Dear Oil,

After a 15 year relationship, I need to confess to you that I've been cheating on you with Watercolor.

It started innocently enough - I was going on a beach vacation and thought that painting would be a great way to capture some of the moments of beauty. But, I realized that you would be a bit too cumbersome to bring on the trip with me, so I brought Watercolor instead. It was just so easy.

And the thing is, I realized how natural plein air painting can be when using Watercolor instead of oil. You know how things are - with 3 kids - anything to make my life easier and more enjoyable is what I want right now. I also have to admit that I was really attracted to the translucent quality of Watercolor, and the fluid grace of simply dipping the brush into water, then paint, and watching the cold press soak in the color. So very different from your opaque, and heavy texture on stretched canvas.

Watercolor and I have had many journeys together this summer while you've been at home in my office waiting for me to work with you again. I haven't forgotten you, really - I've just been really interested in Watercolor. Watercolor and I have captured beach scenes, marsh scenes, hydrangea still life, back yard images, and most of all - portraits of the children, which I had never really done before. It has been an eye-opening experience and a new challenge that I have really appreciated and grown to love.

Oil, this isn't the end for us. This doesn't mean our relationship is over. I know that come Fall and Winter, I will be longing for some studio time and will miss the solid beauty of your Oil paint again. I still have an abstract on the easel that I haven't forgotten and I promise I will be working with you on it. When the air and the season changes, and I find myself indoors again, you and I can be together again.

For now, I hope you can both understand and forgive my change of pace. I think that this new exploration with Watercolor has been good for me on many levels. Hopefully we can make amends soon and begin a new adventure together.

With Love and Fond Memories,

Rebecca Hayes