Palm Readings

This thesis document titled Palm Readings is informed by entangled topics that take up plein air painting, watercolour as a primary medium and the relationship of colour to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. The specific questions that I address in the work are: How can plein air painting in the Caribbean function as a form of deep acknowledgement of place? What is the potential of watercolour as a contemporary artistic medium? How can colour represent the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico and its culture? Each chapter of this thesis addresses these questions and is anchored by different visual examples of my Thesis Project. My research questions are informed predominately by visual research, observation and thinking through doing. While I do integrate various citations in this text, I am inspired predominantly by the physicality of experiential learning. My research occurs in the action of painting and what comes up in the process.