Surely some folks must like roosters, but I hate them. And I don't use that strong word lightly in regard to those cocksure cock-a-doodlers with their beady-eyed bravado, over-sized machismo, and creepy feet. However, I'm having so much fun painting pictures of roosters that I may yet find a place in my heart for them.
From my perspective, anything goes: tail feathers of schnazzy violet and cerulean, 5-star epaulets of bronze and gold, gaudy combs of crimson and alizarin, high stepping struts, mincing side-passes, and full-throttle sprints . . . so many juiced up possibilities that my head spins just thinking about them. In fact, I've arrived at names for paintings that I've only begun to visualize: "Rooster Tango, " "Rooster in Drag," "Rooster Masquerade" to list but a few.
This flamboyant deviation from my usual sober subject matter is a result of the MT Watercolor Society workshop that I attended in early October with Bev Jozwiak. I played catch-up during all four days, always one project behind Bev's demonstrations, but I was determined to complete each one of her challenges, even if I had to do so at home. In my first effort to take rooster extravagance over the top—"Two Steppin' Rooster"—I underpainted gold metallic gesso here and there. Wowzers! It looked like gold leaf, without any of leaf's tedium and expense. Like a gateway drug, my two-stepper demanded a second dose. "Rooster Steppin' Out," is the consequence. I hesitate to 'fess up, but it's true—roosters are pushing me to lighten up and revel in more splash, even as they energize my hours and brighten our grey November days.
From my perspective, anything goes: tail feathers of schnazzy violet and cerulean, 5-star epaulets of bronze and gold, gaudy combs of crimson and alizarin, high stepping struts, mincing side-passes, and full-throttle sprints . . . so many juiced up possibilities that my head spins just thinking about them. In fact, I've arrived at names for paintings that I've only begun to visualize: "Rooster Tango, " "Rooster in Drag," "Rooster Masquerade" to list but a few.
This flamboyant deviation from my usual sober subject matter is a result of the MT Watercolor Society workshop that I attended in early October with Bev Jozwiak. I played catch-up during all four days, always one project behind Bev's demonstrations, but I was determined to complete each one of her challenges, even if I had to do so at home. In my first effort to take rooster extravagance over the top—"Two Steppin' Rooster"—I underpainted gold metallic gesso here and there. Wowzers! It looked like gold leaf, without any of leaf's tedium and expense. Like a gateway drug, my two-stepper demanded a second dose. "Rooster Steppin' Out," is the consequence. I hesitate to 'fess up, but it's true—roosters are pushing me to lighten up and revel in more splash, even as they energize my hours and brighten our grey November days.
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