Hello Reader, I've spent the last few days settling back into my cabin in Northeast Washington for the summer. After a busy year of travel, teaching, exhibitions, and deadlines, it feels good to once again be surrounded by the forests, mountains, and water that inspire so much of my work. Yesterday I was finally able to sit down and paint. As I watched the light move across the landscape outside my window, I was reminded of a question I hear often from artists: Why do some landscapes seem to...
9 days ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, This week I begin a new portrait painting course, and as I've been preparing lessons, I've found myself thinking about faces and what makes them memorable. There are formulas for drawing and painting portraits. Artists learn proportions, measuring techniques, and guidelines that help us place the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears in roughly the right locations. These "maps" are incredibly helpful. They give us a place to start and help us understand the landscape of the face. But the...
11 days ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, Summer is one of my favorite times to paint. The light seems to linger a little longer, colors feel richer, and there is something about slowing down and stepping outside that helps us notice the beauty around us. I'm excited to share my upcoming summer watercolor offerings! Whether you're interested in learning to create expressive portraits, glowing landscapes, or strengthening the foundations that make paintings successful, there is something for every stage of your watercolor...
16 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I’m currently writing this from a coffee shop in Springfield while waiting and hoping to make it home tomorrow after my flight was canceled. At this point, if all goes wrong, you may still find me wandering the streets of Springfield with a paintbrush in hand and searching for inspiration. As I sit here reflecting, I wanted to share a little about my experience at the Plein Air Convention because it truly was four full days of inspiration, connection, laughter, and paint. The...
24 days ago • 3 min read
Dear Reader, A few years ago, I went to the Plein Air Convention for the first time—not as an instructor, but as a student. And truthfully, that experience stayed with me more deeply than I expected. It reminded me how important it is to slow down.To be patient enough to really see what is in front of me. There is something about painting outdoors that asks you to be present in a completely different way. The light shifts, the wind moves through everything, people pass by, and the scene never...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hello Watercolor Enthusiasts, Thank you so much to those who joined me live yesterday for my Art School Live demo with Mandy Theis! We had such a wonderful time talking about values, color temperature, and how I approach poured watercolor through layers of light and dark. During the demo, I worked on a new piece inspired by Victoria Falls titled Luminous Descent. One of the biggest themes of the session was how temperature can influence our perception of value — and how strong values are...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 5 at 12 pm ET), I’ll be teaching live on Art School Live with Eric Rhoads and I wanted to invite you all to join me. This session is a little glimpse into how I actually think through a poured watercolor—something I don’t always get to fully show in real time. I’ll be starting with simple value structures, and then building the painting through layered pours. If you’ve taken classes with me before, you know how much I emphasize this idea: values first,...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Passionate Painter, Today’s the day. Wide Open Skies: Painting the Western Landscape in Watercolor starts today—and if you’ve been thinking about joining, there’s still time to jump in. This class is all about learning how to paint light, space, and atmosphere—not just objects. We’ll focus on: Simplifying the landscape into strong, readable shapes Building depth through values first Creating luminous pours that actually glow Letting water do what it does best—while still staying in...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Paint Splattered Pal, There’s something about starting a new painting . . . That moment when the paper is blank, the water is moving, and anything feels possible. And if I’m honest—that’s also where most people get stuck. Not because of color. Not because of technique. But because the foundation isn’t there yet. That’s exactly what we’re going to change—starting this Monday. 🌄 Starting This Monday: Wide Open Skies Painting the Western Landscape in Watercolor Online Course This 5-week...
2 months ago • 1 min read