Phyllis Rapp

Phyllis Rapp, CWA                     

"I fell in love with watercolor in 1985 and since then it has been my main 'media'. In 1991 I moved to Healdsburg, California with my husband and our then 3-year-old son.  Healdsburg is a small community in Sonoma Country’s wine country.  We lived there from 1991 to 2007. . During that time, I was active in many art organizations, galleries and taught watercolor classes. When our youngest child graduated from high school and set out to attend college we decided to sell our house of fifteen years, buy a 53ft sailboat and find adventure.  During that time not only did we experience great adventures but also we visited many exciting countries and made some very interesting friends.
 I painted frequently on the boat.  Many of my paintings that were created during that time were of distant shores and the people and animals that we encountered. I loved painting during that time because I didn’t have to paint for a gallery or a class demonstration.  I could relax and paint for myself.  To my surprise my painting skills improved because of this freedom.  
In June of 2010 we stopped sailing and reestablished our connections in Healdsburg.  I still try hard to convey a personal feeling and a private message to those who view my art. 
Recently, I have started to add mixed media, collage and assemblage to my artwork.  This has added a new dimension to my paintings.  Most of my paintings are about 'pattern'. I love design, color, and texture. I try to incorporate these items in my paintings, along with my love of traveling and foreign cultures.   —Phyllis Rapp 
For more info on sailboat adventure visit www.phyllisrapp.wordpress.com