Creative Musings—Julie Kim
photo by Julie Kim
There was a real sense of calm when it came to the third conversation I shared. After having multiple interactions over natural earth pigments, I couldn’t wait to dive into a deeper conversation and share a language for the Earth.
Throughout our entire conversation, we shared endless ideas about earth pigments, ideas that are still with me and lingering throughout my studio. When it comes to working with pigments so pure, curiosity is creativity. There is no guide to this process, and it’s often hard to detail it in steps. It’s acquired through a strong desire to learn something and bring something so pure into your practice.
We also shared how we get to experience the landscape in ways we haven’t connected with it before. The real joy of working in the environment, painting time, and space.
I really enjoyed her perspective about her purpose in this process. It’s self-fulfilling. Natural earth pigments bring a new persona to her studio. Finding pigments is like picking a rare fruit. She talked a lot about her practice being light — physically and mentally — and how she strives to keep it that way. Her watercolor materials are selected for this reason. Watercolor is free, rare, and elemental.
This conversation will linger with me in my practice for so many years to come. It’s encouraged the way I view the materials I work with. I want to adopt this beautiful persona the Earth brings into a studio space and let it radiate in all the work that I share.
