A splash landing can describe watercolor artist Sarah Houglum’s arrival in Vero Beach. Having already garnered Best in Show and People’s Choice awards this summer for paintings entered in her first show at the Vero Beach Art Club, you could say she was riding Vero’s watercolor crest.
Houglum has been painting waves of paradise on canvasses from places such as Houston’s Galveston Bay, the California coastline, Maui Island, and now the Treasure Coast.
Following the disastrous Maui fires which destroyed some of her works and nearly decimated the Lahaina art community, Houglum remained as steadfastly determined in her craft as the ocean’s endless ebb and flow.
As a member of the Lahaina Art Society, she sold her paintings at weekly art fairs, during which she spoke to tourists about the passion that the artists in the community had for their island paradise.
“For the past 10 years I have lived on the beautiful island of Maui. Island life has had a tremendous influence on my art. The rich tropical colors of the islands have affected my artwork in a positive way,” says Houglum, who enjoys painting local beach scenes, florals and surfers.
Her many tropical-inspired paintings are depicted in her ‘Lahaina Harbor Remembered, Sun-drenched Beach Days’ and ‘Paddle Out for Lahaina’ series, all capturing the serenity and memories etched in the minds of its close-knit residents.
“When the 2023 fire destroyed Lahaina, we were all hurting for our town. A local gallery hosted an art show to support local artists. I entered my painting titled ‘Paddle Out for Lahaina,’ inspired by drone footage of the massive paddle-out on Maui,” Houglum explains.
“This paddle-out honored and respected all those whose lives, homes and history were lost during the fire. The gallery invited me to become an in-house artist, so I continued painting my original paddle-out watercolor series.”
Born and raised in Texas, Houglum says she was encouraged by her parents and teachers while in high school to study at the Glassell School of Art at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. She later attended college at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas.
Houglum was also very much inspired by her great-aunt Eden, an abstract artist who lived in the Pacific Northwest. She says everyone in the family has a painting or two of Eden’s, which have passed through the generations.
“My great Aunt Eden’s paintings are one of my most valued art pieces I own. And I honor my aunt by including her name in Eden Designs,” says Houglum with pride.
After studying fashion merchandising and art in college, her adult artistic career began when, as a full-time mother to a son and daughter, she painted murals in their bedrooms and playroom. At the time she used oils and acrylics.
Neighbors noticed and quickly offered her commissions. Purely by word of mouth, she began taking on other jobs, decoratively painting kitchens and dining rooms and was eventually commissioned for work in upscale restaurants, coffee houses, wine bars, school cafeterias and gymnasiums.
“I realized I could make a business of what I truly love to do. Paint!” Houglum exclaims.
“I painted in acrylic and oil for many years, then switched to watercolor for the last 10 years on Maui. The flow of watercolor brightened my soul. It made me happy and joyous to discover how the water mixed with pigment can surprise you after it dries.”
Houglum says that while she appreciates many artistic styles, from realism to abstract, what attracts her most is the use of color and movement.
The sights, sounds and personal encounters in Lahaina inspired her to capture such fleeting moments as vibrant tropical flowers and verdant plants swaying with ocean breezes, the crest and recess of the turquoise coastline, the cheery bustle of the marketplace, and the many exchanges with tourists from around the world.
As with the famous watercolor style of Georgia O’Keeffe, where the whole piece was greater than the sum of its details, Houglum paints with swaths of striking hues and a palette that makes the most of primary colors.
“My work captures the joy of coastal life – waves, beaches, surfers, boats and lush tropical plants – using bright, uplifting colors that reflect the spirit of the sea. There is something about the use of bold colors which makes me feel happy,” says Houglum.
“I love sitting on the beach and listening to the waves when I get free time. And of course, I travel with a small paint set. You never know when the urge to capture a moment strikes.”
Inspired by her coastal lifestyles, she enjoys painting the ocean’s beauty in vibrant watercolor and is now bringing a series of paddle-outs for Celebrations of Life to the Treasure Coast and beyond.
Most days she can be found working in her Florida studio, painting new pieces with her Boston Terrier, Frankie, at her feet. On alternating weekends, she and her husband enjoy Sunday family dinners with their two grown children.
“My artistic goal as a watercolor artist is to keep painting. It makes me happy and gives me a purpose in life to create something meaningful and beautiful,” she avows.
Houglum is a member of the Vero Beach Art Club, St. Lucie Cultural Alliance, Lahaina Arts Society and the Hawaii Watercolor Society.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
