You know how this story starts out... ever since I was young I would draw and create. The urge to capture the world around me on paper was strong inside me since I could hold a crayon. From 1st grade, I knew I wanted to be an artist when I grew up.
How did I come to love watercolor painting?
Well, watercolor and I were not the best of friends from the start. I wanted so badly to take a watercolor class in school but it was rarely offered and never when I had an opening in my classes. After taking a watercolor class locally I thought I had grasped the magic of watercolor but I couldn't create anything nice when I wasn't being instructed step by step. This made me think that watercolor was not for me. After my daughter was born I needed to paint with a quick drying but easy to put down medium that didn't cause me to waste paint and didn't make a big stinky mess. Watercolor was the only option that would work with a walking-must-touch-everything toddler.
When I think of watercolor I think of loose flowy paintings. This vision was what I tried to recreate for several months. Yet every painting felt like it wasn't working and that something was missing. By nature I'm a detailed artist, I like to paint what I see and every little thing in it. This approach surely couldn't work with watercolor was my initial thought! My natural detailed colorful style came naturally through and I embraced it. Watercolor was no longer my enemy and my colorful detailed fantastical rendition of nature and it's creature came shining through.
Why nature and animals?
I want to capture the amazing animals and the lovely nature that surrounds us all here on planet Earth. Every creature is mesmerizing! We all have a connection to some animal. Whether it be a spirit animal that reminds us of ourselves or a pet that left a mark forever in our lives. I want to show those animals and pets through my bright and colorful watercolor paintings. Nature is breathtaking! Who hasn't felt healed and invigorated by a beautiful walk, a magnificent technicolor sunset, or breathtaking views? I want that feeling and moment to live on forever in my bright and colorful watercolor paintings.