It's all in the sketch

Welcome to "La Vie en Watercolor"

Welcome to the La Vie en Watercolor newsletter, a deep look into the creative mind through the lens of watercolor. Why watercolor? It is the ultimate act of the present. I even wrote THE book about it Thinking in Watercolor. This newsletter is not about executing a masterpiece, but how to develop ideas to create stronger, more personal art. Even if you’re not an active artist, you’ll learn to see and engage with the world more deeply.

What can you expect? Tune in every week for Watercolor Wednesday, a 30-minute micro class live on Substack. And check your inbox on Thursdays, where I share what I am currently thinking about (museum visits, Parisian trend reports, visual essays).

Creativity isn’t a eureka, struck-by-lightning, kinda phenomenon. Obtaining the tools to achieve (hopefully) great creative work requires deep reflection. And enough technique to translate it all. My journey started with a little rusty Winsor Newton watercolor palette that I bought over a decade ago when I moved to Paris. Today, I have an exciting career as a watercolor illustrator, live event artist, author, standup comedian and drawing professor, working for clients like The New Yorker, Chevrolet and Cartier. I've learned a lot! And I’m dying to know your challenges with watercolor and the creative process!

Whether you are a painter, writer, francophile or traveler, I hope this will be the place that gives you an encouraging little push to create and seize beauty. Becoming a paid subscriber isn’t just a vote of confidence for a living, human artist, it’s a worth investment in nourishing your creativity (especially if your company can comp it).

Stay inspired, dear reader. And don't drink the watercolor water. -jkw