The paper counts for something…

The following is my last watercolor (not a totally “pure” watercolor; I do use some acrylic inks when I do need them…)

I’m not unsatisfied with it… It represent one of Mr. Metziu’s turkeys, beautiful, bizarre birds, very capricious and to whom Mr. Metziu ( an interesting character from my Romanian past, who helped me – and many others – the ex-accountable and factotum at the old Transilvania magazine in Sibiu where I was a redactor) was totally dedicated. That wouldn’t stop him to sacrifice the superb birds in order to organize one of his famous “festivities” where usually the Archbishop of Transylvania (Mitrolpolitul Transilvanie) and many of the Sibiu intelligentsia participated… Good, rare vines and strong “tzuica” (plum brandy) helped to digest the turkeys…

I did photograph this turkey (not the usual, ordinary turkey) sometimes in the 1990 ties, at his house in Saliste (another famous – historically and culturally- place, near Sibiu, my native town). Never manage to paint it until yesterday… and I did it on Windsor & Newton watercolor 600 g paper… And it counted, no doubt! Not only it was a pleasure to work on it (and even to smell it) but the watercolor like quality of this paper really is exceptionally!   Arches, Canson, Fabriano aren’t bad at all… but I have to admit that Windsor & Newton is even better… From now on I have a new goal in life: to paint watercolors on Windsor & Newton 600 g paper…

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Pictura de mai sus este ultima mea creatie in acuarela (nu o acuarela “pura” fiindca folosesc si tusuri acrilice, cand am nevoie…)

N-as spune ca sunt total nemultzumit de ce a iesit… Personajul representat e unul din vestitzii curcani ai lui domnu’ Metziu (personaj interesant, fostul contabil al revistei Transilvania, care m-a ajutat, pe mine ca si pe multzi altzii, pe vremea cand eram redactor acolo).  Aceste pasari superbe, bizare (nu erau obisnuitul curcan ordinar) erau mandria domnului Metziu ceea ce nu-l impiedica, cand venea vremea, sa le sacrifice pentru una din vestitele lui “mese festive”. Deseori, Mitropolitul Ardealului si multzi altzi reprezentantzi ai elitei culturale a Sibiului, participau la aceste mese la care domnul Metziu se dadea peste cap sa procure vinuri rare si aromante si o tzuica veche de pruna, ca sa ajute la digerarea curcanilor…

Am fotografiat curcanul acesta prin anii 1990, odata, cand l-am vizitat la casa lui de la Saliste (alt loc vestit, istoric si cultural, din apropierea orasului meu natal, Sibiu). Pana ieri n-am apucat sa-l pictez, insa. Am facut-o pe hartie de acuarela Windsor & Newton, de 600 g. Si as spune ca a contat… Nu numai ca mi-a facut mare placere sa pictez pe aceasta hartie (ba chiar si mirosul este placut) dar am constatat ca, desi Arches, Canson si Fabriano nu-s rele deloc, totusi calitatea hartiei acesteia Windsor & newton este realmente exceptzionala. De acum inainte am un scop in viatza: sa pictez acuarele pe Windsor & Newton de 600 g!