Simple Gifts

One of the greatest ways in which art brings us — and others — joy is through creating simple gifts for those we love.

Art can be simple, and simple art can be beautiful when shared.

Even with my limited watercolor abilities, I was able to put together an adorable little “watercolor duo” for my mother-in-law. It made use of all those practice skills I’ve been working on:

• A soft pastel wash
• Evenly colored areas
• Shapes made with a brush
• Delicate stems and branches

These are small paintings. I took one 9 x 12 sheet of watercolor paper and taped it into two sections. After completing the paintings and allowing them to dry, I removed the tape and used my paper-cutter to turn them into a set of 6 x 9 paintings. I found “floating frames” — no need for matting — and the paintings made a delightful gift.

My mother-in-law loved the set, and they were so much fun to make, I have a feeling I’ll be making many more. It’s fun to play around with shapes and colors, fun to take the watercolor skills I’m learning, and actually put them to good use.

I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend!