Leaning into Expressive Landscapes

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. I charge my phone in the kitchen instead of at my bedside at night so that I can make time for reading instead of scrolling social media.

I have been reading and inspired by Ann Blockley‘s Experimental Landscapes in Watercolour lately and find myself painting loose, interpretive landscapes more and more. If you are naturally a loose painter, then this may not seem like a huge revelation to you, but for me it has been liberating. In most aspects of my life, I get bogged down with perfection and details; this often carries over into my artwork. It serves me well while painting portraits, but has made landscapes challenging for me to create in the expressive way that I admire.

The longer I work with watercolor, the more I appreciate the flexibility and unpredictability of this medium. I am excited to explore different painting techniques in this new space and to share this journey with you.