My Growth

When I first started out, I followed Susan Scheewe Brown for the longest time. Louise Jackson is another favorite. Then I met Peter Saw.

Initially my goal was to paint near realism but not quite so real that it took on the look of a photograph. I primarily worked wet on dry just getting the pigment on paper taking on the look of the subject I was hoping to produce.

My preferences are changing and I have grown in the various styles people paint learning to appreciate what I might have years ago not cared for. One style is what is considered loose or suggestive. Now I am finding myself wanting to learn to paint more suggestively. There's a real feeling of freedom and spontaneity that comes from learning to work along with and not try to totally control watercolor. And I've changed more to painting wet in wet and mixing colors on paper rather than on the palette. That's where the real magic comes into play.

I honestly believe there is true magic in watercolor and the biggest part comes from allowing the pigment and water do their own thing with only a little guidance or coaxing on our part. Learning the pigment characteristics or even learning how to work with mishaps can turn out some of the neatest results. And many people believe watercolor is the most difficult to learn but I don't think any more so than any other medium out there. It's just learning to work with the supplies on hand. And watercolor can be corrected.....something many people have the misguided belief that it can't. A lot depends on choice of pigments and more so paper.

There IS a lot of learning involved in painting watercolor but that's at least half the fun!