#YELLOW a favorite colour to work with; its in nature in every season.  The language of colour is tricky.  Basic colour categories are universal and rooted; but without a word for a colour; we don't see it as distinct.  We know that not having a separate word for something does not mean we can't distinguish it; in fact we may love it even more.  Layer upon layer of thin pigment can create amazing transparent creations seen in original artwork.

The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour the most.

John Ruskin, (1851-3)

Creating colours is complex; the more colours blended the more likely it is that the end result will be murky. Its best to use single pigments rather than a mixture to avoid this.  Texture can take away the light that colour needs.  A balance of both surface texture and pigments can produce luminosity and the search for modern colors that are bright and light is fundamental to the story of art.

The natural hue of a lightweight birch substrate provides just enough texture to enhance a natural feel of the painting titled 'To the Top'.  A climb to the top of a section of pathway along the Bow River in Calgary, Alberta where  the views of Fish Creek and the Rocky Mountains are inspiring. Products like Artgraf, is shaping the history of art as it provides hues of natural mineral pigment that are transparent with crisp bright tint strength.  Artgraf is a water based paint material inspired by traditional tailor's block; it can be used directly or mixed with other water based products.  The tailor's block shape is easy to hold and provides freedom to explore and create with transparent earth tones.  I've enjoyed the playful nature of this product and the transparent qualities on the natural birch wood suits it well.   

The purpose of art is to be enjoyed.  The experience of viewing original art can enrich our lives.  Find time to compare works of art, analysis style and character to better understand the purpose of the artwork.  The experience of the vision of the artists can draw our attention to aspects of our surroundings that we had previously overlooked and can greatly enhance our awareness of beauty in daily life.  The more works of art we see the more our artistic experience deepens.  An understanding of artist and their originality can be rewarding intellectually; however, works of art without real quality or depth like mass produced pseudo-landscapes sold in department stores will not get better no matter how long you look at them.  

Piece by piece you'll learn what you love.