After earning a BFA in drawing and painting at the University of Colorado, establishing a career as an educational illustrator, self publishing cookbooks, and then having 2 children in California, I began using watercolor in a life drawing class. The teacher got me equipped, introduced me to the medium and I was hooked. I loved the luminosity of the paints so much that I went on to execute all sorts of conceptual illustration course assignments as watercolor paintings, after I moved to Seattle, getting more and more familiar with the planning and execution of a painting while I was expanding my portfolio. I love the sensuality of the medium, the glow of the colors and the fact that it can move and flow on its own while wet, intermingling with other colors.
Use of watercolor in my illustration work is now part of my signature style that has been contracted for use on book jackets, logos, advertising, events, posters and in many publications all over the US and in Canada. To be more widely marketable and contemporary my illustration style departed from the realism I’d worked hard to master into a simplified process and uniquely stylized look which still looks contemporary. Here’s my illustration web site link.
As a teacher now, I’m rediscovering the joys of building a nuanced painting, rich with built up color and texture as I launch my students into the process of creating watercolor art. In the last few years I’ve narrowed my focus to the subject of flowers that I call Floralscapes. They represent the inner landscape of the bloom in an up-close and personal way. The intense colors and sensuality of this subject continues to astonish me. I’m learning to paint bigger works, loving how they confront the viewer and immerse them in beauty.
When I attend life drawing sessions I bring along my watercolors and sumi materials in an attempt to capture the figure. Sumi has been a challenge with the figure as there’s no traditional process to practice. I’m still feeling my way and love it when the simplest line can reflect an emotional gesture or tell a story. Both my watercolor and sumi life drawings have been shown in and around Seattle with their unique and refreshing approach to the figure.
In October 2012 I qualified to become a signature member of the Northwest Watercolor Society after being juried into the requisite number of exhibitions. The initials NWWS now follow my signature on recent watercolor paintings.
I hope you enjoy the artwork on my site!
Follow me on Instagram: @sandyhaight17