Artist Spotlight: Lorraine Simonds

I’m Lorraine Simonds, a watercolour artist and educator based in Squamish, British Columbia. I’m British-born, ethnically Chinese, and have lived in Canada since 2009. Before becoming a full-time artist, I spent sixteen years working in branding, marketing, photography, interior design and creative leadership, including as Director of Brand and Marketing for a global hotel group. I returned to painting in 2021 and now work primarily in loose, expressive portraiture. I’m a Signature Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and an Elect Member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Color. My work has been exhibited internationally and featured in Watercolor Artist and Artists Magazine. I’m also a recipient of The BoldBrush Award and have served as a juror for international competitions, including Women in Watercolor. Alongside painting, I teach workshops, private lessons and mentorship programmes.

My work centres mainly on portraiture, though I’m also drawn to figures, children and narrative subjects that carry emotional weight. What interests me most is not simply likeness, but the unseen things people carry – grief, tenderness, resilience, memory, hope and the quiet complexity of being human. I’m often drawn to subjects that feel honest rather than polished, because I believe there is beauty in truthfulness.

Watercolour feels like the right medium for that because it has a life of its own – it can be delicate, unpredictable, luminous and strong all at once. I love the balance of intention and surrender it requires. My process usually begins with the emotional centre of a piece rather than the technical problem of resemblance. I’m thinking about what is being felt beneath the surface, what needs to be emphasised and what can be left unsaid. From there, I work from photographic references, often my own, and begin with a minimal drawing before building the painting in transparent layers.

I tend to start with a vibrant first wash, especially around the focal point, and then gradually build mid-tones and darks while preserving or recovering light through lifting. I’m always paying attention to edges – where to lose them, where to sharpen them, and where to let water and pigment create something unexpected. That interplay between control and release is one of the things I love most about painting in watercolour. I want the medium to speak in its own language, not just obey mine.

I also think a lot about what to leave out. Sometimes a white background says more than a detailed setting ever could. Sometimes a passage needs to dissolve, blur, or remain unresolved in order to hold the feeling of memory, tenderness or tension. I’m always looking for ways to let brushwork, atmosphere, and restraint carry as much meaning as detail.

My favourite Rosemary & Co brushes are my Kolinsky sable rounds, especially sizes 6, 8, 10 and 12. They are the brushes I reach for most often because they hold a beautiful amount of water and pigment while still giving me the control I need for portrait work. I love that I can move from broad, expressive passages into surprisingly delicate marks without constantly changing brushes. The size 12 is especially useful when I need to cover a larger area while still keeping the stroke lively and controlled.

I also love using Rosemary’s Eradicator brushes for lifting, particularly the small, medium and large sizes. They’ve become an important part of my process because they allow me to recover light, soften edges and shape form in a way that feels very natural. Since lifting is such a big part of how I paint portraits, those brushes have earned a permanent place on my table.

Another brush I really enjoy is the 1-inch Series 222. It’s a nifty brush for creating fluid passages within the face and for laying in broader areas with a softness that still feels controlled.