My History
It is 2025, and I have been painting for 20 years. I started with some leftover paints and worked with them for eight months when I realized I didn’t understand color principles and other painting basics.
I stopped painting and spent the next six months reading every book in the Nassau County library system on watercolor. Some about colors. Some about Painting. Some about teachers. Some about accomplished painters. I also found Ron Ranson, a teacher and an author.
My Heroes
My early discovery was a Ranson book called Big Brush Watercolor, followed by several others he had written. With a big brush one cannot get tangled up in the details. Initially, his work seemed fresh, but ultimately, it became dull as I studied other painters.
In addition to learning from Ransom, I found that he had written several books about painters who became my heroes: Edward Wesson, John Yardley, Edward Seagal, and Trevor Chamberlain. All are English painters from about 1925 to 1975. Sargent, Turner, and Homer were from different times and places, but their work is fresh and engaging. All have gained considerable recognition.
My Goal
My goal is to have loose and fresh paintings that look like they were done very quickly when in fact, most take three hours or more.
Recent Learning
My teachers have been Mel Stabin, Brienne Brown, Andy Evensen, and Poppy Balzer. They all have a loose style that I enjoy greatly.
As an example, I recently re-discovered Charles Reid. I read his 4 books and watched a video of him painting. I am now experimenting with his technique to see if I can incorporate some of his painting process into my work. He illustrates his points in the context of painting flowers, something I have tried with no success.
Recent Endeavors
In the last five years, I have painted almost daily. Sometimes for a couple of hours. Sometimes for most of the day. In recent months, I began painting outside occasionally. This is a major learning opportunity in the array of challenges that confront all painters.
The Paintings
The paintings are arranged in chronological order. While there are some good old paintings and some lousy new ones, I hope you will recognize my progress over time.
I welcome your comments and observations. Thanks for taking the time to look.
