MARIE PASCAL Blue City. Watercolor 7.5 x 10.5 inches

TIMES OF REFLECTION: Watercolors by Marie Pascal

Opening Reception: Sunday, August 9, 2015 3:00 - 6:00 pm

The title for the show describes how I see painting in a general sense. First, my watercolors try to capture a certain aspect or emotion felt at a given time; it is a meditation, a contemplation process, and that is a reflection. Second, I want to reflect the effect of light on the paper, as does a mirror.

Inspiration is everywhere, the city streets and cafes of San Francisco, the beautiful landscapes of the Bay Area where I live, but also my native country of France.

Usually I start with a small black-and-white sketch, try to find a harmony of colors, and end with a precise draft where almost nothing is left to chance. This method helps me to have a clear vision of the whole picture without being lost in details during the realization process.

I am influenced by the work of numerous painters including Corot, Inness, Redon, the clair-obscur of Caravaggio, Rembrandt's etchings, Hopper's city scenes, Vallotton, and the illustrator Nascimbene.