Alan Noyes, currently, the Masterworks Foundation's artist-in-residence, is showing his watercolours in their Rose Garden Gallery. There are 33 paintings in the show. All are of Bermuda. The show ends today.

Mr. Noyes spent most of his working life as an architect. Now, in retirement, he is a full-time painter. As a watercolourist, he is particularly keen on the wet-in wet technique. With this method, you first wet the paper, and then paint into the wetness. The result is a lot of bleeding and blending of colours, resulting in soft forms.

One reason for using this technique, according to Mr. Noyes, is to get away from the precision and rigidity of architectural renderings; something he did for many years. Irregardless, something of his architectural background still comes through, especially with straight lines, used in depicting buildings or architectural details. This mingling with softer aspects of his paintings is not a bad thing, however, for too much softness results in flaccidness. As it is, Mr. Noyes' creates a good balance between architectonic structure and the softer, possibly more lyrical aspects of the painting.

There may be some confusion over what is meant by the word "watercolour" since there are a number different types of water-based paints, such as gouache, which is an opaque watercolour, acrylics and transparent watercolour paints.

Mr. Noyes uses a technique, which is sometimes known as aquarelle; it makes use of transparent washes of watercolour. In doing such paintings, the lighter washes are laid down first and allowed to dry; then the darks are painted in. Although Mr. Noyes makes watercolour painting look easy and natural, this is a difficult technique, with little allowance for mistakes.

This technique is sometimes said to be unforgiving, meaning mistakes are difficult to correct. If not enough care is taken when mixing colours, muddiness may result. As it is, Alan Noyes' watercolours are notable for clean, clear colours. The colour range of his paintings tends toward high key, but with just enough darks to give them a sense of form.

Allowing high key colours to dominate the composition, is probably an attempt to depict the brilliance of Bermuda's light and colour and in this he has been remarkably successful. For example, #15, 'Flying Boat' is a painting of a small boat floating in a limpid sea. The sea is of a light greenish cast, denoting shallowness and the boat is largely white. The boat is not just floating, however.

It is tied up to something unseen at the bottom, while another line extends out to a buoy slightly to the right of the boat. These ropes are an important part of the composition, leading the eye from bottom to boat instead of allowing the boat complete dominance, out in the middle. As the boat almost appears to hover in air, the ropes holds the boat in place.

Masterwork's artist-in-residence actually resides in St. George's, so I thought that many of Mr. Noyes' paintings might favour that end of the island, but on the contrary, he has worked through out the length and breadth of Bermuda.

Since he worked here for many years as an architect, he knows the island well and has managed to get around quite a bit. An unusual painting in this show, however is an interior view of his temporary residence in St. George's. This is #17, 'Unmade Bed'.

Light filters in through a window in a Dutch door, pervading the room with a warm light. Another observation is the number of paintings of Chimneys in the exhibition. This is an example of Mr. Noyes love of architecture. And the Bermuda chimney is an important and identifying element in Bermudian architecture.

There are the usual beach and water scenes in the show, but it is the street scenes where I think Mr. Noyes is at his best; #27, 'Front Street', is a prime example: with just a few brush strokes, he suggests numerous parked scooters, not to mention easily identifiable buildings. Another one that includes local colour and interest, is #28, 'Saturday Market'.

This painting depicts a temporary market, set-up along Middle Road in Devonshire. Again it is the artist's economy, suggesting much with just a few brush strokes that gives this painting authenticity. Nothing seems laboured or forced.

This is a show that is easy to like. There are only a short time left to see it before it ends, however, so hurry on over to Masterworks before it's too late.