Flora and Fauna in Watercolor, Graphite and More
I'm a long-time artist but I've only recently begun the transition from hobbyist to professional. It's exciting (and scary) to put my artwork out in front of a large audience, but here it is. I share my workspace with a very furry and opinionated cat and a vast assortment of art supplies and dream of someday having an actual studio instead of a corner of the living room to work in.
For years I told myself that it was unrealistic impractical to pursue a career as an artist. In 2012 I decided that unrealistic or not, I had to try. Fortunately I have an incredibly supportive husband and family. I couldn't purse my dream without them.
I work primarily in watercolor, colored pencil and scratchboard at present, although I also work with graphite, pen and ink and even within the digital realm. I have a hard time focusing on a single technique because there are things about each that I enjoy. For subjects I turn to nature: plants and animals. There I find gorgeous colors, fascinating textures and a great deal of personality.
I take great delight in gathering my own reference photos and sketches, sometimes ending up with photos that I love simply for themselves. Some of those end up on blank notecards in my shop. Even when I work from photos I prefer to examine a subject in person. I see details that way that I miss looking at photos.
I hope you enjoy looking around my shop! I'm always happy to answer questions so don't hesitate to ask. You can also find me on my own website, rowntreestudio.com, and a variety of social networking sites where I post announcements and works in progress.
