Gulf of Mexico, in Pensacola, Florida, when I was in my early 20s. Every day I'd don my swimwear and drive out to a softly sloping beach like this one, and play in the gentle waves all day until the daily thunderstorm rolled in. It was a delightful time in my life--sun, sand, snorkeling, boiled crab fresh from the traps(supplied with our apartment, of course.) This painting was done from a photograph in the Reference Image Library at Wet Canvas and is part of the monthly landscape challenge there.

Anybody want to go swimming?

$50.00

Deserter--N/A

2010-05-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

This painting was done on Pastelmat, not black this time but a peach color that crept into the shadows. I found that as I painted it the color of the raw paper was so charming that I chose the peach to flavor the 'gray' shadows. (I always see color in gray!) These are not cherries, though they're about that size. This is the fruit that grows on our ornamental plum tree. The birds seem to love them, despite the fact that they remain hard and never sweeten. I enjoy the deep purple and red-violet color of the foliage, which has a green note underneath.

Not available.

Lean On Me

2010-05-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

I enjoy the symbolism of dissimilar fruits in relation to one another, and the simple color palette pleases me. It's painted on black Pastelmat. Doesn't that lemon look comfy?

$50.00

Abiquiu

2010-05-12T12:58:00.000-07:00

Back to landscapes! I've always enjoyed the red rock areas of New Mexico, especially up in Abiquiu (say: AB-i-cue) in what has come to be thought of as Georgia O'Keeffe country. The contrast of the sweet blues and greens of the bushes against the dull reds and sandy golds really makes for a nice palette of colors.

This was painted on my current favorite, black Pastelmat. It's not a strict rendering of an exact place, more an interpretation of the area.

$50.00

Tomato

2010-05-11T16:16:00.000-07:00

I had one tomato left, bereft of its companion (which was delicious.) Again, this was painted on the wonderful texture of Pastelmat, again using the black, which is really more of a charcoal gray color. I enjoy the juicy look of the white ground color, which is worked around the details. It gives a painterly look.

$50.00

Pear, Pear, Pear

2010-05-07T17:13:00.000-07:00

These pears were just delicious, both to paint and to eat! I was intrigued with the blush of red along one side. Are pears some kind of rite of passage for every artist? Much the way every pastelist is expected to paint a ballerina! Predictable, I'm sure, but I'm really enjoying my little fruit and vege explorations. I hope you are, too.

These three are on black Pastelmat.

$50.00

One Navel

2010-05-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

I painted this one on Bristol vellum, underpainted with a dark blue-violet. I wanted the white ground to have a little more painterly quality to it, and I knew it would make the shadow easier to paint. I just worked around it, as you can see. The label was a necessity, IMHO, to add color, texture and impact! Hope you agree.

$50.00

Two Navels

2010-05-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

I was given a huge box of navel oranges fresh from the grove in California, so when I began to look for subject matter there they were right in front of me.

This painting is on black Pastelmat, a current favorite of mine. I really enjoy using this paper. The gouache builds up in slow layers but retains a nice texture throughout.

I'm starting to picture a wall full of these little paintings framed in simple moldings, hanging in the kitchen. What do you think?

$50.00

Pear in Blue

2010-05-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

East and South

2010-04-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

Shadowed Stream

2010-04-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

Smalley Falls

2010-04-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

Cascade

2010-04-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

Cat Falls

2010-04-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

Plum in Pink

2010-04-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

Colorado Runoff

2010-04-01T20:52:00.001-07:00

Shady Spot-- not available

2010-04-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

SANTA FE DEW

2010-03-15T11:52:00.000-07:00