I began working in mixed media on paper during an artist residency in September 2008 in Catalonia, Spain. The decision to leave my usual oil painting supplies at home came out of practical concerns, as they are hard to transport. But as soon as I started exploring mixed media in Spain, I was hooked, and have continued to use these materials back in my home studio. I love the flexibility and potential of combining various water-based media, including watercolor, acrylics, gel medium, colored pencil, powdered pastel, and more.