Mountlake Terrace Library

Catherine James

Exhibit Opens July 1
July 1 – 31, 2026

The Mountlake Terrace Arts Advisory Commission presents the Catherine James Exhibit at the Mountlake Terrace Library, 23300 58th Avenue W.

Artist Statement:
I am a botanical watercolor artist in Redmond, Washington.
I invite you to immerse yourself in my painted gardens.

Take a moment to explore how light filters delicately through leaves or shimmers through cascades of flower petals. Let luminous plants and blossoms draw you in with their enchanting details. Relax and enjoy the beauty of nature.

In the quiet, surrounded by green, is where I find peace. I love every opportunity to visit gardens and I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting botanical scenes and subjects to paint. I use my own small garden as inspiration for many of my paintings. I enjoy becoming intimately familiar with the habits and unique characteristics of the plants I grow. The breathtaking beauty we experience in a garden is so fleeting. I want to capture those ephemeral moments and keep that creative natural energy alive in my paintings.

After a career in graphic design and software illustration, I’ve exhibited my watercolors in juried shows and galleries for nearly 20 years. My artwork is in private collections in England, Australia and throughout the United States. I am a Signature Member of the Northwest Watercolor Society.

My recent paintings are created on watercolor paper stretched over wrapped canvas. The works are painted around all four sides and are sealed with cold wax medium. These paintings can be experienced more directly, without the boundaries of glass or frame. They offer the calming benefits of a vertical garden or “living wall” without the maintenance of live plants.

I hope that my artwork helps you reconnect with the natural world in the spaces where you live and work.

To see more of my paintings, please visit my website WildGardenWatercolors.com

The Mountlake Terrace Arts Advisory Commission oversees the library exhibits as part of its mission to promote cultural events in the community. Library hours are Monday-Thursday 9am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-6pm, and Sunday 1-5pm.