About Chris - esperoart.com

Contact:
E-mail: chris@esperoart.com

Hi! I’m Krzysztof Kowalski, but you can call me Chris. I’m a watercolor artist and online teacher based in Poznań, Poland.

My path into art wasn’t exactly straightforward. I actually graduated from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań with degrees in Social Readaptation and Indonesian–Malaysian Philology – so not the most obvious artistic background! But I’ve always been curious and eager to explore new things. In 2012, that curiosity led me to discover watercolor, and it quickly became my greatest passion.

Painting and drawing have been part of my life since childhood. Before falling in love with watercolor, I experimented with oils, pastels, and graphite pencils. Today, I mostly paint realistic subjects inspired by nature – flowers, birds, and butterflies.

In a world full of concrete and busy cities, I try to bring a little bit of nature back into everyday life through my paintings. Nature’s incredible variety, colors, and delicate details inspire almost everything I create.

Sharing my artistic journey has always been important to me. In January 2019, I became a full-time artist and launched my Online Watercolor School. My goal is simple: to gather helpful knowledge and make watercolor easier, more enjoyable, and accessible for anyone who wants to learn.

The-Queen-of-the-Garden-38-x-26-cm-15-x-10-in

WHAT DOES ESPEROART MEAN?

Back in 2012, when I first started painting with watercolors, a friend suggested that I share my art on YouTube. There was just one small problem – I didn’t have a channel and had absolutely no idea how to make videos! So the first challenge was choosing a name.

My real name can be a bit tricky for people to pronounce, so I decided to come up with something different. Around that time, I was learning Esperanto, a language created to connect people and promote hope and understanding. I really liked the word espero, which means hope.

Unfortunately, the name “Espero” was already taken. But that didn’t stop me – I simply added “art” to it. And that’s how Esperoart was born. For me, Esperoart means creating art that brings a little more hope, light, and color into the world.

If you’re curious, you can even watch the very first watercolor video I ever made here.

Over time, Esperoart became more than just a name. It’s a small, colorful message of hope shared through art.

A new adventure, 34 x 24 cm, 13.4 x 9.5 in — kopia

MY APPROACH TO ART AND MY STYLE

I’ve never painted with the goal of winning big competitions or collecting awards. That’s simply not what drives me. While I occasionally enter smaller contests just to challenge myself a little, recognition has never been the reason I paint.

For me, painting is about something much simpler: the joy of creating and bringing a little more beauty into everyday life. I like to take my time, work slowly, and enjoy the process without pressure or rushing. And if someone connects with my paintings, that’s a wonderful bonus.

Painting often feels like a form of meditation for me. It’s a calm, deliberate process – one brushstroke at a time. I enjoy slowly building a painting, working section by section, letting the image emerge gradually. Watercolor is perfect for this. Its transparency, vibrant colors, and delicate layers allow me to capture my subjects in a unique way. It can be challenging, but that challenge is also what makes watercolor so exciting and rewarding.

My style leans toward realism, but I like to leave a little room for interpretation. I enjoy paintings that feel lifelike, yet still clearly look like works of art. Some people describe my work as bordering on hyperrealism, but that was never my goal – even though sometimes I do love exploring the tiniest details.

I find inspiration in small, quiet moments: a tiny bird sitting on a thorny branch, sunlight glowing through flower petals, the repeating patterns of batik fabrics, or a single leaf holding a drop of dew. These little details of nature, things we often pass by without noticing, are incredibly powerful to me.

Through my paintings, I try to pause those moments for a while, capture their beauty, and invite others to slow down and appreciate them too.

OTHER INTERESTS

I’ve always been a curious person, eager to explore different interests and experiences. I try to keep an open mind and make the most of the time we have in this life. Over the years, certain experiences have reminded me how important it is to focus on what truly brings joy and meaning.

Because of that, I try to spend my time on things that inspire and uplift me, rather than on things that drain energy like online negativity, news, jealousy, the constant rush of the rat race, or gossip.

My curiosity reaches far beyond watercolor painting. While art is a big part of my life, there are many other things that fascinate me and keep me inspired.

Here are a few more things I enjoy:

CROSS STITCH

Cross stitching is another creative hobby I truly enjoy. In a way, it reminds me of watercolor painting – only instead of a brush and paint, I work with a needle and dozens of colorful threads. I especially enjoy creating full-coverage pieces, where the entire fabric slowly fills with color and detail, stitch by stitch. One of my favorite parts of this hobby is turning my own illustrations, and sometimes even my watercolor paintings, into cross-stitch patterns. It’s a fun way to transform artwork into something people can create with their own hands. I also run a small Etsy shop where I share my patterns. If you’d like to take a look, you can visit it HERE. I also have a YouTube channel: HERE.

DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION

Alongside traditional painting, I also enjoy digital illustration. Both mediums play an important role in my creative journey. Traditional art has a special kind of magic, the texture of paper, the movement of the brush, and the vibrant flow of watercolor all make the process feel very real and tangible. At the same time, digital illustration opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Working on a digital canvas allows me to experiment, explore new ideas, and approach creativity in different ways. I enjoy moving between these two worlds. Whether I’m working with classic techniques or digital tools, each medium adds something unique to my artistic expression and keeps my creativity growing.

KNITTING & CROCHET

Yes, I do this too! Knitting is one of my favorite ways to relax. There’s something incredibly comforting about the steady rhythm of the needles and watching a piece slowly come to life. I especially enjoy knitting cozy socks and warm beanies that can bring a little comfort and happiness to others. Crocheting also has a special place in my heart. I love creating delicate doilies, blankets, and decorative tablecloths. There’s something very satisfying about making things by hand and sharing them with others. Seeing the joy that these handmade pieces bring is always the most rewarding part.

PIANO

Playing the piano is another passion of mine, right alongside painting. Music has always been a wonderful way for me to relax, slow down, and express creativity in a different form. In 2022, I recorded a little performance of “Christmas Is Here” as a small holiday surprise for my students. If you’d like, you can watch the video and hear the piece here: CLICK. I hope the music brings you a bit of warmth and holiday spirit.

TAROT

Tarot is another subject that fascinates me. I’m drawn to its rich world of symbols, archetypes, and the stories each card can tell. For me, Tarot isn’t really about predicting the future. I see it more as a tool for reflection, a way to pause, look at things from a different perspective, and think more deeply about life’s situations. Each card can spark new ideas, questions, and insights. In that way, Tarot often feels like a mirror, reflecting our inner thoughts and emotions. I appreciate how it encourages introspection and helps reveal aspects of our journey that we might otherwise overlook.

ASTROLOGY

Astrology is another subject that has fascinated me for many years. I enjoy exploring the symbolic language of the planets and stars, and the way their movements have been interpreted throughout history. What interests me most isn’t daily horoscopes, but the deeper layers of astrology, especially birth charts and the unique stories they can reveal. Looking at these patterns can offer an interesting perspective on personality, timing, and life experiences. For me, astrology is simply another way of reflecting on life and its many layers. It’s like a symbolic language of the cosmos that adds a bit more depth and wonder to the human experience.

PUBLISHING & DESIGN

I’m the author of several activity books for both adults and children, which are available on Amazon. To share more details about these projects and some of my other interests, I’ve created a separate website dedicated to my publishing work. If you’d like to learn more, you can explore it here. I also design book covers, and all of my covers are created by me.

MY ACHIEVEMENTS

2021, September – My painting “Wayang Golek” won an Honorable Mention Award in “Patterns” Online Art Competition (CLICK)
2021, June – finalist in The 2nd International Masters of Watercolour Youth Alliance contest and exhibition (CLICK).
2020, July – I was interviewed by Clare McNamara for Jackson’s Art Blog (CLICK).
2020, April – My painting “Dripping Fragrance” has been shortlisted for the Jackson’s Painting Prize 2020 (CLICK).
2019, July – Finalist in an Online Art Competition “Nature” organized by Art Room Gallery.
2019, July – My painting “Let Me Brighten Your Day” won a Special Merit Award in “Primary Colors” Online Art Competition (CLICK).
2019, July – My painting “The Breath of Spring” won an Honorable Mention Award in “Primary Colors” Online Art Competition (CLICK).
2019, March – In the 29th issue of “Artysta i Sztuka” (Artist and Art) magazine an interview with me and an article about my art was published. My painting “Rhythm of Nature” is on the cover.
2019, February – I became an associate member of International Watercolor Society (IWS).
2019, January – I launched my Online Watercolor School.
2018, September – I graduated in Indonesian-Malaysian Philology from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (second Master’s Degree).
2018, June – My painting “Spiky Beauty” won ‘Honorable Mention’ Award in Global Association of Watercolor Artists International Watercolor Online Contest.
2017, May – I was interviewed by Charlie O’Shields for Doodlewash® (CLICK).
2017, March – My painting “Rhythm of Nature” won Best in Show award in watercolor category in an online contest at DeviantArt.com.
2016, December – I completed NHI101x: Drawing Nature, Science and Culture: Natural History Illustration 101 course offered by NewcastleX, an online learning initiative of The University of Newcastle, Australia through edX.
2016, May – My botanical paintings referring to Maria Sibylla Merian’s artwork were exhibited during the Museums at Night 2016 in the Gdansk Library, an auxiliary scientific unit of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences in Gdańsk.
2014, September – I graduated in Social Rehabilitation from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (first Master’s Degree).
2013, August – I received a Certificate of Appreciation for an active presence, for the high level of knowledge in the subject of artistic painting, including active contribution to the development of watercolor painting from the administration of Tessart Forum, where I actively promoted watercolor painting.
2012, June – I started painting with watercolors.
1985, June – I was born in Kętrzyn, Poland.