Helen Cook

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Experimental

This series of watercolour paintings is an experiment in pushing the boundaries of watercolour. I am combining wax resists, painting loosely with granulating pigments and an extreme amount of water, and watercolour frottage, using plants from my garden to emboss the page.

All of these works are painted in reaction to natural processes that I let develop. I am not prescribing an image from the beginning, but am allowing the image to develop slowly as I add layers.

Watercolour using transparent pastel resist to form round shapes giving the impression of a pair of tornadoes, or an octopus Watercolour using transparent pastel resist to form round shapes giving the impression of looking up into a 5 cornered tent, or into the petals of a petunia. Watercolour using transparent pastel resist to form round shapes giving the impression of the underside of a bolete mushroom Watercolour frottage in the shape of tomato sepals, formed from dried tomato vines Watercolour frottage in the shape of a tomato leaf, formed from dried tomato vines Watercolour frottage of a tomato plant in red and green, reverse side Watercolour frottage of a tomato plant in brown Watercolour frottage of a plant inverted to look like roots Watercolour frottage of a tomato plant in blue and orange An abstract painting of a path, glowing in an impressionist manner in pinks and blue An abstract painting of a lake at sunset, glowing in an impressionist manner An abstract painting of blue and brown pigment running from the sides of the page towards the middle. A pale blue dot is on the left, and a glowing crescent is on the right. An abstract painting of blue and brown pigment running from the sides of the page towards the middle. An abstract painting of a field in purples and oranges, with rows of crops running into the distance An abstract painting of a purple and yellow background with lines carved into the paper, taken from medieval graffiti found in a church in Kingston An abstract painting of a purple sky and drybrushed greenish, spindly clouds An abstract painting using line that's carved into the paper to resemble an egg shape, on a maroon and blue background A loose watercolour a closeup of a pinecone A loose watercolour of turkey tail mushrooms on a curved log A loose watercolour of trees on opposite sides of a small river as it curves into the distance A loose watercolour of blue tree in the upper left corner, and a blue space down the right hand side, against a background of orange-brown very granulating watercolour.


Copyright (c) 2024 Helen Cook