2 www.watercolorartistmagazine.com 2 www.watercolorartistmagazine.

com watercolorArtist
|
August 2010 3
Right Timing To
capture the scene
depicted in Tidal
Pathway (water-
color and gouache
on paper, 30x60)
Marjorie Glick had
to plan carefully;
the pathway to the
island can only be
seen at low tide. I
was intrigued by the
braided tidal patterns
and the clarity of the
water, she says.
once time
upon a
Marjorie Glicks enchanting, large-
scale watercolor paintings fuse direct
observation with metaphor and intricate
technique with the power of story.
By Meredith E. Lewis
A
sachild,MassachusettsartistMarjorie
Glickspentagreatdealoftimewandering
aroundinthewoods.Entrancedbyits
light,shadeandcolor,thewoodscapturedher
imaginationandbroughtherbelovedfairy-
talestolife.Theforestsinthesestorieshave
magicandmystery, Glicksays.Theyserveas
metaphorsforthemesofbeinglostthenfound,
solace,aquest,ajourneyfromdarknesstolight,
hopeandmagic.Infairytales,natureisthe
backdropforhowcharactersgrow,changeand
transform.Forme,naturehasbeenthebackdrop
formydevelopmentasanartist.
ManyyearslaterGlickisstillcaptivatedby
naturalbeautyandthedeeparchetypalmeta-
phorsascribedtoitinmanyartisticgenres,
fromfairytalestothemonumentalworksofthe
HudsonRiverSchool.Movedbybeauty,grandeur,
weather,space,lightandair,herownpaint-
ingscapturemagnifcentNewEnglandland-
scapesislands,forests,waterfallsandforal
vistasinlarge,color-saturatedandemotive
watercolorArtist
|
August 2010 5
compositions.Iprefernaturalsubjectsthathave
avivid,dramaticpresenceand,forme,evokethe
innerlandscapeoftherememberedimage, Glick
says.Iworkincontemporaryrealism,creating
lush-coloredwatercolorswithheightenedcolor
andlightthatarecomposedofmanytransparent
layers,bringingnatureintocrystallinefocus.
AfewofGlicksworks,suchasHealing Place
(onpage)andEnchantment(onpage),boast
titlesthatsuggestafusingoftangiblewith
intangiblerealities,whileothersrelyentirelyon
large-scale
color mixing
ForMarjorieGlickslarge-scalewatercolors,sheworkswet-
into-wet, foating many pre-mixed colors together across
thedamppaper.Inordertoachieveafuideffect,shemust
apply the paint quickly and have all of her colors ready
beforepaintingbegins.
Since a traditional palette doesnt have enough mixing
space to create the large number of colors she uses in her
paintings,Glickloadsherfavoritecolorsontoachinaplate,
whichservesasherstartingpalette.Workingfromtheplate,
shellmixupwardsof20colors(forlargeareas,suchasskies)
inindividual3-ouncepaintpansbeforeshebeginspainting.
First,smallquantitiesofthecolorsareindividuallytested
and mixed together on wet paper (see the sheet of paper
at the top of the photo above). Glick chooses her favorite
combinations from these tests then mixes them, highly
concentrated, in larger quantities in the pans. Additional
colorsarecreatedbydilutingvariousmixturesoftheprevi-
ouslytestedandmixedcombinations.
Brought to Light Of Coastal Forest in Sun and Fog (watercolor
on paper, 30x40), the artist says, I was struck by the sunlight
coming through the fog, revealing a landscape that was hidden only
moments before.
6 www.watercolorartistmagazine.com
Glicksimpressivebrushworktoachievemagi-
caleffects.Eitherway,eachpieceinGlicksbody
ofworkunitesdirectobservationandtechnique
withmetaphorandstorytelling.Inorderto
achieveastorytellingqualityinherpaintings,
Glickemploysanumberofrecurringimages.She
assignsmeaningtomanyofthesethemes,among
themislands(suggestingoursovereignnature),
refectionsofislandsandsky(seeingallpoints
ofviewatonce),forests(solaceandmystery),fog
(concealmentandrevelation),doors(passages
andpossibilities),waterfalls(change,cleansing
andrenewal)andporches(thetangibleinterior
andthevastintangibleofeverythingbeyond).
Iconicimageshaveinherentsymbolismfor
me, Glickexplains.SometimesIknowatthe
outsetthatImworkingwithametaphor,while
othertimesIdiscoveritduringthepainting
process.InMagical Place(onpage),sonamed
forthedramatic,fast-advancingshadow,Iwas
remindedofamagicianscloak.Thetrees,which
oncewerewholeandfullofleaves,nowbroken
bystrongwind,symbolizetransformationand
thepowerfulforcesofnature.Refectingonthese
metaphorswhileIpaintenhancesmycolorand
designchoices.
workinglarge,Glicktakesthepowerofher
metaphorstoevengreaterdramaticheights.
Theresdramainthelarge-scaleimage, she
says.Thelargescalegivestheviewersthesense
thattheycanwalkintotheworldofthepainting.
Paintinginalargerscalemakescertainimages
morevividandcompelling,andpaintcanbeap-
pliedinexpansive,expressivestrokesofcolor.
workinglargealsoenablesGlicktoinclude
morecolorinformationpersquareinchinher
paintings.Floatingelaboratelymixedcolorswet-
into-wetacrossthepageallowstheartisttouse
asmanycolorsaspossiblesimultaneouslyand
allowsforamyriadofuniquecolorshiftsand
passagesallinasinglelayerofpaint.Ina
smallerworktoomanycolorspersquareinch
mightyieldamuddymess,butonalargersurface
theresmoreroomforexperimentationand,
moreover,subtlety.
Inatypical-sizepainting,Iwouldbelimited
toafewcolorswhenrenderingasmallarea,
Glicksays.Butwhenonepaintslarge-scale,the
sizeofthepaintingisoftensixtimesthatofa
traditionalpainting.Oneinchofsurfacesuddenly
becomessixinches,andinthisspaceitspossible
tointroduceagreatmanycolorsinsomein-
stances,asmanyas20colorsinasinglelayer.For
example,onecanwetanareaanddropinseveral
differentcolorsatatimeinordertocapturea
minutecolorchange.Thesecolorscanthenbe
lefttoseparateintomanymoreparts,creating
subtletiesimpossibletorenderinthetypical-size
painting.Ineffect,eachsix-inchareainalarge-
scalewatercolorbecomesitsownpainting.
AlargersurfacealsoallowsGlicktocouple
loosenesswithdetail.Expansivestrokeswith
alargebrushserveherwellattheoutsetofa
painting.Atthisstageshemovesherwholearm
aroundthepapertoestablishtheoveralllayof
thelandandthedirectionandplacementoflight
andshadows.Atthisstagecolorsarefreetomove
andmeltandmoveagain,andGlickwilleven
shiftandtiltthepaper,workingitfromdifferent
angles.Later,withtheoveralleffectofthescene
inplace,shecanrevisitthesmallerdetailsofthe
paintingwithsmallerbrushes.
Glickstechniquesultimatelyallowtheviewer
thegreatestaccessintothepictureandhintat
aspectsofthelandscapethattheworkcan-
notinclude,suchastheskybeyondthelipof
thepaperorthetree-linedirectlyoppositethe
paintedscenewithinwhichtheviewer(fgura-
tivelyspeaking)stands.Glickachievesthisaffect
throughacomplicatedtechnicalregimethat
capturesnotonlycolor,lightandatmosphere,but
alsoauthenticity,orspecifcity,ofplace.Inshort,
Glickisworld-building.
OnceascoutingexpeditionhasyieldedGlick
hersubject,shephotographsitextensivelyfrom
watercolorArtist
|
August 2010 7
Theres drama in the large-scale image. The large scale gives the
viewers the sense that they can walk into the world of the painting.
At Peace The perpetual energy, mist and sound of the water
resonate with me, says Glick. In Healing Place [watercolor on
paper, 60x40], I wanted to re-create the peaceful and restorative
experience of being at a waterfall.
8 www.watercolorartistmagazine.com watercolorArtist
|
August 2010 9
everyanglewithadigitalCanonRebelandanold-
erMinolta35mmslidecamera.ThedigitalCanon
allowsGlicktotakenumerousphotographsand
latermanipulatethemonhercomputer,while
theslidecameraismoreeffectiveatcapturingthe
subtlenuancesofcolorinascene.Glickphoto-
graphshersubjectfrom360degrees.Although
shetriestocapturewithinthecameraframea
near-fnalcomposition,later,inthestudio,she
willsometimescombineorcropcomponentsof
shotstoarriveatamoreidealcompositeimage.
Shemayalsoexperimentwithboostingcolors
digitallyonhercomputer.
Ineithercase,knowingwhatisabove,below
andbehindascenegivesGlickalegitimacythat
iseasytoreadinherpaintings.Bygoing360
degrees,Idontnecessarilyusethepictures,but
Iwanttohavethefeelinginallmyworksthat
yourestandingrightthere, shesays.Iwantto
putmyexperienceofbeingthere,ofstanding
there,intothepicture,tobringitallbackwhen
Ipaint.
AsGlickphotographsthescene,sheattempts
tocapturetheparticularqualitiesoftheland-
scapethatinspiredhertopaintitinthefrst
place.BeforeItakeapictureormakeasketch,I
identifyafeaturethatIwanttoemphasize, Glick
says.IthenaskmyselfifwhatIseethroughthe
lenscommunicateswhatIthinkisessentialto
theimage.Iworkintuitively,takingmanypictures
fromdifferentvantagepoints,aswellassome
close-upsofdetails.
Beforeheadingbacktothestudio,Glickalso
completesseveralon-sitewatercolorsketchesand
colorstudies.Theseserveasadditionalreference
materialforthefnalpicture.ForCoastal Forest in
Sun and Fog(onpage),theartistsoughttocap-
turethetransitionoflightthroughfog.Hereshe
endedupcombiningtworeferencephotosanda
studiosketch,drawnfrommemory,tocreatethe
fnalcomposition.Usingacombinationofproject-
ingandgridding,shethentransferredtheimage
toherpaper.Glickspendsconsiderabletime
thinkingaboutherimage,andsheoftenexplores
herfeelingsaboutasubjectbyrememberingthe
placeinherjournal.
Havingtransferredthefnaldrawingand
madesureshessatisfedwithit,Glickbeginsex-
perimentingwithherpaints.Colorexcitesme,
shesays.Iminterestedincolor,becauseIcan
useittocreatelight-flled
paintingsthatmirrorthe
beautyofnature.Forme,
coloriswhatmakesan
imagecompellingand
vibrant.Everycolorinthe
paintingneedsanother
colornexttoittomake
itcometolife.Iheighten
thecolorsIseebyfnding
theperfectcombination
ofhuestoexpresswhat
movesmeandwhatI
remembermostvividly
inregardstoaparticular
image.
Glickspendsasmuch
timemixingherpaints
asshedoespainting
herpicture.Beforeshe
touchesherbrushtoher
paper,shemixesallthe
colorsshewilluseinthe
frstlayerofthepainting.
Gettingallthecolorsjust
rightinvalue,hueand
shadegivesherthecon-
fdencetoallowthemto
Darkness Approaching I was fortunate to be in this spot when, in the golden last light of day, a dramatic shadow began its approach and, in a matter of
moments, enveloped the landscape in darkness, says Glick. To heighten the effect, I contrasted the dark shadows with saturated colors of orange, yellow and
gold on the rocks and trees in Magical Place [watercolor on paper, 34x48].
paint paper brushes
MarjorieGlickmakesuseofawidevarietyofartisttoolsandmaterials.
Paint: Her favorite colors are as follows (by brand): Winsor & Newton: cadmium yellow deep, cadmium yellow
medium,cadmiumyellowpale,permanentrose,scarletlake,permanentalizarin,perylenemaroon,cobaltblue,French
ultramarine,Winsorgreenblueshade,Winsorbluegreenshade,sepia,burntumber,burntsienna,indigo,dioxazine
violet;Schminke:Maygreen,Jaunebrillant,mountainblue;M. Graham & Co.:Azoyellow,bismuthyellow,cobaltteal,
cobaltviolet;andOld Holland:Scheveningenblue.Sheoccasionallyaddstitaniumwhiteintothebluesofherskiesto
hidetheimperfectionsofalargewash.
Paper: GlickpreferstoworkonArchesEmperor1,000-lb.40x60-inchcold-pressedwatercolorsheets.
Brushes: LargeIsabeysquirrelmopbrushesandDaVincikolinskysablebrusheswithsharppoints(Nos.8and6)
areherbrushesofchoice.
A Long Story Short With more than 200 roses represented, Enchantment (watercolor on paper, 58x76) took Glick more
than 10 months to complete. When I began this painting I was reading Sleeping Beauty to my daughter, so the inspiration
for the painting was the impenetrable rose thickets in the fairy tale, she says.
10 www.watercolorartistmagazine.com watercolorArtist
|
August 2010 11
combinefreelyonthepage.Herfrsttaskhereis
toobservethesubtlecolorshiftsandtransitions
capturedbyherreferencephotographs.Every-
thingbeginswithcarefulobservation, shenotes.
Inanygivencolorarea,nomatterhowsmall,I
seeacolorchangefromtoptobottomandleft
toright. ForCoastal Forest in Sun and Fog,Glick
neededtoproduceacontrastbetweenthefogand
thesunlight.Shechoseopaque,chalky water-
colors,includingOldHollandScheveningenblue
andcobaltviolet,forthedensefog,addingcobalt
blue,rosedoreandcobaltteal.Vivid,transparent
colors,suchascadmiumyellow,Hookersgreen,
Maygreen,quinacridonegold,perylenemaroon
andwinsorbluegaveweighttotheforeground.
(Seetheboxonpageforafulllistoftheartists
favoritecolorsandpaintbrands.)
Likeatraditionalwatercolorist,Glickworks
lighttodark,wettertodrier,inmultiplelayers
oftransparentcolor.Theartistspreferredpaper
(1000-lb.Archescold-pressed)isextremelystiff,
whichallowshertowetandre-wetitwithoutthe
riskofbuckling.SinceGlickdoesntaffxherpa-
pertoarigidsurface,shesfreetomoveitaround
assheworks.Paintingalloverthesurfacealso
helpstokeepthepaperfromrippling.Sometimes,
tokeepherinterestfreshandorganic,Glickwill
evenworkonapaintingupside-down.
Largesectionsofpaperarebrushedwithwater
toreceivethefrstlayerofpaint.Manydiffer-
entcolorsarefoatedtogetheratthisstage,and
Glickallowsthemtomovefreelyonthepaper.
Shedoeslittletopreservethewhiteofthepaper,
preferringhighlightstotakeonapale,purehue.
Afterthefrstlayerhasdried,
Glickrewetslargeareasof
thepaperand,takingcareto
preservethehighlights,foats
asecondlayeroflightcolor
overthefrst.Thisisthemost
excitingpartoftheprocess
forme, shesays.Ifoatin
manydifferentcolorsrecord-
ingminutecolortransitions.
Additionallayersaddrichness
tothecolorandformsonthe
page.AsGlicknotes,witheach
layershetakescaretoshift
theappliedcolorsslightlyto
allownewcolorstointeractin
unforeseenways.
Appliedlighttodark,
wet-into-wetlayersbuildin
intensityandinequalvalue
acrossthepainting.Glickpays
particularattentiontohow
wetthepaperisateachstage
andusesdifferingamounts
ofwater,specifcbrushesand
varyingpressureforeach
layer.Lightcolorscommand
lotsofwaterandabrushthat
isuprightandfullyloaded
likeaneyedropper,while
subsequentlayersrequireless
water,strongercolorandfrmerstrokeswiththe
heelofthebrushtoachievegreaterexpression.
ForCoastal Forest in Sun and Fog,Glickdividedher
imageintolargeareasofcoolandwarmtones.The
water,skyanddistanttreeswerecool,whilethe
foremosttrees,mossandpathwaywerewarm.Glick
appliedwatertothecoolareasofthepaperfrst
withabigmopbrush,leavingthewarmsections
white.Shethenfoatednumerousshadesofblue,
pinkandgreyontothedamppaper.Movingnext
tothemoss,theartistappliedanunderpaintingof
yellow-greensand,whiletheywerestillwet,foated
indarkergreens,leavinglightareasforhighlights.
Oncedry,acoollayerofaquaandmintgreenwas
washedoverthewarmlayer.Tocreateshadowsand
depth,darkergreensandyellowgreenswerelayered
overthelightergreens,andthenGlickmovedto
thetrees.Paintingbacktofrontinfourlayers,she
workedfrstonthebackgroundtrees,andthenon
theforegroundtrees.Theleft-handcornerback-
groundandthepathwereaddedlastinafnallayer
ofwet-into-wetcolor.
Glicksgreatestchallengeinworkinglargeis
maintainingtheloose,intuitiveandspontaneous
feelofhersketchesinsuchcommanding,fnished
works.Mistakesthatdontshowupinsmallpaint-
ingsareeasilyspottedinbigones,andeverything
fromthedrawingtothecolor-mixinghastobe
well-orchestratedfromthestartforthepaintingto
beasuccess.whenyouredoingalittlepainting,
youcanmixalittlebitofpaintonyourpalette,
shesays.Youdonthavetoknoweverythingwhen
yourestarting,butwhenyoureworkinglarge,you
dohavetohaveaplan.
whenitworks,whenallthepassesofcolor
cometogetherasawholetoreinventtheartistsex-
perienceinaplace,alltheplanningbecomeswell-
worththeeffort.Apaintingisasuccesswhenits
theperfect,soulfulbalanceofcompellingimageand
colorwithperfectpitch, Glicksays.Myfavorite
paintingsarethosethatresonatewithmymemory
bankofeverydayexperiencesofnature,and,atthe
sametime,touchmyheart.
Revisitingthemagicofplacesbelovedinchild-
hoodhelpsGlicktodojustthat.Eachwatercolor
cantakeheranywherefromfourto12monthsto
complete,butthatinvestmentoftimeallowsherto
experiencetheenchantmentofhersubjectsandto
ponderthedeepermeaningsofherpaintingsasshe
paintsthem.Thenaturalworldisvanishingbefore
oureyes, shesays.Ihopetodocumentit,record
itsvitality,and,throughmakingbeautifulimages,
instillalittlecalmandcontemplationbackintothe
world.Iwanttoconnectpeopletonaturesrejuve-
natingpowers,andremindpeopletotakecare.
meredith e. lewis is a freelance writer and editor based in
Central Pennsylvania. Shes a graduate of the University of Oxford
and Haverford College and is a frequent contributor to The Artists
Magazine, Watercolor Artist and The Pastel Journal. Meredith is
hard at work on her frst novel for children.
GetthestoriesbehindsomeofMarjorieGlicks
otherpaintingsatwww.artistsnetwork.com/
article/wc-glick-gallery.
IntensityMarsh, Radiance [watercolor on paper, 30x40] refects a dramatic moment in which everything was bathed in light, says the artist. To enhance the effect,
I heightened the blues and yellows.