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Welcome to my blog where you can view a sampling of my watercolor paintings and discover why for me, Art Is Instrumental. These, as well as many more in my studio, are for sale and looking for good homes!


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Methods and Madness

Sometimes I paint fast and loose

Other times quite controlled

The subject decides the method

But each work has the same goal:

A painting that is successful

And beautiful to behold!

BB


Click to email Bertie Brown




Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Watercolors by Bertie Brown / Art is Instrumental

Nor'easter/Rockport

original maritime watercolor/Rockport, MA: 11"w x 9"h

What ho!

the winds they are screamin’

my house it is leanin’

right into the flow

of this nor’easterly blow

my windows are bulgin’

and heat I’m indulgin’

this nor’easter’s hold

is keepin’ me cold

from my Rudolf red nose

to my ten tinseled toes

BB'10

Nor'easter/Rockport

original maritime watercolor: 11w x 9"h

Nor’easter

while cold winds are blowin’

the wild waves are trollin’

o’re Bearskin Neck docks

and poundin’ the rocks

of Cape Ann’s sturdy shores

where Lobstas by the score

go about their daily chores

‘neath the churning choppy seas

of Nor’easters that will be

claiming lobsta’ traps and buoys

and setting them all free

BB'10

Riley

original watercolor animal portrait: 6"h x 9"w

Alliance Compliance

O Molly Marie

you silly cat

you really think that

a brown and black dog

could take your place

with his cute little face

oh, he doesn’t bite

nor put up a fight

but is amiable, quite

the opposite of you

when you don’t approve

of the things that I do

so don’t be jealous

as you can see

it’s merely a painting

of Robert’s Riley

...artwork compliances

not broken alliances...

BB'10

Musically Inclined / Beethoven

original watercolor musical motif/Beethoven: 11"w x 14"h

Our Young Sophi-sticate

Sophie’s my young sophi-sticate

Though she is still quite the innocent

She thrills to her shows

Those Classical Baby videos

And loves to pay homage

To her renaissance knowledge

Her glances are beguiling

As she watches, ever smiling

‘Cause she knows all the artists

The composers and poets

Their music, their paintings

And even their sonnets...

Polite and approving

She applauds just to show it

Our old fashioned girl

In her renaissance world...

BB'10

Musically Inclined/Mozart

original musical motif watercolor/Mozart: 11"w x 14"h

Mozart, Sophie and Me

Sophie came dandied

And dressed up today

She had an appointment

And couldn’t stay late

We listened to classics

We’d had enough pop

It makes us much smarter

We’ve read that a lot....

Suddenly we heard it

A clarinet was sailing

On tumbling rolling seas

Of high and so-low notes

With others in between

The accompanying horns in A

Were wailing right along

Fearsome parts to play

But they sounded strong...

Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto

Got us in the groove

We grabbed up our paints

Our creativity on the move

We had work to do

In our creative arts room..

BB’10

Musically Inclined

original musical motif watercolor: 7"w x 9"h

Musical Mystery

A new thing to do

When you’re bored or feelin’ blue

Let a cloth freely drop

Right over the top

Of a still life gone stale

Or one that just failed

And let a painting begin

Using paint thick and thin

Till a theme comes alive

Or an idea starts to thrive

It’s surprising what you find

Hidden behind time..

BB’10



Sophie and Me 2110

Just Sophie and me

a book of photos art and poetry

A is for Annabelle

original watercolor still life: 9 1/2"w x 10 1/2"h

Imagine Annabelle

Sophie and I

are happy and sad

cause it’s easy to tell

our Savannah Annabelle

is growing up fast

yes that’s good news, but well

we know we are missing

her cute dimpled smile

and we’re certainly wishing

we weren’t separated by miles

BB'10

Water Music/OBX

original watercolor seascape/OBX: 16"w x 10"h

OBX Bliss

oh to be

by the sea

on a day such as this

would it be

could it be

just the ultimate bliss....

BB'10

Musically Inclined/Trumpet

original musical motif watercolor/trumpet: 7"w x 10"h

brass blast

would a trumpet

be a strumpet

if he played a loose lipped gig

while his brother

played another

more pretentious tight hipped dig?

would a trumpet

eat a crumpet

while he played a high brow gig

could a strumpet

be a pundit

if she shed her platinum wig?

would a trumpet

be a strumpet

if he wore one high heeled shoe

could a crumpet

clog a trumpet

if it got stuck in his tube?

BB'10

Freunde Strasse

original watercolor window view:11"w x 10"h

Strasse Freunde

oh I’d like to be

visiting Germany

where a room

with a view

would have geraniums in bloom

and a hollyhock or two

and quaint cobbled streets

where friends meet and greet

BB'10

Miss-tery

original watercolor portrait: 10"w x 13"h

Miss-tery

An exquisite mystery

that’s what I am

exotic, from a foreign land

with a history all my own

and secrets, mine alone

BB'10

His-story

original watercolor portrait: 4"w x 6"h

His-tory

The model’s the art

From the pose at the start

To the last painted mark

And if you embark

On a portrait painting lark

His story you can tell

If you do your work well...

BB’10

Brew with a View

original watercolor window scene / Rockport: 11"w x 7"h

Rocky Neck Brew

Meet me at the dock

around 8 o’clock

for some Rockport morning brew

and a cruller or two

BB'10

Musically Inclined / Bass

original musical motif watercolor with Bass: 6"w x 8"h

A String Thing

The strings are such

A complicated section,

We say that and invoke

Our greatest affection,

With notes that soar

To the highest of heights

The violins bow frantically

Trying to get it just right!

And notes writ so low

The basses’ brows frown

As they bend down to bow

So low to the ground.

Always self important

No humility, not a trace

They sit right up front

And take up prime stage space.

The rest of the orchestra

Accepts this with grace

Their parts they play well..

They are quite exceptional,

And oh so professional...

BB’10

Musically Inclined / Horn

original musical motif watercolor with Horn: 6"w x 8"h

Chicken Tricks

You can’t be chicken

If you play french horn

Unless you’re thinkin’

You’d like a lickin’

When that horn balks

The right note squawks

And you’re left walkin’

With no back talkin’

BB’10

Musically Inclined / Sax

original musical motif watercolor / Sax: 7"w x 11"h

Jazzy Sax

do ya think I’m saxy

do ya think I’m fine

am I not the best of my kind?

I’m so bold and brassy

and I’m kinda sassy

when I play the Blues or some jazz

BB'10

De-Composer

original watercolor sunflower: 7"w x 11"h

De- C0mPoser

my lean and mean poser

can’t seem to get over

those past days of glory

her pose tells the story

so poignant and true

of lost beauty and youth

and innocence too.....

yet still she stands tall

daring us all

to salute this new age

as a ‘maturity’ phase

with dignity and wisdom

and especially grace.....

BB'10

With Thanksgiving now done
The Christmas Rush has suddenly begun....

Info at: email

Monday, November 1, 2010

Watercolors by Bertie Brown / Art is Instrumental


Symphony in the Key of Sea

original watercolor seascape/OBX: 11"w x 7"h

O B-y the X-ea

oh to be by the sea

just my fam’ly and me

sunblocked nose

bug sprayed toes

sunning responsibly

grasses sway

sand dunes say

watch all nature at play

roaring surf

sandy turf

it’s an OBX day!

BB'10

Musically Inclined / Tuba, Violin

original watercolor musical motif/Tuba, Violin: 6"w x 8"h

Tu-be Tuba

Tu-be a violin

is sweet music to me

Tuba on the other hand

might be even more grand!

BB’10

Just Sophie and Me

original watercolor still life with doll: 14 1/2"w x 16"h

Beginning Niggling

in the beginning

I had an idea

a slight yet sure niggling

regarding Sophia

her dolly, a tea cup

a box, bag and bow

with plenty of pink

and green down below

this still life is taking

a life of its own

I think it would fit

in a “Sophie and Me” book

it could be a hit

if I ever finish it!

BB'10

in the beginning....

Musically Inclined - Violin/Piano

original watercolor musical motif with piano/violin: 7"w x 11"h

No Viol-ence

do strings

ever throw

their well-tempered bows

at the soloist who thinks

his technic doesn’t stink(!)

as he plays arrogantly

the piano so disparately

lifting hands dramatically

o’re ebony

and ivory

BB’10

Low Country Libretto

original watercolor seascape/salt marsh: 14"w x 11"h

Salt Marsh Meanderings

Low Country liaisons

herons skulking about

don’t get on my turf

they often cry out!

amongst the sweet grass

they sneak and stalk

it’s all about the belly

feed me, feed me, it squawks

they really are a sight

a pterodactyl? a hawk?

no,

just Big Bird in white

looking for that perfect bite!

BB’10

Plum Island Passacaglia

original watercolor seascape/salt marsh: 14"w x 11"h

Salt Marsh Meanderings

a salt marsh looks different

in New England somehow

it’s attitude intense

with low guarded brow

it’s secrets I sense

are only revealed

in fits

spurts and bits

of mysteries concealed

oh yes there are grasses

with fly-away tufts

and short scrubby pines

o’re looking the bluffs

but if you look closer

I think you’ll perceive

the treasures it wields

in it’s pungent sea breeze

BB’10

Musically Inclined / Violin

original watercolor musical motif with violin: 7"w x 11"h

String Fling

strings

are things

that go plunk

when they’re plucked

but when they are bowed

well, properly so,

they sing full and free

with the greatest of ease

like an acrobat high

on the flying trapeze

BB'10

Musically Inclined - Violin/ Flute

original watercolor with violin and flute: 10"x10"

Sassy Violin

The violin’s a classy fellow

When bowed he sings a tune so mellow

When plucked

His notes are quite abrupt

And when there’s nothing left to play

He tells the Flute to play away...

BB’10

Symphony in the Key of Sea / OBX

original watercolor seascape: 11"w x 7"h

Oblation Revelation

evening oblations

give solace to me

with new revelations

waiting to be

so lest I forget

the beauty I see

I’ll daily inspect

this view by the sea

and paint thankfully

His grand poetry

BB'10

Dunes Dance
original watercolor seascape

Dunes Dance

original watercolor seascape: 14"w x 11"h

Barrier Islands

All bluster and bluff

With towering tides

Always in a huff

Racing to shore

Biting the beach

Ever advancing more and more....

The sighing sands

Surrender their turf

While tall dancing dunes

Watch over the surf

Their beach bonnets swaying

And “No Trespassing” signs waving.......

BB’10

.....set up practice....

I’m Dreamin’ of a...

I’ve been workin’ on the art show

all these live-long days

matting, framing

pricing, naming

all the work I will display

it will be exhilarating

writing up the slips that say “I’m Sold”!

as the buyers line up waiting...

such a sight I want to know

BB’10

PA Guild of Crafters Holiday Show at Manheim Township High School
Nov. 13 - 10 til 6p
Nov. 14 - 11 til 5p
see you there!

Beach Hash

original watercolor with shells: 11"w x 14"h

Conch en Fa

There once was seashell named Conch

Who was lonely and displeased with his lot

So he puffed out his cheek

Buzzed a low mellow screech

Now he’s part of the rock group “Conch-crete”

BB’10

NY State of Mind

original watercolor cityscape: 6"w x 8 1/2"h

“It’s Raining, It’s Pouring....

Sophie and I were bored

As we peered out the back door

And had to acknowledge

The steady downpour

We put on our thinking caps

Our imagination soared!

Hmm, I know,

The Strasburg Railroad goes

To Paradise and back

A short scenic trip

Where Amish farms sit

Sophie said, “No!”

We’ve already seen that

Let’s go to New York

Via Lancaster’s Amtrak

We’ll walk up Fifth Ave

Take in all the sights

We do wish “Les Mis”

Was playing The Shubert tonight

We’ll visit Times Square

With bright neon lights

On tall buildings everywhere..

We quickened our step

We really must get

Ourselves to the Met

For a fabulous new show

Everything's just great there, you know

The day was soon gone

We made our way back

To Grand Central Station

Our memories intact

This mini- vacation

Was great stimulation

The ride home so relaxing

We spent the time happily

Dozing and napping...
BB’10

info at: email

Savvy Annabelle

the prettiest southern belle

as you all can tell

I see it right now

in my mind’s eye somehow

these moments I’ll recall

as she makes her debut

at a debutante’s ball

In some grand Savannah hall

BB’10

A B C

A is for Annabelle

and for addition

B is for BB

who’s newest submission

is C for cousin

Sophie, that’s you!

D is for delight

and double, too

who would have guessed

my boys having girls

so yes, I’m twice blessed

“What a Wonderful World”

E is for Everything

Excellent, F-Fine

G-Grace, thanks-Giving

what a Grand design

H, Heaven's singing

a glorious new song

for now you are here

right where you belong

A is for Annabelle

B for Beginning

we're C-Celebrating

since you came along

BB'10

I have a little Tigger

she really is quite sweet

dressed in her halloween togs

so she can trick or treat

she thinks that she can do it

all by her grows-up self

her mom and dad pooh-poohed it

so I told her I’d help

we made a plan

to knock on doors

yell “Trick or Treat”

our bags in hand

they’d fill our sacks

and we’d head back

to BB’s house

to have a snack....

BB’10