"When Music Meets Watercolor: The Unseen Rhythm of My Rocky Mountain Collection"

As I continue to work on my Rocky Mountain collection, I’ve found that one of the most important aspects of my creative process is making room for the visual language of the paintings to truly speak to me.

Over time, I’ve learned that my work isn’t just about picking colors and applying them—it’s about listening to what the piece itself is telling me.

I often play music in my studio, a practice that helps me focus and allows me to tap into the emotional layers of the work. But what’s become more apparent in recent months is how much the act of playing music and studying my watercolors have started to intertwine, almost as if the brushstrokes themselves are guiding the rhythm of my compositions.

When I’m creating, I’ll often look through my sketchbooks, photos, and videos to revisit moments that inspired me—whether it’s a crisp morning in the Canadian Rockies or a fleeting moment of sunlight filtering through a forest. These images evoke emotions, and I find myself drawn to colors that match those feelings.

This time, though, I decided to sit with my watercolors on the edge of the piano and really let myself experience the paintings in a new way. As I played, I was completely surprised by how much I was “hearing” through the paintings.

The movement of the brushstrokes, the speed of the strokes, and the flow of water seemed to echo the music itself. The more I let myself engage with the pieces while jamming on the keys, the more I noticed how the emotions from the brushwork would inspire vivid new ideas and colours for the composition.

After the first painting i did as a studio study i was thinking about the composition. It was a fun, unconscious experience—so much so that I didn’t even realize how often I play music while looking at my art, until the paintings were right there on the piano’s edge, making the connection obvious.

Here’s a little glimpse into this process. I’ve shared a few photos of the studio and a short video on my YouTube channel that captures some of the behind-the-scenes moments.

I hope you enjoy seeing the art come to life in this unconventional way! Watch the video and view the photos here.