About the Author

Molly Hashimoto is dedicated to connecting people of all ages to nature through hands-on art experiences. She teaches and leads plein air watercolor workshops around the West, including at the North Cascades Institute, Yellowstone Forever Institute, and Sitka Center for Art and Ecology. Molly lives in Seattle, Washington. Visit her online at www.mollyhashimoto.com.

Reviews

Colors of the West: An Artist's Guide to Nature's Palette, is beautiful, educational and instructive. It's a good read whether you've never made art or you're an old pro.--Jessi Loerch "Washington Trails Magazine"

Seattle artist Molly Hashimoto takes readers through some of the basics of painting the iconic mountains and tree lines of the West Coast. She even breaks down which brushes and techniques to use and organizes chapters by color. Even if painting isn't your aspiration, Colors of the West is a worthwhile read for the beautiful watercolor illustrations.-- "425 Magazine"

From the green waters of Diablo Lake in Washington's North Cascades National Park to the orange sandstone of Arches National Park in Utah, Molly Hashimoto captures the beauty of Western ecosystems in Colors of the West. The book features her plein air watercolors of the wildlife and landscapes she's encountered in the parks, monuments, wilderness areas and refuges scattered across the region. Hashimoto's observations on natural history and recollections of light, color and specific scenes accompany the images. For readers interested in heading outside with a sketchpad, she includes a short tutorial on painting in natural settings. Tips on technique and short profiles of other artists whose work Hashimoto finds inspiring are sprinkled throughout the book. It's important to observe and record the details of the landscape, she writes, "but even more vitally, to communicate to others the value of these places."-- "High Country News"

An inherently fascinating and delightful volume of images and commentaries, Colors of the West is a unique celebration of the flora and fauna to be found in our national parks and reserves. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library art book collections, Colors of the West is unreservedly recommended.-- "Midwest Book Review"