Tools & Talismans:
100 Conversations in Watercolor
The Tools & Talismans project began in the Spring of 2015 as a way to learn how to use a set of watercolor pencils – a medium I’d never explored; it grew into a project that included reaching out to 347 women, 17 pads of watercolor paper, spreadsheets to keep track of everything, creating a painting a week for 100 weeks, one very hard-working paintbrush, and in the spring of 2019, a book.
So many of our stories are written into the things we treasure, the tools we use, and the various and sundry talismans we carry along with us throughout our lives. Tools & Talismans is the story of how I developed and grew a painting practice and created a studio diary of sorts — a record of stories from 100 women about their most treasured tools and talismans.
This book is filled with stories (both in words and watercolor) about work, life, family, memories, and milestones — stories about what’s of value to each of these women, how they spend their time, how they share their gifts, where they choose to put their focus, and how they share their experiences of life.
The book is currently unavailable, but the stories are still true and current, please visit the on-line gallery below to experience the paintings and stories.
