Shy

Shy Look, 2008
Stephen Scott Young
Watercolor on Twinrocker handmade paper
14 1/8 x 14 3/4 inches
Image: adelsongalleries.com

Another find via my daily work, watercolorist, Stephen Scott Young. I didn't put much thought into watercolor paintings for a long time because watercolor is a medium that many beginning painters approach with the thought of it being easier but in reality it is much much more difficult to excel at technically, let alone create unique interesting paintings. (Admittedly, your typical "pretty" watercolor landscapes don't hold much interest for me).

The marked fluidity that is inherent in watercolor is plainly visible here yet there is also an amazing amount of care and restraint in the attention paid to this little girl's face. The strength and tightness in the details of the face, pull your vision inward. I was struck by the girl's expression but am also drawn by the limits in color, the rich, steadiness of the brown and the almost ethereal quality of the white/light pink. Young uses the same colors in the backdrop as he does with the girl yet she does not blend in.