I started working with glass in 2017. Before then, I was all about drawing and watercolor. Glass gave me the confidence to ‘differentiate’ my work and to feel like I was creating something unique to me. Painting was always something I mimicked or tried to copy based on someone else’s work. That was the case up until a couple of weeks ago. Enter, my new favorite creative outlet: gouache!

TikTok is the content inspiration that pushed me into this painting re-discovery. Kudos to whatever algorithm was targeting me with really talented artists – especially artists that talk through the process. There’s just something about how vibrant gouache shows up on paper. It might have something to do with how you start a piece – darkest colors first. This is the opposite of you work with watercolor.

I’ve been using photos of friends’ pets to get comfortable with the process, and I can confidently say I’m happy with the progress I’ve made in the last couple of weeks. Next up: landscapes. My goal is to take my practice outside this summer – something I’ve always wanted to do, but have never felt comfortable tackling.