About the Artist

Renate Martin paints watercolors in Anchorage, Alaska. That’s not all she does but she is trying to do it more and more by setting herself painting challenges. Lately, she has been capturing attention with her bold brushstrokes and atmospheric landscapes.

“Art makes me look at my surroundings differently. It gets me out of my head and helps me appreciate the essence of things. Watercolor painting on thick, archival rag paper is the perfect antidote to this increasingly digital and complex world.”

As she contemplates the shifting light upon a landscapes and the steadfastness of the mountains surrounding her, she is reminded of her savior, Jesus Christ, her only solid rock.

Lately, she has been trying to get away from the constraints of preliminary drawing and is following in the footsteps of painters who are able to say things simply and in as few brushstrokes as possible.   

She used to be known for her colorful and bold floral paintings and every once in awhile she still has an itch to complete one. However, recently her focus has been on translating the landscape surrounding Anchorage into paint, being careful to let the characteristics of watercolor to shine through: the granulating washes, the oozles, the transparency of the medium. It’s all about edges, color and texture.

Like many Alaskans, she likes chasing sunsets with a camera, and then uses the photographs as a starting point to work from in her studio. But she does venture out every once in awhile to paint en plain air, especially if she has a watercolor student by her side.

After her recent 5-year-stay in Germany, she is even more eager to explore all the exciting paint spots Alaska has in store.