Watercolor's of the heart.

Recently I started creating more Etsy Treasuries, time consuming yes but it's a perfect arena for the creative mind to play. You are given endless possibilities to design your masterpiece or just to have fun and pass the time away. This artists, use of Vintage Colors and Down home feel of the images speak to my heart and soul. Like the vintage pieces I sell, collect and live with, her pieces show character and feeling as well.

As I was carefully choosing just the right image for my Etsy Treasury I came across Rachelle's Shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/rachellelevingston?view_type=gallery&page=3

As I was proceeding through Etsy to pick out my 16 perfect images, I stopped and realized I have chosen several of Rachelle's pieces unknowingly.  I was sad when I had to choose  one,  I thought to myself maybe I could use two, so I did.  You can see my Treasury here, while your looking please show it some love by clicking and commenting.
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4d8e2a70aeca6d9176c3bdd3/this-must-be-what-a-hug-looks-like?index=593

Dog with Boy Hug

 Rachelle has the ability to pull me into each painting, I can feel the emotions and character from each subject she paints. 

They take my imagination to a safe place, a quiet place where times are good and wonderful memories can be made. 

Take this picture for instance, I can see myself in the kitchen reading the morning paper sipping on a cup of Hot Chocolate (my choice of Beverage). Or zipping up my young son's coat as I send him outside to play with his friends.

And in the picture above, I see myself alone in my retreat, a place where I can go to get away and relax. Burn a candle, drink some wine and meditate.

I found myself reading through her shop and found she is also a humanitarian, She recently offered 50% of her sales to go to the relief efforts to help the Japaneses people effected by the Earthquake and Tsunami. She shared with me that she needed to do something beside just feel awful for their loss, so she decided to have a fund raiser. Her efforts  raised a couple Hundred Dollars in 4 days which she has donated to  the humanitarian aid in Japan. She is very Thankful to the people that purchased her art work during the fundraiser and is happy to be given the opportunity to do something to help.

I sent Rachelle a Note letting her know how she had inspired me with her work and asking if it would be alright with her if I used her for my next Blog post. Sometimes I do ask first, (smiling with a wink).  The following is in her own words:

Thank you so much... I was thinking the only thing inspiring about my work is that it keeps me sane. I'm so glad it's inspiring to you. My personality is one where I want to get something done. I want to be busy. I used to paint rooms and redecorate my house all the time. I'd refinish furniture. I'd start one project, finish it and then I'd want another one to do. Now I direct that energy to painting watercolors.
I've painted for almost 20 years but only in the last 6 years has it become this passion that I think about all the time. So now all my free time, energy and thoughts are for painting. I see something and think how could I use that? How could I paint that? How could I use those colors? For example, I just painted this mother and son in a portrait blowing on a dandelion and the dandelion was the part that I thought about for a long time.     Watercolor is this huge joy to me and I don't have to run to home depot and buy as many gallons of wall paint. But don't get me wrong I still have days were the paper ends up ripped in little pieces because I mess up. But I want to paint the next morning.

"Watercolors are my escape from the world. They give me hope in all the good that exists." Rachelle Levingston

She has won several awards including Utah Watercolor Society Honorable Mention. She is also a two star member of the Utah Watercolor Society. And has art hanging at Barclay Butera in Park City, Utah and Repartee gallery in Provo, Utah as well.

Rachelle has been studying art since 1992. She attended college, graduating in Elementary Education with an art emphasis. Then she taught fifth and sixth grade for six years; now she pursues her art full time.


One of her greatest accomplishments is the private show she did with her father, Richard Beck, who also paints watercolors and has a shop on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/rbwatercolors
they paint together weekly and take trips to find subject matter and no doubt inspiration along the way.

Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah, by Richard Beck

Rachelle notes that she wouldn't be able to do any art without the support of her Father, Mother and Husband.

For myself I love water colors because they are so unpredictable and have movement and flow. I'm wishing that I lived closer so I could take some classes and maybe just maybe be able to paint with as much authenticity and love as Rachelle.


Thank You Rachelle for your work and for letting me write about it.

Blessings to you all
Judy