Studio TJP

Travel naturally comes with a sketchbook for Ellen Mirro, Principal at Studio TJP in Seattle. She recently escaped for a getaway in Cabo San Lucas. While there, she painted plein air watercolors that capture light, texture, and place — a slower, more observant way of seeing than a camera allows.

The habit traces back to her mother's encouragement and training, from study abroad in Rome to plein air drawing in the master’s program at the University of Washington, where sketching on site was foundational. For her, drawing isn’t just documentation — it’s careful observation needed to draw and paint and a way to better understand the world around her.