Question 4: Did (sic) you watercolor everyday?

I donʻt paint watercolor everyday. I draw and make stuff with other materials. I read and do research on ideas I have. I have a mix of work to plan projects, plan paintings, do things with my family, do administrative stuff like pay bills, write blog posts and check email and social media, in that order. But I do try to spend some time six days of the week making art. I probably paint watercolor three times or more a week.

Question 5: Did you have a hard time doing watercolor back then?

I donʻt remember struggling with the medium back in high school, but I do remember watching the teacher show some new technique or idea and really being into exploring that. Dry brush technique, wet-in-wet, or watercolor pencils.

Question 6: Was it fun doing watercolor?

Yes, I enjoyed all my art classes, but I think it was mostly thanks to my teachers, Dorinda Lum and Avis Nakamoto at Castle High School. They were gifted and dedicated teachers and artists in their own right. A living inspiration. Quite frankly, I learned watercolor, as I know it today on my own, not even in art school. Unfortunately, there, I had a horrible watercolor teacher but I didnʻt let that stop me because I loved the medium. He was a famous abstract painter and I was a 17-year old Asian girl who foolishly told the class on the first day that my ambition was to do childrenʻs book illustrations, like maybe the bible that kids and adults would love. I didnʻt know that was the last cool thing you could say to a famous abstract male watercolorist. He was too foolish and proud to be a teacher and instead ridiculed me for my (ignorant) dreams. After art school, I met a kind watercolorist who invited me to her plein air group and it was there I first saw how you could use watercolor as an art form. Iʻd been painting in oils by then but really loved watercolor. I painted on my own before developing my own style because this was before the internet and youtube tutorial how-tos. And this explains some of the peculiarities of my painting style, I didnʻt know any better. But I am grateful to the good and bad teachers I have had. Yes, it is fun doing watercolor!