Mykonos Revisited

This was a villa down below where we were staying. The sun has already passed over the house and it is about 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon. I love Mykonos' white and blue architecture. All over the island are structures made of thick white walls with bright blue doors and shutters. These structures are great to paint/draw because they are simple, yet, have so many different surfaces and the thickness of the wall gives an opportunity to play with light and shade. The white is really bright with the sun shining on it. I have only been twice, once in March and once in April. Both times just a tad too cold to thoroughly enjoy the beach. The water is the most amazing clear blue. Despite how cold it was, I still went swimming. It was not nearly as cold as a lake in Red River, New Mexico. That water was clear green, reflecting the trees.

11x14 original watercolor

Architectural Journey

Here is a commission I just finished. For the locals, do you know which house this is? As you know, I love the architectural detail in old homes. This house was built in the 1920's, but, has been renovated recently. The architectural detail inside and out is amazing. Because of the trees and landscaping, it was difficult to get a photo. Also, I had to be discreet when taking the photos because my client was going to give it to her husband for his birthday. The first time I went to take photos, the husband came out to walk the dog so I had to sneak away. I went back on another day when I knew he would be gone and took several photos. I finally got a photo from an unexpected viewpoint which was perfect. I love how the trees in the foreground frame the entry with the trees that are in the center of the yard. This is the 4th house on this street that I have had the privilege of painting.

11x14 original watercolor by Liana Yarckin

I found these cards from a Christmas past. Years ago, before I had children, I would paint individual Christmas cards. That was when I had all of the time in the world to meticulously tape off 50 plus cards and paint one for everyone on my list. It was a relaxing and rewarding time preparing the cards. Sometimes I would paint snow scenes, Christmas trees, holly branches, every year a different theme. The above are cards from the Christmas that I had just found out I was pregnant with my first child. I don't remember exactly how I got the image for the above cards. I always loved Michelanglo's Pieta. My mom even had a small replica in her room. I remember that was my inspiration. As always, I wanted to use lots of vibrant colors. Also, another favorite technique, wet into wet. With the above 3, you can see how the results are different as the paper was freshly wet compared to starting to dry. I would line my cards up and do several at a time. I tried different colors in different areas, as well as different techniques. It was always fun to see the results. For the first few years after children I would send a watercolor card along with a photo card. When I stopped doing that, a friend called and asked if she was off of the "A" list because she didn't get a watercolor card. I told her that I didn't do them that year. She told me that she always looked forward to getting her original little painting every year.