“Venetian Gardens- Capitola, CA” (18×24)

This small enclave set right on the beach is one of California’s seaside resorts. You can see the Mediterranean influence in some of the architecture but its uniqueness is really expressed in the bright colors of some of the buildings. The view of looking down the alley behind the houses is a bit unusual but I also wanted to capture the seawall at low tide. Soquel Creek comes by here and then quickly flows into the ocean. What intrigued me was the textures and colors of the seawall, mud, sand and the way it leads you into the painting. The creek at the bottom of the painting reflecting the sky and seagull adds support for the rest of image.

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.