Tina Bohlman
Tina Bohlman has always had the ability to draw since childhood. She has a broad interest in subject matter, but growing up in the country, her preference leans toward rural scenes and small town life. “Texas, my home state, provides an abundant source of inspiration for miles and miles in every season and all directions,” she elaborates. “I begin by exploring different compositions with two or three small pencil sketches that will ‘tell the story.’ Most of my process involves managing the unpredictable characteristics of watercolor.”
Years ago, Bohlman says, she “discovered the secret to a successful watercolor is to ‘let go’ of the natural tendency to control it and simply follow the paint as it makes its own way. I begin a painting with a ‘wet into wet’ sky, and the puddles in the palette gradually shift from watery to creamy to sticky. My brushes are Silver Black Velvet. I paint on 140-pound Arches oil paper that stays flat when wet. The paints in my En Plein Air Pro palette are Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton. Although my palette is designed specifically for plein air, I use it in the studio as well.”
Bohlman’s work, including pieces created in the studio, represent a 45-year career of painting on location and direct observation of natural light as it relates to the landscape. “Ever mindful of changing light and weather conditions, I try to capture the moment that tells the story,” she says. “It’s a marathon race with the sun…spirited, emotional, exhausting…and I love it!”
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