: : Julie Cohn : :

I love the way watercolor moves. For me, painting is about the conversation I have with this dancing medium. My desire is to respect the properties of watercolor – to guide it gently, let it do what it wants to do, and respond again. This conversation can last a few minutes or for hours at a time. I delve into a trance-like state, stopping only when the passage feels complete. Depending on the size and kind of painting, I usually paint from one to four passages

Many of my series are now abstract, reflecting my reverence for nature. I start each painting with a strong feeling toward a color and thick or thin applications of paint. As a painting evolves I use tools in addition to brushes, such as metal scrapers, to develop atmosphere out of which emerges an abstracted aspect of the natural world – plants, mountains, minerals, animals, or anything that presents itself. I enjoy the excitement of adding to and watching the forms develop. As I pursue this inner world of imagination and abstraction, I also keep in mind my classical training as a representational painter. Ultimately I envision a blend of these two forms in some of my artwork, as my memory of imagery and practice of observation continue to propel me. California