News and Musings of artist Teri Starkweather

      My painting "Tea Party Posies" is a study of color, transparency, and pattern. I included objects in the still life that are transparent, like a bottle and a glass pitcher. I also included patterned teacups and a patterned tablecloth. An antique copper pot adds a reflective, rich surface. All of this is accented by the colorful bouquet of flowers, with petals vibrating from the afternoon sun shining through them.

      I used Winsor Newton transparent watercolors with some accents of gold opaque watercolor. The transparency of watercolors lend themselves to depicting the effects of sunlight shining through a transparent surface. I like to keep a strong value contrast by making the background dark and opaque.