About me

Take a Bite! won the Lelaroy Williams Memorial Award for excellence in watercolor October 2014, Arts International Show.

Hey there, and welcome to my art postings!

I’m a watercolor artist from El Paso,  part time librarian, and formerly very busy volunteer in PTA activities at my daughters’ school.  Once they entered middle school I was able to devote the time to watercolor instead of just dabbling and dreaming about it!

In my artistic past I did bead embroidery sculptures which won local awards, and kept busy creating art quilts, commissioned purses, beeswax collage and other mixed media.  Since 2014 I’ve been focusing on watercolor which is my passion.   I have a vision on how I’d like to paint:  loose closeups of nature’s wonders and everyday aspects of life, and I am working seriously to achieve my vision.  I’m intrigued by the magic of light and shadow and how to express in watercolor how it makes me feel.

My artistic goal  for 2014 was to enter a watercolor in a juried show.  When it was time, I entered three watercolor pieces into the El Paso Art Association’s Arts International exhibit, two were accepted and “Take a Bite!” won the best watercolor award.

In 2015, I had 14 pieces as part of a members’ show  and joined the New Mexico Watercolor Society where I volunteer as the web maintainer for the Southern Chapter.   I’ve also participated in the “30 paintings in 30 days”, every January and September, hosted online by Leslie Saeta.  It’s a great boost in productivity and helps me get a  better studio practice.  Join me if you’re interested!  Read all about it. 

In 2016 I joined the Sunland Art Gallery in El Paso and the Plein Air Painters of El Paso group, as well as being in several shows art fairs, and selling pieces here and there.

My eventual goal is to have signature memberships in various organizations and to travel and teach when the kids are in college.  Who knows what the future will bring, but my plan keeps me in the studio with my brushes wet!

If you’d like to see what I’m up to, I blog at https://rachelm.wordpress.com and on Facebook and Instagram.   I’ll be documenting my progress on the 30 in 30 challenge every September and January