Everyone paints for very personal reasons. For me the pleasure of having created something original has been a strong lure.

I also enjoy solving the many puzzles watercolor presents to me. Could I paint this scene with watercolor? How would I create a particular texture? How best to design my painting to get my message across? All of these questions have kept me fascinated with this wonderful medium for many years and hopefully will do so for many more.

Watercolor allowed me to add a creative element to my life which had been missing. Initially it started off as a pleasant diversion from my regular job but soon became a passion.

Of course, this is not the way everyone looks at watercolor. For some it just is not their medium. To others it is an enjoyable pastime which will always remain that way. To some it is a medium they admire and aspire to but always look upon it as a mystery. That is the beauty of it, you can get as absorbed in the subject as you want.

The important thing is to have fun when you paint and not get too serious about it. After all, once you are set up, it only takes a little of your time and a small amount of money for paint and paper — that’s it.

Happy painting!

Joe Cartwright