Manipulating watercolor paints on paper is a process that simultaneously delights and frustrates. Like all art-making media, it sometimes seems to have a mind of its own.

I started out painting in oils, and from time to time do dabble in both oil and acrylic paints. But for me, watercolor remains the most portable, spontaneous, and flexible choice. In the studio I enjoy using a nice, wide palette, big brushes and larger paper, but I confess I don't like having to carry all that stuff around when I head outside. Instead, my tiny box of field colors and a sketchbook live in a pack by the door, ready at a moment's notice to record wild iris along the river. (Or to justify time spent watching coffee drinkers down at the café.)