Red Boat - Original Watercolor

Original Watercolor on YUPO - Featured in the Watercolor Artist magazine (Spring 2025) (Purchase a copy here)

The Red Boat by Katy Crim is a vibrant and expressive watercolor that captures a moment of quiet charm and bold color along the Maine coast. Inspired by a sunset walk to the pier in Stonington during a Fred Graff workshop, the artist encountered this striking red boat as it seemed to glide in with a warm welcome. This chance meeting became the heart of a dramatic, joy-filled composition.

Painted on a large sheet of YUPO—a non-absorbent synthetic surface known for its unpredictability—this work exemplifies the artist's fearless engagement with watercolor. The boat’s bold red hull reflects in waves of crimson and violet, melting into the glassy water below. On the right, the golden dock shimmers with layered washes and lateral drips that echo the lines of weathered planks, achieved by rotating the board during painting to let the colors flow with gravity.

Though the medium posed challenges—like resisting areas of the YUPO and the difficulty of layering without dulling the red—Katy embraced them creatively, even adding soap to help pigment adhere. Her deft balance of crisp structure and loose washes creates a sense of both place and spontaneity. The American flag flutters at the stern, anchoring the scene in both geography and sentiment.

Image of the Watercolor Artist magazine is owned by Golden Peak Media.