Why do you make art?
I began teaching myself to draw when office life felt exhausting and repetitive. Every day seemed the same, and I felt bored and disconnected, even with big responsibilities. Learning to draw from scratch brought joy, curiosity, and presence back into my life. I started noticing beauty in small everyday moments and realized how much wonder exists around us, often within arm’s reach, if we simply pause and pay attention. For me, painting is a way to slow down, explore, and celebrate the ordinary and the extraordinary alike.

How long have you been painting?
I have been painting since 2015.

Did you have formal art training?
No, I do not have formal art training. My artistic education is self-directed and shaped through workshops with professional artists, online courses, books, and, most importantly, consistent practice.

Are you a working artist or a hobbyist?
I consider myself a hobbyist. Painting is my passion, meditation, and my way of interacting with the world. It is a personal space for reflection, curiosity, and joy. Outside of art, I hold two university degrees in Linguistics and German Studies, as well as an MBA with a focus on Controlling. I currently work as a Senior SAP Key User in Finance. This professional background strongly shapes my discipline, focus, and approach to creative work.

Who or what inspires you?
Spring is my favorite season, especially when magnolias bloom. I love them deeply and return to them again and again in my work. I am also inspired by ordinary urban objects. I have a dedicated A4 sketchbook filled entirely with street trash bins. Friends and followers from around the world send me photos of unusual bins, and I happily sketch them. Beauty often appears in the most unexpected places.

What kind of music do you listen to while painting?
I love silence. Painting is a moment alone with myself. In silence, my soul feels calm, joyful, and fully present.

Have you had a mentor?
Two books played a crucial role in my life. For a long time, I believed I was not creative because I could not draw. In 2011, I read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and realized that creativity is not limited to drawing. It is a way of thinking, living, and expressing oneself. Through the exercises in the book, I unexpectedly discovered myself and realized that creativity had always been present in many aspects of life, from personal style to problem solving. Three years later, in 2014, I began learning to draw using Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. These books opened the door to my artistic journey and transformed my approach to life and art.

Do you paint every day?
I sketch every day, though I paint less frequently due to limited free time. During long summer days, I often paint after work.

Do you paint one piece at a time or work on several at once?
I usually work in one breath and focus on one piece at a time.

Do you create a concept piece first?
If a subject is new and I need to explore composition or color, I create small thumbnail sketches about the size of a credit card. This helps enormously and is a method I highly recommend.

Do you prefer painting in the studio or plein air?
I paint outdoors less often than I’d like. When I meet with Urban Sketchers, we draw on location. Most of my painting, however, happens at home.

How many core colors do you use?
In a watercolor painting sized half of a full sheet, I usually use no more than four colors. Less is more. The palette changes depending on the subject. In urban sketches, I use more colors because the style is more illustrative.

Tubes, pans, or sticks?
For paintings, I use only freshly squeezed tube paints on a ceramic palette, with colors carefully selected in advance for each specific painting. For sketches, I mainly use pans, with tubes as refills. Sticks are used occasionally for special effects or highlights.

Do you use masking fluid?
Rarely.

When do you know a piece is finished?
When the contrasts are in place. If light areas, midtones, and dark accents are clearly defined, and there is balance in color, value, and temperature, the painting feels complete. I aim for harmony, clarity, and a sense of life in each piece.