It all began...

 I began my art career as a graphic designer. My father wanted me to have the possibility of earning a paycheck if I chose to be an artist! Lol.. loved that man. He didn't know nor did I that computers, a marriage and three children would redirect that dream to take a different path and to this day I am forever grateful it all happened. 

Many artists will begin in a medium and happily stay with it perfecting all of its nuances and never questioning their choice. Others will flail about with a brush always searching for that magical tool that will bring success. 

For 25 years ink and brush were used in many illustrative, commercial ways yet I knew it was not the right fit for me but then what was? I joined an art guild, resurrecting my figure drawing skills and habits of study from my college days, met like minded artists and continued to explore.

 Watercolor was my first brushstroke. It seemed a natural step after commercial work. It was a safe medium to have in the house around growing & inquisitive children. Fast to put out on a table and quick to gather before being needed elsewhere. Tentative strokes of pale colors progressed to vibrant, abandoned splashes of exciting colors. This did not happen overnight. I was beginning to understand that the learning curves of my art was not to be a "one and done"  effort.  I had all of the fundamentals of art that I had studied at college yet I needed more... the library became my teacher and classroom once again...later the internet.

My work over the next 20+ years has been guided by a progression of  instinctual yet methodical steps into the next phase of learning. 

This question :

 Why & how have I risked changing mediums over the years?   was asked by a reader. I thought that it  was going to be simple to answer. 

I find I'm struggling to look back. The road from there to here has not been straight but has had many twist and turns shrugging off complacency and taking risks along the way.The question is not easy to answer in one post but over the next few posts I'll try.  

So the map from here to there will be my work  in watercolor, mixed media, acrylic and oil...

I hope you'll read along and your questions will continue to come in and we can have this conversation. Remember the only wrong question is the one not asked....

Next Week...Watercolor.

helenharrispaintings.com