Mercurial

Mercurial was one of several studies I did for a commissioned piece. The collector lived in the country but wanted an abstract piece that was suggestive of the city. Those pieces titled Resilience I and Resilience II are featured on my Sold and Archived page. 

I like to think of myself more of a country girl, but in reality I guess you'd have to say I'm not either. I am a "town" girl. Not a city girl or a country girl.

At the time I did this series of paintings, I was experiencing some ambivalence about not working in watercolor anymore. I was missing the way watercolor plays on the paper and the smell of the paint, among other things. I was a bit torn about whether I wanted to return to working in watercolors. 

Artists develop relationships with their mediums and their tools. It was like I was missing some old friends. So while working on pieces that suggested tall structures, I actually was interpreting the pull I was feeling between my old, comfortable, safe friends, the watercolors and my new, vibrant, exciting and challenging friends, the acrylics. 

Shortly after completing this city commission, I did another representational, watercolor commission. I haven't worked with watercolor since. I continue to experience this Mercurial pull between mediums and styles. However I am so challenged by the abstracts and the acrylics that I simply have to continue. It's nice to know though, that I can always return to my old friends, the watercolors for a little break. 

                                                                                                                                                                               Rosemary Craig