The inspiration for these paintings was a wildflower tour on the backside of the Tejon Ranch two years ago during one of the California poppy super blooms. While on our way to the poppy fields we came across a small herd of pronghorn that reside on the Tejon Ranch.

Gouache is a paint that is heavier than traditional transparent watercolors and is centuries old. Its name, which rhymes with squash, comes from the Italian “guazzo” meaning “water paint.” It was originally used to illuminate manuscripts. Because of its opacity, gouache behaves in a similar way to oil painting with the ability to build layer upon layer of color.

I have always been drawn to miniature images, smitten that something so small could hold a world of information. Small also became important recently while taking care of aging parents. There were many days where long hours working in the studio was impossible, but having something that was fast drying and readily at hand allowed me to keep my brushes moving and helped me stay centered. Pushing paint around even for 20 minutes reminded me who I was. These wee paintings were all about finding joy, no matter how small.