This week, we hear from watercolor artist and urban sketcher Samantha Nielsen. Also, this week we have a first, a Selective Focus artist teaching on Skillshare. Read on to hear her story and get the preview for her Skillshare class.
SN: I work in watercolor and ink with a style that many describe as ‘whimsical’. My artistic journey started after my third year of college, when I switched my major from music education to art education. I went into some of my first art classes feeling as though I didn’t have my own artistic voice, and I had very little experience, so all of the mediums were new to me. The first year was spent experimenting and learning the basics, but the following year a project for my illustration class is really what made me feel at home with watercolor and ink. We were instructed to completely fill a sketchbook throughout the semester, but we could only use permanent materials (so no pencils or erasers). This is where my love for watercolor and ink began, and this project really challenged me to step out of my comfort zone.
When the class was done I had a whole new interest in watercolor. I started buying travel sketchbooks with watercolor paper and bringing them with me everywhere I went, I stumbled upon the urban sketchers organization which brought about a passion for sketching the hustle and bustle of the city as well as quiet corners of a coffee shop, which then led to challenging myself to do a sketch every day for a year in 2016. I’ve been urban sketching and working with watercolor for about 4 years.
People can find my work locally at the following locations: Lakeside Gallery, Makers Mercantile, Duluth Pack, Zenith Bookstore, and Bella Flora.
Shop online: artbysjnielsen.etsy.com
Instagram: @sj_nielsen
Email: sj.nielsen.art @ gmail.com
Take my first watercolor class on Skillshare: skillshare.com/user/artbysjnielsen
If you’re interested in signing up for Skillshare, click here for 2 free months.
I’m currently working on writing and illustrating a book about watercolor techniques. The last deadline from my publishing company is the end of February, so I am nearing the end! The book is set to be on shelves Fall 2018. The next pop-up market I will be at is the Hygge Market on March 3rd (located at Makers Mercantile and Bailey Builds Studio).