Watercolor artwork and story by Sarah Stiles

My name is Sarah and I have always been passionate about art. My all-time favorite class was in middle school with a teacher who must have seen a spark and encouraged me to get excited about sharing my thoughts and imagination on canvas. However, I didn't pursue this path and went on to pursue a career as an educator. After raising two young men and working as an online learning specialist, I finally have the time to dedicate to this pursuit. I have dabbled in other mediums such as pastel, oil, and acrylic, but my true love is watercolor.

This past year, I have been experimenting with non-representational and abstract painting. My husband and I recently relocated to a seaside town and I would love to capture the ever-changing sea and sky that are now right outside my door. I'm also interested in portraying texture and vibrant colors.

Without a formal background in art, I feel somewhat at a disadvantage when sitting down in front of a blank page. However, based on student testimonies on the website, I am confident that the Watercolor Academy could provide the foundation I need to take my art to a whole new level. I believe I have the dedication and 'restless curiosity' and described in the featured students' video.

I have been in a state of transition these past two years and I feel this painting shows the chaos that an 'empty nest' and search for a new home precipitated. The writer Joseph Campbell once said, "…if you follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living." Now that I'm settled and beginning a new chapter, I'd like to see where a course like this could take me.

Kind regards,
Sarah

Discover how to paint in watercolor the right way