Please introduce yourself and your art medium.
Hello, I am Sonja Hamilton. Although I have a degree in art (which includes knowledge in most of the 2-D arts) plus a teaching degree, my love is watercolor. It is challenging, convenient for travel, dries quickly, and occupies a small amount of workspace. I have taught this medium for decades and know how to recognize problems such as compositional, color mixing, lighting, and more. I adapt my knowledge to my own work to make my art better each time I pick up a brush.
What is the most challenging aspect of being an artist?
The challenge is to please myself. I foresee what I want to accomplish and have a goal. At this stage of my career, I normally do hit my goal, but there is always room for improvement. I also paint for myself, thinking that if I like the results, perhaps someone else will as well. Another challenge is for more people to see my artwork. I paint a minimum of 50 paintings a year. There is no way I can frame and show that many pieces in any given year, so I store my paintings in flat files in categories. Then it is easier for me to put my hand on something that I may need for exhibit in the future.
What do you hope viewers take away from your artwork?
My goal is for people to find peace and tranquility in my watercolors. If they can immerse themselves in a painting and become “lost” in it, then this piece worked for them. If it may bring fond memories of a place or an event, I have succeeded more. I enjoy seeing people linger before my paintings.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
I’m a day owl, but not too early a bird!
What role does experimentation play in your creative process?
When I pick up a brush, I have already planned my process. Often times, particularly in watercolor, what happens on the paper is not totally predictable but will work. It depends on the colors I use to mix – and often times they could be new mixes which are so good, they are remembered. Mostly my backgrounds are basically “abstract”; the rest is not. I do a lot of planning!
If you could take a week off from your regular life to immerse yourself in learning something new, what would it be?
More travel to new places to see, hear, feel, and to enjoy ways to inspire more paintings!
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Read Sonja’s previous interview here.
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