I Thought I Couldn’t Paint—Learning Watercolor Proved Me Wrong

For more than 35 years, I’ve been a writer. And an editor. And a content strategist. I’ve worn all the titles that come with building a career in the writing profession. But a couple of years ago, after a lifetime of thinking there was no way I could be, I became a watercolor artist.

Before You Think You Can't Learn Watercolor

I had always believed I couldn’t create those beautiful, luminous paintings I admired. That was wrong thinking on my part. See, I’ve spent a good portion of the last three decades coaching writers.

The first thing I tell a writer is, “You can’t fix anything until you put something on the page.” Um, hello hard-headed… maybe I should have taken my own advice.

It never occurred to me that I could be a watercolor artist too, as long as I actually tried. I had to put something on the page.

The Moment Everything Shifted

So, what changed? The simple answer is circumstances. A couple of years ago, I found myself in a place of starting over. One evening, I was watching a video about watercolor and thought, It can’t be that hard. And if I’m terrible at it, no one will ever have to know but me.

On a whim, I bought a set of paints, a few brushes, and some paper and decided to give watercolor a try.

From Experiment to Daily Ritual

That turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time. Sure, those first few paintings were really bad. But I was excited to sit down and create something, even if no one else would ever see it. There was peace in those hours spent at my kitchen counter painting.

What started as an experiment became an obsession. Now, I paint daily. If I miss a day, I feel off, like I’m skipping something essential.

Watercolor as a New Language of Creativity

Painting gives me peace, but like writing, it also gives me a way to share how I see the world. I live on the Gulf Coast, and I love it here. This is home. I enjoy showing others why through my art. The Gulf Coast often shows up in my paintings, along with flowers, sunsets, and the bits of nature that make me stop and look a little longer.

Watercolor didn’t just give me a new hobby. It gave me a new language. One that speaks in color and light, in layers and brushstrokes, and in quiet moments where time slows down. It reminded me that creativity is not a single path but an endless series of doors waiting to be opened. And sometimes, all it takes to open one is the courage to pick up a brush and put something on the page.