“Fuschias- Capitola, CA” (18×24)

Fuchsias thrive along this part of the California coast. I have spent much time here and am always quite amazed of the profusion of color and beauty. These flowers were growing outside a friend ‘s cottage. It is mid-morning and the perspective is looking a little up with the background being the side of the house and the over hanging roof. The fragile quality of both the mature flowers as well as the unopened one were difficult to portray. The roundness of the unopened flower came out well…it almost seems that you would be able to pick them. In the foliage I tried to push the greens and the rust colored branches so the painting is not totally dominated by the flowers themselves. The color of the house and the simple lines, along with the alternating light and shade seem to provide a complementary background…popping out the flowers even more.

Robin Vander Hamm

I specialize in watercolors that are inspired by my world travels. My subject matter ranges from South American landscapes to the flora of California. The use of bright colors, original designs and exotic settings are components I bring to my paintings. The incredible range of transparent watercolor allows me to capture the fragile beauty of a single flower or the somber mood of a gray day. For me, an artist is only limited by their imagination and technical skill. The elements of control and spontaneity make it a challenging endeavor. The thought of ever mastering the medium becomes more and more elusive and perhaps a goal never to be fully achieved.

I find the process of creating watercolors very satisfying and it also provides many side benefits…the greatest of these is the ability to see beauty everywhere.

So please wander through these images. There is some text beneath each. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did creating them.