Watercolors by Mimi Torchia Boothby

I painted Megan again. This time I used a new technique, placing wet paint on wet paper. I wanted to preserve the softness of her skin and to show how she glows. It looks like I’m getting a little closer.

Now that I am relaxed and in my studio, I decided to try and paint Tom again. I am really surprised at the difference it makes.. I’ve been having fun painting all these redheads.

Sometimes you meet someone you just have to paint. And they’re willing.
Here’s Megan

This painting is a result of my mother’s day present. My two sons in a tree

We had an hour in the sun, so I sketched him a little bit, then pulled out the old paint box. This is the result. Tom was sitting on my wonderful red porch, half in the sun and half in the shade. Where the sun hit his hair, it glowed, otherwise, it looks dark. I will follow up this painting with a studio painting from the photos I took during this sitting.

Not to be outdone by his son, Donald sat with me this morning.

Josiah is a busy guy, and I was a little nervous about getting him to sit. yes, even though he’s my son. So this one was a bit rushed. I forgot to give him timed breaks, the whole experience was good for learning. Best of all, he’s willing to sit for me again.

I decided to start painting close family members. I warmed up by painting this one from a photo of Josiah.

This man was standing around waiting, ready for work in 1897, coincidentally the same year 3 of my grandparents were born. He worked for the telegraph company. I imagine he could shinny up a pole faster than I can text a message on my cellphone.

My grandfather was a very special person in my life. He had serenity in a chaotic word, he was patient and affectionate with annoying children like myself, and he liked to laugh. As a very young man, he escaped poverty in Calabria by getting on a boat and starting a new life in the United States, just a couple years before World War I broke out. He wrote home often, and sent money and gifts to his mother and siblings for his entire life. I am certain that the photo I used for a reference for this painting got sent home to his mother: “Mom, look at me, I did it, I’m a success. I have nice clothes, I’m not skinny, look at my handsome son, and hey, I can afford to own a big American car, like this one.”