A Conversation with Watercolour: Orchids and Memories

Back in my school days, I had a brief fascination with butterfly orchids. Their petals flutter like tiny butterflies, each flower growing along the stem in a graceful, staggered rhythm, as if telling a story of life. That delicate beauty, though no longer my daily focus, has lingered in my memory.

For several years now, my heart has belonged to roses—their richness and fullness have always captivated me. Yet last week, I spotted a butterfly orchid at the supermarket and couldn’t resist bringing it home. Seeing it stirred memories long tucked away, a quiet reunion with my past self.

With my watercolour brushes, I began to paint. Every stroke became a conversation with the past; every wash a gentle exchange with my inner self. Watercolour has always been like a balm for me, a way to find peace through the flow of color.

This time, I started with the background, then carefully highlighted the flowers that caught my eye. Just like life, there’s a natural order and rhythm—foregrounds and backgrounds, beginnings and endings. A painting, like a life, needs its highs and lows to feel complete.

Each piece is a reflection, a pause to revisit my own story. The butterfly orchids bloom quietly on paper, and in the process, I find stillness, balance, and a gentle joy within myself.