Story by cnmAdmin2030
July 1, 2026
ARTIST: Rebecca Evans
TITLE: Portraits of: Alex Pretti, Blue Boy, Complicated, Moon Hearts, Native, Stepping Light
MEDIUM: Watercolor on watercolor paper
Through art, I explore self. I not only seek to discover meaning in my personal experiences, but I long to understand the world around me. I’m drawn to loose watercolor and poetry. They feel like an opposing couple, but both require the relinquishment of control. In watercolor, you must allow the art to unfold (as it will) and sometimes, find the art as you go. In poetry, you must follow your heart and sound, more than words or language. Both forms release something within.
My approach with loose watercolor allows me to explore what I feel versus focusing on technique, form, or parameters. Though to “break the rules” in art, you should try to master them first, which is a life-long process of learning. For me, it is also re-learning as I’ve lost and re-gained the use of my hands due to a cervical spine injury more than once.
Creating a “loose” portrait focuses on capturing the essence of another. This approach merges my heart with a pulse that’s greater than mine. I paint to maintain this heart-current.
Note: In the portrait of Alex Pretti, a VA nurse who was killed in Minnesota, I had hoped to keep his memory a blessing.
You can find more of my published work—zines, books, poetry, essays—at my website:
https://rebeccaevanswriter.com/
Or follow me on social media: IG: @rebeccaevanswarrior
In 2019, Mary Whyte’s groundbreaking traveling exhibition of 50 watercolors called We the People: Portraits of Veterans in America opened to the public in Charleston, South Carolina. In the first six weeks alone over 22,000 people viewed the collection. The response, especially from veterans, confirmed Whyte’s belief in art’s extraordinary power to communicate and connect. And so, what began as fifty portraits turned into a national mission giving veterans a means of finding whole health through art and self expression.
If you have a heart for veterans, art and teaching, contact info@patriotartfoundation.org
Patriot Art Foundation
P.O. Box 620
Mt Pleasant, SC 29465
For more information about online classes or if your company is interested in becoming a PAF partner, please contact Patriot Art Foundation:
© 2026 Patriot Art Foundation | Non-Profit. All Rights Reserved.
Read how veteran and artist Gladys Lawrence shares her experience with Mary Whyte’s Watercolor Bootcamp and how art has impacted her life. The Mailchimp piece centers on Gladys Lawrence, her participation in the Patriot Art Foundation’s Watercolor Bootcamp, and the emotional and creative impact of art in her life.
