Watercolor inspired by nature

Ohio is a state filled with greenery that ranges from big leafy trees to tall grass and various kinds of flowers, such as poppies. To go from that to the desert in New Mexico you recognize the different plant culture, said Pamela Strobhar.

Strohbar first moved to Las Cruces about four years ago. The artist had been inspired by nature the majority of her life. She had begun to create artwork when she was a little girl using the leftover paper from the printing company where her father worked.

Nature has always inspired Pamela to create. She got the habit of stopping and just looking around and noticing things from her mom, she said. She didn’t start creating her botany artwork until she arrived at the desert.  
“We assume the desert, there’s not a lot of life, and then we moved to the desert, and it’s full of life,” Pamela said.

Painting with watercolors is a tactical practice. It is a long process, Pamela said. The colors go from light to dark, and you also have to wait for the colors to dry before you can add more.

On average it takes her about two weeks to complete an art piece, which coincidently is the amount of time she took to finish her Orchid Bee piece. She finished her piece last spring and hadn’t expected it to make a comeback for this juried show.

“I love that they chose it,” Pamela said. “I need to see why. And make sure that it’s the best presentation it can be.”

The artist was initially surprised by the reactions her artwork of close-up bug received; they loved it.

“I want you to see up close, it’s beautiful,” Pamela said. “Look at this. There’s a rainbow in this bug. You know, with like the beetle. a whole rainbow. People just see a bug and, you know, pull away because it’s a bug, a spider, and we don’t take the time to really appreciate the natural beauty of things. And I think that’s really what I’m trying to say with that. Up close in your face, look how gorgeous it is.”

The artist bases her art on photographs of nature she comes across such as landscapes, plants, animals, and bugs.

How does Pamela get these photographs? Her and many other artists use the website Unsplash, where photographers upload their photographs and automatically consent to artists using their images as inspiration for art. This was where the image of the Orchid Bee attracted Pamela’s eye.

The artist is a member of American Society of Botanical Artists, the New Mexico Watercolor Society, and a board member of the Las Cruces Arts Association. As a board member Pamela encourages people to join, get as many people in as she can.

This is her first year being part of the show at the New Mexico Watercolor Juried Fall Exhibition.

“I’m flattered to be a part of the jury show,” expressed Pamela, “I tried last year, didn’t get in, and they were like, just keep trying, go get it, and I did, and it felt really good; an accomplishment. They really do root for you. It’s amazing.”

The Las Cruces Arts Association hosts the Watercolor Arts Gallery all November long. You can find Pamela’s watercolor painting of her Orchid Bee at the gallery.