About Jeannie – New
Jeannie Vodden lives in the foothills of the Northern Sierra Nevada Mountains. She lives on a beautiful oak-covered property in the Gold Country of California. Here she dedicates her time to expressing her love of beauty in the garden, in her home and in her watercolors and drawings
Jeannie works in watercolor, painting floral, still life and portraits, and in graphite, drawing whimsical little people and animals.
Artist Statement:
Forms and textures:
I love painting the complex textures, forms and patterns found in nature. The scales of a reptile, the random branches of a nest, the tousled hair of a young child, a dried leaf, are some of my favorites. It’s fun for me to compare and contrast man-made textures. A few I’ve attempted are: a crocheted scarf, the floral print in the folds of a woman’s dress, a glass vase. And when I add beautiful, natural light it changes the whole look and feel of each surface and pattern, overlaying complexity and changing form.
Techniques:
Watercolor is a wonderful medium, and challenging! I love using pure staining transparent hues. My method is to use a glazing process, in which I apply layer upon layer, changing color and letting it mix on the paper.
I use a very limited palette. I start with only three colors, and then sometimes broaden out my choices to six,,, very seldom using more.
Subject Matter:
I have been painting and drawing faces and portraits since I was very young. From the very first it was exciting, even surprising, to see a likeness appearing on the paper before me. Now, many paintings later, casual, sun dappled images of people, are a big part of my work.
Because of the color I use and my application, my work has a magical feel. And, sometimes I enjoy adding a touch of fantasy, or combining things that you don’t normally see in the same painting. I love seeing something surprising on my paper!
Teaching and Demoing:
Through numerous watercolor demonstrations, classes and workshops, I have been able to share my work and experience with others: artist’s groups, schools, county and state fairs, community organizations.. and, it is always a delight for me, and, I hope, for those I teach as well.
Education:
I have been very fortunate to have studied with Sacramento artist, Gary Pruner, whose marvelous teaching grounded me in my craft, and whose passion for art inspired me. It is largely due to Gary’s encouragement that I am a full time painter and teacher. I am thankful for his generosity and support.
My Goal:
My desire is to bring to my work, the imagination and curiosity which is so often found in children, and to combine that sense of wonder with an experienced artist’s hand.