Watercolor Paintings
Scott Kilmer
Biography
Scott Kilmer -Watercolorist
When I think about the people who might look at my work, I wonder what questions they may have: "What were his thoughts when he did this piece? What is his philosophy about art? What inspired him in this painting?"
What inspires me is the challenge.
Challenge determined my choice of medium: watercolor is the most difficult medium of all. A transparent, fluid medium, watercolor forces the artist to be spontaneous plus have a tremendous technical understanding of what it allows or doesn't allow the artist to do. It is unforgiving. Because oil and acrylic are opaque, they can be painted over, redone, revised. But the transparent quality of watercolor has to be the artist's basis of all thought, from the earliest stages of conception. I may have a concept in my head for years, where it ferments into an image, before I create a physical model. The actual watercolor itself takes at least 50 hours beyond that conception period. I like that challenge and that discipline. It's like a mountain in front of me, one that I don't have to climb, but I want to.
Challenge led me to my style choice: I believe Realism is the ultimate expression in art. Before venturing into abstracts or impressionism, an artist must refine his skills of observation. People relate to realism before any other style; they can see the skill within the artist. An artist should develop technical skills, refine and practice, through blood, sweat, and tears, before he has earned the right to be called an artist.
That's why challenge also inspired my choice of subjects. I'm passionate about still lifes and portraits! In portraits, I of course try to capture the likeness of the subject, but more importantly I want to capture the personality. The personality may be expressed through a variety of elements: the composition, the lighting, body language, or eyes. Mood can be changed by altering the smallest movement of pupil or brow. Portraits are the most challenging subjects and my favorites. With still lifes, sometimes one little aspect inspires the whole composition; for instance, "Can I make glass look believable?" To convey a realistic, believable image and yet at the same time to use the medium in its traditional sense, to let watercolor be itself, that's what inspires me.
Artistic inspiration can't come from an external force. For a true artist, inspiration has to come from within. I have a passion to create something which will move someone. I believe that art plays a huge role in our lives, that it can make our lives fresh, positive, and joyous. I am inspired by the challenge of bringing that aesthetic joy to other people's lives.
Siblings
by Scott Kilmer
