Sea Lion

Like many of my watercolors, this watercolor painting was inspired by an old friend. I’ve not had a chance to get back to finishing it and when I leave it out to periodically study it, it seems to stare at me as if to say, you still have work to do which makes me crazy and I have to put him away 🙂

It felt as though I captured the essence of what I was aiming for in the Lion’s eyes, they’re a Sea Green as are my friends, soulful and mysterious, calm but with a potentially misleading calmness.

I’m also very drawn to the ocean; it’s beauty, strength, depth and constancy. Having grown up on it, it comforts me like I am home. The ocean soothes my spirit and time seems suspended when I am near it. It felt that way when spending time with this friend too. My old friend the Lion with the Sea Green eyes…

As the painting progressed I was glad that I kept my water loose, as I have a tendency to work Watercolors too much (another reason I’ve left it alone) and in fact, I’m thinking I may do just a wash in the sky to sea area and leave it as it is … but I am still unsure. For example, the fur, do I define it more, deepen the contrast? or do I allow it to be soft like sand…

My paintings sometimes do this… I have to think about them in stages and will wait until they tell me what they need next… and this one doesn’t speak! 🙃