My love of creating surfaced at an early age.

I began painting as a child, using those hard pans of watercolors that come in the plastic boxes. I continued to paint all through my school years with these simple tools. When I was twenty-two I learned how to stretch watercolor paper and bought some quality tube paints and brushes. Oh, what a difference good materials made! I went wild over all the available colors in watercolor tubes. I painted on my own for years and then in 1989 went back to school to obtain my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the California State University Chico.

The best advice I was given in school was paint, paint, paint. Doing is definitely the best teacher. Since receiving my degree I have continued to paint and show steadily. My original paintings have been well received and my annual shows continue to sell out. However, along with this success, I have frequently been asked to repeat a painting. My creative nature has never enjoyed the challenge of repeating a painting. Technology to the rescue! The Giclée print process met my requirements for quality reproduction, introduced new art collectors to my collection and allowed me to keep painting new works.

Color is the most important element in my paintings.

I love the intensity and subtlety of color that watercolor provides. It can be as rich and bold as I want, or as pale and soft as is needed, to produce the painting I have in mind. I am constantly refining my techniques with washes, layering, glazing and lifting to further expand the color possibilities. I find myself drawn to certain objects because they are colorful and will be fun to paint. With dark colors, I look for the hidden colors to bring out the life in the picture.

I chose my husband's argyle sock collection because of the colors and patterns. I once painted his fishing lures because they are so bright and varied in color and texture. Contrast is also very important to me. I enjoy contrast in color as well as contrast between light and dark. I have been known to come up with a composition simply to satisfy my need to combine complementary colors, such as blue and orange or red and green. Then I go on a treasure hunt to find objects to paint in those colors.

www.evafarley.com

www.avenue9gallery.com