Living the Moment

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

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Sketchbook Work in Watercolor John Hulsey

We have always been strong advocates for the practice of keeping a sketchbook journal filled with small watercolors. These little paintings are a treasure trove of moments in time, of light, space and ideas. Many of them never go any further than our sketchbooks, but quite a few have served as the basis for large studio paintings. Our interests in making these plein air sketches is different than that for making a studio painting. The sketchbook work is, in essence, a diary of our working lives as artists, our daily experiences, our inspirations and our travels in the world. Studio work requires a different mindset and goal, predicated on the commitment to investing lots of time into the large work and, often, transforming the sketch into something much greater in depth of feeling and light. Working outdoors around our studios over years also puts us in touch with the constantly changing essence of th…