About

I’m Charlie O’Shields, and I live in Kansas City, Missouri.I started this blog in July 2015 to capture little bits of the world in ink and watercolor. Even though I hadn’t picked up a pen to sketch in over 20 years and I’d only just used watercolor for the first time that day, I got super excited about it, and well, Doodlewash was born. (What’s a doodlewash? Click here!)

My posts are actually my art journal. What you see is the painting I just made along with the random thoughts I just had, all typically created in the precious little hour I’ve carved out for myself on a weekend or weekdays after work and before dinner! If you enjoy my stories, I DO hope you’ll listen to my Sketching Stuff Podcast!

I also made a few books that I hope you’ll check out:

Sketching Stuff: Create Like A Kid Again! Creative Activity Book
Illustrated Memoir: Sketching Stuff: Stories Sketched From Life
Sketching Stuff Activity Books 
Sketching Stuff “Draw Upon A Time” Books

You can learn more about my art, books, and other creative endeavors on my Sketching Stuff website, where if you sign up for my newsletter there, you’ll receive a bi-weekly personal letter from me with a fun creative exercise to try in your sketchbook!

I posted just my own art for about a week or two when I first started and quickly got lonely, so I started inviting friends to join me by posting their art and stories here as well, which I dubbed a Guest Doodlewash initially, but decided to simply say Guest Artist. Since that time, my friends have grown to include over 650 talented artists from around the world, drawing and painting with watercolors on every continent! (And if you’re interested in being a guest artist, just contact me!)

Also, if you’re not already a member of our popular and ever-growing World Watercolor Group on Facebook, then click here to join!  This amazing group was created during the first annual World Watercolor Month in July, our yearly 31 watercolors in 31 days art challenge. But if you love art challenges, and can’t wait for July, no problem, as I do them every month! Just click here to find the latest one!

But wait! There’s more!! You can also log into this site with your chosen social media provider and join the club! Doodlewash Club, to be exact. A totally free to join watercolor community where you can get your own artist profile, share your work in our global watercolor gallery, interact with other watercolor artists around the globe, and much, much, more!

I’ve discovered that sketching and painting with watercolor is incredibly relaxing and a great way to relief stress. For anyone and everyone! Even if you don’t consider yourself an artist or have never dared to doodle before. Trust me… you can do it too. We are all artists when we make something new.

Art is just more fun with others, so meet my friends and family below who have been dubbed the Doodlewash “Crew” simply because Aesha said she’d always wanted to be part of one. These awesome people inspire me with their own beautiful art and loving support and help me stay motivated!

And we’re inviting you to grab a brush and join us! Let’s all make some doodlewashes together!


doodlewash.com

MEET THE DOODLEWASH CREW

Sandra Strait (@lifeimitatesdoodles) is our current Doodlewash Supply Blogger and creates lots of comprehensive reviews of all types of art supplies along with tutorials. She is always up for trying new things and creates beautiful pieces of art on a regular basis. It’s truly inspiring! And, I’ve learned so much from her posts over the years, and I know you’ll really enjoy them as well. She’s also the moderator of my Sketching Stuff group on Facebook as well as here in our own Doodlewash Community. As our big little community continues to grow, Sandra has been essential to keeping this dream of inspiring people to try watercolor and create more alive! 

Jessica Seacrest (@jessicaseacrest) was our very first-ever Doodlewash Supply Blogger and created many reviews of various types of art supplies and paints. She likes to space out with her art – literally.  Nebulae, celestial objects, and intense skies are often the theme of her paintings. She approaches artistic expression with a light-hearted point of view.  She loves to see other people opening up to, and embracing their creative process.  Watercolor and meditation are two of her favorite things. She works as an accounting manager for a civil engineering firm.  

Philippe (@Phinomet) is my partner and also the one responsible for my watercolor addiction. He’s been sketching for years and decided to try watercolor for the first time. At first, I didn’t join him, but after I did, I was hooked. Philippe is a native of Paris and moved to the States in 2013. He paints primarily watercolor landscapes, but will pretty much sketch and paint anything that inspires him. He has a PhD in cellular biology and is now a Senior Communications Specialist creating informational science videos and websites.

Aeasha (@missaesha) is our fabulous friend who we coaxed into trying watercolor the day after I started. Now that she’s been doodlewashed, there’s no turning back and she’s determined that we are going to start a doodlewash movement. She is a mother of two and says there’s a “landscape artist buried deep inside her soul.” Aesha is mostly inspired by waterscapes and nature. In her words, “Doodlewashing has helped me develop a different way of looking at scenery during an ordinary drive. I love it!”