On the Puget Sound when the sky is clear, which is seldom in our rain shadow, locals exclaim “Rainier’s out!” I know I’m not the only artist to pass through this special part of the United States and become captivated with the ever changing panoramic mountain views. This is a series of watercolor studies done between January and April 2024 in preparation for the commissioned piece (shown below) that now lives on Bainbridge Island. The goal was to capture the special East facing view that the buyer’s had of Mt. Rainier. My process was a combination of on-site plein air studies to map out the layout and finished in studio. I learned how to stretch watercolor paper to wooden boards with paper tape for a professional finish.