As you know I love to paint flowers so I decided to treat myself to a two week vacation in paradise, “Maui”!  I thought I would take lots of photos to get the creative juices flowing plus take a watercolor workshop.  I read an article in” Watercolor” magazine by Kathleen Alexander about painting plumaria.  I decided to try her style from the clear concise information she shared.  I was happy with the results but I knew there were still a lot of things I wasn’t clear on and so I had several questions prepared for her workshop in Haiku, Maui, Hawaii.

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Kathleen’s workshop was very well organized in her lovely studio in Haiku.  One of the things she had us do was bring 300 cold press Fabriano Artistico paper.  I usually paint on 140 pound Arches.  Fabriano is much softer and smoother than Arches.  There is a learning curve.
The first day we drew our plumaria and painted the flowers.  I was terrified at the way she had us paint.  You first wet the entire 5 petals of the flower.  Then you apply juicy paint to it and start tipping the paper from side to side letting the colors mingle and blend to where there are no visible brush strokes.  I was afraid that paint would run every where.  But it did stay within the wet canvas area much to my surprise and pleasure.

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The second day we painted the leaves and the remainder of the background.  I liked her technique of using prussian blue for the vein work.  It made glazing the leaves very quick work.
This is a photo of my workshop painting.  I think it is more vibrant and alive than my first study.
Her is a photo of her painting and mine together.  Mine is the top painting.  Kathleen’s is the bottom one.

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I had wished I could stay for her hibiscus workshop but there were two weeks in between and even though Hawaii was calling, so was HOME.  Aloha! A hui hau
Goodbye Until we meet again.