"Last Light" watercolor on paper, 15 x 19, $325, available at Mainstreet Gallery in Lake Zurich, IL Scroll down to view more of Jeanne Clohisy's art...
Kayaking and hiking, with phone in hand for photos, this outdoorsy artist who loves painting landscapes is inspired by all the seasons Mother Nature provides. Jeanne Clohisy from Arlington Heights, IL, especially enjoys her time in northern Wisconsin where she finds not only fall to be a gorgeous season, but the winters to be filled with peace and beauty.
Working in watercolor or oil, she quickly learned that in order to improve, painting outside of her classes was important.
“My watercolor style has been a journey,” she explains. “I’m influenced by artists who paint loosely and as my own style develops, I find myself tending toward creating more abstract work.”
As she focuses on keeping her work loose, she angles her painting board, so pigments mingle with gravity while using lots of water to create flow.
“My preference is to work wet-on-wet to allow the watercolor to do its own thing,” she adds. “Pigment does gorgeous things when you give it water. I don’t want to control it too much. I’ve learned to put my strokes down and leave it – not to go back in and mess with it again.”
Her preferred product lines are Winsor Newton, Holbein, and Daniel Smith on Arches cold press paper. She also enjoys using Yupo paper as well.
“Success with watercolor is all about timing,“ she advises. “You have to know your ratio of water to pigment and make quick decisions because the paint is drying. Creating art is like a puzzle – putting all the pieces together for a successful painting.”
She encourages watercolorists to keep painting because the more you paint the more intuitive the artist becomes.
“Don’t be intimidated by the blank paper,” she says. “Just immerse yourself in the process, stroke by stroke, and don’t be afraid. Don’t be too dependent on your reference photos either. Redesign the photo imagery for better composition and then put it away. Painting is smoke and mirrors – interpret the photo in your own way.”
Jeanne is a member of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America and Illinois Watercolor Society. Her work is currently in the first online show 2023 for the Transparent Watercolor Society, found here: Transparent Watercolor Society 1st Annual Online Show 2023
Learn more about Jeanne at her website: Jeanne Clohisy Fine Art
"Morning Light", oil on canvas, 11 x 14, $395, available at Mainstreet Gallery, Lake Zurich, IL
"Going With the Flow", oil on canvas, 11 x 14, $425, available at the Waterworks Exhibition at Mainstreet Gallery, Oct 4 - 29, Lake Zurich IL.
"Spring Is Here" watercolor on paper, 15 x 19, $325, available at Mainstreet Gallery
"Summer Blossoms" watercolor on paper, 15 x 19, $325, available at Mainstreet Gallery
"Sunflower Time" watercolor on yupo paper, 20 x 27, $450, available at Mainstreet Gallery
Artist, Jeanne Clohisy, poses with some of her work.