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7 WAYS TO ENERGIZE YOUR PAINTINGS WITH SIGNS OF ACTION THE EVOCATIVE LANDSCAPE 5 Secrets to Painting IN THE WOODS WIT

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7 WAYS TO ENERGIZE YOUR PAINTINGS WITH SIGNS OF ACTION

THE EVOCATIVE

LANDSCAPE 5 Secrets to Painting

IN THE WOODS WITH

John Singer Sargent

Atmosphere

p. 12

PLUS

SHAPES 2.0 Go beyond the basics for

How (Not) to Paint Light and Fog

more dynamic paintings One artist explores

WHERE SCIENCE MEETS ART

Oliver J. Pyle shares his practical tips for creating compelling scenes. p. 22

choose greatness

Created in the tradition of fine papermaking, using the finest raw materials and cylinder mould made, Winsor & Newton water colour papers are as tough as they are beautiful. Expect exceptional strength, absorbency, colour performance and resilience in every sheet. winsornewton.com

October 2017 features

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The Evocative Landscape Learn five secrets for painting the ever-elusive atmosphere in a way that truly expresses your personal connection to a place and time. BY OLIVER J. PYLE

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Drawn to Watercolor Former illustrator Eileen Goodman taps into her extensive drawing skills to paint large-scale still lifes that speak volumes.

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BY TAMER A LENZ MUENTE

42

Science Meets Poetry

Naomi Campbell’s loose, gestural art addresses economic, environmental and social issues about which she feels strongly. BY JOHN A. PARKS

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42

52

See Paint Run Seven top artists share their best tips and techniques for both exploiting and controlling watercolor’s natural properties to paint subjects on the move. BY MCKENZIE GR AHAM

52 Watercolor Artist

| October 2017

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October 2017 columns online

4 Editor’s Note

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6 Featured Artists

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8 Making a Splash

8

The rise of watercolor confections. BY MCKENZIE GR AHAM

12 Meet the Masters John Singer Sargent embraces his love of nature.

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15 Creativity Workshop Learn how adapting shapes can add more interest to your paintings. BY KATHIE GEORGE

Use opposing forces to create masterly scenes.

15

art instruction & advice artistsnetworkuniversity.com artistsnetwork.com/ art_online_seminars

72 Picture This BY KATHLEEN CONOVER

61

On the cover: A New Day, Corfe Castle (detail; watercolor on paper, 14½x20½) by Oliver J. Pyle

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watermedia showcase artistsnetwork.com/ watermediashowcase online store northlightshop.com

BY THOMAS W. SCHALLER

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free e-mail newsletter artistsnetwork.com/get-thefree-artists-network-newsletter watercolor artist blog watercolorblog. artistsnetwork.com

BY CARRIE OEDING

61 Watercolor Essentials

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artist community wetcanvas.com artistdaily.com video workshops artistsnetwork.tv

Watercolor Artist (ISSN 1941-5451) is published six times a year in February, April, June, August, October and December by F+W Media, Inc., 10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash OH 45242; tel: 513/531-2222. Single copies: $6.99. Subscription rates: one year $21.97. Canadian subscriptions add $12 per year postal surcharge. Foreign subscriptions add $18 per year postal charge, and remit in U.S. funds. Watercolor Artist will not be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Only submissions with a self-addressed, stamped envelope will be returned. Volume 25, No. 5. Periodicals postage paid at Blue Ash, OH and additional mailing offi ces. Postmaster: Send all address changes to Watercolor Artist, P.O. Box 421751, Palm Coast FL 32142-1751. F+W Media, Inc. Back issues are available at northlightshop.com or by calling 855/842-5267. GST R122594716. Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 40025316. Canadian return address: 2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, ON N8T 3B7.

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editor’s note OCTOBER 2017

Editor-in-Chief Anne Hevener Art Director Brian Roeth Senior Editor Beth Williams Associate Editor McKenzie Graham ADVERTISING Advertising Team Leader, Fine Art Mary McLane 970/290-6065; [email protected] Media Sales Specialist Carol Lake 385/414-1439; [email protected] Media Sales Coordinator Barb Prill 800/283-0963, ext. 13435; [email protected] F +W, A C O N T E N T + EC O M M E R C E C O M PA N Y Chief Executive Offi cer Thomas F.X. Beusse Chief Financial Offi cer Debra Delman Chief Operating Offi cer Joe Seibert Chief Content Offi cer Steve Madden Chief Technology Offi cer Joe Romello SVP, General Manager— F+W Crafts Group John Bolton SVP, General Manager—F+W Fine Art, Writing and Design Groups David Pyle SVP, General Manager—F+W Outdoors & Small Business Groups Ray Chelstowski VP, Manufacturing & Logistics Phil Graham Newsstand Sales Scott T. Hill [email protected] EDITORIAL OFFICES 10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242 513/531-2222; [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES P.O. Box 421751, Palm Coast FL 32142-1751 US/Canada: 800/811-9834 Foreign subscribers: 386/246-3371 watercolorartistmagazine.com Back issues are available. For pricing information or to order, call 855/842-5267, visit northlightshop.com/art-magazines/ watercolor-artist, or send check or money order to F+W Media Products, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990. Specify Watercolor Artist and the issue month and year.

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s artists, you know what it means to put your heart and soul into something—to work on something with such focus and determination, such passion and devotion, that the endeavor truly becomes a labor of love. That’s what Watercolor Artist has been to Kelly Kane for the last 20 years. I know, because I’ve had the pleasure to work alongside Kelly for a great many of those years. I’ve seen up close the commitment and the pleasure that went into her work.

“The reward of a thing well done is having done it.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Therefore, as Kelly moves on to a new stage in her professional journey, and I introduce myself as the magazine’s new editor-in-chief, I’m aware that I have some big shoes to fill. Fortunately, I come on board with 10+ years of experience as editor-in-chief at Pastel Journal, where my goal is to create content that inspires artists with new ideas and insights that will enhance their creative pursuits. Now that mission will drive my work at Watercolor Artist as well. Happily, I also have an enthusiastic team of editors working with me who know and love watercolor. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The reward of a thing well done is having done it.” I know that putting this magazine together was incredibly rewarding work for Kelly. Thanks to her direction and dedication, these pages have been not only a showcase for inspiring watermedia paintings, but also a forum for new ideas and valuable advice about process and technique. I look forward to continuing the conversation, which begins on the next page.

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Please share your questions and comments by writing to Watercolor Artist, Letters, 10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242. Or, email us at [email protected].

NINO CELANO

featured artists

Naomi Campbell

Kathie George

Eileen Goodman

naomicampbellartprojects.com

kathiegeorge.com

grossmcleaf.com

Naomi Campbell (page 42) studied art at the Art Students League in New York and now teaches there. Her work has been exhibited widely and is represented in many public collections. She’s currently visiting artist at the Columbia University Department of Genetic Engineering, as well as the International Studio & Curatorial Program in New York.

Watercolor and batik artist Kathie George’s (page 15) award-winning work can be found in private collections in the U.S. and abroad. A workshop instructor for more than 25 years, she also has authored five watercolor books and written numerous instructional articles. She’s a signature member of the Ohio and Florida watercolor societies.

Known for her large-scale still life paintings, esteemed artist Eileen Goodman (page 32), has worked in various media for more than 50 years. She studied illustration arts at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art and earned a BFA. Her work is in prominent collections, such as the National Gallery of Art, and is represented by Gross McCleaf Gallery, in Philadelphia.

Oliver Pyle

Thomas W. Schaller

oliverpyle.com

thomasschaller.com

“As a landscape artist, my inspiration comes from being outdoors, where light, smells, sounds and textures all combine to deliver an outstanding sensory experience,” says British artist Oliver Pyle (page 22). His work is found throughout the world, and on The Oliver Pyle Collection of the UK’s oldest and most prestigious fine art card brand, Medici Cards.

Known for his light-filled watercolors, award-winning Thomas W. Schaller (page 61) shares his talents via workshops, videos and books. His upcoming book, Thomas Schaller, Architect of Light, reveals his philosophy, insight and advice about how to infuse one’s art not just with light, but with life (North Light Books, available September 2018).

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THE MOST INNOVATIVE EUROPEAN MILL WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ARTIST COMMENTS DEFINE NINE CENTURIES OF HISTORY “The surface is the best I have worked with.” ~ Karl J. “The sizing held up well to soaking, stretching, masking fluid and wet washes.” ~ Eric M. “The fact that you don’t use animal products in your sizing is fabulous.” ~ Candy M. “I worked a large section wet on wet, and the paper hardly buckled at all.” ~ Suzi V. “It lifted well. It was easy to open up hard edges, with no effect to the paper surface.” ~Robert N. “Glazes look luminous.” ~ Joan K.

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WHERE THE ART OF PAPERMAKING BEGAN

Splash

making a

Serving Up Watercolor Watercolor has moved from canvas to fondant.

B

etween Pinterest, the constant rotation of TV baking shows and our food-obsessed culture, it’s no wonder that art and cakes should cross paths. Decadent, wedding-style cakes arguably have always been a kind of art, but now the trend is veering toward the paintbrush-holding type. That’s right, watercolor cakes are officially “in.” Of all the artists making stunning cakes, Maggie Austin could accurately be called queen. She has created sugar vases for the Obamas and wields a paintbrush with the expertise of an atelier-trained artist, even creating cookies adorned with Monet’s waterlilies beautifully reproduced by hand. In an interview on BHLDN’s blog (blog. bhldn.com), Austin talks about her inspiration: “I follow interior designers, pastry chefs and painters because we’re all in the same business,” she says. “We want to see beauty in everything we do, whether it’s a lovely piece of pie or a gorgeous hat or stunning sculpture. There’s no need to draw lines when it comes to artistic expression. My goal is to encourage everyone to make his or her own unique contribution to this amazing canvas of human creativity.” 8

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See more of Maggie Austin’s cakes in her new book Maggie Austin Cake: Artistry and Technique (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017), available on Amazon.

Watercolor News & Views BY M C K E N Z I E G R A H A M

sketching through Paris

painting lite

A summer trip to Paris sounds dreamy, but the reality is that we can’t all make it to the City of Light— just not this year. Until then, flip through artist Rae Dunn’s visual journée en Paris. Her book France: Inspiration du Jour (Chronicle Books, 2017) is filled with her whimsical, colorful watercolor sketches of such French romantic standbys as vineyards, charcuterie cuts, perfume selections (“There were so many beautiful parfum bottles”) and even the various color combinations found on the old buildings around the city.

There’s nothing like the tactile feel of watercolor on paper—or is there? There’s a new program on the market, Rebelle 2, that allows for lovely watercolor effects that mimic the real thing (variety of brushes, pressure settings, masking tools and more). All you need is your electronic device of choice to download the program and get started. Artists are loving the ability to travel, sketch en plein air and have a whole studio’s worth of tools at their disposal with just the click of a button. Try it yourself by visiting escapemotions.com.

Rebelle 2 creator Peter Blaskovic paints a portrait using the software he created. Notice the tool options at top left and the color wheel at right.

“The dichotomy of transparent washes always has been compelling to me, capable of both sensitive and unmistakable power.”

—Naomi Campbell, page 42 Watercolor Artist

| October 2017

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T E N N E S S E E S TAT E M U S E U M C O L L EC T I O N

m st-see show

Cadence (watercolor on paper, 20x24)

Nashville, Tenn.

Appalachian culture is deeply American—born from immigrants leaving the British Isles—and one that gradually and has continually evolved into its own place with its own traditions, folklore and art. Alan Shuptrine celebrates this culture, depicting these places and ideas in 54 watercolors, currently showing at the Tennessee State Museum. Shuptrine even makes his own 10

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frames, embedding Serpentine stones (a group of minerals often tinged green) and using gold leaf accents. “This journey highlights Celtic traditions that were brought to America in the 18th century and are still being practiced today,” Shuptrine says. “I tried to capture the deep, meaningful and superb technical excellence in each painting, whether it’s found in the Maine and Vermont tradition of quilt-making

in the clapboard white schoolhouse, to whiskey-making and farming traditions, or stunning views across the mountain ranges. Without knowledge or appreciation for your past—and with no sense of place— how can you look to the future?” “Alan Shuptrine: Appalachian Watercolors of the Serpentine Chain” will be on view through October 1. For more information about the exhibition, visit tnmuseum.org.

meet the masters

The World on a Canvas John Singer Sargent’s paintings were often informed by his life on the road.

J

ohn Singer Sargent’s family members thought of themselves as American, but he was born in Florence, Italy, and grew up in Europe after his family’s move from Philadelphia in 1854. His mother, Mary Sargent, had suffered the loss of her 2-year-old daughter, so Fitzwilliam Sargent, his father, moved the family abroad to recover from the trauma. The family traveled around Europe like nomads, but preferred living in Italy and England.

Maternal Instincts

Sargent’s personality and preference for an adventurous life were clearly inherited from his mother. She was in love with travel, art and nature. All of these interests required, for Mary, keen attention to detail and sustained observation of life’s objects, elements and inhabitants. Sargent’s similar delight in making, doing and viewing was fostered by his mother’s encouragement. She bought him art supplies and music classes, took him into nature, and encouraged him to meet writers and artists. His family

welcomed expatriates who traveled through, and his parents supported his furthering of his art training.

Lessons From Life

Sargent sketched and painted in Italian museums and on family excursions. He learned from the masters in Venice and was quickly accepted into Florence’s Accademia delle Belle Arti in 1873. His family decided he should continue to study in Paris, and in 1874 he was accepted into the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He showed work at the annual Paris Salon where initially he was seen as a controversial painter, not easily embraced by viewers or critics. Sargent’s Portrait of Madame X was considered shockingly informal and revealing, and odd in its use of color. The portrait emphasized her décolletage, and Sargent depicted her skin with violet tones. The uproar surrounding the portrait was difficult for the artist. It’s considered to be one of the reasons he fled to London to set up a studio. In London, however, Sargent would make a

name for himself, while continuing to travel around the world.

Watercolor in Society

At the end of the 19th century, watercolor still wasn’t accepted as a primary medium for artists, but by the early decades of the 20th century, Sargent was contributing to the change in this attitude. Watercolor was mobile and amenable to travel, but it wasn’t a medium of mere convenience. Watercolor allowed him to contrast the sculptural architecture of Venice with the ephemeral movements of its water and sky. He captured the opacity of shadows against the vibrancy of light on buildings, clothing, tents and mountaintops. Sargent applied his eye for realism but also drew inspiration from Impressionism. Sections in a watercolor often looked intentionally abstracted. Sargent loved to experiment with the medium, playing with additives, wet and dry washes, tints, blocking, and white spaces. He embraced the medium with

Jan. 12, 1856

1871

1873

1874

1877

1880

Born in Florence, Italy

Begins studying with GermanAmerican artist Carl Welsch

Enrolls in Accademia delle Belle Arti in Florence

Enrolls in the Ecole des BeauxArts in Paris

First showing in Paris Salon

First profile in American magazine, The Art Amateur

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G I F T O F M R S . DAV I D H EC H T, I N M E M O RY O F H E R S O N , V I C TO R D . H EC H T, 1 9 3 2

BY C A R R I E O E D I N G

technique, subject and style, and still created his own vision.

An Eye for Perspective Sargent once asserted that:

“Enormous views and huge skies do not tempt me.” And yet, the artist was a practitioner of plein air painting. He loved the adventure of hiking into the mountains of Europe and North

Camp at Lake O’Hara (1916; watercolor and graphite on paper, 153⁄4x21) was painted during one of Sargent’s trips to North America’s national parks. This one was painted from Sargent’s camp in the woods in Yoho National Park in British Columbia.

1884

1900-1925

1904

1916-17

1918

April 14, 1925

Scandalous reception of Sargent’s showing of Portrait of Madame X

Spends summers painting in mountains of Europe and North America

Shows at Royal Watercolor Society

Works on commissions for Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Boston Public Library

Commissioned as war artist by British Ministry of Information

Dies in London

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America, the beauty of the light on the water in Venice, and the intrigue of watching locals in foreign lands. Sargent was drawn to shapes within a scene and often focused on an unexpected angle or detail. He painted the underside of a bridge, the corner of a courtyard or the overlooked details of a building. Learning from his friend, Claude Monet, he set up a studio in a small boat to gain access to unique locations. Sargent didn’t just sit down in front of a beautiful view and paint. He consistently sought

out new experiences for fresh new perspectives. Although he worked professionally, Sargent also enjoyed having friends with him on retreats and travels, and would include these companions as painting subjects, often in repose. He made a considerable living as a formal portrait artist but had a passion for painting figures resting, working and socializing in their real lives. He painted the Bedouin in Syria, gondoliers in Italy and British soldiers during World War I. Despite a life accompanied by

QORNER THE MARKET.

Edwardian luxuries, he wasn’t intimidated by having to “rough it,” often camping in tents in order to explore and paint. Sargent never ceased to consider himself a student, studying artists he admired and reading voraciously until the end. At the end of his life, the artist drifted away while reading Voltaire and passed away in his sleep in 1925. He was, to the end, a “painter’s painter.” CARRIE OEDING is a writer and contributor to Watercolor Artist.

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creativity w rk h

BY K AT H I E G E O RG E

Getting in Shape Loosen up your painting style with simple options for creating better forms.

In Lunch With the Girls (batik on rice paper, 12x16), I carefully drew in the two front sheep, but I created the background sheep as one shape, which I then separated by value changes.

S

hape is one of the seven elements of art that serves as the foundation for strong design. But what makes a good shape? According to one of my all-time favorite watercolor teachers, Edgar Whitney, a good shape features the following two distinctions: 1. two different dimensions. This simply means that one side is longer than the other—taller than it is wide or wider than it is tall.

2. variation at the edge. By making the edge interesting, whether it’s rough to smooth or curved to straight, for example, it keeps the viewer’s eye engaged. Follow along as I share several quick and easy solutions for manipulating shapes that result in more interesting forms—and the secret to creating more dynamic paintings that feature fewer—and looser—brushstrokes.

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shape shifting Basic shapes have their uses; after all, they’re the building blocks for all other shapes. But do we really want the shapes we use to remain static? Here are four ways to make basic shapes (such as those in blue) more dynamic.

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Workshops V. Yeliseyev 11/13/17 Kathleen Conover 1/15/18 Marie Natale 2/19/18 Kathy Durdin 11/12/18

Classes Juried Shows Demonstrations Painting Groups 1. Alter them.

2. Overlap them.

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3. Connect them to form one shape.

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4. Hide or cover part of them.

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try this at home

3030 Shall mound & Donora At the blinking light on Estero Blvd

Create a painting using one of the options above for creating more interesting shapes. Send JPEGs of your sketch and your finished painting (with a resolution of 72 dpi) to wcamag@fwmedia. com with “Creativity Workshop” in the subject line. The winning entry will receive a subscription (or renewal) to Watercolor Artist. The entry deadline is October 15.

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towing the line Everything you paint is a shape, so learning to make them dynamic is important. Focus your attention on the edge—the silhouette—not the interior. Instead of seeing individual items—flower, vase, wall—observe overall shapes. Here are two examples of how to draw shapes from real objects.

I viewed the flowers and pot as one flat object and just concentrated on the silhouette. I adapted what I viewed, and I didn’t focus on all of the interior details. I’ll just fill those in as I draw or paint.

I combined objects in this still life setup to create a more unified composition.

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painting great shapes Now that you know how to draw better shapes, can the way you paint them help to improve your painting skills? If you want to loosen up your painting style, this is a good way to get there.

1 When static shapes are used in a work, artists tend to tighten up their strokes because they’re trying to stay within the lines.

The house on the left is painted tightly, emphasizing sharp lines and detail. The house on the right is done in a much looser style, resulting in a more interesting interpretation.

2 This new shape (2) is now a combination of the original two (1). While it’s not the best, it’s still much more interesting than either shape alone. I’ve painted it in a looser manner, just letting the color slap onto the paper. It’s a bit messy, but that won’t be obvious once it becomes part of the painting. There are times when this style won’t work, but most of the time, it does, as in the house example (at right, top).

Always begin with the large shapes, combining them into one where possible, and then add detail for clarity. In this painting, the “mish-mash” of the boats, tarps and cargo in the left background are all simplified by combining them into one larger shape. The same is true with the white boats on the right. These large shapes are then “turned into” boats by shading them with bits of color and adding detail. By painting with loose brushstrokes, great color and the “feel” of the object, background detail isn’t necessary.

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Four Twenty Two / Peggy Habets

Showcase Your Artistic Vision

IN THE PAGES OF SPLASH 20 Your best watercolor could be featured in the pages of North Light Books’ Splash 20: Creative Compositions, and your work could be viewed by artists from across the globe.

Little Jester / Annelein Beukenkamp

Paddington Station London / Peter Ulrich

EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE: December 1, 2017 Summers Gift / Susan Crouch

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The Evocative

Landscape Uncover five secrets for creating compelling scenes that have the power to capture the viewer’s eye—and heart. BY O LI V E R J . PY LE

A

s a landscape painter in the United Kingdom, I’m engaged by the idea of atmosphere and how it relates to painting using watercolor. Why is it that some paintings are deemed to be atmospheric, while others aren’t? What is this rather elusive, intangible concept that many artists strive for in their work, particularly within landscape art? It may help to start with the reason that I paint landscapes, and why they’re my primary subject matter. Very simply, I love the landscape and everything about it, and

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watercolor allows me to make my own response to what I see and feel in a way that’s immediate and unique to me. Specifically, certain landscapes in the UK have become favorites because of proximity or family holidays, for example, and I know their vistas and details intimately. Atmosphere in a painting is, with a few exceptions, not about technique, although I’ll share a little more on that later. First and foremost, it’s your connection to the place that matters.

landscape checklist It’s good to get into the habit of asking yourself several questions at the start of an atmospheric painting. • How well do I know my subject? • What’s the most important aspect of the scene or moment that I’m trying to communicate? • Is there a story to be told? • What format best promotes what I want to say? • Have I arrived at the strongest composition and arrangement of elements? Sketching is vital for this. • Have I planned my tonal values properly, and do they contribute positively? Where are my darkest darks and lightest lights? Do they contrast and balance well? • Are the colors appropriate? Does a limited palette help to enhance the sense of atmosphere? • Is the lighting good? Where is it coming from? Are the shadows consistent, or do they need to be enhanced?

know everything about the place—its sounds, smells, textures. I know, too, that first thing in the morning when the beach is empty and the tide is out, there’s a wonderful sense of space and tranquility, and in a soft light, there are fewer places that I find as restful and restorative. In painting A New Day, Studland (at left), I hoped to translate that experience into brushstrokes so that viewers can, in some way, experience what it’s like to be there. If I’m successful in this endeavor, then I believe the painting has atmosphere—a true sense of the place and the time, if you like. Atmosphere is a direct function of your connection with your subject. If you’re in love with your subject, and spend time getting to know it and understand it, then it’s very likely that your work will have this elusive quality.

A New Day, Studland (watercolor on paper, 13½x20½) On previous pages: Corfe Castle and Beyond (20x28½)

Secret No. 2: Tell a Story

The following paintings illustrate five different considerations regarding atmosphere—and how you can use them to create impactful paintings.

Secret No. 1: Know Your Subject

On numerous occasions, I’ve walked along a particular beach in Dorset, where I’ve built sand castles, played cricket and swam in the sea. I’ve been sunburnt by lounging on it for too long, and have sat looking across the bay, shivering, while drinking a cup of tea. I feel as though I

For a scene I know well, creating an atmospheric painting is almost second nature; however, it’s not always that easy. Sometimes the subject matter, although appealing, is flat and even prosaic. This is when I need to be my most creative. The best way to turn an otherwise ordinary scene into something compelling and atmospheric is to tell a story. Consider a subject like Elizabeth Tower (also known as Big Ben); it’s probably London’s most iconic landmark, photographed and painted ad infinitum, to the extent that its familiarity can work against an artist.

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My reference photos and sketches for Eventually the Rain Stopped (opposite), a studio painting of Parliament Square featuring Big Ben, were from overcast days, saying nothing new or interesting about the scene. To bring the scene to life, I needed a story. Having played around with a few sketches and ideas, I felt that wet pavement and reflections, with a break in the oh-so-British weather, would help to create interest. The inclusion of people walking into the painting and toward us gives a sense that there’s some early-evening movement to get to the underground station—or even to attend a late session of Parliament—now that the rain has stopped. When a subject seems flat or lacking in interest, try to tell a story. It’s remarkable how quickly this can transform a scene and give it atmosphere.

Secret No. 3: Use the Light

Light plays a tremendously important role in creating drama in a painting, which in turn

contributes to a sense of atmosphere. More often than not, artists think it’s difficult to create drama and atmosphere without strong sunlight and deep shadows, because of the tonal contrasts they confer. In the UK, however, strong directional light can be something of a rarity. Dull, overcast days are far more commonplace. We get used to dealing with it, and watercolor is the perfect medium for it. I feel that Stormy Light, Kimmeridge Bay (above) benefits enormously from the flat lighting and brings back strong memories of the day I was there. I watched children search for fossils and hermit crabs in the rock pools before making a retreat to the warmth of a local tea room, thinking that a storm was just around the corner.

Stormy Light, Kimmeridge Bay (watercolor on paper, 11½x15½) Eventually the Rain Stopped (opposite; watercolor on paper, 28½x19¾)

“To me, atmosphere is nothing more than a true sense of a place and time.” Watercolor Artist

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landscape tips • Make several thumbnail sketches to resolve the best combination of elements for creating the atmosphere you want to convey. • Look for opportunities to achieve lost-and-found edges within the painting. • Make good use of both aerial and chromatic perspective within the painting to create depth. Aerial perspective reduces the amount of detail and contrast in the distance, while chromatic perspective is the effect of colors cooling as they recede. • Try holding the brush almost horizontally to the paper, dragging it quickly to create drybrushed areas and broken washes that help to suggest landscape detail. These often are more satisfying than laboriously stating what you see using a fine brush. • Ensure a strong balance between the busy and quieter areas of the painting. It’s important to have quiet areas that don’t compete with the focal point.

I couldn’t help but notice how the bright greens and oranges of the seaweed contrasted with the cool slate gray of the ledges that jut out into the bay. With strong highlights and deep shadows, the effect wouldn’t have had the same impact. Color was far more important than tonal contrast. While light is an essential part of the toolkit in creating atmospheric paintings, understand what it is about the light that makes a scene compelling. It doesn’t need to be high contrast. Many a wonderful painting has been made on an overcast day.

Secret No. 4: Understand Your Technique

I hinted at the outset that it was primarily the artist’s connection with a subject—not technique—that leads to atmospheric paintings. Does that mean that technical issues aren’t important? Of course not, for it’s quite possible to be engaged completely with a beautiful and familiar scene only to strangle any possible atmosphere from the finished work through bad technique or lack of planning. Hopefully, a couple of pointers from Colours of Tuscany (at right) will be helpful. It features a well-known area in Italy, in the Chianti winegrowing region, and the undulating landscape is home to many wonderful vineyards. These present a challenge, however, as they add a level of detail to the hillsides and need careful

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handling. Painting them in detail would be a mistake and would spoil the atmosphere that comes from the strong but hazy light and the depth in the landscape. For passages such as this, the simplest of brushstrokes to create broken washes, as well as a sound drybrush technique, are all

that’s required to suggest rows of vines in the distance. The foreground vines are painted wetinto-wet, just enough to suggest vines without lots of hard edges to distract us from the main subject—the charming villas. The cypress trees also present difficulties. I needed to make sure they supported the

composition, so I sketched exactly where they should go, where I needed to include more, and where I needed to leave some out. I painted most of them with one simple brushstroke. It’s an old but true adage, but in watercolor, less is more. Understanding tone and color also is essential. This painting creates a late-evening

Colours of Tuscany (watercolor on paper, 11½x15½)

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Evening Haze, Kimmeridge Bay (watercolor on paper, 13½x20½)

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atmosphere by placing warm and cool colors next to each other throughout the painting, but reduces their tonal contrast as the viewer’s eye moves through the scene and into the distance. To help build atmosphere in your work, try to simplify and reduce what you see to as few brushstrokes as possible. Something suggested rather than stated creates a more satisfying experience for the viewer—and helps to ensure

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that your story or vision isn’t shouted down by distracting details. Make sure you have firm control over both color and tone; they’re vital in creating atmospheric paintings.

Secret No. 5: Bring It Together

We’ve seen how to create atmosphere, but exactly what is it? I think Evening Haze, Kimmeridge Bay (above) helps to get to the crux

of the concept. The painting is of a scene on the Dorset Coast with which I’m very familiar, having walked along the coastal footpath on many occasions, two of which will always stay with me. The first? I was in my mid-teens, and my family’s wonderful next door neighbors had joined us on holiday. I vividly recall my enjoyment of the occasion, especially the scenery

and weather. It’s what I wanted to capture in the painting: bright contre-jour lighting from the early evening sun tumbling over Gad Cliff in the distance, highlighting trees and fields and casting long, deep shadows. It was stunning. I could feel the warmth of the sun, but also was aware of a cooling breeze from the sea that left me with a feeling of windswept satisfaction. On the second occasion, I had made the same walk, but had stopped on the top of the headland at Swyre Head to make a quick sketch. During that time, I observed a local farmer with three dogs rounding up a herd of sheep, moving them from field to field in the distant valley. In the painting, they’re in the nearest field to the sea on this side of the bay, no more than a suggestion achieved with drybrush technique. It was so captivating, a moment of true bucolic loveliness. Whenever I return to the sketch, I can almost hear the bleating of the sheep and the occasional bark of the skillful sheepdogs. This is one of my favorite paintings—the evening light; the calm, silvery sea; the focal point of Clavell Tower; the sheep; the receding cliffs in the distance. It’s so redolent of my experiences in this beautiful part of the country. I find it incredibly evocative. To me, atmosphere is nothing more than a true sense of a place and time. Presenting that for others to experience and enjoy is truly satisfying and is often why viewers engage with a particular painting. Of course, it’s very subjective, too and a painting may not evoke the same emotion in one person that it does in another. Generally, though, if a piece of art is able to draw viewers in—to make them enter into the experience of being there at that moment in time—then it’s undoubtedly an atmospheric painting.

Discover Thomas W. Schaller’s philosophy and approach to achieving atmosphere on page 61. Watercolor Artist

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Drawn to Former illustrator Eileen Goodman puts her drawing skills to work in large-scale paintings of fruit and flowers that make the ordinary monumental.

ALL PHOTOS BY RICK ECHELMEYER

BY TA M E R A L E N Z M U E N T E

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hiladelphia artist Eileen Goodman paints watercolors on a grand scale. Focusing on fruit, flowers and other inanimate objects, she has embraced watercolor as her primary medium since the 1980s. Her large paintings—up to 40x60 inches—stop viewers in their tracks, presenting common items as fascinating, complex and beautiful. If you were viewing one of Goodman’s works from a distance, or in reproduction, you might zero in on the stunning realism—the delicacy of blood-red peony petals, the orange glow of a clementine, the frosty haze on a red grape. In actuality, though, her watercolors are quite abstract. Squint your eyes while looking at one, and you’ll see carefully composed negative spaces, light versus dark areas and related organic shapes. Peer closely within each shape, and you’ll witness a choreographed dance between the controlled and accidental qualities of watercolor.

Oriental Poppies (watercolor on paper, 29x20¾)

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Poppies and Peonies (watercolor on paper, 40x60)

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From Oils to Watercolors

Goodman has been creating art for more than 50 years, first as an illustrator, then as an oil painter, and ultimately as a watercolorist. She enrolled in the Philadelphia Museum School of Art (now the University of the Arts) in 1954. “At the time, the school didn’t offer a painting major, but there was a lot of good painting going on,” she says. “It was the 1950s, and abstract expressionism dominated. The school provided very good studio classes. Nonetheless, my fellow students and I intended to become commercial artists, so I majored in illustration.”

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Soon after graduation, Goodman started her career as an illustrator for magazines, advertisements and book covers. Meanwhile, she was surrounded by former teachers and friends—including her boyfriend and soon-tobe husband, Sidney Goodman, the well-known figurative painter—who suggested the possibility of becoming a fine artist. “I had never really considered painting as a career,” she says. “I was doing oils in the beginning and gradually started doing ‘secondary watercolors’—I don’t even remember why now— but I’d do an oil painting and then do a smaller

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version in watercolor, much more spare, not as intense as the ones I do now. It was as if I wanted to continue the idea or thought in some way.”

Size Matters

About that same time, her daughter was born, leading to long stretches at home. Goodman began painting subjects that were at hand— blocks, toys, objects gathered around the kitchen sink or on the stovetop. “Then the watercolors started to grow in size, and as they did, I began to realize that I could do what I had intended to do with oils,” the artist says.

“I felt like I could move into watercolor without feeling like I was missing something,” she says. “I liked oil painting, but my studio always has been in my living space, and I think I ended up not really wanting to smell the turpentine and oil anymore. The larger the watercolors became, the more I could keep things aqueous and play with the opposition of tight and loose; it was almost needed with the larger ones. It just kind of evolved, and I found I didn’t miss oil painting.” By the early 1990s, Goodman was working almost solely in watercolor—and almost entirely with still life subjects and closeup views in nature—and continues to do so. Last year, the Woodmere Art Museum featured a retrospective of her career. Gross McCleaf Gallery, which has represented her work in

Five Apricots (watercolor on paper, 12¼x9)

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Tumbling Clementines (2004; watercolor on paper, 40x60) and sketch

Philadelphia for decades, mounted a solo exhibition this past spring.

Picture Perfect

Goodman begins each watercolor with the objects, arranging and lighting them indoors, or selecting the right time of day if outdoors. Then she takes photo references. “I have to work from photographs,” she says, “because the large paintings can take up to a month to make. I can’t keep fruit or flowers alive long enough to finish them.” She prints each photograph very small—only about 4x6 inches—so she can’t rely too directly upon the photographic image. “I don’t want to make photorealistic work,” she says. Next, she places a broad grid on her chosen photograph, using thread to form one horizontal and two vertical lines, and lightly draws the same grid on the large watercolor 36

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C O L L EC T I O N O F S A L LY B E L L E T

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“The dark is as important to me as the light.”

paper. Goodman also roughly sketches a small graphite compositional study before she transfers the image to paper. “I enjoy the transfer process, looking at the little photograph and drawing it on the paper,” she says. “I don’t want it to be exact. The drawing isn’t too detailed, but general enough to give me something to begin with. Then I just have to jump in.” Goodman works flat while seated at a table, making it a challenge to reach the entire sheet

of paper for a large painting. She slides the heavy Arches cold-pressed stock that she prefers, bending it occasionally. Though deliberate, her process is intuitive enough that she creates watercolors that appear as if painted from life.

Sunlight and Shadow

Goodman turns to photography because light shifts so quickly. Citrus Plant With Roses (on page 40), a recent work, depicts two potted plants in light and shade. It’s a study in contrasts:

the shadow on the left versus the bright light on the right, dark green foliage against fragile pink petals. The small citrus fruits are partially ripe, and Goodman has portrayed them skillfully with green watercolor bleeding into orange. The dark shadow ripples with the modulated edges of watercolor washes, and the pale roses seem to merge with the bright sunlit wall. “The dark is as important to me as the light,” says Goodman. “The two can create the feeling

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of time passing, along with other sensations that light and dark conjure.” The light and dark present questions for the viewer: What time of day is it? Will the shadow move across the wall, or will sunlight soon fi ll the scene? Whatever the answer, eventually night will fall, leaving both plants in darkness. Surprisingly, many of Goodman’s still lifes solicit a psychological interpretation, or at the very least suggest a particular mood. Although she doesn’t plan this at the outset, she doesn’t 38

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mind hearing these interpretations. “The shadows are as important as the objects. They reveal and also conceal, and I think that’s where it gets into the psychological,” she says. “I’m not planning any psychological result, but I see it afterward sometimes. I’m drawn to certain things, and I don’t even know why. It’s not always conscious.” For example, Goodman portrayed the arrangement in Little Eggplants on Antique Lace (on page 41) with an overhead perspective:

A dozen shiny eggplants and a single red fruit cluster on a white lace tablecloth, with bits of yellow peeking through the delicate fabric. The round table ends abruptly on the right with a large, dark shape. Initially, it may have been a compositional choice—the dark form balancing the small ebony shapes on the table. But, it’s hard not to envision the tiny eggplants marching toward an ominous void. In response to viewer interpretations such as these, Goodman says, “I don’t mind when people see

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P R I VAT E C O L L EC T I O N

Eggplants and Wisteria (2010s; watercolor on paper, 40x60) and sketch

those things in my paintings because, in many ways, I think they’re true.”

Learning From the Masters

Watercolor can be an unforgiving medium, especially when working transparently as Goodman does. “I don’t use white or opaque; all the white comes from the paper,” she says. “In oil, you can always work over an area. Watercolor just doesn’t take corrections after one or two layers. At that point, I just have to accept what’s happened and move on.” She says it’s a balance between control and accident, and she embraces errors when they occur. “I’ve torn inches off paintings, or cut them in half, and they’re usually better for it.”

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C O L L EC T I O N O F C A R O L H O F F M A N PA R L E T T

Goodman’s paintings appear so effortless and accomplished that it’s difficult to believe she doesn’t have formal training as a watercolorist. Because she didn’t study the medium, she sought the works of masters to serve as her guide. “I looked at Charles 40

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Demuth [American, 1883-1935] a lot,” the artist says. “In the beginning, I used him almost as a teacher. I felt a connection to his work.” She becomes excited when talking about watercolor masters like John Singer Sargent [American, 1856-1925]: “When you’re great,

you’re great. Sargent, under every stroke of his, had this incredible draftsmanship,” she continues. “It’s remarkable how he achieved the monumental architecture in his Venice works, how he got that structure beneath his delicate way of working. To me, drawing still matters.” Goodman’s strong background in that discipline certainly informs her watercolor paintings. She calls the 17th-century painter Johannes Vermeer [Dutch, 1632-1675] her hero, and describes his paintings as “so beautiful they appear to have been breathed on.” She also loves 20th-century Italian painter Giorgio Morandi [Italian, 1890-1964], whose spare and subtle still lifes have a meditative quality, according to Goodman. “He’s hard to explain to someone who has never looked at his work before,” she says. “It looks unassuming and modest. Sometimes it’s a mystery why one artist soars above the rest.”

Clockwise from top, opposite:

The Importance of Good Art

The great watercolor artists of the past aren’t her only influence, however. “I care about a surface, no matter what the genre or motif or subject matter,” Goodman says. “It can be abstract or realistic. It doesn’t matter, as long as it’s beautifully painted in its own way.” Bottom line, Goodman continues to learn— even after half a century of art-making. “In the face of today’s art world, it may sound old-fashioned,” she says, “but I think students should always look at the greatest artists. Good art is something you can keep returning to; you can’t exhaust it.” As for her own work, she says, “I’ll keep on as long as I can. Painting is what I do.”

Citrus Plant With Roses (watercolor on paper, 29¼x41½) Little Eggplants on Antique Lace (2010s; watercolor on paper, 29½x41) Fruit and Ribbons (watercolor on paper, 20¾x29)

TAMERA LENZ MUENTE is associate curator

of the Taft Museum of Art in Cincinnati, and a regular contributing writer to Watercolor Artist.

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Science Meets

Poetry Naomi Campbell relies on a loose, gestural approach and the mutable properties of watercolor to suggest both the specific and the ephemeral. BY J O H N A . PA R KS

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aomi Campbell’s art is inspired by her love of science and her fascination with modern technology. Faced with a world awash in information—and intrigued by new techniques in genetic engineering and brain research—the artist finds herself meditating on the issues that advancements in science present to us all. Can climate change be controlled? How will genetically modified crops affect food availability? What does it mean to the human brain if we spend vast amounts of time playing video games? “My painting subjects predominantly confront environmental, economic and social issues about which I’ve always felt strongly,” the artist says.

The Need to Expand

To find ways to express her feelings about the world, Campbell has expanded beyond her work as a watercolorist to build art installations designed around various social and scientific issues. “It seems logical to move on to find other things to help express where I am in the world,” she says. “You have to change with the world. For me, that’s what it means to be alive. There are pressing circumstances facing us. How can I be silent? I cannot contain myself just to paint. I feel the need to expand.” Some of her projects have featured glass, X-ray displays, welded steel, corn kernels and charred incense. As current resident artist in the genetic engineering department at Columbia University in New York, she’s privy to new research not only in genetics but also in neuroscience. But even among these diverse projects and responsibilities, Campbell maintains a bedrock interest in watercolor.

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A Footprint on Paper

In response, she has produced paintings such as Does Not Accept Words (on page 49), which uses the actions of the medium to suggest an affinity with microscopic biological structures. By using a free, gestural approach and allowing the watercolor to move, flood and pool in an open manner, Campbell’s work partakes of some of the very forces of nature that power the life forms in which scientists are interested. While Campbell’s work as a watercolorist led her to experiments in installation art and multimedia presentations, this broadened approach has informed her thinking about the nature of watercolor.

“Watercolor is no longer a medium relegated to subjects of fragile flowers or delicate biological renderings. For me, watercolor has evolved into its own distinct language.”

Two mirrors are attached to Sitting in the Dessert Tray (watercolor on paper, metal, mirror, adhesive, wood and paint, 19x29x13), allowing multiple views of the image that shift as the viewer moves. On previous pages: Campbell exploits the natural movement of water and paint to take on almost biological properties in response to her interest in the science of evolution in Another Side Order of Origin of Species (watercolor on paper, 8¼x11¾).

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Watching for Trees to Fall (triptych; watercolor on paper, 8x27) is a response to the artist’s interest in an international seed bank devoted to retaining the genetic diversity of the world’s trees. Pieces of stained glass are suspended above the painting in progress, creating extremely vibrant color in Praying for Rain (opposite; C-print, 20x30).

science fare While Campbell’s work is inspired by contemporary advances in science and technology, it’s worth comparing her approach to artists of previous generations who also were involved with science. In fact, art and science share a long relationship. Piero della Francesca (Italian, 1417-1492) was an avid mathematician who published several treatises on the subject. Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 1452-1519) made extensive observations of the forces of nature and designed a multitude of devices to harness them in various ways. John Constable (English, 1776-1837) became so interested in the structure of cloud formations that he began to contribute papers to the Royal Meteorological Society. Each of these artists engaged the natural world as scientists, exploring and investigating their subjects. Campbell’s work, by contrast, doesn’t engage in analysis but instead seeks to express a response to the discoveries of modern science and to point to the effects they may have on the world. “I believe my approach to painting can be summed up as this: Every action sets up a series of subactions to affect an endpoint that may possibly exist as an infinity,” she says. “This discovery of actions and ideas along the way becomes my painting and art practice.”

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Like most watercolorists, she appreciates the way in which the medium leaves a history of the artist’s marks and movements. “Watermedia leaves behind a footprint on the paper’s surface that’s clearly visible, recording the slightest hesitation in a stroke,” Campbell says. “This mapping of paint left for the viewer to scrutinize makes the mark-making process a kind of public expression. This transposes the act of painting to a transitory form of expression that’s not necessarily a means to an end. I use this process to open up an inner dialogue between form and memory, and light and time.”

The H2O of Watercolor

Campbell notes that the quality and feel of watercolor are dependent on the properties of water itself. “Philosophers and scientists alike have recognized and explained the essential nature of water,” she says. “It exists as one of the sources of life. Water, which is both cataclysmic and life-giving, is often aligned with mystical aspects in cultures and with the world of science. “The dichotomy of transparent washes always has been compelling to me, capable of both sensitive and unmistakable power,” Campbell continues. “Watercolor is no longer a medium relegated to subjects of fragile flowers or delicate biological renderings. For me, watercolor has evolved into its own distinct language.”

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Poetic Responses

Campbell’s watercolors don’t impart any information about the subjects in which she’s interested. Rather, she sees them as free and poetic responses to a stimulus. She hopes that by presenting them in the context of a body of work inspired by a particular subject, they’ll generate discussion and interest about the issues at hand. The triptych, Watching for Trees to Fall (on pages 46 and 47), for instance, emerges from her interest in seed banks that maintain specimens 48

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of rare plant strains in the interest of protecting biodiversity. While there’s a sense that the elements in the painting might be falling over, the work remains abstract and generalized. If anything, the watercolors seem to hark back to the biomorphism of 20th-century artists ranging from Wassily Kandinsky (Russian, 1866-1944) to Roberto Matta (Chilean, 1911-2002) and Arshile Gorky (ArmenianAmerican, 1904-1948). In these works, paint formations seem to share characteristics with life forms viewed under the microscope.

Dripping, flooding and spontaneous handling allow the watercolor to take on its most characteristic qualities in Does Not Accept Words (watercolor on paper, 8¼x6). Blue light is transmitted through glass onto paper buckling with watercolor. The moment is photographed as A Game of Warriors (at left; C-print, 20x30).

Reflection and Refraction

Campbell recently has begun to explore the relationship of watercolor and light in a novel way. To do this, she has incorporated pieces of glass into her work to reflect and refract light and color. Her interest in glass formulated when she was commissioned to make a large stained glass installation for a New York City Subway station in 2003. The East Tremont Avenue stop is situated near the Bronx Zoo, so Campbell made colorful compositions that playfully included references to the zoo’s animal species and foliage.

During the two years it took her to complete the installation, Campbell worked closely with stained glass technicians and learned that glass and watercolor have a lot in common: Both media deal in transparencies and often present uneven layering and blending of color. “The qualities of watercolor and how it translates into glass as an ephemeral medium are what entice me,” she says. “One is a liquid, one is solid. Both change when you work with them.” In her new work, Campbell has been painting while using pieces of glass to transmit light

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onto the surface. She’s interested not only in the transformational properties of this kind of light, but also in capturing the action of paint while it’s still wet and in motion. “Process is important to me,” she says. “All the different moments that occur when you’re working can never be collected as a final result. At the end, you only see the altered state.”

A Process in Progress

Campbell’s solution to capturing process is to take photos of a painting in progress, showing it illuminated and transfigured by colored glass. The results, showing the rich, wet surfaces and soaked paper, are spectacular and evocative.

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In A Game of Warriors (on page 48), a photo shows a brush moving paint on a wet, buckled paper surface. Blue light, transmitted by stained glass, is creating an almost supernaturally intense blue, while highlights glisten and reflect from the surface. In Praying for Rain (on page 47), light from several pieces of frosted glass illuminates a section of richly soaked watercolor, creating a sense of depth in the layering that would be impossible to obtain in dry watercolor. By choosing to exhibit a photo of a watercolor in progress instead of the fi nished product, Campbell has shifted our sense of what a watercolor might be. “It’s similar to

Yield to Oncoming Traffic (watercolor on paper, 8¼x11¾) reflects the artist’s responses to nature and science, which are poetic and evocative rather than descriptive or analytic. Almost abstract, Campbell’s works still manage to suggest natural forms, as in Overcrowded (below; watercolor on paper, 8¼x11¾).

what happens when you see a performance,” she says. “When you walk away from it at the end, it’s not necessarily the fi nal moment that you take away. It’s the imagery from the whole thing that acts on you and can lead to other things.” Campbell’s other experiments on the relationship between glass and watercolor have included using the glass as a mirror. In Sitting in the Dessert Tray (on pages 44 and 45), for instance, two pieces of mirrored glass project from the surface of an abstract watercolor, creating an almost Rorschach Test-like formation. The artist notes that this work changes its appearance as the viewer moves in front of

it, providing multiple perceptions of the same object. “I’m interested in pushing the limits of perception,” she says. “I’m presenting different levels of perception, mathematically or otherwise. As you walk by this piece, you see several different things. It becomes not one piece but several. The piece will evolve. A watercolor is really amazing when you get multiple layers. What you see isn’t necessarily what you get.”

JOHN A. PARKS (johnaparks.com) is a painter,

a writer and a member of the faculty of the School of Visual Arts in New York.

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SEE PAINT RUN Seven artists use watercolor’s natural properties to their advantage, depicting people and animals on the move. Read about their tips and tricks for trying to control the drips, runs and spatters, along with their attempts to harness the joy and freedom of the medium’s tendency toward entropy. Both have their place in this roundup of paintings full of motion and full of life itself. BY M C K E NZ I E G R A H A M

Stephen Zhang

Haircut (watercolor on paper, 40x28)

In Stephen Zhang’s Haircut, figures abound, although it’s not immediately apparent. The mother and daughter in the foreground dominate the scene, with the girl’s stillness emphasized by the mother’s working contrapposto. Upon closer inspection, the background vibrates with a movement of its own. “There are two kinds of movements in Haircut,” the artist says. “First is the literal movement, mainly represented by the mother who is cutting the hair. Her posture—the lines of her arm and jacket— create a visible tension in this otherwise stable composition. The second movement is deliberately implied. On the back wall, the color blocks, value variations and choppy brushstrokes create a dynamic and nonlinear patchwork, while the horizontal and vertical lines function as stabilizing elements. “Overall, I intended for a flow to cascade from the top down to the bottom, like a waterfall, 52

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leading to the main character—the child,” Zhang says. The purples, pinks and oranges on the child’s barber cape, reflected on her face, are all tied into the background, rooting her in the scene. Although the color is quite saturated, it looks realistic from the careful placement and restraint, just as Zhang witnessed the scene. “I believe you can capture movement in both plein air and the studio,” he says. “I paint mostly in the studio; however, for me, it’s important to experience movement on location with observation and sketches and to document it with photography.” Of course, not everything in Haircut was planned, and like most watercolorists, Zhang knows that’s a given going in. “The movement of the water and color isn’t entirely controllable,” he says. “One should be open to the spontaneous happenings and respond to the result accordingly. This also affects the movement of the painting.”

Charles Henry Rouse

Little Italy Pizza Brigade (watercolor on paper, 27x32) Charles Henry Rouse’s Little Italy Pizza Brigade is a study in contrasts. Colorful, modern figures walk in front of a black-and-white still background featuring an old world feel. The difference in styles makes the passersby appear more active. Rouse has received a lot of questions about this painting in particular. “I wish I could say it was genius,” he says. “I had the setting I liked, so all I had to do was find some interesting characters to populate the foreground. I had planned to paint it in gritty color, as I had other New York scenes, but this crazy idea sprang into my head that it would be even grittier in black and white with the primary subjects in color, as well as two different styles or techniques.” 54

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Adding to the impact is the waiter, dressed in period style, inviting interest in the restaurant behind him. “A little old, a little new. A challenge, but great fun,” says Rouse. Rouse maintains that the backgrounds of paintings are important in creating overall flow. Paint handling can make them an integral part of the mission to enhance a sense of movement around the paper. “Blur the background in varying degrees of softness or fuzziness,” he says. “Watercolor, as well as acrylic, gouache and tempera, also can be drybrushed onto the surface with much more control than using transparent washes, creating a smoke-like haze to soften the color beneath the brushstrokes.”

Ali A. Aryan

Crosswise No. 7 (watercolor on paper, 22x30) In Crosswise No. 7, the question isn’t where is there movement; the question is where is there stillness. Ali A. Aryan painted a scene layered with activity stemming from the subjects and lots of vertical and horizontal lines across the surface. “One of my interests and goals is to challenge myself to create something totally new and exciting,” says Aryan. “I often endeavor to avoid creating a work that feels flat or static. Movement, in general, leads the viewer’s eye around the painting instead of stopping it in a single place.” If a viewer were to try looking in a single place in Crosswise No. 7, his or her eye might fall somewhere on the dog walker or her small, leashed charges. Although the image is fragmented with layers of edges and color,

the figure is arresting, painted with several carefully placed red lines on her hat and purse to integrate her with the background, which is also accented with red and orange lines. The eye is naturally drawn to the dogs as it moves from the subject’s head downward, toward the diagonal lines made by the leashes. “I don’t consider myself a plein air painter,” says Aryan. “However, I do sketch my surroundings—objects, flowers and especially figures. I’ve been fascinated with people’s daily lives for a long time, and attempt to capture their transitory moments and movements and anything that catches my attention. I like to disrupt the traditional way of composing an image, break the rules and cross boundaries to present something new.”

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Marnie Becker

Communal Table (watercolor on paper, 18x28) “I was taught to use a larger brush by Ted Nuttall,” says Marnie Becker. “In this way, I avoid painting too tightly or getting involved with too much detail.” The artist painted Communal Table in this style, using small abstract shapes to compose a larger scene. The shapes make small shifts at the corner of a viewer’s eye, creating the illusion that the subjects really are carrying on at the dinner table in the familiar way friends and families do. “I chose to paint shapes rather than individual features,” she says. “For example, I accented the movement of the arms over hands and fi ngers. Although the arms and hands are suspended, their placement shows movement.” Another trick Becker employs to make her figures more vibrant is using varied edges to her advantage. “For Communal Table,” she says, “I chose to edit the subjects into a softer, more

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abstract composition, which makes distinct edges blur or merge with each other. Even in the faces, the blurred shapes and dabs of paint suggest a sense of movement.” Another feature that stands out in Becker’s painting is the palette. It seems that each tiny abstract shape has its own color, combining with all the others to make for a dynamic and slightly more vivid-than-natural scene. “I always underpaint figures with a red, yellow and blue,” says Becker. “In Communal Table, I did this to connect the figures. The setting of this painting was indoors, and the light came from above, so it was a challenge to keep the painting warm, including the shadows. I chose a palette of warm colors, mainly yellows, siennas and accents of mineral violet. The strong shadows under the plates confirm the lighting from above.”

Calvin Chua Cheng Koon Swing 1506 (watercolor on paper, 16x231⁄5) A lot is happening at once in Calvin Chua Cheng Koon’s joyful Swing 1506. Two girls fly through the air, clutching onto swing handles as one looks off to the side, indicating more activity happening away from the glance of curious viewers. That look acts like the winding country road in a landscape, drawing the viewer both in and out of the scene. The subjects’ purple shirts pop against a full spectrum of its half-complement, green, perfectly centering the girls’ activity. Blues, oranges and pinks burst around the page. It’s a painting full of life. What’s Koon’s best tool to portray so much movement? Ironically, he says it’s “a relaxed mind.”

Koon isn’t immune to a good technique, though. Swing 1506 is layered with wash after wash, and was painted wet-into-wet, so the paint’s natural patterns and drips lend a hand in some of that final controlled chaos on the paper. “I convey movement through the strength of touches—the pressure exerted onto paper, direction of strokes, and, a personal favorite—tonal and color changes,” he says. “My technique for showing motion is to apply heavy strokes with a flat brush and bring the details into focus with crisp, clear strokes.” Each stroke can be found throughout Koon’s composition, perfectly balancing heavy and light applications.

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Kathryn Keller Larkins

Mirage (at right; watercolor on paper, 17x41) In Mirage, a sense of euphoric freedom permeates the painting. It’s a kind of freedom that only can be experienced by riding a horse, and one that Kathryn Keller Larkins knows well. Her approach and techniques with the paint itself were attempts to imitate her experience—allowing the viewer to get a sense of the open air simply by seeing it. “I rode horses as a child, and I loved the freedom and the feeling of the wind,” says Larkins. “In Mirage, I tried to capture the expanse of the land by hanging the painting vertically and letting a thick drip of Payne’s gray run along midway to indicate a faraway horizon. Above the line of Payne’s and behind the head of the horse, I left blurred areas of paper white to show the sun high in the sky, glowing through the whipping of the mane and the rhythm of the galloping legs.” This vast, stark landscape frames the dynamic figure of the horse and rider. Across the bottom of the painting, Larkins let large drops of a mix of titanium white and raw sienna splash and pool to show the dust clouds raised by the churn of the horse’s hooves. She built up the surface of the musculature by alternating blue and brown washes, and then used a hair dryer to create the gesture lines of the mane and tail. “The surprise of watercolor makes the imperfect line the perfect line, one we couldn’t paint if we tried.” 58

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Kathleen Conover

Street Scene: Industrial Evolution (at left; watercolor on paper, 22x30) “Watercolor is a great medium for capturing motion,” says Kathleen Conover. “Paint and water flow directionally to the pull of gravity with a slight tilt of the paper; it also moves with blowing air and separates with any interference. All of this creates interest and a sense of motion beyond what I can do with a paintbrush.” Still, the paintbrush in Conover’s hand does a great deal. Street Scene: Industrial Evolution shows a moving bird three ways: a raven in flight, an origami bird trailing in the wind and a shadow of the raven dragging beneath its creator at a lag. All of this pops against a background full of texture and shapes. “Composition can’t be overstated,” says Conover. “Street Scene isn’t a complex composition, but the use of diagonals is most important to transport the viewer through the painting. Directional and bold diagonals in the raven

and telephone pole shadows, smaller contrasting diagonals in the origami bird—down to the small diagonals in the ground frost texture—all keep a viewer’s eye moving. There’s no rest in this painting.” Texture plays an important role in Conover’s painting. Each element has its own surface texture, including the unique background. “My first application of paint is always wet, loose and often experimental,” she says. “Before I even know what I might want to paint, I’ll intentionally ‘play’ with my materials [without brushes]: paint, water, mark-making tools, texturing mediums or techniques, unusual patterns, etc. In Street Scene, I created an overall texture by freezing pigment and water in 20-degree weather outside in winter. Working with this experimental start that looked like the texture of freezing rain on asphalt helped me to develop my plan for the painting.”

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DISCOVER VALUABLE LESSONS FROM 130 CONTEMPORARY WATERCOLOR MASTERS IN

Splash 18 Iowa Farm, Anita K. Plucker, from Splash 18

Splash 18

Value: Celebrating Light and Dark Edited By Rachel Rubin Wolf There is no more fundamental duality than that of light and dark. For the artist, no element is more effective at conveying a sense of space or directing the viewer’s eye. A strong value composition is key to bringing drama to city scenes and capturing nature’s gloriously fleeting lighting effects. The dynamic interplay between intense shadows and sparkling highlights can elevate otherwise ordinary subjects and imbue portraits with soul. Splash 18 explores how acclaimed watercolor artists use value to give their paintings meaning, energy and life. The result is another bold collection of expressive art, rich with insight from the artists themselves on how they strive for and achieve expression. See what happens when artists paint what they love, and love what they paint. 3t *4#/

Available at your favorite bookseller. To learn more about the full range of ArtistsNetwork products, including North Light books, visit ArtistsNetwork.com.

Watercolor

B Y T H O M A S W. S C H A L L E R

essentials

In the Air Create atmospheric sky and water by connecting similar and opposing elements.

I

n the realm of painting, the adapted Wordsworth quote, “Nature is the best teacher,” is often thought of as something approaching gospel. And truly, there’s no substitute equal to actual site observation for an understanding of nature’s many mysteries. But there are other teachers that, for me, are equally important members of the “faculty.” Dreams, memories and creative invention are just as critical to the artist who seeks to tell other kinds of stories or wants to find other ways to communicate silently with the viewer. The World Was Quiet (watercolor on paper, 22x15) is inspired by memories of my years in New York City and by a poem by Wallace Stevens. It’s about the almostuniversal desire to find a quiet place in a chaotic world.

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r

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Finding Dichotomies

l

Narrative always has played a major role in my work. Creating a compelling idea for each of my paintings is, in fact, my chief aim. All other elements—composition, values and color—must be in service to the overarching idea that frames everything I do. Over time, I’ve found that the approach that works best for me in my attempts to create a dialogue between artist and viewer is the establishment of a network of dichotomies—complements—within my work. Light vs. dark is, of course, a consistent theme. But so, too, are others: vertical vs. horizontal, warm vs. cool, man-made vs. natural, real vs. imagined, and the past vs. present vs. future.

When the artist introduces such opposing forces within a work, the viewer sees the tensions as well as the connections that exist between all parts of a painting.

In these small conflicts—these questions on paper—the viewer can become lost for a while, asking questions and sometimes finding a resolution. In this way, a connection

artist’s toolkit • Sketchbook: Stillman & Birn Beta Series • Sketch Pencils: FaberCastell 9000 4B; Palomino Blackwing 602 • Paper: Arches 140-lb. rough • Brushes: Escoda Aquario Series Nos. 14 and 16; Escoda Perla Series Nos. 8, 10 and 12 • Paint: Daniel Smith: French ochre, permanent orange, Venetian red, burnt sienna light, burnt sienna, cobalt teal blue, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, lavender, imperial purple, lunar violet • Misc.: Holbein atomizer bottle

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Time Travelers (watercolor on paper, 30x22) is derived wholly from my imagination; the passage of time is the theme. The distant sky dissolves into mist, and the uncertain bridge carries the two figures on their journey over space and time—from wherever they were to wherever they may arrive.

between the viewer and the painter can be formed. On pages 64-65, I share how I put my approach into practice in the demonstration that intertwines the dichotomies.

Join Thomas W. Schaller in a new series of video workshops all about designing powerful watercolors, including lessons on perspective, the magic of complements and painting dramatic atmosphere. You’ll love painting along with step-by-step demonstrations of a cityscape and a waterscape. Find this series at northlightshop.com and wherever videos are sold in Sepember 2017.

in a fog I’m often asked how I paint, or achieve, light in watercolor. The simple answer? I don’t. The light is already there on the surface of the paper just waiting for me. The same can be said for painting fog. The answer is found more in what I don’t paint than in what I do. Watercolor really is a subtractive medium, in that we don’t add paint to create light. Instead, we add paint to create the shadows that reveal the light. The effect of fog is found mostly in what it obscures, not in what it reveals, so a less-ismore approach is the way to go. Fog often can seem to have a kind of silvery tone. And, like clouds, it can form shapes. I’ll often add just a hint of cobalt teal blue and imperial purple to the bottom of fog banks to suggest shape, texture and a subdued atmospheric feel.

Drawn on site in midday, I painted Nocturne, Winter Farmyard—Ohio (at left, top; watercolor on paper, 18x24) as if at night and in moonlight to tell the bittersweet story of resilient places and forgotten ways of life. Fragmentation and uncertainty are portrayed in Broken Road (at left; watercolor on paper, 15x20), which is anchored in reinvented reality. Hard edges and negative shapes frame the foreground, but a hopeful destination beckons in the distance.

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r

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plan the painting. I began to design the shapes of the composition—the darks and lights, the verticals and horizontals, the shapes of values that help to imply a sense of depth.

blanks is a better way to go. Instead of describing with a line, I “draw” with fluid shapes of value and color.

sky meets water Step 1: Walking along the Tiber River with friends one evening, the air suddenly chilled, and great banks of fog rolled in to cover the water and Rome’s iconic Ponte Sant’Angelo. The effect was majestic and intimate. The great structure and the historic castle beyond seemed to hover in space—as if removed from time. The fog had the effect of connecting everything; sky became water, and the earthbound seemed to float. It was much too late and dark to paint, so I went back the following day. Step 2: Fortunately, the lighting and fog of the previous night was still fresh in my mind as I sketched the scene. I often counsel my workshop students to avoid describing their subjects and instead try to interpret them. In other words: Don’t paint what you see; paint how what you see makes you feel. That’s what I tried to do here. The elements of site observation are much the same, but the lighting, atmosphere, feeling and story are quite different. They’re inspired by my earlier impressions of the place and drawn from memory and imagination. This sketch helped me

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Step 3: Another benefit of the preliminary site sketch was that it helped me complete my line drawing more quickly. Because I knew where the basic shapes needed to go, I ran a smaller risk of overdrawing. I find that it’s generally a good idea to draw only a bare minimum. Letting the brush do the drawing and allowing the viewer to fill in the

Step 4: In doing my black-andwhite sketch, I designed a color palette for the work. I knew it was about light more than anything else. The saved white of the paper that would form the fog that connected all things is the primary focus. Everything else is secondary. Turning the board upside down, I began with the sky in complementary tones of yellows and purple. Knowing that the bits of castle and

4

7 bridge that appear would be darker, I determined that it wasn’t necessary to hold any edges there. Step 5: Before the sky dried completely, I turned the board upright to lay in the tones of the water. I matched the hues of the sky to enhance the sense of reflection and the idea of connection. I was careful to maintain the pure white of the slanting fog. Step 6: Before the sky or water areas dried completely, I used more earthy tones for the castle and the

bridge. I wanted them to “melt” into the water and sky to enhance the idea of mystery and a sense of connection—and to help imply the effect of distance and perspective. Step 7: I placed in the foreground elements of the bridge and statues. The sky behind was now nearly dry, so I could hold clean edges where needed. I used a water mister to help blend away any unwanted edges. I then established a bold sense of depth, perspective and drama by using darker values. I used rather theatrical complements

of color to imply warm reflections of bounced light under the deep arches against the cooler tones above and below. Final Step: As the painting dried, I created just a hint of a dark foreground. And lastly, I added a few small details here and there. The foggy atmosphere didn’t warrant more. And more importantly, I wanted to engage the viewer’s imagination—trying to conjure what can’t be seen—in Fog on the Tiber, Rome (watercolor on paper, 30x22).

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FlyingColorsArt.com 858-518-0949 Watercolor Artist

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ar tist’s marketplace Workshops ALABAMA Tony Couch, AWS 10/9-10/12/17, Huntsville. Contact: 678/513-6676, [email protected]

Huntsville Museum of Art 8/24-8/26/17, Huntsville. Michael Story, Understanding Skies & Reflections: Landscape Painting in Oil or Pastel. 9/15-9/16/17, Huntsville. Gary Chapman, CHARCOAL: Expressive Mark Making, A Painter’s Approach to Drawing. 10/2-10/6/17, Huntsville. Brian Bomeisler, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. 10/9-10/12/17, Huntsville. Tony Couch, Watercolor Painting. 11/8-11/11/17, Huntsville. Liz Haywood-Sullivan, Pastels – Inside/Outside: The Best of Both. 2/9-2/11/18, Huntsville. Sara Beth Fair, Painting with Light, Color & Joy. 4/6-4/8/18, Huntsville. Lian Quan Zhen, Let the Colors Paint Themselves. 5/3-5/6/18, Huntsville. David Dunlop, Acrylic, Oil or Pastel. 6/1-6/2/18, Huntsville. Alan Shuptrine, Realistic Watercolor Landscapes. Contact: Laura E. Smith, Director of Education/ Museum Academy, 256/535-4350 x222 [email protected] or hsvmuseum.org

ARIZONA Robert Burridge 10/23-10/27/17, Sedona. Artist Retreat: Playing with Polyptychs. 5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday). Sedona Arts Center. Contact: 888/954-4442 or 928/282-3809 www.sedonaartscenter.org

Birgit O’Connor 11/14-11/17/17, Tucson. Nov. 13 Demonstration. Contact: Robbie Summers, 520/818-0817 [email protected] or [email protected] www.southernazwatercolorguild.com

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April 2018, Santa Barbara. Brenda Swenson, W/C Sketchbook. All levels of instruction. Class size 12. Contact: Cris Weatherby, 858/518-0949 [email protected] or www.FlyingColorsArt.com

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11/13-11/17/17, Tucson. Wiegardt’s Painterly Watercolors. Contact: Madeline Island School of the Arts [email protected]

ARK ANSAS Kathleen Conover 10/23-10/26/17, Fayetteville. “Chaos to Order” Watercolor Workshop. Contact: Gary Johnson, 864/680-7040 [email protected] or www.artistsnwarkansas.org

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Robert Burridge 8/31-9/3/17, Arroyo Grande. Robert Burridge Studio Mentor Workshop. Come paint with Bob in his Studio (includes individual mentor time, demonstrations and personal theme development). 3.5 days Workshop/ Mentor Program, limited to 7 enrollees. Contact: [email protected] for fees and details. 11/2-11/5/17, Arroyo Grande. Robert Burridge Studio Mentor Workshop. Come paint with Bob in his Studio (includes individual mentor time, demonstrations and personal theme development). 3.5 days Workshop/ Mentor Program, limited to 7 enrollees. Contact: [email protected] for fees and details.

Tony Couch, AWS 10/30-11/2/17, San Clemente. 3/4-3/8/18, Cambria. Contact: 678/513-6676, [email protected]

11/13-11/14/17, Bradenton. The Split Primary Color Wheel in Watercolor. 2-Day Watercolor Workshop. Keeton’s. Demo on Nov. 11, 2017. Contact: Keeton’s Office & Art Supply, 941/747-2995 Website: www.keetonsonline.com 12/9-12/10/17, Inverness. Layering Color for Translucent Light & Shadow. 2-Day Watercolor Workshop. Citrus Watercolor Club. Demo on Dec 8, 2017. Contact: Helene Lancaster, 352/257-1261 [email protected] 2/19-2/20/18, Bradenton. The Split Primary Color Wheel in Watercolor. 2-Day Watercolor Workshop. Keeton’s. Demo on Feb. 17, 2018. Contact: Keeton’s Office & Art Supply, 941/747-2995 Website: www.keetonsonline.com 5/15-5/17/18, Tallahassee. Translucent Light & Shadow in Watercolor. 3-Day Workshop. Tallahassee Watercolor Society. Contact: Deborah Morningstar, 850/264-6540 [email protected] For questions regarding workshop contents, contact Jaimie at: 786/303-5293 or email: [email protected]

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or Call Chris: 248-624-4902 68

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Self-Directed Retreat Sep 3-9, 2017 Ann Lindsay Sep 10-16, 2017 David Taylor Sep 17-23, 2017 Leah Lopez Sep 24-30, 2017 Skip Lawrence Oct 1-7, 2017 John MacDonald Oct 8-14, 2017 Fran Skiles Oct 15-21, 2017 Margaret Evans Mar 18-24, 2018 Margaret Dyer Apr 22-28, 2018 Christine Camilleri Apr 29-May 5, 2018 Peter Fiore May 6-12, 2018 Christine Ivers May 16-20, 2018 Robert Burridge May 20-26, 2018 Larisa Aukon May 30-Jun 3, 2018 Laurie Goldstein-Warren Jun 3-9, 2018 Richard McKinley Jun 10-16, 2018 Joel Popadics Jun 17-23, 2018 Elizabeth St Hilaire Jun 24-30, 2018 Brenda Swenson Jul 1-7, 2018 Kathyanne White Jul 8-14, 2018 Fabio Cembranelli July 15-21, 2018

artworkshops.com

ar tist’s marketplace Fort Myers Beach Art Association www.fortmyersbeachart.com 11/6/17, 1/8/18, 3/5/18, Cheryl Fausel weekly watercolor classes. Beginner 9-12 and Intermediate/ Advanced 1-4. Six Mondays $150/$180; 4 Mondays $100/$120. Contact: [email protected] after September 1. See www.fortmyersbeachart.com for complete schedule. 11/13-11/15/17, Vladislav Yelisleyev, Achieving the Freedom of Brushstroke. Watercolor (3 days) all levels. Fees: Member cost: $315. Non-member cost: $355. Demo Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017 4-6pm. Contact: Kay Cowan, [email protected] Supply list see www.fortmyersbeachart.com 1/11/18, Cheryl Fausel. A One-Day Introduction for True Beginner-Beginners to Watercolor. A $10 “Palette Fee” paid in class will include all supplies needed. 9:00am - 4:00pm. $90/$95. Contact: [email protected] after September 1, 2017. 1/15-1/18/18, Kathleen Conover, Chaos to Order. Mixed media (4 days) Beginner to advanced. Fees: Members $415. Non-members $455. Demo Sunday, Jan. 14 4-6pm. Contact: Michele Buelow, [email protected] Supply list see www.fortmyersbeachart.com 1/25/18, Sue Pink, Watercolor Batik. 9:00am - 3:00pm. Cost: $60/$65. Cost includes oriental paper and nontoxic wax. Bring watercolor supplies prepay/register: check to Sue Pink at PO Box 366733, Bonita Springs, FL 34136. Check out: suepink.com 1/26/18, Lynne Wesolowski, Mono Print Scarf w/Acrylic and Gelli Plate. 9:00am - 3:00pm. Cost of class: $50/$55. Acrylics/Printing. All supplies provided for $10 including 8”x 72” Silk Scarf paid in class. Contact: [email protected] 2/1-2/2/18, Sue Pink, (2 days) Collage. 9:00am 3:00pm. Cost: $110/$120. Improve composition skills creating textured papers. Bring structure/strength to artwork. Prepay/Register check Sue Pink at PO Box 366733, Bonita Springs, FL 34136. 2/8-2/10/18, Neil Walling, (3 days) Painting Trees, Seas, and Skies in Oil. 9:00am - 4:00pm. $185/$200 each class. Contact: [email protected] 2/19-2/22/18, Marie Natale, Watercolor – Loose, Luminous & Colorful. (4 days) Intermediate/Advanced.

Fees: Member cost: $395. Non-member cost: $435. Demo Feb. 18 4-6pm. Contact: Nancy Randall, [email protected] Supply list see www.fortmyersbeachart.com 3/8-3/10/18, Neil Walling, (3 days) Painting Trees, Seas, and Skies in Watercolor. 9:00am - 4:00pm. $185/$200 each class. Contact: [email protected] 3/15/18, Cheryl Fausel, How to Use Your Photo Shop Elements to Manipulate Your Paintings. 9:00am 4:00pm. (Hour for lunch) $90/$95. Contact: [email protected] after September 1.

Tom Lynch

GEORGIA Tony Couch, AWS 11/27-11/30/17, Savannah. 4/9-4/12/18, Dawsonville. 4/30-5/3/18, St. Simons Contact: 678/513-6676, [email protected]

H AWA I I Eric Wiegardt, AWS-DF, NWS 1/20-1/28/18, Oahu. Hawaii Plein Air Workshop. Contact: Wiegardt Studio Gallery, 360/665-5976 [email protected]

11/14-11/17/17, Quincy. 12/11-12/14/17, Palm Beach. 1/5-1/7/18, Sanibel Island. 1/18-1/21/18, Daytona Beach. 2/14-2/17/18, Punta Gorda. 3/13-3/15/18, Tequesta. Contact: 630/851-2652 [email protected] or www.TomLynch.com

INDIANA

Jan Sitts

9/11-9/17/17, Gloucester. Northeast Art Workshops. Contact: Kat Masella, 978/729-4970 [email protected]

2/5-2/8/18, Santa Rosa Beach. Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County. Contact: 850/622-5970

Vladislav Yeliseyev AIS, NWS 10/10-10/12/17, The Villages. Watercolor workshop. Contact: Beverly Hennessy, 352/572-5317 [email protected] or www.villageartworkshops.com 11/13-11/15/17, Ft. Myers Beach Art Association. Contact: 952/210-6888, www.fortmyersbeachart.com 11/17/17, 1/24/18, 2/27/18, 3/28/18, Keeton’s Office and Art Supply in Bradenton. One day Watercolor workshops. Contact: 941/747-2995. 11/29-12/1/17, Sarasota-Bradenton. Plein Air Workshop. Contact: Marina, 941/330-6865 [email protected] or www.yeliseyevfineart.com 12/12-12/14/17, Palm Beach Watercolor Society. Contact: Adrienne Walker, 561/498-3605 [email protected] February, April 2018, Sarasota-Bradenton. Plein Air Workshops. Contact: Marina, 941/330-6865 [email protected] or www.yeliseyevfineart.com

Tom Lynch 8/15-8/18/17, Carmel. Contact: 630/851-2652 [email protected] or www.TomLynch.com

M A S S AC H U S E T T S Birgit O’Connor

Eric Wiegardt, AWS-DF, NWS 10/16-10/20/17, Gloucester. Wiegardt’s Painterly Watercolors. Contact: Northeast Art Workshop Retreats [email protected]

MICHIGAN Robert Burridge 8/11-8/13/17, Petoskey. Start Abstract Painting Today! 3-day Workshop (Friday-Sunday). Contact: Megan DeWindt, 231/347-1236 [email protected] or www.crookedtree.org

Chris Unwin Watercolor Workshop Weekly on Wednesdays. West Bloomfield, MI 48322 Contact: Chris Unwin, 248/624-4902 [email protected] or www.ChrisUnwin.net

M I N N E S O TA Tony Couch, AWS 9/18-9/21/17, Plymouth. Contact: 678/513-6676, [email protected]

2018 WATERMEDIA WORKSHOPS Hendersonville, North Carolina

Instruction - Sun.-Thu. (April 7-13, 2018)

ROBERT BURRIDGE

• Burridge Studio App • Free Online Newsletter • Free Weekly BobBlast • Current Workshop Schedule • Workshops in Bob's Studio

M.E. MIKE BAILEY DAVID R. BECKER CARRIE BURNS BROWN KATHLEEN CONNOVER ROBBIE LAIRD DALE LAITINEN DEAN NIMMER JEAN PEDERSON RICHARD STEPHENS DEBORA STEWART JO TOYE SOON WARREN www.KanugaWatermediaWorkshops.com

RobertBurridge.com

Chris & Barbara Hutchison, Directors [email protected]

Watercolor Artist

| October 2017

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ar tist’s marketplace [email protected] 630-851-2652 www.tomlynch.com 2017-18 WORKSHOPS August 15 – 18 August 25 – 27 September 11 – 14 September 25 – 28 October 10 – 13 November 10 – 12 November 14 – 17 December 11 – 14 January 5 – 7 January 18 – 21 February 14 – 17 February 26 – 28 March 13 – 15 April 9 – 12 April 30 – May 4 May 15 – 18

Carmel, IN Red Bank, NJ Beaver Creek, CO Springfield, OR Rehoboth Beach, DE Raleigh, NC Quincy, FL Palm Beach, FL Sanibel Island, FL Daytona Beach, FL Punta Gorda, FL N. Myrtle Beach, SC Tequesta, FL Dallas, TX Fredericksburg, VA Manahawkin, NJ

Available For Workshops In Your Area

Visit www.ArtAcademyLive.com Your Online Source For Art Instruction 24/7

MISSISSIPPI

OHIO

Robert Burridge

Tony Couch, AWS

11/15-11/19/17, Ocean Springs. Abstract Acrylic Painting & Collage. 5-day Workshop (WednesdaySunday). Ocean Springs Art Association. Contact: Carole Marie Stuart [email protected] or www.oceanspringsartassociation.org

7/9-7/12/18, Oxford. Contact: 678/513-6676, [email protected]

N E VA DA

10/6-10/7/17, Watercolor Workshop. Western Ohio Watercolor Society. Contact: [email protected] or www.westernohiowatercolorsociety.org

Birgit O’Connor

OREGON

8/15-8/18/17, Reno. Fearless Florals. Contact: Tricia Leonard, [email protected]

Art In The Mountains

NEW JERSEY Tom Lynch 8/25-8/27/17, Red Bank. 5/15-5/18/18, Manahawkin. Contact: 630/851-2652 [email protected] or www.TomLynch.com

N E W YO R K Hudson River Valley Art Workshops 9/3-9/9/17, Self-Directed Retreat. 9/10-9/16/17, Ann Lindsay. 9/17-9/23/17, David Taylor. 9/24-9/30/17, Leah Lopez. 10/1-10/7/17, Skip Lawrence. 10/8-10/14/17, John MacDonald. 10/15-10/21/17, Fran Skiles. 3/18-3/24/18, Margaret Evans. 4/22-4/28/18, Margaret Dyer. 4/29-5/5/18, Christine Camilleri. 5/6-5/12/18, Peter Fiore. 5/16-5/20/18, Christine Ivers. 5/20-5/26/18, Robert Burridge. 5/30-6/3/18, Larisa Aukon. 6/3-6/9/18, Laurie Goldstein-Warren. 6/10-6/16/18, Richard McKinley. 6/17-6/23/18, Joel Popadics. 6/24-6/30/18, Elizabeth St Hilaire. 7/1-7/7/18, Brenda Swenson. 7/8-7/14/18, Kathyanne White. 7/15-7/21/18, Fabio Cembranelli. Contact: 888/665-0044 [email protected] or www.artworkshops.com

NORTH CAROLINA

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