Innholdsfortegnelse for Spring 2023 i Watercolor Artist

/ STUDIO STAPLES / Koh-I-Noor Watercolor Wheel Stack Pack [$11.39] Get inspired by this fresh approach to color. With 24 rich watercolors neatly packaged in four interlocking trays—just stack and pack and you’re ready to go! These watercolors provide excellent quality and convenient portability that make this set a great value. The trays are topped with a crystal clear plastic lid that can also be used as a mixing tray. / ON THE SHELVES / Vibrant Watercolor Birds: 24 Effortless Projects of Showstopping Avian Species [$21.99] Combining radiant bird-themed compositions with approachable step-by-step tutorials, Madhu S takes readers through an array of stunning species. From tropical and garden birds to aquatic and mountain birds, each type brings its own exciting, accessible challenge for artists. Every chapter introduces new skills and…

Artist Chris McHenry has no designated indoor studio space, and that’s by design. It may be an unusual situation for a successful artist, but McHenry has learned he’s happiest—and at his creative best—aboard his boat. This “floating studio” not only provides him great freedom in choosing a vantage point, but it also aids his productivity. “I spend as much time as possible on the water, painting,” he says. “For me, it was too easy on a day of bad weather to decide to paint inside.” Now, thanks to a Bimini top, his boat provides consistent shade and protection from the elements. Hie artist adds that a less-than-perfect day often provides the best chance for painting—the kind of atmospheric scene that kicks his art up another notch. AT THE HELM When…

’ll never forget the words of my high school art teacher: “An artist is a person with a sketchbook attached.” In the age of digital imaging, the convenience of the mobile phone as a storehouse of personal observations and memories imperils the art of sketching and diminishes the artist’s relationship with this traditional, and vital, art practice. It need not be a case of sketching versus photographs, however; with a little planning, one can find benefits in both. Travel, in particular, provides an opportunity to combine the best of both media. Whenever I visit a new location, I’m busy taking photographs of things too fleeting to sketch: the glimpse of a fashionable person, a group in animated conversation, the view from a moving train and so on. Because these inspired…

Winslow Homer (1836—1910) began his career in Boston, doing freelance illustration before moving to New York City in 1859. In 1861, he embedded with Union troops to cover the Civil War as a magazine artist-reporter. His paintings of the subject gained notice, and Homer was elected a member of the National Academy in 1866. In the 1870s, he summered in upstate New York and coastal Massachusetts, rural areas that provided settings for paintings of children at play. In the spring of 1881, Homer traveled to England and stayed by the sea at Cullercoats until late the following year. His landscapes became more somber, his figures more monumental. In 1883, he moved from New York to Maine. Homer made frequent trips throughout the northeast states, Canada and the Caribbean, but his…

“WHEN I BEGIN A PAINTING, I HAVE AN IDEA IN MY HEAD OF WHAT I WANT TO CREATE; HOWEVER, IT USUALLY TAKES FIVE MINUTES TO MESS UP THAT IDEA. INSTEAD OF GETTING FRUSTRATED, I EMBRACE WHAT HAPPENS.” -RYAN FOX One of the most expressive and challenging ways to use the watercolor medium is in large, intricate works with layers of luminous washes, and Ryan Fox accomplishes that brilliantly in his batik-style, award-winning work, Amsterdam Skyline. The layers of luminescent color and dramatic value structure make this aerial view of the centuries-old European city an absolute stand-out. “The editorial team was blown away by the complexity and visual excitement of the composition,” says Watercolor Artist editor-in-chief Anne Hevener. “The sense of depth, punctuated by the centerpiece building, creates a picture of…

“MY LIFE INFLUENCES MY PAINTINGS. IN EACH OF THEM, THERE’S A LITTLE BIT OF ME, MY PAST, MY STORY AND MY AFFECTION FOR CHILDREN.” -DANIELA WERNECK What was your inspiration for the painting? I’m inspired by children, who are our future. Regardless of the specific theme or subject, my life influences my paintings. In each of them, there’s a little bit of me, my past, my story and my affection for children. She Holds the Future is a painting I started last year, at the same time that I was speaking with writer Stefanie Laufersweiler about an article on my artwork for the Summer 2022 issue of Watercolor Artist. At the time, we talked a lot about my experience with children in foster care. Afterward, I felt a need to…

McHenry's offshore painting is a practice that has been enjoyed by other plein air enthusiasts, including 19th-century Impressionist painters Charles-François Daubigny (1817-78) and Claude Monet (1840-1926). It’s a history that’s not lost on McHenry. “While taking an art history class, I saw a reproduction of a painting by Édouard Manet of Monet in what he called his ‘studio boat,’ and I was fascinated,” he says. “My wife and I live just blocks from White Rock Lake, in Dallas, where I’ve painted along the shoreline for years. I remembered that painting and thought about the challenge of painting scenes from the water.” He eventually decided to give it a try. For the first outings, he loaded his French easel onto an 8-foot boat. It was a good learning experience. “The boat…

One of juror Andy Evansen’s goals in selecting 75 watermedia paintings from the 664 submitted to the Northwest Watercolor Society’s (NWWS) 82nd International Open Exhibition was to pick different styles to showcase the medium’s versatility and possibilities. At the awards reception in late 2022, he explained the standout qualities of each piece. The top honor of First Place, and a $2,000 prize, went to Caitlin Leline Hatch for her equine painting Waiting Patiently (top). “The small important subtle shapes of light in the horse’s face to indicate tendons, sinews and veins, along with the strong rich colors in the neck are impressive and show remarkable skill,” says Evansen. “It was painted realistically but expressively enough that it still embraces what makes watercolor such a beautiful and unique medium.” Amalia Fisch’s…

The strong composition and precision of detail in Peggi Habets’ prizewinning watercolor, Ensemble (opposite), perfectly complement the finely orchestrated chaos of a restaurant kitchen. To achieve such balance, the artist evaluated every object in the room, deciding whether and how each one would contribute to the overall movement of the painting. The effect is an enchanting mixture of grounding simplicity and exciting energy, which struck Watermedia Showcase juror Anne Hevener. “This watercolor features beautiful passages of color and skilled brushwork, most notably in the handling of the chef’s uniforms,” she says. “Compositionally, Habets has created a dynamic painting that pulls the viewer into the bustling activity. You can practically hear the sizzling!” Habets agrees, adding, “You can almost hear the clatter, feel the heat and steam, smell the food and…

“AN AERIAL VIEW ISN’T EASY TO COMPOSE, BUT … IF WE WANT TO GROW AS ARTISTS, WE MUST TAKE RISKS.” -LANA PRIVITERA Originally from Spain, Lana Privitera (lanaprivitera.com) graduated from the Fine Arts School of Zaragoza, where she majored in fashion design and art history. After moving to the U.S. in the early 1990s, she returned to painting, committing to it full time in 2014. Her work has been featured in exhibitions, both nationally and internationally. What was your inspiration for the painting? In spite of my age, I’m still an “imaginative child” and tend to see the objects in my paintings interacting with each other, just like human beings. This painting is a prime example. While I was taking the reference photos, I realized that all of the objects…

Many artists find inspiration in a particular landscape, establishing a deep connection with a locale that somehow fires their imagination and impels them to paint. Thomas Cole (English, 1801—48) for instance, embraced the magical light of the Hudson Valley; Paul Cezanne (French, 1830-1906) obsessed with Mont Sainte-Victoire; and John Constable (English, 1776-1837) maintained a lifelong attachment to the Stour Valley. For contemporary artist David Drummond, the source of inspiration is the vast and otherworldly expanse of Lake Powell and its surrounds. This enormous manmade lake stretches from southern Nevada into northern Arizona. Formed by dams on the Colorado River, it has transformed a world of cliffs, canyons and mountains into a strangely alien domain of reflected light and gargantuan spaces. The predominant red of the rocks, combined with the curious…

Throughout our lives, we artists acquire knowledge, skills and practice—all of which combine as craft. We blend our experiences and imagination to create something that has never been seen before—works of art that appear as more than the amalgamation of apparent material parts—a bit of magic. If we’re successful, the process and results will be entertaining (at least for ourselves), enlivening, connective and enlightening Of coui'se, this relies on the underlying principle that dictates all subsequent artistic decisions and endeavors: intention. But that’s an entirely different subject of a more lengthy discourse. I’ve always told my students there are “Three Ps” needed to perfect any craft. It doesn’t matter if the craft is drawing, painting, dance, music, architecture, medicine, etc. The Three Ps are: Patience, Practice and Persistence. How each…