“Watercolor is a medium with a life of its own. It is so good at doing its own thing that I’m able to take more risks, to stay out of the way and let the paint and water express themselves. ”
Plein air painting
"There's something magical about painting en plein air. The light changes so quickly - as soon as a cloud passes overhead there is a new vista before me. It loosens me up, forces me to take in all the spectacle of nature.
"My earliest memories of painting are so vivid because I was fully engaged, in wonder of all I saw before me, grappling with just how I could possibly capture its essence on paper.
"It requires improvisation. Having to deal with all the elements demands ingenuity. It teaches me how to solve problems in a different way.
"Watercolor is a medium with a life of its own. It is so good at doing its own thing that I'm able to take more risks, to stay out of the way and let the paint and water express themselves."
NONQUIT POND 8" x 5" watercolor
Early beginnings
As a girl, Holden spent summers with her family in Rhode Island, sailing on the Sakonnet River. This is where she first learned to paint, as did her family before her. Her father was an artist, as were his sisters and their parents. They were schooled in painting by renowned watercolorist Charles Woodbury, Elizabeth Ward Perkins, and Gertrude Nason who would come for summer visits. And this loving gift was passed down to Holden at a young age.
SECRET GARDEN 7" x 11" watercolor