Tia is Moving

 After many years of posting on Blogspot, I've moved to this link:

www.tiakratter.com

You can view my work by hitting the "Personal Work" tab. 

Thank you!

Tia

Seems like an appropriate day for this post

 An homage to the color orange:

Thank you!

 All paintings from my Strada September collection have been sold. I'm flattered and grateful for your swift shopping abilities. 

Sending best wishes for good health as we move into Fall and Winter. 

For Sale: My September Paintings

 I am selling all of my 6 x 6" watercolors that I did for the Strada September Challenge. Each painting is $70.00 with an optional frame for an additional $30.00, with shipping included. (Sorry, I can't ship internationally.) 

If you see a red dot on the painting, that means that it's sold. If you see something you'd like simply email me at tia@pixar.com to make your claim. I accept Venmo (Tia-Kratter) and  PayPal (tia@pixar.com). 

Hopefully, it's something you can keep for yourself or give to someone you love for the holidays. So easy!

Thank you so much for having a look. 

Tia

My September Paintings

 During the month of September, I joined what's called "The Strada September Challenge", where anyone can join in and commit to doing a drawing or painting from life a day. I decided to put some constraints on myself by doing only watercolors (!) on a 6 x 6" format. I tried to keep my subjects simple and most of them took 1 to 1 1/2 hours to complete. 

Most of the time it was great fun and didn't feel like an obligation. I had days where I had no clue what I was going to do and other days that I couldn't wait to get going. I have some that I'm pretty happy with, and others that I can't stand, but part of the deal is committing to posting (on my Instagram page) no matter how good or bad. Here they are- all 30. 

"Mineral Water"

 

8 x 11" watercolor

Tower Bridge

 This took me just about as long to prep as it did to paint. After gridding out the photo, I do the same onto a piece of vellum. In this case, my gridlines were enlarged by 50%, and then I (somewhat tediously) put down all the linework that allows me to know the structure. This isn't a process that I dislike because while I'm gridding out the painting I'm strategizing about how to approach the painting. Do I paint the background first? Is the background a flat color because the structure itself is so complex? How much or how little detail do I want to indicate when I paint? I attempt to answer all those questions before the brush hits the paper. 

It's the transferring of the drawing to the watercolor paper that's pretty tedious. But the reward is around the corner when I get to paint. In this painting, I chose to do the sky last. 

Tower Bridge

16 x 21" watercolor

"Sweet Peaks"

 

10 x 10"

watercolor

I am on a never-ending quest to make the perfect meringue. Even if I don't ever accomplish that goal, I will always love how they look before they go into the oven: miniature clouds of glossy mountain peaks.

"Nature's Combs"

•  

10 x 15"

watercolor

Time for a confession: this isn't my favorite painting of all time. I didn't capture the roundness of thistles well. I loved the backlighting but didn't get that secondary detailing of their volume. Ah well- that's how we learn.

"Not on My Pizza"

"Not on My Pizza"

16 x 20" 

watercolor 

"Cynar"

"Cynar"

12 x 16" watercolor

Cynar is a strange, horrible tasting Italian disgestivo. I liken it to drinking sweetened gasoline. It's made from the beloved artichoke. Next time you visit a true Italian restaurant ask for one after your meal. You won't believe how awful it is (but your tummy will be well-settled).

"Tim's Table"

I am so fortunate to be represented at Holton Studio Gallery in Berkeley, California, where Tim Holton and his craftsmen create the most beautiful frames. They instantly make our work look better! I confess that my favorite part of visiting isn't seeing the framed pieces, but going behind the scenes to scope out the workshop, where the dust is thick and there are tools strewn everywhere. Here's an image I did of Tim's work area, where he still creates his frames by hand. It's worth visiting his place if you're in the Bay Area.

"Tim's Table"

17 x 17" watercolor

Free Parking

"Free Parking"

9 x 17" watercolor

On a cold winter's day in Detroit, we parked in a covered lot where the sun bolted through the entrance at the end of the afternoon. Never has a garage looked so beautiful.

The COVID Chapter

"Things Are Looking Up"

22 x 17" watercolor

I wanted to create a really strong, graphic painting, and the key to it, for me, was that big blue sky. I often paint the key objects and throw in the background later, but this time I decided to drop that big blue field first. I aspire to paint like Mark Adams did, with his pristine, flat washes of watercolor. 

This was not to be:

I made the error of painting on 140lb watercolor paper, which, though it was well-taped on the edges and the back, completely warped, causing the pigment to pool in vertical rivulets. After putting that failed effort aside I grabbed a sheet of 300lb paper and started again. The sky still isn't nearly as flat as I had hoped it would be, but I am happy with the graphic quality of the image. 

"Mendocino Sunset"

10.5 x 17"

Watercolor on Arches watercolor paper

"Downward Spiral"

Fast. Fun. Shadows.

"Shellacked"

12 x 18" of a fun experience. 

In November we bought a home. In December we celebrated the holidays and watched Oscar movies. In January we moved into one home and cleared out the other. I am finally, finally back to painting again, and it feels great. 

Hello 2020!

I'm always looking out for simple graphic shapes, and my son took a photo looking straight up the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge in December. His good eye made for an inspiring image to paint.
Wishing all the best as we embark on a new decade!

Have Yourself a Very...

...Happy Holiday!