Hello!

I was always creating as a kid. Coloring was a favorite past time and getting a new set of markers was a joy. In high school I was the art club president, created prom tickets, posters and backgrounds for choir productions. I found myself hired to paint signs and trucks and finally went to college to study art education. That segued into graphic design and I started my freelance business in 1987. I began taking  painting workshops in 1993 from regional and national artists and have taught workshops myself in recent years. Watercolor is my favorite medium. I’ve been accepted into several juried exhibits and  became a finalist in the June, 2022 special issue of Splash23:Best of Watercolor . I am thrilled to have the time to do what I love.

My painting style has an illustrative component, with an emphasis on realism. I usually work from my own  photographs and enjoy  the process of creating a composition.  Since watercolor is usually painted from light to dark, I often begin my painting with masking fluid to preserve the white of the paper.  I will then apply initial washes of color to define large shapes, and will slowly add more layers of color and smaller details of the subject as I go. Removing the masking fluid to reveal the white is one of the final steps. I enjoy working with the surprises watercolor creates as part of the process.  I take a few days to view the painting to decide if I need to adjust anything in the composition.

Nature plays a big role in my work; however, these pieces reflect a wide range of subjects I am attracted to. Vintage cars have always been a favorite as well as frogs from our water garden and flowers from our hikes. I have my camera with me most of the time and recently invested in a tripod with a large zoom lens. I often set up  a still life  in our backyard when the sun is setting to get the best light. Being present in the moment opens up the potential for many paintings. I am more attentive to the world around me and the details of life everyday life.

My studio is located in a room we call the Sun Room surrounded by a jungle of plants that reside outside in warmer weather. All the windows face our back yard and gardens. All my supplies are housed within easy reach. It can be as quiet as I need and I often have Alexa play meditation type music as I paint. When in the zone of painting, time passes quickly. Please contact me if interested in an original painting. Matted prints of my work can be obtained through my Etsy site in 8 x 10, 11 x 14 or 16 x 20 sizes: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RobinMaxonWatercolor