Jeanne De Campos-rousseau

JEANNE DE CAMPOS-ROUSSEAU

Four years of excellent art instruction and a small scholarship started me off. I received an Associate of Arts degree in Studio Arts with a focus on Metal Smithing and Drawing. Family responsibilities redirected me for a number of years. I returned to school in 1982 and received a BS in Computer Science and worked the next 24 years in the Aerospace Industry as a Satellite Software Engineer. In 2004 I retired and immediately took my paints out of the dusty old box and set up my studio.

I returned to Cabrillo College after retirement hoping to take a few refresher courses in Oils. Because of the environmental impact and other compliances, oil painting was not offered but watercolor was. I was not familiar or comfortable with the medium but found it very interesting. It had special characteristics that no other medium could offer. I was hooked!

In 2008 I became very active with the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Association (SCVWS). This interface has allowed me to meet and partake in several art workshops given by the top watercolor/watermedia artists in the country. I have gained invaluable information from these workshops and I practice, practice, practice.

I am currently showing at the Artist Gallery, 863 Mission, St., San Francisco, CA 94103


Portfolio:

Figurative

This portfolio is focused on my figurative work. Most work is in watercolor and 16 x 20 in size although there are a few smaller works.

Leek Soup “Leek Soup”

16 x 20 Watercolor on 140# Arches Cold Press
Inspired by the Farmers Market in Nuremberg, Germany

Rat-a-tat-tat “Rat-a-tat-tat”

16 x 20 Watercolor on Arches 140# Cold Press Paper.
This painting was inspired by the Bridge Band on the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic.
We must have stood for 15 or 20 minutes listening to their wonderful dixieland sound and photographing the musicians.

Landscapes

Most landscapes are painted in watercolor or Acrylic. I paint the landscapes of places I've been on vacations, places that inspired me for some reason and places where I feel some emotional connection. . I almost always paint from photographs I've taken. Occasionally, I will paint from photographs taken by my husband. I try to capture the awe inspiring or emotional feeling of the scene. I try to give you a sense of that in the titles of my paintings. .

On a Mission “On a Mission”

8 x 10 Acrylic on Canvas

This lady was definitely on a mission as she worked her way through a large crowd of tourist (in the photograph) with grimace determination. In this small painting I captured her demeanor without the confusion of the crowd around her.

On Campus “On Campus”

The old chapel at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. I love old buildings with lots of character. Much of the old Northwestern has now been surrounded by new modern concrete block building but a few of the old buildings remain. This is a particularly beautiful one.
25 x 25 Watercolor on 140# Arches Paper

The Old Mill “The Old Mill”

Outside the City of Passau, Germany, a philanthropist has purchased over 100 acres for the purpose of preserving the farm buildings, equipment and artifacts of the late 19th and 20th centuries in the rural areas of Germany and Austria. He has moved hundreds of buildings to this Outdoor Museum. It is loaded with interesting wagons, farm houses, old cars, saw mills, etc. I spent nearly 4 hours there photographing.
8 x 10 Acrylic on Canvas - The Old Mill waterwheel drove the large saw inside the mill that made the first cuts of the logs.

Lumbering “Lumbering”

This is one of the wagons used in the early 20th century. It is currently parked in a shed and carrying a small load of lumber

11 x 14 Watercolor on Arches Paper

Retired “Retired”

An old Mercedes up on blocks - "Retired" It had its day!

8 x 10 Acrylic on Canvas

Old Barns of Passau “Old Barns of Passau”

In this painting of some of the buildings of the Outdoor Museum I took a different approach and tried to express a sense of beauty and awe by using color and light in a more dramatic style.

20 x 16 watercolor on Paper