Joseph Zbukvic is a well known painter who is considered a modern master of watercolor, and I would add that within that discipline, he is also a master of suggestion.
His paintings of urban scenes, rural landscapes, harbors, boats and many other subjects often appear rich with intricate detail, but on closer inspection reveal that he has skillfully prompted your mind’s eye to fill in much more detail than he has actually provided.
Zbukvic works primarily with a muted palette, at times punctuating his compositions with brief passages of high chroma colors.
If you search YouTube, you can find a number of videos featuring his work or showing him demonstrating technique.
I was particularly impressed wit this one. Starting at 36 minutes into the video, he demonstrates creating a simply suggested scene, and then proceeds to overpaint it into a completely different scene — twice, in watercolor!
Zbukvic’s work is currently on display in an extensive solo exhibition at Principle Gallery, Alexandria. The show is on view until November 27, 2023. Their site offers an interview with the artist.
