ChristaMcCannSilver

Welcome!
I'm a British, full-time professional artist, specialising in minimal abstract watercolours and graphite drawings. A selection of my original watercolour paintings and graphite drawings are available here in the form of downloadable printable art. Where the original art has been photographed and made into instantly accessible digital downloadable art. High-quality JPG files (300dpi, RGB), setup for you to print yourself.

🟥Please note, this Etsy shop ONLY offers 'Digital Downloadable Printable Art' for purchase. My original paintings and drawings are NOT FOR SALE from this shop.

My downloadable printable art are digital copies of actual artworks created in my studio. I use traditional materials such as watercolour paper and oriental paper, watercolour, ink and graphite. The innate characteristics and qualities of these materials will appear on the print, such as pigment and paper textures, paper fibres/creases and tonal differences created through tonal washes. These are intentional and a result of working with traditional drawing and painting materials and techniques.

I live a minimalist lifestyle and embrace Japanese Zen aesthetics such as Shibui and Wabi-Sabi. My art reflects those experiences; celebrating the understated, quiet, calm beauty in simplicity and imperfections. I seek to balance, elegant simplicity with complexity and a balance between contrasting aesthetic concepts such as spontaneous and restrained, elegant and rough or subdued colours with a hint of the vivid. Creating is a pure joy and an integral part of my daily meditative rituals, slow living lifestyle and a celebration of my minimalist journey.

My art has a strong connection with my interest in precious stones, the Welsh land and seascape, astronomy and my ceramic work. In part the art is about what inspires me visually, not so much about the objects themselves but their associated aesthetics. These suggest elements of shine, sparkle, patina, gloss, matte, opacity, pattern, hue, silhouette…. Then the paring down of this visual vocabulary; the economy of shape, colour, surface texture and detailing.


HOME
I live in the beautiful coastal and rural region of the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, UK, with my husband and children. I’m an avid walker and my surroundings provide me with endless inspiration and rich resources, where for a large part of my work comes from. Within Gower’s coastline lies no less than twenty-five beaches, ranging from stunning vistas of many sandy beaches, beautiful bays with interesting coves, castles and coastal villages to explore. Not forgetting the wildlife and plants….


MY ART: THOUGHTS, PROCESSES & INSPIRATION
I’m interested in the making, the handmade and the tactile nature of the materials. Creating art at a slow pace in my beautiful Welsh home studio. All my artworks are original, unique, handmade and created individually by me: from initial sketches, mixing of watercolour pigments, to the laying down of washes onto the finest quality paper. I manage the flow and drying of the pigmented water, using my unique process that I have perfected throughout many years of working at my studio and university.

The handmade aspect of my art is something I value, allowing me to create unique works of art, and celebrate the imperfections that follow. They appreciate the absence of unnecessary features, instils a quietness, and aim to reveal the innate character and essence of the materials used. Working on the finest handmade Italian, French and oriental papers, in artist watercolours, platinum, graphite and naturally occurring genuine mineral pigments.

Watercolour is simply the soul of my work and my passion, focusing on the materials and the process that the painting takes and the journey that we took. A combination of traditional watercolour techniques together with a process that I discovered myself; observing the behaviour and motion of pigments transported along with the flow of water on and in the paper at various stages of the water-cycle. I listen to this process, observe how single pigments and mixtures react, maintaining a constant dialogue with the intricate interaction of pigments travelling with the water on the paper and respond accordingly. My process handles and guides the surface tension; the flux and drying of the pigmented water on the surface of the paper and in its fibres. Whilst at the same time exploiting its unpredictability with a curiosity and willingness to experiment and incorporate accidental effects. Celebrating the wealth of magical and serendipitous effects created.

There is a clear direction of colour palette and compositional elements at the start, but I listen to the cues as the art unfolds and go where the painting tells me. In the ‘beginning’ the wet watercolour painting looks very different to the final dried artwork. As the pigmented water shifts and then evaporates the water’s task is over, capturing the motion of the pigments that accompanied the flow of the water. My intention is fulfilled: new shapes, textures and tones have emerged in the work. Resulting one-of-a-kind artworks, areas that have morphed, creating unique shapes, textures and soft, diffused clouds of colour and tone. While I never completely know how my process will affect the finished work, the reveal is a special moment for me, akin to opening the kiln door after a firing!

My watercolours push the boundaries of time honoured ‘rules’, and ask the viewer to see the medium in a new and contemporary light. They re-evaluate traditions and conventions, but at the same time allowing the watercolour to express itself, to reveal its innate character and essence. I strive to maintain a fine balance of control and the unexpected imperfect beauty.


COLOUR, GEMSTONES & PIGMENTS
My collection of precious gemstones continues to grow and these beauties are a source of infinite and rich inspiration for my watercolours. Providing a wealth of colour, shape and pattern, which are key elements of my art. I collect genuine mineral pigments in the form of watercolours, mica and loose powders. A favourite is Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolours; PrimaTek. The PrimaTek range are unique colours handmade with authentic naturally occurring mineral pigments. Favourites: Hematite and Tiger’s Eye to the exquisite jewel shades of Rhodonite, Lapis Lazuli, Genuine Black Tourmaline, Blue Apatite, Green Apatite, Garnet, Amethyst, Bloodstone and Kyanite.

Three of my favourite books on colour, natural materials and pigments:
• Colour; Travels through the Paintbox by Victoria Finlay.

• The Materials and Techniques of Medieval Painting by Daniel V. Thompson with a foreword by Bernard Berenson.

• The Craftman’s Handbook by Cennino d’Andrea Cennini. THE ITALIAN “IL LIBRO DELL’ ARTE” Translated by Daniel V.Thompson, Jr.


MARK MAKING
My art is a coming together of the spontaneity of watercolour and the control of mark making. Texture and pattern created with simple line and dots. Often preferring smooth surface papers, as these free me to create my own surface textures, through paper manipulation; folding, incising, scoring, embossing and piercing. On occasions, marks are accentuated when pigments settle into the recesses or broken paper surface. Marks are also made using stencils. Pressed brush marks using either the side or tip of the brush and with and without masks. I also modify brushes by cutting into the bristles, creating interesting ‘pressed brush marks’.


THE HUMBLE DOT
The dot is a recurring feature in my work over the past 20 years. Creating dots is akin to my bead weaving off-loom artwork with regards to its slow and repetitive process. Some artworks are comprised of hundreds of dots. Due to the lengthy making process and repetitiveness, I find this action complements my minimalist lifestyle in that it is both relaxing and meditative.

Typically, dots walk along the perimeter of a form or along the unseen divides within the form. Inspiration taken from the flow of water along and around objects and Japanese Rock gardens. Layouts include lines of dots, in rows and laid in grids: square, isometric and hexagonal. Dots are formed primarily by piercing and embossing techniques and occasionally with ink by means of a dip pen or a fine brush.


SIMPLE LINE
Working fine lines is another favourite of mine, produced with ink, folding and unfolding paper, incising and scoring paper, stitch…. Creating pinstripes, short and herringbone hatching in simple rows.



If you have any questions please feel free to ask, as I am always happy to help you with any part of the process. Also, my FAQ’s section answers typical questions. www.etsy.com/shop/ChristaMcCannSilver#faq


You can find more information about Etsy digital downloads here:
https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115013328108?segment=shopping


Thanks for visiting.
Christa x

Follow Christa McCann-Silver on Instagram - www.instagram.com/christa.mccann_silver

🟥This Etsy shop ONLY offers ‘Digital Downloadable Printable Art’ for purchase. My original paintings and drawings are NOT FOR SALE from this shop.
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