About 8 years ago, when my third child was still a baby, I finally signed up for a drawing class. For years, I had looked longingly at the course catalog, but the class times were never convenient. Finally, I realized I needed to make it happen, and I’m so glad I did!

In that class, I quickly moved from pencil to colored pencils. You’ve probably seen my bear – my first proud moment! For a long time I continued to work in color pencils and I created pieces that, til this day, I am proud of.

Eventually, the limitations of working only in colored pencil started to frustrate me. Pencil was perfect for the hair of an animal, but it was really hard to create smooth surfaces, like skin. Blending colors wasn’t easy. I wanted to draw the beach – sand, sky, surf – but landscapes in colored pencil were a challenge. Without know it, I was longing for watercolor. (to be continued…)