Nationally recognized artist teaches in Glen Arbor

From staff reports

The Glen Arbor Art Association has invited Minnesota artist Andy Evansen to teach a workshop titled “Creating Impressionistic Landscapes in Plein Air”. During the four day workshop, Evansen will provide a combination of studio and plein air instruction, October 15-18 at The Homestead Resort near Glen Arbor.

Andy began painting watercolors in the mid 1990s; he is largely self-taught, and has studied with such well-known watercolorists as Skip Lawrence, Eric Weigardt and Alvaro Castagnet. His work gained recognition after winning an international watercolor competition through American Artist magazine, and he has since appeared on Watercolor Artist, International Artist, and Plein Air magazines. He served as President of the Minnesota Waercolor Society from 2004-2006, and his award-winning paintings have made him a sought-after workshop instructor who paints and teaches internationally. Andy Evansen is the American Water Color Society’s 2012 Winner of the Bronze Medal.

“Many watercolor painters have a difficult time joining shapes and losing edges to create a bold, impressionistic painting. The knowledge that, with watercolor, you can’t go back and ‘fix’ things causes them to paint too cautiously. I work with students on seeing the large value shapes in an attempt to complete the watercolor in three washes. I stress painting what is essential to the scene, and simply suggesting the rest. Not only does this result in stronger paintings, it also allows students to work more quickly.

“By concentrating on the large shapes and overall design, and leaving something to the imagination, the viewer is forced to interpret details. This makes them a participant in the painting, enhancing their enjoyment of it. Once I get the design I like and an accurate sketch, I’m free to let loose with the paint and let the unique, spontaneous qualities of watercolor take over. The results are unpredictable at times, but when pigments start flowing into each other on the paper and Mother Nature takes over, the beauty of watercolors is most evident.”