Boy and birthday cake

[Carlos Ygoa]

Very nice and spontaneous, Thomasin. I also like the way the warmth of the candle light can be seen in your son

[Alexandra Tyng]

Thomasin,

I love the suspense and impending action. His intent, mesmirized expresion and the light shining on his face, even the set of his mouth, tells us that he is poised to blow out the candles. A beautiful, sensitive, accurate capturing of this moment that everyone recognizes either in their own memory or in their experience with children. Wow, I'm impressed!

[Linda Brandon]

This is lovely, Thomasin - sensitively rendered and you've really caught the glow (from the cake and from him as well).

[Garth Herrick]

Thomasin,

In a nutshell, you really captured the essence of the moment! This distillation is not an easy feat, and your intelligence as a symbolist shines here. There is an unifying sun to satelite relationship in the brilliantly concise psychological composition of the enveloping warmth. And as Alex points out, the impending action is so well conveyed. The edgy fluidity of the watercolor is perfect too. Bravo!

Garth

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

Originally Posted by Garth Herrick

In a nutshell, you really captured the essence of the moment! This distillation is not an easy feat, and your intelligence as a symbolist shines here. There is an unifying sun to satelite relationship in the brilliantly concise psychological composition of the enveloping warmth. And as Alex points out, the impending action is so well conveyed. The edgy fluidity of the watercolor is perfect too. Bravo!

Oh Garth, how lovely! At the risk of sounding obsequious, I'd like to say your words outshine my little painting. Thank-you so much.

On another note, I tried to paint another child, not my own, and couldn't get it right at all. It was very much a case of going through the motions. When it comes to William, or painting anyone or any theme I love dearly, there is such a strong sense of knowing what I want to achieve and how to do it.

[Thomasin Dewhurst]

Thank-you Carlos. I find watercolours easier than I expected and they are actually more forgiving than is said about them. You can remove areas and rework things and the more you rework the richer the colour becomes and the more spontaneous the brushwork seems.

Alex, thank-you very much for your lovely comments. It seems when I am not trying hard to make an effect or be "great" or try to get better than I was before in a linear way I end up with something that really works.

Linda, thank-you very much for your kind comments. The glow is from my own motherly feelings as well. Why eschew sentimentality or sweet emotion? It's a valid human feeling and if it's there it's there and it shouldn't be denied. (This is me telling myself this, standing up against all the advice I have been given in the past to stay away from such "chocolate-boxy" ideas).