A Glimpse Into The Life Of A Watercolor Artist

I discovered Christy's work while browsing Etsy.com back in May of 2008. From her shop, I stopped by her blog, http://tiddlyinks.blogspot.com/, where I discovered she was holding a contest for a miniature, original work of art. Of course I just had to enter and boy was I pleased to discover that I had won. When her work arrived, I was quite impressed with her talent so I asked her for a quick interview. Below is a little glimpse into the life of a watercolor artist. Enjoy...

When did you know you wanted to be a watercolor artist?

Art is just part of my family. My sister is an amazing fine artist, as is my mother, my great aunt, and multiple cousins. Ironically, I ended up as a Biology teacher because I was interested in becoming an illustrator of biology books. I loved science and stuck with it. I didn't reconsider art as a "make-it-a-living" possibility until after my child was born and I had some time.

I fell into using watercolors. I have always used pencil and graphite when drawing, but I wanted a whimsical look that could be created quickly. The answer was watercolors. I love them and the variety of techniques that I can use.

Did you ever experience any mishaps with your art and how did you salvage your work?

I have had some mishaps with a few pieces. Some ended up in the trash, but a few others were able to be recreated using acrylics. It is actually quite a pleasing combination in illustrations to use some opaque and some clear paints. I also add in colored pencil to cover "mistakes". Mistakes sometimes add a definite hand-done feel, but sometimes it just ruins the piece!

How long were you a watercolor artist before you decided to build a business around your dream?

I found Etsy searching for handmade cards and lurked about for almost a year. I finally decided to list some artwork, instead of cards, and I have totally fallen in love with the Etsy community. It is a small business right now but I have made some marvelous contacts; one being Emily of Stamping Bella, the creator of fabulous rubber stamps. I have turned away from making cute nursery animals into making cute kids after working with her. I still love both groups, but time is short when you have a little one. I am hoping that when my daughter starts school next year I will have some time to develop both lines a bit more. It energizes me to improve ideas and I have a lot to re-create. :)

What's your favorite part about creating art and why?

I love that I paint things that make me happy and many of my simple little doodles make me laugh and smile. I paint or draw something every day and so far I haven't had any shortage of ideas. I hope that it continues to be this fun in the future.

Visit her at http://www.tiddlyinks.com/ where you can find a lot of fun and whimsical designs for any child's bedroom!

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