Keeping the Color in Watercolor

Watercolors are one of the oldest mediums and artworks in the world, said to originate as far as the cave paintings of Paleolithic descendents. Aside from drawing, watercolor art is perhaps the most common and the perhaps most streamlined method of art, in terms of supplies needed - a supporting base, usually paper, a brush, some paints and, of course, water. Watercolor art continues to inspire contemporary generations of artists to this day.

One of the highlights of my body of work has been my ability to capture the movement and “color” of the day through watercolor. Many artists use watercolor to capture the softness of nature; the fading of a sunset, the ripples in water or the soft falling of an autumn leaf. I like its ability to keep life in the people I paint. To represent the lines, deep with a life of laughter, or the curious crinkling of a child’s nose. The art moves with the paint, and the finite details live on through the softness of the edges and the layers of the work.

While my watercolor works have earned me numerous awards and accolades, my truest measure of success is when an art viewer sees the work and moves closer to examine the brushstrokes. They want to see more. Where the lines begin and end; the life-like details of the work.

This is why the medium remains a traditional mainstay, maneuvering its way through time via the tried and true works of the masters, alongside the modern and the fresh artists who are pushing the boundaries of watercolor even further.

It's the picture, yes, but have you ever seen the light dance on the water’s surface at sunrise? Nature paints its own watercolors and we as artists, can only hope to capture mother nature’s beauty as it already exists.