We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lynda Norman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lynda below.

Alright, Lynda thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

My journey into the wonderful world of watercolours started just after I turned sixty and I love how my career as a watercolour artist has evolved since then.
Although the timing was right, considering all the other things that required my time and attention, I have occasionally thought about how much more time I might have to work on all the ideas and inspirations I have. Instead of falling into the ‘what if’ or ‘if only’, I use these thoughts as impetus to create more, share more, and take on new projects.
Had I started at a different time in life I most likely would not have connected with the creative community in the same way. By exploring the art world with the luxury of more time on my hands I’ve not only been able to create a studio where I can paint every day, I founded a grassroots arts council and, with the help of a new friend, Lorenz Plourde, I’ve launched my YouTube channel where I can share my passion for watercolours with over 1,000 subscribers currently.

Lynda, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a self-taught artist living in the beautiful Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. For years I’d wanted to paint with watercolours and once I started, I haven”t wanted to stop!

Using only high quality fine watercolours and 100% cotton paper, my work ranges from subtle to vibrant, often incorporating elements of style, which, above all, value my individual expression. My direct experience of my subjects, along with my emotional response to nature, and my intuition are all more important than academic theory or elevated subject matter.

Most of my paintings are created from an instinctive response, rather than a detailed study of a subject, and I prefer to use colour to enhance or understate certain elements of my work. Exploring the possibilities of colour, form and perspective in this way often results in a loose and abstract look and feel.

Understanding that by combining elements of colour and shape, the viewer’s eye is encouraged to blend the colours so that each individual experiences the painting differently, my work leaves my subjects and their relationships open to interpretation – an invitation to viewers to experience their own feelings and thoughts.

I’ve always known that creativity is a natural part of being – that we are meant to fully participate in life on earth, and that we are meant to express, celebrate, and share our creativity. In 2012, I incorporated Artists For Creative Alliance, a non-profit organization that is now known as Kelowna Arts Council – a grassroots society for local creatives.

Ban Draoi (pr Ban Dree) Studio is an extension of my vision to create opportunities for everyone to experience the benefits of creativity in ways that are meaningful, fulfilling, healing, positive and essential to personal well-being and a thriving community.

My paintings hang in homes and businesses of buyers across Canada, the US, and the UK, and many are currently on exhibit in several local galleries.

My website is www.bandraoistudio.com
Instagram @bandraoistudio
https://www.facebook.com/bandraoistudio and my YouTube channel is @ArtistLyndaNorman

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is twofold.
First, I want to continue to develop my relationship with pigment and water, explore processes and techniques, and find new ways to express my creativity
Secondly: I hear so many people say watercolour is too difficult – I am on a mission to show that it can be simple and magical, and encourage others to explore and celebrate their creativity through this wonderful medium.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

For most of my life, I have loved the look of watercolour paintings – It was as if I could see the layers of pigment as pages to a story. There were, however, people in my life who repeatedly told me that watercolour was too difficult and not worth the effort. For many years, I let that assumption keep me from making the effort to give waterolours a try.

One day, at a gathering I’d arranged for our newly formed grassroots arts council, one of the participants arrived with a bin full of paper, brushes, and watercolour paints and insisted everyone give it a try. The rest, as they say, is history. I knew then and there that it was something I needed to pursue.

The next day I gathered some materials and began my journey into the magic of watercolour. Today, I am passionate about helping others overcome the assumption that watercolours are a difficult medium.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bandraoistudio.com
• Instagram: @bandraoistudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bandraoistudio
• Youtube: @ArtistLyndaNorman