Category Artist Profiles

Exclusive interview with Master of Watercolor: John SalminenEvery time I look at John Salminen’s work, I simply get happy. I spend several moments studying each painting — taking in the colors, the compositions, the narratives, the forms — and this visual absorption just buoys up my spirits. For this reason, among many others, I am thrilled John Salminen is the juror for the 10th Annual International Watermedia Showcase.

Painting Abstract Art Isn’t Just About SquigglesArcenio Martin Campos‘ work always surprises me because he doesn’t allow the objects or figures he is painting to dictate how he paints. Instead, Campos paints to articulate form, masses and his own ideas or concepts. It is like he is painting abstract art, but the results are incredibly real.

After editing Sheila Hollihan-Elliot’s article “Edward Hopper: Composing for Impact” for our July/August issue, I was intrigued about some things I’d learned about Hopper’s private life, about the role his wife Jo played in his painting—and he, in hers.So I ordered Edward Hopper: An Intimate Biography by Gail Levin (Rizzoli International Publications, 2007).

Draw Like It’s Your JobFrom designing window displays for Saks Fifth Avenue to drafting the auroras on Jupiter for the brains at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Stefan G. Bucher draws like it is his job, uh, because it is.Stefan, who has been drawing since he was a kid, still has moments of, “Crap, how do I make this?

If American artist Thomas Wilmer Dewing (1851-1938) is not well known to you, you are in for a treat. His haunting colors, woman-centric subjects and lush landscapes all but guarantee you’ll remember his name. After reading this art history roundup about the artist and his life through paint, let us know what you think of his work!

“THE CONSTANT TRAGEDY OF LIFE IS FASHION.” — SALVADORE DALÍIn a game of free association, the name Salvadore Dalí (1904–89) might elicit the response “mustache” or “watches.” The first refers to Dalí’s iconic mustache, waxed wire-thin—an organic fashion accessory. The latter alludes to his most famous painting, The Persistence of Memory, with drooping watches in a parched landscape.

One of the 20th century’s foremost authorities on color, Josef Albers was ahead of his time in both his teaching and his painting…Artists have spent hundreds of years pitting design against color as the most important element in painting. The influential artist, writer and teacher Josef Albers (1888–1976) placed his bet on color.

Jean Haines is one of our most inspiring instructors. Here, we share a QA with this beloved teacher and editor Sarah Hall to learn Jean’s quirks, creative touchstones and major influences!Be sure to get your Watercolor Freedom with Jean Haines Collection as soon as possible so you can carry your inspirations into the studio with you just like Jean does!

Thai artist Adisorn Pornsirikarn is famous for his watercolor flowers. He shares his top tips on how to paint blooms and bouquets that are pure attention-gettersArtist Adisorn Pornsirikarn paints and posts watercolor flowers daily on his Facebook page from his home and studio in Bangkok, Thailand. It’s a floral extravaganza and his viewers love it.

We were saddened to learn that artist Dawn Clements, whose large, cumulative still life works captured the joy of everyday life, passed away recently at the age of 60. According to the obituary by Neil Genzlinger for The New York Times: “Dawn Clements, whose intricate drawings and watercolors captured detailed scenes from her own life and from movie melodramas, often on a panoramic scale, died on Dec.

“My eyes find material in strange, wonderful places; although not all ideas find expression, trying each is an exciting exercise in design.”Light and shadow are the elements of the natural world that engage Robin Berry’s passions and fuel her desire to paint. “I love the ability of natural light to spotlight a bird preening on a rail or lifting off from a branch,” says Berry.

Thomas Kinkade — The Artist We Love to HateAlthough Thomas Kinkade passed away several years ago in 2012 he is still a polarizing figure in the world of art. His business approach inspires envy and disdain, depending on who you talk to. During his life Kinkade was consistently in the news. There were legal disagreements between his company, former employees, franchised gallery owners, and the FBI.

“Drawing people and capturing life’s moments through art is my passion.”Wendy Layne’s drawing Nineteen Birthday is a striking representation of the artist’s daughter at age 19. Capturing a moment in time and translating it into art through careful precision and detail, Layne creates stunning photorealistic pieces.

Emilie Lee in the Great Wide Open of CaliforniaEmilie Lee is an intrepid artist living out a wanderlust life on the road as a painter and explorer. She’s been a subject of our Artist HQ series and given us great tips for winter plein air painting and here she tells us all about her artful adventures while painting the redwoods of California!

Annie Strack On Where Her Masterpieces Come FromThere is no better feeling than when everything falls into place. With artistic and creative pursuits that feeling can feel particularly sweet — especially if the journey has had a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns. Here, watercolor artist Annie Strack discusses how it feels when everything goes right and how you get there.

In Amy Cutler’s creations, folklore, fairy tales, and personal iconography all vie for attention—and presence on the page.No question about it, Amy Cutler is an artistic mixologist. The inspirations for her drawings and gouache-on-paper works encompass anxieties about global warming, Persian dynastic stories, a favored pair of shoes, and deceased family members.

Mixed-media, acrylic and abstract artist Jodi Ohl visited the Artist’s Network video studios to film four instructional videos and I was once again amazed at her wealth of art knowledge, and her willingness to share it. Here’s a behind the scenes look at Jodi’s video shoot and an interview Cherie Haas did with Jodi!

Tom Perkinson and the Light-Filled Southwestern Landscape“The Native Americans have an expression that I like,” says New Mexico-based artist Tom Perkinson. “‘Keep the top of your head open.’” It’s an invitation to be alive to experience every moment, and to be open to new possibilities and novel solutions.

The Venetian canal comes alive with gondola-level perspective in this watercolor by John Singer SargentBest known for his bravura oil portraits, John Singer Sargent (American, 1856 – 1925) was equally accomplished as a watercolor painter. He often chose the medium for quick landscape studies on his travels, a practice that began when, as a child, he accompanied his parents on picturesque trips across Europe.

We are pleased to celebrate the varied artworks and incredibly inspired points of view of the 2018 Artists Magazine Over 60 Art Competition winners! Their finely honed skills are 100 proof that it is talent and effort that will get you where you want to go in life — and that the passage of time is nothing but a thing.