Hi, I’m Ellen Negley and I was born and raised in Peoria, Illinois but now I live in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. For me, watercolor is the perfect medium. It’s elusive, unpredictable and has a mind of its own. I’m fascinated by its nuances. One minute the colors are bold and electric and the next they’re delicate and transparent. If I painted every day for the rest of my life, I still wouldn’t know all there is to know.
Watercolor is traditionally done by first drawing the subject matter in pencil on the paper and then painting on top of that sketch. My goal is to use fewer pencil marks and rely heavier on my instincts and feelings about the subject. It's a lot riskier, but unexpected things happen along the way, and I like that. I like the feeling of losing control of a painting and then trying find my way back.
My watercolors are a reflection of my surroundings so lately, my paintings are likely tropical. There is something so special about the light in south Florida and I am captivated by tropical foliage, especially palm trees, as you might have noticed. I also love including figures in my paintings because it’s the people that make the place. I choose busy urban settings where I can use lots of color and have people bustling about. Although I often move things around for composition’s sake, I rarely eliminate elements to make a “pretty” picture. If there happens to be telephone poles in the scene, they’ll likely end up in my painting!
