All along, the focus, is a fresh original dialogue on the Canadian , where the emphasis is on the process of discovery: that is, the creative interpretation of some aspect of the world – being coupled with a second process; namely, that of inventiveness – the personal expression of what is discovered. MZ/WJC I paint light, atmosphere, the transparency of water. None of these can be painted directly. You can only paint the effects of light. the different values / intensities where there is no light appearing as shadows. I explore water through the very reflections that outline its movement. The reflected sky above reaching down, the bottom sand rocks and grasses all reaching up towards the surface, the changing colours of the forest edges trying to define, shape and contain it. I end up painting everything but the very thing I seek to paintNever one to be contained by any medium, I have over the years made continued leaps forward by taking the watercolour medium in new directions, thereby opening new possibilities. I am now painting with watercolours directly onto gessoed Norwegian birch panels. Working on gessoed panels isn’t much fun as it is akin to painting on a kitchen counter top with every stroke beading up, streaking, smearing, and misbehaving like so much spilt coloured water. But I am dazzled by the new textures, the strength, and the immediacy and directness that result. To ‘secure’ the watercolour I lightly apply two coats of spray fixative, and once dry, I seal it permanently against the elements by applying two coats of matt varnish just as one would apply to any oil or acrylic painting. I also paint around the edges of my paintings and as such they can be hung without a frame or floated in a float frame. Following the natural evolution of the thinking processes, it is normal for me that things should only become more complicated. After a recent discussion with an art restorer at the AGO, and then consulting with curators and gallery dealers, the consensus is that watercolours painted directly onto gessoed birch panels and then secured by varnishing with coats of acrylic varnish might well be considered acrylic paintings. They are acrylic whether intended or not.This might, therefore, be a ‘back-ended’ process of arriving at acrylics. If the watercolours are going to be called acrylics simply for this reason, then why not work in acrylics from the get go? I work negatively from light to dark by building up layers upon layers of watercolour on the gessoed panels. It then occurred to me, “Why not mix acrylic gel with the watercolours as I go along?” And so I have entered yet again into a new phase. I now paint on gessoed birch panels with watercolours and acrylics that I make myself and consider these new creations mixed media paintings.