Molly Murrah recently shared her watercolor techniques and favorite color palette. If you missed her live on Zoom – here’s the replay!

Pourquoi créez-vous de l'art ?
I started drawing as a child, but became truly enamored with making art in high school. Now art is how I follow my passion, learn new creative processes, hone my skills and grow as a human being…all activities that contribute to my happiness.

Depuis combien de temps peignez-vous ?
I have been earnestly painting in watercolor for about 20 years. In college, I originally majored in math, then switched to art my senior year. After college, I lived in NYC and worked as an administrative assistant at three design companies, the last one trained me as a production artist. Then I moved to Seattle and transitioned into graphic design, spending 35 years as a freelancer – a perfect path for me since design combines both math and art skills. Now, among my many other jobs for the Northwest Watercolor Society, I’m one of their designers.

Avez-vous suivi une formation artistique formelle ?
My training has mainly come from taking various classes and workshops over the years with watercolor artists whose work I admire.

Êtes-vous un artiste professionnel ou un amateur ?
I am a working artist. I teach watercolor classes both in person and online. I love helping other artists find the kind of satisfaction I experience when painting and making art.

Qu'est-ce qui vous inspire ?
Wanting to be a good teacher fuels my search for inspiration. When I determine what I want to teach in each class, I look for artistic aids and references that will serve that purpose, and through those searches I find creative inspiration everywhere I look.

Écoutez-vous de la musique en peignant ?
I don’t listen to music – apparently I enjoy the monologue in my own head!

Avez-vous eu un mentor ?
I have not had one primary mentor, just various teachers I have studied with, either through ongoing classes or short term workshops. I have always come away with at least one gem from each art experience, and I internalize these gems in my own creative process.

Vous peignez tous les jours ?
I do not. I have often said that if I had to paint every single day, I would slit my wrists! I love working and designing on my computer, so I spend about equal time in both disciplines.

Peignez-vous une toile à la fois ou travaillez-vous sur plusieurs simultanément ?
If painting a piece that has stages with fairly long drying times in between, I may paint more than one piece. I paint fairly quickly though, so I usually work on one painting at a time.

Créez-vous d'abord une esquisse conceptuelle ?
I do not. I formulate my painting in my mind — most often lying in bed before rising — and I continue thinking about it until my vision and process for execution are clear. My graphic design experience sharpened my ability to visualize a project before designing it, and this has really helped me in my painting process. In both design and painting, you’re always starting with a blank page.

Préférez-vous peindre en atelier ou en plein air ?
I prefer painting in the studio. My studio is my happy place.

Combien de couleurs principales utilisez-vous ?
Goodness, I have so many gorgeous DANIEL SMITH colors, it’s almost impossible to narrow them down. I would say I have 12-14 basic colors that I use most often. It also depends on the subjects I‘m painting.

Tubes, casseroles ou bâtonnets ?
I do have some of the brilliant DANIEL SMITH Watercolor Sticks, but I mostly use tube pigments. The sticks are wonderful to use when traveling.

Comment savoir quand votre œuvre est terminée ?
I’m such an instinctive painter, it’s hard to describe. If I’ve executed a good drawing and compositions, established good values, and enlivened my painting with pleasing color, then a feeling of satisfaction just settles into my being. It’s like taking a bite of my favorite ice cream… YUM!