Adelia’s watercolor adventures caught fire nearly 25 years ago at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, during a painting retreat led by the late Jan Hart — a brilliant watercolorist and longtime resident of Costa Rica.

After more than two decades in the great Pacific Northwest, where she focused on wooded landscapes, mountain scenes, and coastal views, Adelia’s artistic path led her south to Costa Rica. Immersed in its vibrant tropical jungles, lush foliage, and dazzling biodiversity, her work now reflects the exuberant spirit of the rainforest — the play of light through broad leaves, the secret lives of plants and creatures, and the rhythm of color and form that defines the natural world.

Her recent paintings draw inspiration from intuitive, meditative practices such as neurographic art and zentangle design, blending structure with spontaneity to evoke movement, emotion, and interconnectedness.

With her wide-ranging interests, Adelia is also an author, scientist, and recovering technical writer. Many of her professional and creative works appear in Salish Magazine, where she serves as a contributing editor and illustrator, as well as on her Substack page, where her watercolors often accompany her poetry.

See links below for more about Adelia’s art and writing:

Neurographic Art and Zentangles: How Intuitive Painting Boosted My Creativity and Changed My Life

https://aritchie.substack.com/p/how-intuitive-painting-boosted-my?r=1c4zem

Adelia’s Book:

The Accidental Expat: A Costa Rican Adventure