Morning Market

"Morning Market"

13x10.5

Watercolor on paper

This painting is based on the farmer’s market in my neighbourhood. I love this place especially for its vitality. If you are depressed on any given day, walk through this small stretch set aside only in the morning and you quickly forget your troubles (besides never walking out empty handed!). It is a feast for the senses with all the local produce that abounds. In the early morning, the warm glow of the Roman sun hits the stalls and slowly illuminates the day’s offerings. I strive to capture this feeling in my work.

The painting challenged me primarily because of the strong contrast of light and the sharp perspective. I tried to harmonize the work as much as I could through color, trying not to make it appear too busy because of all the various mounds of fruits and vegetables. I also had difficulty with my reference photo because so much of it is in shadow. For larger areas, I normally use masking tape to protect the whites - this time the tape really stuck to the paper. I’m not sure if it’s the paper or the tape, something I will need to experiment with.

Thank you for taking the time to visit!