“I speak watercolor,” writes artist Yevgenia Watts in her concise Instagram bio; and, at least judging by her Instagram page, she speaks fluently. The power in Watts’ work is her ability to allow a free-flowing direction creating expressive landscapes and portraits that pull at our heartstrings.
“Watercolor is different than any other art medium,” she writes on her personal website. “It’s about letting go. It’s about trusting in yourself to go where the water takes you. When you can immerse in the loose colors on the page, that is like finding the holy grail. Every time.” Having garnered multiple awards, multitudes of fans, and many students who strive to learn from her – her captivating brushstrokes seem to speak volumes.
An echo of her Ukraine origins remains as a lilt in Watts’ voice, the place where she studied classical and European artistic traditions. Her journey then took her to UC Berkeley where she received a degree in architecture in 2008. These days, she continues to practice architecture in addition to expressing her creativity through painting.
“I like to push my own boundaries,” she writes. That’s why she chooses to work with watercolor paints. “I really like the way it behaves like a living thing: it floats, it blooms, it has a mind of its own and it constantly surprises me.”
Taken by the world around her, Watts admits her inspiration takes many shapes and forms: “It could be a beautiful light and dark pattern that catches my eye, a strong color contrast that excites me, or a grey foggy landscape that reflects my mood,” she writes. “It could be an expression on a stranger’s face or inspiration from a dream.”
Her watercolor artworks can be found in private and public collections around the world, from New York to Paris. But you can also follow her creative journey online:
