About Sharon Matchett

My photo
I'm a retired, classically trained singer (and frustrated flautist) who has discovered another voice within which I now express through the medium of watercolors. Although the art of painting is something completely new to me (I am self taught), the language has turned out to be very familiar. As with singing an aria beautifully, expressing myself in a beautiful and meaningful way in watercolors involves excellent timing, rhythm, tempo, coloration, and artistry. For me, painting with watercolors is like music flowing from my brush. It fulfills that deepest need which I believe lies within us all, the need to feel connected. As I paint I am immersed in and connected to my subject. I become my most creative self, and, in those moments, I feel I am at one with the universe - a marvelous feeling for sure! If what I paint somehow connects with the viewer .... what more could an artist wish for?

Saturday, November 15, 2014

More Poodle Painting

This is Chloe.  After seeing my painting of Millie and Daisy on the Carolina Poodle Rescue Family and Friends Facebook page (our Millie is a CPR rescue dog), I was contacted and commissioned to do a 5 x 7 painting of Chloe as a Christmas present for my client's mother, Chloe's owner.  The original photo I was given to work from was not high resolution which meant the details of her beautiful face were not clear at all.  It also showed Miss Chloe as being all white.  Not wanting to say no, I asked for and was supplied with other pictures and realized that Chloe has lovely apricot coloring too.  I ended up gathering information from a number of different shots taken in different lighting.  This is not an ideal way to come up with an accurate likeness so you can imagine my joy when, after emailing my client a photograph of the finished painting, she replied that she loved it and it looks just like Chloe!!

Working on Chloe brought back so many memories of another beautiful pale apricot Standard we were owned by when my girls were little named Abby.  She was shy but ever so anxious to please and was a joy to take through obedience training.  Before Abby we'd had Tuffy, a large black Miniature who was my baby before I had human babies. After Abby was Charlotte (Charlie, a black Standard) ), then Magnolia Mae (Maggie, another black Standard), Petey, our senior who will turn 15 next month (a roadside rescued Havanese mix I've yet to paint), Mildred Mae (Millie) and Daisy Mae.  Each fur baby has delighted us with their own special personality, so when I was commissioned to paint Chloe I asked about her and was told "she's very spoiled and mischievous."  Those traits definitely did NOT show up in any of the photos but, knowing Standard Poodles as well as I do, I think I was able to capture the very direct human like gaze typical of this super intelligent breed. They're also known for their terrific sense of humor.  I think Chloe appears to be planning what she intends to get into if someone doesn't come up with something very entertaining ASAP.
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