I use my work to explore my relationship with the landscape and the feelings of peaceful solitude and contemplative awe. I carry these emotions when I am surrounded by beautiful scenery. It’s what I seek to express in my paintings. Watercolor lends itself perfectly to this task due to its ethereal and delicate nature.
One Day, watercolor, 10 x 14" (25 x 35 cm) I let my pigments flow freely in the initial stages of this painting, which helped convey the feeling of freedom and peace we experience while being in nature on a cool autumn day. The granulation of sodalite genuine created an impression of a distant waterfall. A wide range of values and the many areas of pure white of the paper fill the scene with atmosphere. The splatters, the use of a small brush to paint the grass, the drips of paint and the brilliance of cobalt teal blue, all bring interest to the foreground.
My approach to the painting process is meditative. I let my artworks unfold slowly, waiting a few days between washes and working on multiple paintings at once for that reason. For some paintings, I let my imagination unfurl while others are inspired by landscapes I photographed myself.
I start every new work with the sky. Occasionally, when I have an idea of the core elements of the painting, I draw a faint outline with a graphite pencil. Most often, I simply wet the top part of the paper and start applying the paint with a large round brush, and then I spray the surface with more water and tilt it in different directions to let the pigments flow freely and mix on paper before they settle and dry.
In Quiet Contemplation, watercolor, 12 x 9" (30 x 22 cm) I chose my favorite moody blues and cozy browns for this painting (indigo, Payne’s gray, burnt umber, Australian red gold, sepia, buff titanium) to evoke the feelings of mindfulness and calm in my viewer. The crisp horizon line was achieved by applying a strip of masking tape before I laid down the first wash. White gouache was used to create the setting sun and the sparkle of the backlit grass. Drips and splatters of paint are often present in my work as I find them perfect for adding interest while simultaneously highlighting the free-flowing nature of watercolors.
Top of the World, watercolor, 8 x 11½" (20 x 29 cm) Most of my landscapes are imagined, often based on the impressions left by our travels. Our coastal home is far away from any snow-capped mountains so I paint them, again and again, to remind myself how lucky I have been to stand in front of those soaring giants during our trips to Europe, New Zealand, North America, and while trekking at the footsteps of The Himalayas in Nepal. The combination of subdued blues and warm browns, combined with the contrast between the shadows and the pure white of the paper, fill this painting with soft light and atmosphere.
I use cold press watercolor paper blocks and synthetic brushes. I love Daniel Smith paints for their vibrancy and beautiful granulation. I work from light to dark, from background to foreground.
The Storm Has Passed, watercolor, 7 x 10" (17 x 25 cm) I am always drawn to stormy skies. The selection of calm, darker blues on my palette (indigo, sodalite genuine, Payne’s gray) is perfect for painting those dramatic clouds. I used the balance of the lights and the darks, the lost and found edges, and the triadic color scheme of subdued primaries to guide my viewer’s eye through the scene and to create a quiet but happy mood. The red rowboat, highlighted by a sun emerging after the storm, creates a perfect focal point and a sense of hope.
I aim to have a minimal number of colors, elements, washes and brushstrokes necessary. I always pay very close attention to the range of values as I believe that it is paramount to a successful painting.
About the Artist
Anastasia MilyNestled between the beach and the edge of Brisbane Water National Park, Anastasia Mily creates her watercolor paintings from her home studio. She gets constant inspiration from the Central Coast landscapes that surround her.
Primarily self-taught, Mily started studying art in high school and has since attended numerous art classes and workshops. Over the years she has experimented with various mediums until she decided to dedicate herself to watercolor. Also, a photographer, she uses landscapes she discovered while travelling to inspire her current pieces.
Mily’s work is currently held in private collections across Canada, Singapore and Australia.