May and June South End Member Artist: Jay Ashman

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A watercolor painting. In the forefront of the image is a road with a car driving along it. Near the car, on the right side of the painting, is a red barn, surrounded by green grass and trees. There are power wires stretching from the forefront to the back of the painting, above the barn. On the left side of the painting is a tree and stretch of grass. The upper third of the painting and backdrop is a light blue sky.

Six years ago, having retired from UVM and planning to travel more, I was looking for a creative outlet that was more portable than the stained glass pieces I had been creating over the years. Visiting a few art galleries, I found myself drawn to watercolor paintings. The first time I mixed pigment with water and watched it spread and mix with other colors on paper, I was hooked.

I was fortunate to find some excellent instructors here in Vermont. With the arrival of Covid in 2020, outstanding instructors from all over the world began offering online classes at affordable prices. For the past three years I have taken many such classes and managed to pick up at least something from each one to enhance my painting. I am, however, still very much a work in progress, and always will be.

Having lived in Vermont for 50 years, I’m drawn to try to capture the beauty of the state’s landscapes. I find the barns that dot our hillsides irresistible. Having grown up with boats and had a boat on Lake Champlain for the past 17 years, waterscapes, boats, and lighthouses are among my favorite subjects.

 

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