Eye On The Prize: Watercolor

Posted bydebirileyPosted inart, inspiration, painting, photographyTags:, , , , , , , ,
#worldwatercolorgroup, watercolor landscape, debiriley.com

“Eye on the Prize”  watercolor landscape of a hidden forest pond.  Where and How did I find this place?

 

#worldwatercolorgroup, watercolor landscape, debiriley.com
Eye on the Prize, watercolor landscape, debiriley.com

 

The Story of  “Eye On The Prize”

 

On a dark and gloomy day I stopped my car alongside the road in Kitsap County, Washington. It was very early spring, but cold and rainy.  Dark.

 

I had been… ‘meaning to’   go take some photos of a forested pond for quite some time. But, always was in too big a hurry.  Always too busy.  Always kept saying,  “one day, I’ve got to take this photo!”

3 years went by.  Yes, I’d  been going by this spot twice daily to work and back.

 

 

Its Time!

So, quite late one afternoon after teaching, I finally pulled over.

 

Got out with my camera.

In my work clothes, not my hiking clothes.  And traipsed through the mud.

 

 

Under an old barb wire fence.

Through the wet and dirty underbrush to the edge of the deep dark pond.

Trees lined the edges, thick and dense. Adding to the gloom.

 

 

Its late. I now can barely see my car through all this brush.

I’m not scared.  I’m going on a photo hunt.   Got my camera at my side.

Its darker now.

 

 

 

Photos Taken

I shoot my photos and scamper back to my car.

 

and…..sigh as I turn the keys and the car  lights on.

 

Just a wee little excursion.  A fair bit of effort.

I had a goal. A destination.

 

 

 

I  Really, wanted that specific shot of that place.

Silly, to have waited though.

However,  I did manage to get several shots. Most as you might imagine, were a tad blurry. One was usable.

 

Yay, Debi!

I kept my eye on the prize.

 

 

 

 

What I Learned

 

Don’t wait.   Do  ‘It’  NOW

 

 

 Effort Is Rewarded!   

Be willing to expend a lot of Effort to get what I really want.

My ‘Prize.’

 

 

Over hill, over dale,   contortions required

Be it photography,   sketching,  or  outdoor painting

The Effort = results

 

Have my mind  settled on what I want.

The mud,  the rocks, the jungle, the forest, the creek, the hills,  the climb are irrelevant.

 

 

My destination calls

I will. get there.

I know, there will be obstacles.

But in my mind –  I can make them small.

 

 

The giants become as tiny grasshoppers.

I don’t care that they exist.

I only care that I reach my destination.

 

 

 

The  EFFORT  is worth it to me.

I can convey mood.

Feeling. Depth.  Nostalgia.  Joy.  Light.

Shadows. and Gloom.

Things can sing, things can shout,

things can whisper so soft one must stop to hear.

 

I can only accomplish these things by Effort.  By resolve.

I need to want that destination above all else.

 

 

This painting, It is my  reminder. To  keep my eye on the prize.

 

 

 

 

Margaret at yubagold.wordpress.com   quite often, goes painting outdoors.

Hikes and climbs and fends off the biting bugs. That is effort. resolve.

She wants to reach a destination regardless of the ‘obstacles.’

She will,  get there.

 

There is an aliveness, an energy,  to her paintings AND her photographs – that I am enraptured with.

 

I see living energy, the spark and breath of life within these images.

I am inspired!

 

 

 

 

Published by debiriley

The act of creation, in any media is a fascinating and magical process. I simply love to create. Expressing in color, line, tone, texture - as if, they were words upon a page. Creating a uniquely me, interpretation. Enjoy More of my "one-of-a-kind" expressive art at society6.com/debiriley and, redbubble.com/people/debijriley/shop

20 thoughts on “Eye On The Prize: Watercolor”

  1. Lovely! Reminds me of the book I just mentioned. Big magic. And I could not agree more about the life in Margaret’s paintings!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. it is my mission, I think, to shout to the world the benefits of painting from real. life. objects. You, are such a great example. I couldn’t resist! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Great post Debi, so true, you have gotta go get it, it won’t come to you! The camera is a great tool, but not fool proof….I too had a disappointing last photo shoot, mostly blurred, another day, lessons learned, tomorrow will be different with new opportunities, ❤️
    Oh and I am so with you about Margaret’s photos and paintings, the effort is in her work as much as the energy that nature exhibits. I have wanted to jump into so many of her paintings.

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    1. hi Charlie, thank you! you know, the painting itself….. sigh. isn’t one that really sings and shouts to me; but, the story behind this painting – makes it a keeper. A reminder to inspire my own self! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  6. that’s a good sentence: don’t wait, do it now, very right. Last Sunday I forgot my camera going to the fleamarket and could have made so many nice photos. I was a bit sad. But you did the right thing and a lovely painting. Virtual hugs Mitza

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      1. I should tatoo it inside of my eyes, so that I see the whole world through this sentence. Today I don’t look anymore like Dwayne Johnson, I look more like a sleepy hippo, hehe

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    1. yes, that is such a wonderful, brilliant, and liberating thing to do…. paint from memory! such a good lesson right there Cynthia! 🙂 I bet you feel the same way about art as I do – it is such an Adventure 🙂

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  8. Wonderful inspiring words Debi. Watched the American women’s gymnasts at the Olympics today and felt the same sense of commitment to keeping their eyes on the prize as you describe so beautifully here.

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    1. thank you Jane!
      what I didn’t say in the post, was that the photos were very dark. Too dark really!
      So, I chose to use a lot of artistic license. And I felt I wanted to lighten the gloom!

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