Aquihua Continues.

This journey continues to inspire me using different techniques and colors that I usually don't use!

Everyone has a process that they connect with. A way of doing things that really inspires them to keep going. Some artists enjoy the immediacy of quick painting, some love the looseness of a more organic way of painting and some love the freedom of expressionism. They are all valid, they are all just right for them.

For me I enjoy blending detail and a more painterly or “washy” style of watercolor. It may look like my paintings seem very realistic but when you look close, there’s layers that I let show through and happy accidents that I leave because I think it gives the paintings a different kind of energy.

One of the most asked questions I get is "what should I do for the background?"

Every time I have to say the most annoying answer which is – It Depends! There are always so many different ways to resolve a background that that’s really the only truthful answer to give.

Sometimes I think they’re really asking - what do you think I should I do for the background?, or what would you do for the background?, which isn’t something I like to suggest because it’s not my painting, not my inspiration, it’s theirs to resolve.

Some artists work on the background first, some work on the overall painting at the same time but I work on the background last. I find that I’m way too Gemini to commit to a background from the start. I always change my mind midstream. There’s nothing worse for me than to have the background done and then get a much better idea later whether it be colors or technique or even objects or environment and I’m stuck with what I already put in. Watercolor is not like other mediums where you can easily paint over something or successfully change things like a completed background.