IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET STARTED IN WATERCOLOR!
While we are keeping ourselves busy filming Carla O’Connor, a very energetic and fabulously talented gouache artist, we are very pleased to post an article contributed by watercolor still life artist, Laurin McCracken. Thanks Laurin!
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET STARTED IN WATERCOLOR!
In 1998, while I was living in Alexandria, Virginia, I used to visit the Torpedo factory on the Potomac River. It had 
actually been a torpedo factory during the First and Second World Wars, but today it is artist’s studios and galleries and an Art Institute. I was often attracted by the watercolors. I began to ask the artists with whom they had studied, and most often it was from Gwen Bragg, who taught at the institute. It got me thinking I should take a course. I had always wanted to know how to watercolor. I had not painted since I was in college, and all I knew about watercolor was that it was a technique driven medium and I could not do it because I knew nothing about it.
It took me until December of 1999 to get into one of Gwen’s classes. She is so good and popular that someone has to practically die before a slot opens up in one of her classes.
Here I am, a little over six years later, a signature member of the NWS and having had paintings on the covers of several of the nation’s leading watercolor magazines. This year I will turn 65.
I used to worry what I would be doing at this time of my life. I was afraid that I’d have to be going to an office the rest of my life. Now, I am looking at the prospect of a whole new career in watercolor.
I am in several wonderful galleries and my major paintings are selling nicely. I have achieved signature status in a number of watercolor societies across the nation. I have discovered I enjoy giving workshops.
I have even found that my over 30 years of marketing architectural and engineering services is proving me in good stead as I approach editors about writing stories about my work and in my relationship with galley owners.
What started out to be a hobby is turning into a full time business. But it is a business where I work for myself, where I determine the pace of production. I am looking forward to doing this full time when I give up my day job in about another year.
It’s never too late to start something new, and it never too late to be really serious about it.
Contributed by Laurin McCracken NWS, Watercolors, Fort Worth, TX. www.lauringallery.com