Float Your Boats – 6″ x 6″ Watercolor and Sharpie

“When we focus on only the external indications of aging, we forget the internal treasures that we accumulate with each year of our lives.”
–Jean Smith

Copyright Beth Parker Art 2012

Float Your Boats – 6″ x 6″ Watercolor and Sharpie

I painted this from a photo by Lin (oldrockchick) on WetCanvas.  I think the photo was taken in Wales.  Since I don’t like painting outboard motors, I pretended that the marine repair shop there was having a special on motor tune-ups, so everyone had rushed their motors up there to get in on the great sale.

I also didn’t want to paint all the ropes going to nowhere (they were all tied to a cliff on the left), so I pretended it was a calm day and nobody’s boats were floating away.  Isn’t artistic license wonderful?

This painting was mailed off to Rochester, New York yesterday.  It has been donated as part of a fund raising effort, and this is the third year for me to participate.  They receive 6″ x 6″ paintings (a couple thousand)  from all over the world and I am their only Oklahoma participant, they tell me.  How cool is that?   They are not signed on the front, because some of the artists are famous people and you don’t know who the artists are until after they have sold.  Each painting is sold for $20, no matter who painted it.   Great little fund raiser, eh?

There are too many Jean Smiths to really know which one said this.  I got today’s quote from my lovely little book, “Wrinkles Don’t Hurt – Daily Meditations on the Joy of Aging Mindfully”, by Ruth Fishel.  I love this book and Ruth Fishel is an amazing author.  She also wrote “A Time for Joy“.

8 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. lindahalcombfineart
    May 01, 2012 @ 16:38:02

    This is a great idea for a fundraiser and you are very generous as well. This painting has such a sense of fun and I agree – artist’s license is awesome.

    Reply

  2. just4crafters
    May 01, 2012 @ 12:36:00

    Love this painting!!! Gorgeous colors!!! Congrats on being a part of the fundraiser. Sounds like a great idea!!! All the best ~Sophia

    Reply

  3. lesliepaints
    May 01, 2012 @ 11:21:03

    Awesome fundraiser, Beth! I like that idea very much. Your boats are colorful and I like to imagine them have a mind of their own, anyway, and that they are all traveling with the current on a great adventure. All their owners missed the boat, so to speak. 🙂

    Reply

  4. Carol King
    May 01, 2012 @ 10:23:02

    Great painting and how nice of you to donate it for a good cause.

    when you say “watercolor with sharpie” do you draw with the sharpie and then fill in with the watercolor or vice versa? or do you draw with pencil, paint and then go back with the sharpie?

    Reply

    • Beth Parker
      May 01, 2012 @ 13:21:40

      Thanks, Carol! I draw with pencil, then watercolor and finish it off with the sharpie. The sharpie seems to define it and give it that illustrative style. 🙂

      Reply

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