Joseph Raffael

    For as corny as his subject matter is, I can't stop looking at these paintings. Raffael paints kind of cliche things like flowers and fish but somehow they seem intoxicatingly beautiful through his handling of the media. Raffael works on a large scale with watercolor, which is mind blowing enough, and his application is impeccable; through extreme patience and skill he achieves rich, vibrant colors. He uses watermarks on purpose which is a sign of a master watercolorist.... and I'm totally blown away.
www.josephraffael.com/


"Ancient Reverie" Watercolor on Paper, 85" x 30" 2003
"Bali Pond" 31 1/2"x 26 3/4", 2003