Over the last year, on impulse, I decided to submit some paintings to exhibits asking for Black and White and Shades of Gray.

Submitting them, of course, meant I had to paint them. And, to my surprise, I really enjoyed the results.

It's not as though I hadn't worked with value before and, as I mention elsewhere on this site, my primary teacher, Mary Todd Beam, always lauded what she called 'Mid-Tones. 

But, actively dipping into this restricted range at this point of my career led to surprises. And, drifting from the purist position of Black-and-White Values, I found myself adding bits of color (that's my joke referencing the musical concept of theme and 'variations' that I added to my section title). It's an I found even more interesting. (Well, just as interesting, anyway).

I hope you do, too.