Workshop Instructor: Dianuh Gundersen
From Floral Watercolor and Water Brush Lettering, to a private Floral Watercolor workshop bridal shower gathering, Dianuh has been a workshop teacher of various kinds here at M.Lovewell since the beginning. We love her high energy and element of fun, perfectly matched by her gift of careful and direct instruction. She is a maker who knows her stuff, and who isn't afraid to offer her own techniques to those learning from her.
We are excited to announce Dianuh's involvement with Watercolor Bootcamp, an online summit focusing on all things watercolor, featuring her newest workshop: Watercolor Portraits. Watercolor bootcamp is an in-depth online course taught by fourteen watercolor professionals covering a variety of topics such as lettering, florals, landscapes, digitizing watercolor and many more topics, with a lifetime membership to the course so you can review any and all lessons whenever you need or want to!
The Watercolor Portraits course specifically will cover body composition/proportions, skin tone, hair and clothing/drapery. If you pre-register here by August 25th, you will be automatically entered for a giveaway to win two of Dianuh's favorite brushes and three tubes of professional grade watercolor paints for creating skin tone. As an added bonus, you could also win a 30 minute Skype call to answer whatever questions you have!
We took a few minutes to talk to Dianuh about art and life, so you could get to know one of the amazing makers in the M.Lovewell community.
How did you first get into watercolor?
I painted my whole life but didn't pick up watercolor until about 4 years ago. I was teaching at an art academy and I had to teach watercolor for one of the lessons. I had no idea what I was doing, but my students had such a blast painting that it made me want to try it. That day, I ended up spending hours painting after my shift was over and I fell in love with watercolor. It's been a lovely marriage ever since.
What do you love about using watercolor?
I love that the colors blend seamlessly through water - it's just magic watching the pigments do its thing. Watercolor has a mind of its own and so it will look different each time I paint. It's like a dance—you do your part in the routine and you let watercolor take its own steps.
What inspires you in your art?
The act of creating is incredibly meditative and it's such an honest medium of self expression. My work is just an extension of myself, which I can share with others. When another person is able to connect with it somehow, that's where the real inspiration is. I love that art brings people together. Whether you are an artist or a spectator, everyone is moved by beauty.
What inspired the name Chasing Linen?
There is a story in the Bible of a bleeding woman (mentioned in Mark & Luke). If you don't know the story, there was a woman who suffered with blood issues for 12 years. She was an outcast in society because blood meant that she was unclean and dirty so she had to keep to herself in her home. When she heard about Jesus, who was known to work miracles, she ran out to touch his garment and in that moment, she was instantly healed. I love that story because the woman was faithful in pursuing her higher calling and believed that she would be healed despite how others viewed her. That's what Linen represents: restoration, dreams, purity, Jesus.
What are you most excited about for your Portraits workshop with Watercolor Bootcamp?
I studied figure drawing and human anatomy for years and it's just so fascinating to me. I'm stoked to teach all the things that I've learned and share something that I'm passionate about!
Dianuh Aerin is the designer and founder of Chasing Linen. She currently resides in Long Beach with her husband and pup, Rylie. When she is not creating, you'll find her exploring new restaurants, collecting succulents, and maybe even rock climbing.