4 x 6 inches, watercolor, August 2007 I am privileged to be a member of eBay watercolor group "Watercolors (Wet'n'Wild. One of the fun challenges we have is the Monthly Masters Tribute Challenge - each month we paint our own watercolor rendition of a work of a Master (or you can paint two or more if you like). This month it's the turn of Monet. I'm not a great lover of Monet (or any of the impressionists really) but when I had a look for something to paint I came accross "La Japonais" and loved it. Painted in 1876, it features his wife Camille in a kimono, fans decorating the wall behind her. I had to crop my image, concentrating on the top half of the figure. I was attracted to the face and the colours and pattern of the kimono, and the contrast with the blue/greens of the background wall. I really enjoyed painting it, using a style that's looser than I usually allow myself to work.