WHY I teach Watercolour

Why I Teach Watercolour

People sometimes ask me why I teach.

I don’t teach watercolour so you’ll paint like me. I teach watercolour so you’ll begin to see the world—and yourself—a little differently

After more than thirty years of painting, writing books, leading classes, and travelling with sketchbooks, they assume it’s because I want people to paint beautiful pictures.

The truth is, beautiful paintings are only part of the story.

What I really want is for people to discover what painting can do for them.

I’ve watched complete beginners walk into a classroom convinced they “aren’t artistic.” They apologize before they even pick up a brush. They’re afraid of making mistakes or comparing themselves to everyone else.

Then as the class goes on something changes.

As they begin to understand how water and pigment work together, how good paper makes a difference, and why certain techniques create certain effects, their confidence grows. They stop trying to be perfect and start becoming curious. They start playing, enjoying, forgetting what the end result is

That moment…. is why I teach…. If I am able to offer others just a small bit of the pleasure and contentment igniting my creative spark has given me … I will teach.  

I love explaining why 100% cotton paper behaves differently. Why transparent colours glow. Why one brushstroke blossoms and another stays crisp. Understanding these things gives students confidence because they begin to see that watercolor isn’t magic—it has principles that anyone can learn. I think watercolour is like a 2 year old…you cant make it do anything it doesn’t want to! 

When people understand why something works, they stop blaming themselves when it doesn’t. Like playing any game, once you know the rules you can enjoy the game! 

But something even more meaningful happens.

As students become more comfortable with watercolor, they begin to slow down not just when they are painting but in their lives! They notice the light on a flower, the colours in an old weathered fence, or the reflections dancing on the water. They become more observant, more patient, and more connected to the world around them.

Painting becomes more than a hobby. ( That can be good or bad :-) look at me!)

It becomes a way of paying attention. (But please pull over to see that sunset!)

It becomes a quiet hour in a busy week. ( Or in my case has become my busy week in which I look for a quieter hour! ) 

It becomes a reason to take a walk, to sit in a favourite place, to travel with fresh eyes, or to remember a special day long after it’s over. 

That is what excites me.

The books I’ve written, the classes I teach, the travel adventures we share, and every lesson I prepare all have the same purpose: to help people experience the contentment, confidence, creativity, and peace that watercolor has brought into my own life.

If a student leaves my class with a beautiful painting, I’m delighted.

But if they leave with that excitement of …learning watercolor isnt so tough after all… the confidence to keep painting, the curiosity to notice more, and the joy of creating may be there for them for the rest of their life…

                                           Then I’ve truly succeeded.

I teach because I know what watercolor has given me, and I want others to experience it too. I learned this when I first started painting. I went home to visit my mom and she saw the decorative art pieces I was creating and was quite perplexed. ( That is my mom and dad in the photo ). I wasn’t an artist. How could I possibly paint this stuff? I went into the small town where She lived.  I found a place giving classes, bought a set of brushes, some basic paints and told her to go enjoy the classes. She got hooked. She was thrilled about being able to paint when she thought she couldn’t. Her husband learned to cut the wood pieces she needed to do decorative arts.  Her and I traded patterns and tips. They spent hours in their basement workshop creating and enjoying being together.  They learned that you’re never too old to learn and that we all have a creative spark somewhere it just needs to be ignited. I truly enjoyed watching them enjoy this pleasure together.  I felt I had enhance their lives with such a simple gesture.

So, in the end, I’m not simply teaching watercolor.I’m teaching people to slow down, to observe, to understand, and to find joy in the process.

 When I offer classes to create greeting cards, I hope the students realize as they paint and create this card specifically for someone. It’s like having a little visit with them. You choose the colors, you choose the subject matter to suit their tastes.  When they get that card, they know that you have done that specifically for them, so it becomes more than a greeting card.  

I hope my students realize its not about talent … it is about the desire to learn and create that will get you to creating paintings. A lot of watercolor is about skill. The wonderful thing is that watercolor isn’t reserved for people with special talent. Like any skill, it can be learned. That’s why I teach the way I do. I don’t simply show students what to do. I explain why. Like learning to play an instrument. You do not join the symphony after one lesson. You need to acquire the skill that goes with playing the instrument so you can join the symphony. That’s why my classes are skills-based. Every exercise, every demonstration, every page in my books is designed to help students understand how watercolor works so they can solve problems on their own and continue growing long after the class is over.

When students understand why something happens, everything changes. Instead of feeling frustrated, they become curious.

Why does 100% cotton paper behave differently?

Why do transparent pigments glow while others appear opaque?

Why did that wash bloom?

Why did those colours become muddy?

Why does the amount of water matter more than the amount of paint?

Instead of saying, “I’m no good at this,” begin asking, “What can I try differently next time?”

That shift—from self-doubt to curiosity—is where real learning begins.

THIS …. WILL TURN YOU INTO AN ARTIST

Confidence doesn’t come from painting one perfect picture.  It comes from understanding the process.

                 The saying is :: you need to put enough miles on your brush:: 

This Week’s Painting Pause

Instead of asking yourself, “Can I paint this?”

Paint to notice.

Choose something ordinary—a leaf, your morning coffee, a flower in your garden, or the view from your kitchen window.

Spend several minutes simply observing before you worry about the result then create. 

When you’re finished, ask yourself one question:

“Did I notice something today that I would have missed if I hadn’t painted this ?”

That answer is far more important than whether your painting turned out perfectly

When you’re finished, don’t judge the painting. We have lots more paper lots of subjects to paint. You just have to paint! And be sure to keep these early paintings. You will look back in a year from now and be impressed with how far you’ve come.

Simply smile, sign your name, and begin looking forward to the next one.

“My purpose has never been to teach people how to paint. My purpose is to help people discover what painting can bring to their lives…

Keep those brushes moving My Sketchy Friends …