The Tiny Painting Series are a way for me to create small versions of what would be larger pieces so everyone can enjoy my work. My larger watercolor paintings take anywhere from 80-100+ hours to complete. Although painting larger is the most enjoyable for me, I chose to create smaller works using the same technique. I had a customer tell me she was so happy to be able to afford one of my originals and this made me smile. I will explain pricing in my next blog and the differences. Everyone being able to have a piece of my artwork in their home is a goal. I also like to have prints for this reason but do not print all my work so people who want only the original may have that happy feeling.
Number 2 and 3 in the Mt. Charleston Tiny Painting first Series took much longer than I had anticipated. Simultaneously working on larger works for juried competitions is quite challenging while trying to produce smaller works. Balancing time is vital between social media, conversations with buyers, and slowing it all down to paint. This is why I love painting small. It is an amazing release and nice to see a painting accomplished within two days instead of a month. The second painting is from the same photograph I used to create “Movement of Change,” an acrylic on canvas. I love the way the bark of the tree seems to be dancing and moves my imagination into many directions. The head of a cat appeared to me the first time I saw this tree and the paintings have taken on new life of their own.
Number 3 in the series has the same effect on me. With this painting, I tried to focus on the contrast between light and dark. I see many creatures in this tiny space. I love the blues, browns, and subtle grays because they allow the yellow ochre to be illuminated. The focus is upon the light but my eye keeps being drawn back into the detail and texture of the dark. This is a very lovely painting that allowed my mind to wander through its many lines. While exploring with dots, lines, and dashes, I realized there are many tiny images that pull my viewpoint inward. I could look at this painting for many days and hope it goes to a really loving home. Thank you for reading, until next time!
-Karen Hilliard