Inspiration – Jana Bouc, Artist

Peet's Coffee Corner, El Cerrito, ink & watercolor, 7x5" — View north from Peet's Coffee, El Cerrito, ink & watercolor, 7x5"

At first glance, the corner of San Pablo Avenue and Carlson in El Cerrito is boring, boring, boring: a wide busy avenue with boxy buildings. But when viewed on a lovely summer day from a cafe table outside Peet’s Coffee with pen in hand, it transforms itself into a sketching delight full of fun details and color.

View South down San Pablo Ave. Wells Fargo, El Cerrito, ink & watercolor, 5x7"

Looking the other way down San Pablo, the Wells Fargo Bank building holds little hope for drawing inspiration. But start sketching and it too transforms itself. There are trees of all kinds and colors. A cerulean sky with only a hint of clouds, a pink apartment building and a gold dentist office. Sun, shadows, banners.

Not boring! I don’t think I’ve ever felt bored when I was sketching. Years ago a friend told me that when I was sketching I looked like I was roller-skating. Whee! Let’s skate!

What She Said

Aletha Kuschan said something wonderful in her post, “There Are Bright Colors in the World” (and in her painting below). She starts the post by saying:

“I like color. Color is what made me want to be an artist. Just looking at the color….”

And she says:

“I paint to look at things. And if my paintings say things, it is “look at this!” and “look at that!” The world is so amazing to look at. We ought to be looking at it all the time.

I read that and said “Yes!” Her artwork always inspires me with it’s freedom of expression and brilliant colors and her writing does the same. Do take a look and a read!