Although the medium of watercolor is often associated with delicate images and soft hues, this is not true in the case of El Paso, TX artist, Connie Dillman. Explaining her preference for intense color, she notes, "Life is like a kaleidoscope. What our eye sees is a sensual feast of patterns and images created by the constant interplay of light on various subjects. Relationships are the essence of my paintings,” Dillman enthuses. "And it requires bold colors and strong shapes to convey the depth and range of emotions I am trying to capture. 

Loving the female figure, Dillman frequently chooses subjects such as a mother and child or several women engaged in conversation. Although these are very feminine images, she portrays them in such a way as to evoke a feeling of warmth without resorting to sentimentality. Because her images are strong in nature, the artist prefers to work in a large format, often doing pieces that are 30" x 40" or greater in size. 

With each piece, the artist arranges the key elements so that harmony, cohesiveness and wholeness are depicted. Because Dillman is, by nature, a meditative person, she prefers to paint quiet scenes as opposed to action. In fact, she often uses the theme of a figure in repose. "Whether I do several figures, or merely one alone, I always try to create some type of relationship," she explains. "It is the strength of this bonding that gives power and dimension to my art. Relationships are a very personal thing, and they are never stagnant. . Therefore, in order to capture this nebulous quality, I must open myself to the very subtle interplay of various aspects in each piece. Life itself is always in flux. In order to respond to the richness of the moment, we have to accept these changes and adjust accordingly.