I love the juicy, tasty, luminosity of transparent watercolor paint. I love to experiment with contrasts of colors, light and dark and with textures. I usually paint on watercolor paper but also paint on Yupo or Terra Skin. Additionally, I like to explore various watermedia textures using acrylics, collage and gel mediums.
One of my favorite subjects is the intimate landscape — the closeups of nature. I love to peer into the grasses or bushes and imagine an entire universe down inside the cool, green spaces. The intimate landscape paintings become more than a portrait of a plant; they are transformed into a microcosm of the world. I enjoy painting animals, still life and the human figure. I like to paint fabric into these paintings. The drape and flow of the fabric gives movement and life.
I am a retired graphic designer for the State of Oregon and currently freelance in the graphic arts. I belong to several art groups: Artists in Action, the Watercolor Society of Oregon, and the Northwest Watercolor Society. My work can be seen at the River Gallery in Independence.
I have taught beginning watercolor classes in my home, through the Community Education Program at Chemeketa Community College in Oregon and classes in Ketchikan, Alaska. I have been teaching Watercolor Basics at the Art Department in Salem for several years. You can also see my art on Facebook at Becki Hesedahl Art, on Instagram at Becki Hesedahl and on my website at beckihesedahl.com.
