PUL DEY UL moma) COM S ZU a AMERICAN Ua Ea) Watercolor ne : HH PN a Compositions =PAGE 88-WINTER 201 Watercolor CONTENTS 4 Bditor’s Note 5 Contributors 6 Noteworthy 12 Artist to Artist: John Salminen This artist and instructor adapted his training in abstraction to create his distinctive watercolors. 20 An Artist Inside & Out by STEPHEN ny Paul Rickert makes the most of any locale— whether a landscape or an interior—by finding the optimal vantage point, working quickly and decisively, and focusing on the unique qualities of the scene. 92 Beginning Watercolor: Selecting Materials Start off in watercolor by first buying the right materials and learning how to use them. 42 A Testament to Time and Place Anew series by Frederick Brosen offered the chance to explore some new painting challenges, as well as document a part of New York that may soon be history. 50 Beauty on a Small Scale Angie Falstrom enjoys the challenge of painting miniatures and has found a ready market for her local Connecticut scenes. 58 Infusing Drama & Structure Nicholas Simmons uses acrylic paint and watercolors on a large scale to create paintings that are both powerful representations and strong abstractions.n 80 Copying Masterpieces of the Past Copying a favorite masterwork offers insight into another artist's process. Painting Freely and Boldly With his loose, spontaneous style of painting and his ‘energetic, encouraging teaching, style, Domenic DiStefano proves that capturing subject matter in watercolor can be an enjoyable and freeing experience. Pemaguid Late (detail, reversed) by Pau ficker, 2003, waters, 2Bvex 44, Coleen the ats 90 Image First Often working in a series, Nancy Gaucher-Thomas selects still Life objects for what they can contribute to a composition. 100 Inside Story: Interiors From the 19th Century A popular art form at one time, watercolors of domestic interiors documented status and, in some ‘cases, everyday life. 112. Coming inEDITOR’S NOTE OLD FRIENDS Some of you will likely recognize a few of the artists here from previous issues, John Salminen, Paul Rickert, Frederick Brosen, Janet Walsh, and Domenic DiStefano have all been featured before in either Watercolor or American Arist, and although we like to bring new and emerging artists to your attention, we also think it's worthwhile to check in with ones who are better known from time to time. | suppose my selection of these artists has something to do with my recent wedding, Last month Bob Bahr and I were married at his parents! home in Louisville, Kentucky, and we were honored by the presence of our farflung family and friends. Two of my first friends—literally, from kindergarten—traveled from Boston and Kansas City to be there. As I embarked on this new stage in my life, and all the change it would bring, [was all the more moved by the presence of old friends, who had been with me all along. In the same way, old friends in our professional lives have a sustaining influence. [tum to certain writers again and again forthe inspiration they provide, and I have a few postcards and small paintings near my desk that, for ‘arious reasons, speak to me. I'm sure you can think of many pieces of ar, artist fiends, and teachers who continue to shape your thoughts and ideas, hope it’s not a stretch to think of Watercolor as a kind of old friend. It's been around a while, offering all kinds of insights into how you might approach a problem or take a new direction in your work. You can follow the example of those featured, or adapt what they say to your own needs Either way, or any way that is useful to you, we hope you will keep check- ing in. Certainly Watercolor wll be here. Lyne Baw Project Manager rmail@myamericanartist.com 4 wareRcoLon AMERICAN ARTIST Watercolor WINTER 2009 «VOLUME 15 -SSUE 57 ‘aroma Stn ober von on ‘Bain ley ne Boge Alison Matron ‘sin lian) Bac05. ‘mike Foe Melosh G0 92054 a ele pe 290 6065 “evens Warren chase Maboshey ‘oe unas re nacre aooverion RG orth apandickos Seca maces ranpreanaccste & MPA alll ASPIRE MEDIABEST ADVICE ON 4 COMMON PROBLEMS A WTR TCA __ SECRETS OF USING PHOTOGRAPHS ARTIST How to Use Ink'& : EV CYC) (1) C0) ie CR Cpe a We4 Editor's Note 6 Contributors 7 Noteworthy 16 Artist to Artist: Mel Stabin This artist and teacher recommends painting loosely and boldly, an approach that has defined his career, 26 Pat Weaver's Best Advice for Resolving 4. Common Challenges 1 STEPHEN OOKERTY Florida artist Pat Weaver helps workshop participants confront four of the biggest obstacles to painting better watercolors. 94 Portraits: Using Warm and Cool Colors for Lifelike Effects BY LYNNE BAR, Careful attention to her color choices and paint application helps Georgia artist Jenny Lathem achieve a lifelike image of her subject 44 Watercolor Fundamentals: Setting Up and Painting a Floral Still Life BY JANET WALSH A simple floral arrangement can be the perfect subject for beginner still lifes, 54 Photographic Effects, Painterly Vision Using photos for reference and for their ‘unique visual effects, Paul Pitsker depicts life and-death dramas and impossible scenarios that point to the precariousness of existence. 62 Working From Photographs: The Still Life Photos as references have their advantages, but as I've learned, there really is no substitute for painting from life70 80 Grace in Tree (detail) ‘by Jerry Latbem, 2008, watercolor, 11d 162 Collection te aust Pen and Brush, Line and 86 How John Marin Infused His ‘Wash Watercolors With Emotion OH A as ‘eystepuen may Using pen-and-ink in John Marin sought to capture combination with watercolor, the energy and emotional Harald Aksdal creates a world of impact of his subjects, and he delicate detail and rich color. ‘employed virtually any technique or style that suited his Building a Career by Entering aims. As one curator puts it, “he Competitions just kept adding new Br unoAs. Price dimensions to his practice.” Florida artist Marion Hylton has found juried shows tobe her «96. Coming in... path to artistic success. arate (SN 105 39159 [USPS 03439) publd quay y Inks Ps, 26 Fa St ed (a Soins ge a firs. Stns 82595 US and Porson, $2793 an 3095 ‘thes cnt. Rea eneene Caannse Ptcto Agent Ne: goog, ec ‘Rar wa qo Waker Rad, Winn, ON NAS Wane peda U.S Pale Posie pid Ne Yon, Y and ate ring hee POSTRASTER Send ase cangr Mere, GvEat oer lon ck ganysoorzora 885% 62sec the ons USP 7S0 7385EDITOR’S NOTE A PAINTING OF ONE’S OWN {It sometimes happens that a theme for an issue emerges on its own. This is one such example, as I selected the artists not on the basis of whether they worked from photographs, as the majority of them do, but because | thought they each had something meaningfal to say to other artists. Jenny Lathem, for instance, explains how to compensate for the limitations of photographic sources with her color choices and paint application to create lifelike portraits (page 34). Patil Pitsker uses photos of insects, combined with photos of still life setups, to compose narratives pointing to the precar iousness of life (page 54). Lori Woodward Simons demonstrates how she learned to paint more effectively from photos by working from life, apply- ing as much as she could from close observation to draw and paint with, greater accuracy (page 62). Finally, Marion W. Hylton works from photo- graphs to create the award-winning watercolors that have helped develop her career as a professional artist (page 80). As these artists demonstrate, there is no end to how photographs can help shape a painting. ‘Some of the other articles here, such as John A. Parks’ piece on Harald [Alssdal (page 70), suggest new approaches to the landscape. Aksdal's fine drawings showcase his skills as a draftsman, and with the addition of water- color, he transforms his pieces into a unique vision. Likewise, John Marin {page 86) conveyed his personal insight into what he observed by infusing his watercolors with emotion and energy. Combining realist and abstract ele- ‘ments, and working with a variety of techniques, he created some of the ‘most powerful watercolors of the 2oth century. We hope you enjoy a selec- tion of his paintings that were recently on view in New York City. Whether to use photos or work strictly from life is a personal choice. In this issue, as always, we present a variety of points of view and approaches. Each has its advantages and limitations, and we hope you enjoy figuring out which methods best suit your particular technique and subject matter Certainly this aspect ofthe creative process is one of the great joys of being an artist, because it ultimately leads to a painting that is uniquely one’s own. Ome Bek Lyne Basa Project Manager rmailt@myamericanartist.com 4 warencoton AMERICAN via U sy Watercolor ‘SPRING 2009 «VOLUME 15 ISSUE 58 ‘aroma. arene Alison Mae = ean Fi ner Hoge age Mae asin nm 0) B08 Jim Bein Gu 96-54 tunity soe “ees Waren Mea Moshey ‘seat ta roaveron xa At | 160 on ER eR St adaectetaraoac re dn gh Sat yop tt Sippel tN tngn ome ‘Sar gers Pr bed irpeicedaher haves pnsobocntctie &® MM a ASPIRE MEDIAAMERICAN PLU ae ee aa rT Experimént> & Build Your oe eee, Y ws Creative i i F oo) a ~~ Sb ae Vie | S i ges f Z BET Moh ty anh fy is Winners : ey 9 >SUMMER 2009, fercolo!l O fe CONTENTS 4 Bditor’s Note 8 Contributors 9 Noteworthy 14 Artist to Artist: Timothy J. Clark Dedicating himself to his art, this artist has explored many genres and approaches to find his own style, 26 Building Confidence Through Experimentation vIn BAN Jean Pederson decided the key to her artistic growth was to push her work in new directions by painting both traditionally and experimentally 38 Cover Competition Finalists ‘The finalists in this year’s Cover Competition impressed us with their efforts to advance the watercolor medium, These artists look around them and paint what they see in a meaningful ‘way, using a variety of approaches that suit their artistic sensibilities and subject matter. We hope that you enjoy learning about these artists and their work, and we offer our sincere gratitude to all who entered the competition. 50 Watercolor Fundamentals: Painting Roses and Delphiniums In the Watercolor Fundamentals article in the last issue, I explained how to set up and paint a basic floral still life. This time I will demonstrate a more involved arrangement of roses and delphiniums. 58 Paintings With a Plan ‘AUSTIN LIAS Sue Archer's dynamic, light-filled paintings begin and end with careful planning,‘The Perch (detall, reversed) by Reenie Kenedy, 2008, acryic on ‘aleryragoed cans, 30x 15. Cotecton be att 66 Combining Wet and Dry Media 80 Learning by Playing Steven Graber combines Naney Barch has found her watercolor and acrylic with an artistic path through array of drawing media to create experimentation, and she's paintings that are both enjoyed every step of the way. atmospheric and textural 86 Minimal Means, Maximum 74 Tips for Painting Successful Impact Backgrounds in Watercolor BY JOHN A Pas rae WHYTE Using subtle washes and How can something as minimal detail, Keiko Tanabe seemingly unimportant as a creates a powerful sense of time background have such & strong and place. impact on the final image? Why are backgrounds sometimes 96 Coming in... difficult to paint? If you have ever found yourself uncertain about the color and handling of a background, here are several tips that may help.EDITOR’S NOTE NEVER A DULL MOMENT Several of the artists in this issue value experimentation. Jean Pederson, for instance, explains how she uses an intuitive approach in mixed-media paintings to expand her understanding of materials and techniques (page 26). She then applies what she has learned about texture and color to her ‘more traditional representational paintings. Nancy Barch thinks of her experimental works as play, and she has a great time trying new materials and seeing how they interact with one another (page 80). Similarly, Steven Graber was tired of his approach and wanted to bring new life and a greater sense of enjoyment to his work, Integrating wet media into hhis drawings, he was soon creating paintings that were as atmospheric as his drawings but with greater depth and texture. Once again inspired, he has continued to try new ways of working with his materials for other effects, and with new subjects (page 66). ‘As these articles suggest, artists who continually expand on what they know are perpetually bringing new life to their work. It’s easy to keep pro- ducing what has proven successful in the past, but ifan artist has lost interest in the process or subject, it shows, ‘The Cover Competition finalists included in this issue may also pro- vide some insight on the value of experimentation (page 38). Some of them took chances and were pleasantly surprised with the results. We are grateful that they, and all the others who entered the competition, chose to share their artwork with us. We hope, as always, this issue inspires you. We also hope it gives you the guidance you need to get started in whichever new directions you want = St Bl Lyne Bass Project Manager mmail@myamericanartist.com 4 wareRcoLon AMERICAN ARTIST Watercolor SUMMER 2009+ VOLUME 15 -SSUE 58 sft oo ger “ann Mor ain Wane (46) 840059 Jit Meine Gu 960954 ap Soe 65 “vn Wns Money ‘Shu Deyn cv msn vgn Mawrn 186 9 ea blows) aL tine SE GI hen gl east pins scrapie Soe RMA ato” ASPIRE MEDIALA ait fil Pant 5 =Floy hg A TH Te {e: prone a ca 548) ngbkS) SS Wash =a TH TE td = ges ut aa Se - : 4 a. AY y “PaintWatercolor 4 Bditor’s Note 6 Contributors 8 Noteworthy 14 Artist to Artist: Janet Fish ‘This artist explores the possibilities of color, form, and texture in her exuberant, light-filled still lifes. 28 Drybrush, Drawing, and Watercolor BY LYNNE BAR, Although best known for his pastels, Mario Robinson is exploring watercolor, combining washes with drybrushed lines to expand his artistic repertoire. 98 Watercolor Fundamentals: Painting Flowers Composed of Small Petals JANET WALSH A large grouping of these flowers is a challenge to paint. Learn how to discem the different shapes within the flowers and still create a unified composition. 44 Patricia Tobacco Forrester: Doing It Her Way ‘Br STEPHEN ty Painting en plein air, this artist seeks to capture the dynamism, power, and colors of the ever-changing natural world,Archokes (deta. reversed) by Pata Tobacco Forester arc, D1 20. Cle te ts, 86 Think Big, Paint Big te STS 9 8 ram, oe Chae Sian een iere sic Antonio Masi employs both the Ss ry od pean SC atmospheric and graphic OSS pea ge uc a th capabilities of watercolor in his ‘iinet arener 0 Bonner sie CA commanding paintings of New negara com York icons. 64 Modern Masters: Pat San Soucie After more than 35 years of teaching, this artist believes process is everything, and there's always more to learn, ‘2 Striving for the Unique fv span ‘The watercolors of early Postimpressionist Maurice Prendergast are instantly recognizable for their swirling colors and forms. 80 Working From Photos: ‘The Landscape Lot wonowaRDsoNs Supplementing reference photos with on-site sketches and notes can make a noticeable difference back in the studio. 86 Painting Moment by Moment vine ak Kay Russell believes watercolor is a flexible medium, one that ‘works well with gouache and other media to capture the spirit ofa place. 98 Coming inEDITOR’S NOTE BEYOND BORDERS A few of the artists in this issue choose to work on a large scale. It seems they find that the free expression of watercolor responds well to a large sheet of paper, which should come as no surprise, but they also suggest that working large makes them better artists. In the case of Patricia Tobacco Forrester (page 44), no other format would do. Painting en plein air, she situates herself in the midst of a panoramic view, rolls the bottom of her paper in a curl so that she stays close, and paints one sec- tion of the scene at a time. The resulting paintings are vibrant and power- fal expressions of the life she sces reverberating all around her. Similarly, Antonio Masi’s depictions of New York City's iconic bridges (page 56) demand a large scale, as does his approach of conveying both graphic and atmospheric effects. Surely something of the force of these views would be lost on a small scale, They are as commanding as the city itself. Pat San. Soucie, however, imbues her work with a calmer presence, one that hhinges on shape, texture, and color rather than a representational image {page 64). For her, working large retains the possibilities inherent in her experimental approach and lays it bare for artist and viewer alike. ‘We Americans like everything big, or so the stereotype goes. These artists show us that a large scale does have its merits, although others can show just as convincingly that the opposite is true. The point is to consid: er which format best suits the subject and approach and also to ask which format will bring out the best in you. All this might make you ask yourself to what extent you are moving beyond your comfort zone, and how do you know what itis? Perhaps, as in the case of Kay Russell (page 86), the size isn't as important as the borders themselves. Integrating them into the imagery, she discovered ways to introduce other subjects and ideas, ulti ‘mately leading to an entirely new body of work. We hope, as always, that you find inspiration here, and we also hope that what you see will prompt questions that keep you moving forward. OMe Bela Lyme Basa Project Manager mmail@myamericanartist.com 4 wareRcoLon AMERICAN PaNiAU toy Watercolor FALL 2009 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 60 sR Seay sone ger Asin Was (40) S4-059 remusine vig ar bay ‘sues marrage roovenon 186 9 ea blows) ‘Sp InTeRWeAVEPRESS RMA aaa” ASPIRE MEDIA