Still Life Watercolor #39 Dora Sislian Themelis

#39 Four Sunflowers 14x20 Watercolor on Lanaquarelle paper
©2011 Dora Sislian Themelis

Another watercolor painting of the sunflowers from my photographs makes this work #39. Done in twenty minute sessions over a few days and it seems that process has been leading to finished work. Now if only I could move it along a little quicker, maybe I'd make the 100 paintings in time. At this rate I am not so sure.

Bits and Shell #13

Bits and Shell (c)2011DST  8x12 Watercolor

I am still using these shells as my still life subjects in #13 of my challenge. Is it starting to get boring to see them over and over? Not for me. Every time I turn them around I find something else I want to paint, an interesting view or the shape of the shadows.

Thank you to Laure for her suggestion to put away the work and don't judge each one individually. It has helped me move on to the next painting much quicker. I painted this yesterday afternoon, and somehow found time to paint another today. Same shells, different angle.

On to #14!

Shells With Bits #12

Shells With Bits (c)2011DST 8x12 Watercolor

This latest watercolor was done in twenty minutes. Thanks to our host here on the challenge, Laure, I realized I was scrutinizing and judging my pieces. I'm done with that and happy to find twenty minutes to paint the items available. Quantity over quality, and it's the process not the result. And there you have it, #12 in my personal challenge.

What's Left of Fall- #1

What's Left of Fall (c)2011

Hello everyone at The 100 Painting Challenge! I made it here in one piece, safe and sound and thrilled. I am very excited, as you can see, to be making this commitment. Although the idea was scary

to me at first, now I've jumped in with both feet.

I'm making my debut in the challenge today with #1, What's Left of Fall, a 7x10 watercolor still life on 140lb Arches cold press paper. It began as a twenty minute work for Teri Casper's Twenty Minute Challenge and as it needed more work to consider it finished, I planned to use it as my first piece here.

I've been painting still life's of found objects, fruit, leaves, beach pebbles, shells as my motivation. These items are out for me to see during my day. When I have some time, while my new granddaughter naps, I arrange the objects and paint quickly. My aim has been fighting resistance, so painting quickly is key. Besides, when I labor over a work it's possible to ruin everything, so I stop! 

This challenge has been a major push for me to get myself painting regularly, to decide which mediums I truly want to continue using, and keep resistance at a nice, long distance away! Thank you so much for this opportunity. I welcome any comments, questions, and criticisms and look forward to our conversations!