William Lum

Finding my birth parents at age 40 is how I got started into watercolor painting.  My newly discovered father told me about my family history, including a relative who was a watercolor painter.  Always curious, I found a cheap watercolor set and tried painting my neighborhood street corner in Sunnyvale, California in the 90’s.  Much to my surprise there was a major positive reaction from friends about my attempt at painting and so I dabbled with watercolor for four years when I could find time from work. Then I made the decision to quit art entirely so that I could devote more time to raising my family and work.

After 17 years of no art, in 2015, now retired, kids gone, and newly moved into Placer County, now I have the time to pursue my watercolor painting again.  I kept the same intention of capturing images from my day to day life experiences in this region of California.  Anything I see is a potential subject, which once included a restroom fixture. When the 2020 pandemic arrived, painting helped me focus on doing something constructive while being isolated.  During that year, I experimented with other mediums; casein, gouache, and acrylic.  I still experiment, learn, and paint, it is a never ending mission.

Mediums: Watercolor, Acrylic, Casein, Gouache, Ink