…The guilt, anxiety, and fear I’d carried for so long stared back at me, translated into gritty black strokes, stark against the white of the paper like nothing I’d ever painted before.

Oliver’s surgery was successful and he recovered much more quickly than expected. My boy grew stronger over the next several months, but I didn’t. Jason suggested that I sign up for an art class to begin recovering the pieces of myself that I’d lost.

While I love the textures I can create with watercolor alone, I am always looking for new techniques to add to my repertoire!

When you begin working in watercolor, you will may find yourself excited, frustrated, and humbled all in the same painting session. With its fluid nature, it is a tough medium to learn if you don’t understand the basics. Let’s dive into creating washes!

If you have talked with any seasoned watercolorists, you know that they are picky about their paper - and with good reason! The quality of your paper determines the quality of your final product and how long it will last.

One of the most valuable things I have learned about working in watercolor has nothing to do with the paint and everything to do with the paper. Without a uniform, flat surface to work on, the beauty of your brushstrokes is completely ruined. This can be enough for an aspiring watercolorist to give up the medium all together. Luckily, once you know how to stretch your paper properly, this won’t happen to you!

Shopping for watercolor supplies can be intimidating when you first start out. With so many different price points and brands to chose from, how are you supposed to know which supplies you need to get started?⁠

I found myself painting most days throughout June and stumbled upon the World Watercolor Month challenge. Somewhere to focus my energy at a time when the world was on lockdown and I had time on my hands. I invested in professional quality supplies and dove headfirst into the challenge, not coming up for air until August.

Since the move, I have been a lot more intentional with my painting practice and screen time. Most days after work, our family heads to the studio instead of the living room.