There have been times when the goings-on in our world have been somewhat more positive. But fear not, human being, it has always been like that. Has it not?! 🙂
Being able to offer a sligthly more cheerful scenery – thanks to being a freelance illustrator/watercolourist – the following images are showing impressions from my current sketchbook as well as a large Watercolour-Mixed-Media-Collage which I have finished today. Enjoy!
Mixed-Media I Sketchbook Drawings Botanical Inventions (April 2022) Mixed-Media I Sketchbook Drawings The Egg Party (April 2022)Mixed-Media I Sketchbook Drawings Racoon (April 2022)Mixed-Media I Sketchbook Drawings The Whale, the Badger, and the Sugar Bowl (April 2022)Mixed-Media Still Life with Eggs (April 2022)
It’s been a while since my last post. It wasn’t because of idleness – on the contrary: not long ago I’ve finished (well, almost…) my contributions – namely more than 40 watercolour illustrations – for a children’s book on architecture. Hurray! Fortunately, there is a bit of time to put together bits and pieces now, write a little something that shall be dedicated to travelling and sketching.
In October last year, and, just recently, I’ve managed to sneak away by train for a couple of days. Once to Venice on my own, and once to Prague with a dear friend and artist who is very passionate about as well as good at drawing humanoids. In both cases the focus was on exploring: the places, past and presence, oneself in this context, and art in all its facets.
Although painting is a big part of my daily life for a while, I hardly manage to loosely sketch day to day impressions. But it is exactly this loose practise – a process of memorising and (in a way) self-exposing, and even more: the act of doing so in other places, which is very helpful when it comes to expanding your own horizon, and your own capabilities.
The eye for whatever is in front of you, whatever catches your interest, wants to be trained: the process of understanding sites, things, beings, proportions, light situations, textures, structures, colours, and everything else that comes to mind in this regard. In short: the process of capturing and transferring of what is in front of you onto paper. Whether other people are peeking over your shoulder while doing so – with or without commenting on your work, whether it’s hot or cold or whether you are being properly showered by the lovely water of a Venetian canal unexpectedly (the water is salty in case you wanna know…). But one can of course also choose a lovely sunny day in a secure spot. It’s certainly more convenient, reduces the stress-level, and enables you to work in a more focused manner on your project. 🙂
Travelling somewhere on one’s own is quite helpful for the purpose of looking at and creating art in a rather undisturbed fashion. The act of following your own interests and rhythms makes it a very personal journey in every regard, and that is, naturally, important for your work as an artist.
VENICE
There are many things I love about Venice: the absence of cars, light and air, its history, its position in the Lagoon, its feminine character, its structure, architecture, and enormous amount of art treasures – just to name a few. The fact that everything is basically within walking distance (or reachable by boat if necessary), is very helpful if one wishes to have a daily art-programme: one can explore the built environment from the outside and inside, and do the sketching “along the way”. All in all, I’ve spent around 10 to 15 minutes for sketching with a fine liner per detail. Only in one case I sat for about two hours in a Café next to a canal. During the evenings, back at the hotel, I added watercolour to the sketches.
Venice, Hesse 2021
Back in Vienna all of the travel impressions slowly merged into something new.
PRAGUE
Prague, Hesse 2022
Even though I have spent some time in the Czech Republic over the years, I’ve never managed to visit Prague. So this year, it turned out to be a wish fulfilled for two artists in one sweep. And that despite all the odds: two complex time tables, missing the first train to Prague from Vienna Main Station (shame on me 🙂 ), and trying to check in without a passport (shame not on me 🙂 ).
Due to travelling and exploring the city together, as well as due to the winterly weather conditions, the Prague Sketches had to be done in less time, and the colouring took place on the train ride back to Vienna.
Back in town, and a few days later, the impressions gathered in Prague merged yet again into something new.
I am currently working on illustrating a book in cooperation with the Austrian architect and author Klaus-Jürgen Bauer. It’ll be the first part in a planned series that will guide young audiences through the world of architecture. The first part is due to appear in 2022 at WortWeit publishing company (German only). You can read more on the topic here.
Preview 2021Prepresenting our book on architecture for kids at Vienna Book Fair 2021/BuchWien 2021 (Photo: Ralf Raabe 2021)
Over the years I have painted many a wall and even furniture. I do appreciate the positive impact that a certain colour can have on a room and yourself. However, every other Interior Decorator might be familiar with the phenomenon of a wall colour not remaining quite as long on a wall as one could expect. I guess, it has something to do with creativity and the self progressing further continously. So over time, I turned towards painting fields of colour onto the walls which are otherwise painted white in order to keep the backround neutral wherever it is necessary. The colour that is on my mind for a while now is yellow. It has a cheerful, uplifting and inspiring impact on me and is visible in all sorts of things I am working on momentarily.
Patterns, textures, and structuresA bright and warm welcomeIn the Sitting Room – experimenting with a fully yellow painted wall on paper
We are slowly moving towards the season I like most during the year: autumn. For its outbursts of yellows, oranges, reds, and different textures in nature. On one side you can see radiant colours of ripe apples, paers, and berries outside, and on the other side also shades of brown or grey, when trees and bushes are sheding their leaves, only leaving a variety of elongated structures for instance. In that process you can see both, a richness, that touches your senses, but also an idea of parting.
When painting walls, it is rather important to keep in mind, that the colour will indeed change a room, but that it might also have an impact on your mood. So when choosing a colour, it is wise to consider the size of the room, its content, and its general brightness beforehand.
In times where handwriting, and especially hand-written cards and letters, are being more and more neglected, I find it even more important to preserve this way of communication. For in a personal way, it has a quite different meaning as well as being a contemporary document.
The Greeting Cards below are printed on a lovely 300 gr paper and come with high quality envelopes in a set of four, three or two with printed motives from my range of watercolour illustrations and paintings.
If you wish to purchase an item please contact me via art@carolahesse.org
Winter Special Italian Renaissance Collection
Set of 3
Euro 12,00
Chinese Plate with Goldfish Hommage to Arts & Crafts Red Ornament19th Century European Barn Owl
Set of 4
Euro 16,00
Chinese Vase with Magnolia Hommage to Arts & Crafts Still Lifewith Vase and Roemer
Set of 3
Euro 12,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Canary Bird Still Lifewith Vase and Roemer Robin Redbreast
Set of 3
Euro 12,00
Chinese Vase with Magnolia Still Lifewith Vase and Roemer Chinese Vase with Millet and Bumblebee
Set of 3
Euro 12,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Canary Bird Robin Redbreast European Barn Owl
Set of 3
Euro 12,00
Canary Bird Chinese Vase with Millet and Bumblebee Robin Redbreast
Set of 3
Euro 12,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Canary Bird Chinese Vase with Millet and Bumblebee European Barn Owl
Set of 3
Euro 12,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Canary Bird Robin Redbreast Set of 2
Euro 8,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Chinese Vase Robin Redbreast Set of 2
Euro 8,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Recipe for a Good Letter by Amos Russel Wells
To write a good letter, take a handful of grit, A plenty of time and a little of wit. Take patience to “set” it, and stir it all up. With the ladle of energy, then fill a cup. With kind thoughts and helpful thoughts, merry thoughts too. With bright words, and wise words, and words strong and true. Then seal with a love kiss, and stamp it with care. Direct to your friend’s heart, and presto! ’tis there.
My Fine Art Prints are printed with an EPSON SureColor P20000 on Hahnemuehle 308 gr Photorag Paper at the highest stage. This ensures a light fastness of 75 years under exhibition conditions (= no direct sunlight). To protect it further you can use a frame with UV protection-glass. There won’t be any “Carola Hesse” watermark on the Fine Art Print. Please keep in mind that the colour display varies from screen to screen.
If you wish to purchase an item please contact me via art@carolahesse.org
Fine Art Print Sunset and stilt building at St. Peter-Ording Beach 1st Edition, June 2021 29,5 x 41,7 cm
Euro 115,00
Fine Art Print Still Life with Vase, Roemer, Fruits and Snail Shell 1st Edition, June 2021 29,5 x 41,7 cm
Euro 115,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Fine Art Print Still Life with Vase, Lemon and Algae 1st Edition, June 2021 29,5 x 417,7 cm
Euro 115,00
Fine Art Print Seascape: Boatand Seagulls 1st Edition, June 2021 21 x 29,5 cm
Euro 65,00
Fine Art Print Highlands 1 1st Edition, June 2021 23,8 x 25,4 cm (Printed with reduced white frame)
Euro 60,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Fine Art Print Jar (China 17th Century) with Brass Neck (Middle East) and Magnolia 1st Edition, June 2021 21 x 29,5 cm
Euro 65,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Fine Art Print Still Life with 2 Vases and Flowers 1st Edition, June 2021 21 x 29,5 cm
Euro 65,00
Fine Art Print Cityscape 3 A home at night in the Moonlight 1st Edition, June 2021 21 x 29,5 cm (Printed without white frame)
I am happy to offer you some smaller Art Prints that come with a size of 14,8 by 21,0 cm. They are printed with ink on a lovely 200gr paper. Please let me know if you wish them to be hand-signed as well.
If you wish to purchase an item please contact me via art@carolahesse.org
Canary Bird
Euro 22,00
Robin Redbreast
Euro 28,00 (Out of stock I Derzeit nicht auf Lager)
Space 6 Watercolour on paper 24 x 31 cm, 2021Abstract Landscape 5 Watercolour on paper 24 x 31 cm, 2021Abstract Landscape Section 1 Watercolour on paper 22 x 30 cm, 2021Abstract Landscape Section 3 Watercolour on paper 22 x 30 cm, 2021Space 4 Watercolour on paper 24.31 cm, 2021Abstract Landscape Section 2 Watercolour on paper 24 x 30 cm, 2021Abstract Landscape 4 Watercolour on paper 24 x 31 cm, 2021
Hommage to Maria Merian No.1 Ink and Watercolour on paper 21 x 29,7 cm, 2022Hommage to Maria Merian No.2 Watercolour on paper 21 x 29,7 cm, 2022Hommage to Maria Merian No.5 Watercolour and pastels on paper 21 x 29,7 cm, 2022Still Life with Vase, Lunaria & China Sherd Watercolour on paper 21 x 29,5 cm, 2020Still Life with 2 Vases and Flowers Watercolour on paper 21 x 29,5 cm, 2020Still Life with Vase, Algae & Acorn Watercolour on paper 30 x 40 cm, 2020Still Life Pebble Tower Watercolour on paper 24 x 32 cm, 2021Still Life with Cherry Blossom Branch I Sakura Watercolour on paper 39 x 53 cm, 2021Still Life with Vase, Roemer, Fruits and Snail Shell Watercolour on paper 31 x 41 cm, 2021Still Life with Vase, Feather, Syringe and Bumblebee Watercolour on paper 30 x 40 cm, 2021Still Life with Semper Augustus, Lemon, Porcelain Cup and Bell Watercolour on paper 30 x 40 cm, 2021Still Life with Vase, Semper Augustus, Muscari & Snail Shells Watercolour on black paper 14,5 x 21 cm 2021Still Life with Blue Onion China Cup, Lemon and Mirabelle Watercolour on black paper 15 x 21 cm, 2021Still Life with Vase, Magnolia, Feather and Nautilus Watercolour on black paper 21 x 29,5 cm, 2021