Nancy Partovi: Fine Art in Watercolor: May 2015

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Spring Rain on Mount Diablo

Juried into the "Slopes of Diablo 2015" show in the Valley Art Gallery, Walnut Creek, by juror Randall Sexton. 13.5" x 20.5" Exhibition Dates: May 9th - June 13, 2015, 1660 Botelho Drive, Suite 110, Walnut Creek, CA 94598.

This painting was done almost completely en plein air near the Northgate High School in Walnut Creek. "Natural substances, obeying their own laws, create beautiful things." This is a statement made by Cheng-Khee Chee in a class I took from him many years ago. When painting in watercolor, I try to remember this statement and try to place the paint and water on the surface of the paper in such a way that they can move freely to create beautiful things. The rocks, land, water, trees, and clouds were the inspiration. They were also natural substances obeying their own laws and creating beautiful things.

Poppies of Home

Painted en plein air near a Sonoma winery. 10" x 14.5"

Artist's Statement

As a participant in the University of California, Berkeley's, Education Abroad Program, I was privileged to study Italian Art and Literature at the University of Padova in Italy for one year. Shortly after my return, I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with a major in Art/Painting from UC Berkeley. Over the years, I have taken workshops from Cheng-Khee Chee, Arne Westerman, Lian Zhen, and Alvaro Castagnet. In February 2017, I participated in John Salminen's inspiring workshop on Painting the Urban Landscape and am now excited to do more work in this genre. I feel extremely fortunate to have met and studied with each of these master watercolor artists.

I love watercolor and the unpredictable way it moves and mixes on the surface of the paper, creating beautiful and sometimes almost magical passages. I am an elected Signature Member of the California Watercolor Association and paint both in my studio and en plein air. Most of my plein air painting is done with the Jade Fon Plein Air Painters group. My work is regularly on exhibit with the Valley Art Gallery in Walnut Creek, California.