Before moving to Bremerton from Peoria, Ill., George Hineman hadn’t worked with watercolors much. In art school, he had focused heavily with acrylics and oils, but once he came to the Northwest he began to find freedom with water.

Now at age 78, those works of personal freedom — which depict many Pacific Northwest settings and a few of far off places — will be on display as A Big Idea gallery of Port Orchard features Hineman as its artist of the month.

There will be a reception with the artist from 1-3 p.m. March 25 at the gallery. His work will be on display through April.

“When I look at a piece, I try to figure out what is something that someone would want to look at … what would get them involved in the piece not only visually but more so mentally,” Hineman said. “There’s nothing I’m trying to promote, I just want something that people can enjoy.”

A retired employee of the Kitsap County Assessor’s Office, Hineman spends a good chunk of his time with a paintbrush and easel. Armed with photographs of his subject matter, Hineman has recreated a host of settings around Washington state, in his own backyard and even a few from Tuscany, Italy.

His technique is varied in much the same way as the subject matter, ranging from ultra-thin detail lines to thick and heavy splashes of color. Each piece involves its own directive, he said.

“It’s really free flowing,” Hineman said of watercolors. “Not that oils and acrylics are not, it’s just a different type of feel.”

And a type of feel that caught the eye of Dallas Fuller, the owner of the commission free gallery which will be showcasing Hineman’s work.

“Every month I try to feature one of my artists … I don’t play favorites,” Fuller said. “The only guideline is if I think it will sell.”