Watercolor Summer 2011

As any artist can attest, versatility is the key to a long and illustrious career. The ability to work with a variety of media, subject matter, and techniques helps keep skills up-to-date, the mind engaged, and one's creativity consistently challenged. With that in mind, we've decided to use this issue to explore the myriad options for those painting with acrylics. As we celebrate our 25 years in print, the editors of Watercolor have realized that we, too, must constantly challenge our limits and perceptions. Although acrylic painting didn't become widespread until the 1950s, it has rapidly emerged as a credible medium for artists of all styles and techniques. We begin our spotlight on acrylic painting with this year's Cover Competition winner and finalists and continue with a look at the figurative paintings of Washington State artist Bev Jozwiak, whose work illustrates the opportunities that become available when one works in both watercolor and acrylic painting. Jana Matusz works on location using acrylic and crayon to create landscapes and still lifes with heavily saturated colors that pop off of the canvas. We finish our look at acrylics with a step-by-step portrait painting demonstration by New Jersey artist Matt Cauley, who combines a modern medium and classical art techniques. For those who may be purists, don't fret--we've included several top-notch contemporary painters who employ traditional watercolors to create breathtaking effects. California artist Karen Frey has been a watercolor artist for more than 40 years, and she presents a look at her evolution as an artist, from her first figurative piece to her latest foray into encaustics. Susan Hinton and Cindy Brabec-King are two artists we think of as"hidden gems"--their work has garnered them numerous awards, but their presence online and in print hardly does them justice. Speaking with these gifted painters reminded us of the power of classic subject matter and skilled art techniques. We hope the artists in this issue compel you to take risks, add new elements to your creative arsenal, and expand your palette--both literally and figuratively. After all, if we don't constantly push our limits as artists, how will we discover how capable we actually are?