I was born in The United States of Albertan parents who immediately took steps to have me declared a Canadian National Born Abroad–one of the first (#302) under the new dual citizenships laws passed by Parliament–which I didn’t take advantage of until I reached the age of twenty-one. Raised in N. Dakota, Lodi, California, Rochester and Granville, New York, I then went on to live in Halifax, St. John, Quebec, Toronto, Victoria, Vancouver, and most recently, Kamloops, British Columbia.
A full scholarship student at Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri, I received a B. F. A. in Theatre in 1970. In 1985 I received a Master of Divinity (M.Div) from Knox College, University of Toronto. I am also a graduate of The Dubrulle French Culinary School, Vancouver, (1995) and holder of credentials to teach English as a second language, specializing in helping students with only a rudimentary understanding of English.
My first formal lessons in painting were at The Manchester Art Center, Manchester, Vermont, during the summer of 1965. These classes were to prove very influential, for my instructor–a renowned local watercolourist–helped me understand that choosing watercolour and staying with it one’s whole life made infinitely more sense than playing about with many mediums. “You show promise,” he said, “but watercolour isn’t like other mediums. It demands your full attention, throughout your artistic lifetime. With respect, you’re not likely to master it unless you marry it.”
My choice has proven to underscore his advice over the 50 years which have followed. As a medium which uses no white paint–the painter must reserve surface paper for the whites of clouds, snow, crests of waves, picket fences–it demands thoughtful pre-planning and careful precision. At the same time, because the white of the paper must always breathe through pigment to achieve luminosity, the painter must be daringly carefree and spontaneous. Being both careful and daring requires the spirit of what I can only imagine to be that of, say, a professional golfer. On a good day, it is thrilling. On days when I am not up to the task, it is not thrilling. For those reasons I am a student of watercolour and not an artist. I am not even close to mastering this amazing medium, with its great depths and breadths. Here is way more than enough challenge for a lifetime of commitment.
I was a 15 year member of The Federation of Canadian Artists and a nine year member of The Kamloops Courthouse Gallery.
One of my favourite pursuits is the painting of miniatures–mostly of birds–some as small as 1″ x 2″. Examples of these are within these blog pages.
Commissions are certainly welcomed by contacting me at: weisserlance@gmail.com.
Thank you for visiting my website!
weisserwatercolours 
Love your talent. I am drawn to watercolour and am having fun giving painting with watercolour a go but after using the more forgiving acrylics, I have not mastered the technique of “enough” “don’t touch it again.” I also spend time in Kamloops visiting my 2 sisters so know the beauty of that area, unique and special.
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oh my….forgive me for not thanking you sooner for this lovely and encouraging comment to me, Robin King!
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Your site is such a delight! Your painting — oh, my gosh — exquisite! Watercolors confound me; they need special magic, I think, and you seem to have lots of it. Your posts are fascinating and the overall “vibe” here is welcoming. YAY!! I’m so happy to be a follower now! 🙂
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Well, of course, I have you always near, Cynthia, in book and verse form, if not online. I’m having knee troubles–unable to be upright for very long, something called CPP Disease (also known as pseudo-gout) and now that I know what’s going on, it is easier to deal with. I’ve also been quite involved in our Canadian Federal election campaign. We are all enthused that our new Prime Minister Trudeau is on board. I do truly hope you are well, and thank you for your perceived concern. Forgive my absences.
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Me too. I hope everything is all right with you….
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Are you still limping sir? I miss your work.
Barry
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[…] Lance Weisser weisserwatercolours.com […]
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Delighted to have found your blog with all these tranquil watercolour scenes. Watercolour is a beautiful medium, probably my favourite – and certainly perfectly suited to nature and such images as yours. I’m very interested in the natural Canadian environment.. not that I have been able to spend any time in it as of yet, but I’m glad to see you have roots within it.
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Lance, your paintings are wonderful….
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[…] commented by my blogs follower, Lance Weiser of Weisser Watercolours Jensen Moreno is: “Far from reclusively staying within the confines of her studio, here is an […]
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It saddened me reading your words, “choosing one medium and staying with it one’s whole life made infinitely more sense than switching from one to another.” Not so! Jumping between mediums is fabulous—each offering a different mode of expression and using a different part of your artistic sensibility. I daresay you’ve mastered watercolor. You owe it to yourself to explore others. You can always return!
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Children are presented with water color in school but never taught the basics like merely letting things dry and proceeding in increments or using a light pre sketch. They wind up with one watery mess and get disappointed or even disgusted with water color. I think a lot of talent gets undeveloped in kids as they dismiss what appears to be a messy waste of time with water color. Thanks visit my blog.
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Wonderful to see your work here and at the link provided. You’ve a couple of pieces that transport me to a time I like best – when the snow has fallen leaving a silence the evokes calm and energy. The country scene with the tree shadow is simply divine – I do wish to live there… your work breaths internal wisdom, truth and beauty ~
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I went to the other site – what wonderful birds and the tiny ones are fabulous.
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Thank you for stopping by my blog. I like your work – especially the hare and Junco and the other bird.
Manchester in 65 eh? Weston was my home but I left for NYC in 65.
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Visited your website. Your work is beautiful!
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Thank you for your very thoughtful words and for taking the time and please forgive me this tardy response!
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very nice blog and nice paintings !!! keep them coming 🙂
thought of sharing this little award with you … hope you accept it..
http://hotelbabblon.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/super-sweet-blogging-award/
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Lance, I have two of your early water-color paintings hanging in our home. Both painted in the spring of 1975 in Orange County NY. One is of a “black dirt” farm and the other “a white house”. They are very special to me and remind me of a friendship long ago.
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Lance, I saw you like something today so I knew you were okay. The RFOB’s prince must come home. Wishing you a strong back with the wind always behind you. 🙂
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I applaud your commitment to your chosen form of art. It is so easy to start something and then feel like you have mastered it when you are better than most of the others that have tried it. At that point it is easy to feel like you should move on to something else, but if you do you miss out on an opportunity to reach your full potential. I’m sure that these thoughts aren’t new for you, but it is something that I am just starting to understand.
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Hi Lance You’re a great example for others!!! Good Day Nonoy Manga
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Thank you also. You live a very interesting life.
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Thanks for visiting and following my blog. Greetings
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thank you for being so curious–I am so behind in blogging! I will post soon about the Opening–and it went well–but now I must paint some miniatures because the Show put me wayyyyy behind in painting other things. Painting and blogging don’t always compliment one another, time-wise! I hope all is well in your world, Jenny! Thank you again for asking about me!
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How was your exhibit? Curious…
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Just nominated you the Sunshine Award!!!
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How very kind. I will equally enjoy looking more closely at your postings. I admire graphite work very much.
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Thank you for visiting my blog Lance! I greatly admire your watercolour of the poppies – such wonderful detail and control. I’ve never been any good at them myself, at acylics I’m little better, but the pencil seems to like me (sometimes). 🙂
I really think watercolours are amazingly pretty though, and I’ll be glad to sift through your future posts and get a good look at an artist who can weild them as well as you do!
All the best,
Eve x
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How very kind! Thank you for returning the visit–I can see your have many interests and have a way with words. Thank you for your encouraging words today, Darlene.
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Thank you for visiting my blog. I love your water colours and enjoyed reading through your posts.
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Thank you Kim, and congratulations.
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I’m appreciative of being told, friend.
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Hi Lance – I’ve nominated your blog for the Versatile Blogger Award – because you inspire me so! xxoo Kim
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hiya, I have had a bit of a spring clean and moved my Blog address to http://antiquityandadventures.wordpress.com/ i,d love it if you fancy following my new site kind regards maenamor 🙂
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I understand 🙂
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I appreciate the nomination very much. Although I don’t accept awards, it means a great deal to be nominated, and I am gratified.
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Hi! I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award – please visit to collect! http://wp.me/p29hz7-bX
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oh your poor tita. That was in the fall of 2009. How is she now?
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Not so much on Tsunami but more on typhoons and flooding. I live in Marikina Provident and there was a huge flood with Typhoon Undoy and my 78 year on Aunt was on the 2nd floor roof for 24 hours. I was still living overseas then.
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it must be a perennial concern where you are–nothing to be presumed upon, or taken lightly. there are no words for this form of natural disaster.
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Thank you for liking my post Tsunami Anniversary
I remember a year ago when that happen, me and my family were about to go to the beach but was not allowed due to tsunami warnings all over the country
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you are so sweet, jen. thank you and don’t forget to do those clocks.
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Sorry was not able to respond right away to your likes because I was busy training for work. Anyway, thank you for visiting and liking my post..;) Happy weekend.
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Yeah, I find it difficult as well because I enjoy everyone’s blogs so very much!
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Oh Lorelei, far from any ‘offence’! I am grateful for your thoughtfulness. And awards aren’t a negative thing for me at all at all at all–I am very complimented by the nomination, yet sort of uncomfortable about having to choose between friends when expected to do the nominating, that’s all. Thank you very much for thinking of me.
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Ok, so I just read about the awards, I too feel uncomfortable with it and may borrow/steal your note on them. I was wondering if you minded my mentioning you in an upcoming blog? I am posting a work completed ‘live’ and I mention your work as my inspiration for this attempt. Hopefully you are blogging before it is scheduled to post. If not, my apologies if I have offended. All the best, Lorelei
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I appreciate your posting a great deal–thank you for being so supportive!
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[…] days like ‘today’ make it all worthwhile. Coming to the point, this is the card my blogger friend sent all the way from Kamloops, Canada. He is an artist of extraordinary brilliance. His good work […]
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Thank you for the visit and liking my post on Children at Play, 30 Things to stop doing to yourself, Feng Shui…
By the way, what is your name?
I applaud you for cooking Filipino Food 😉
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Thanks…my pleasure
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I just sent the link of Andy Rooney’s 14 reasons to George Weaver’s site http://gweaverii.me/
I know she will love it.
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Your welcome 😉
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THANK YOU
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Thanks for liking my post on The Longest War and Andy Rooney 😉
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Thank you very much for taking the time to visit this site, Laz. I must tell you that I am having difficulty linking onto your webpage/blog. You have no link on your ‘gravatar’ that accesses your page. So I am going to email you, and see if I can get to view your work. Your gravatar bio is very intriguing!
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Wow, some beautiful work! They are all stunning! Keep up that amazing talent!!! Laz
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Your welcome!
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the pleasure is mine–thank you as well jenny
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Thank you for liking my post at http://jennysserendipity.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/billy-miles/
and
http://jennysserendipity.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/churchill-and-el-glaoui/
And for the following too!
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Thank you dear Nia–you are very sweet to nominate me.
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http://photographyofnia.com/2012/02/22/i-am-honored-by-your-awards-thank-you/
Dear Lance you are one of my nominated bloggers for the Liebster Blog Award, Thank you. With my love, nia
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I just love your Wellington bookmarks, and your project. It is so wonderful. I am thinking of doing the same here in my city–and I wish other artists would take it up. It is such a lovely and thoughtful mission.
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Hiya,
Thanks for following me. Your watercolours are lovely.
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I am enjoying your sketches. You are following your heart in your work, and it shows.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to look at my blog today. Your paintings are completely exquisite, I’m blown away.
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Who knows why. But this is not a problem, not at all.
You’re welcome.
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Why didn’t I see this until now? I apologize! Thank you, Cornel, for being so kind to me and everyone who visits your photography site. And thank you for sending me the photos of the birds, allowing me permission to paint from them!
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ohoh, now you’ve caught me! The truth is, Pauline, I decided a while back I can’t do this with the awards because I can’t choose between my 80+ blogger friends. I would have to nominate you all, which violates the conditions. (So if I don’t nominate, I don’t also accept, much as I feel a little stupid for being this way.) You are a ray of sunshine in this cloud-covered day, however, and every day.
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How nice of you to say that! Enjoy. Do you know how to put the symbol on the side of your blog, so all can see it? They say turnaround is fair play, so you helped me and now it could be my turn to help you?
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If anyone should get a ‘sunshine award’ it should be you, Pauline! Thank you for your kindness in always thinking of others.
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I nominated you for the Sunshine Award! Thanks for all your lovely posts! See my blog for details.
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Thank you for being so kind to me, ‘kofegeek’! I am enjoying your drawings very much, and thank you for thinking of me with this honour.
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Lovely.
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Thank you again…I would actually expect some of those. I had an idea for doing a back-alley series (during daytime at the time) last year but never got around to it, and we do have some very interesting alleys-not to mention a few interesting things tucked away in them.
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Dear Sir, your paint are so lovely, congratulations! It’s Love’s Month and I nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award, check it out here:
http://kofegeek.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/liebster-blog-award/
Enjoy and have fun 😉
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That is particularly generous of you Adam. I don’t have the talent, nor the ability to see what you see and record it for myself. Being a native, you know where to look and at what to point. Were I to take you up on your happy offer, I’d likely attempt a Richmond alleyway at night. I love your nocturnal adventures into that very historic and spirit-laden city!
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While you’re liking my photos, thank you again, and if you ever want to paint anything feel free to…I think I’m liable to throw a fit about someone selling something I did or using it for a photoshop project without asking, but I’m all about painting…
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I’m honoured and gratified.
It is a particular pleasure to have had this from you, I must say.
In all deference, it makes me most happy to see you garlanded with it because this Award has been most deservedly bestowed on you, dear friend.
And I must say in all candour that it’s a pleasure for all of us to see your mischievously-smiling face come to light recently, for now we know better whom we’re dropping by to visit.
We know what’s in your cupboards–and now it’s even better to see who it was that so interestingly filled them up, while tying everything up with a good story. Our objects are dear to us because there’s always a face, a laugh, a situation, and a person who held and shared them with us.
Just don’t let that dog anywhere near that cabinet.
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Lance, I hope you don’t mind. I awarded you the Liebster Award. You probably have too many followers to qualify, but I don’t care. I absolutely immerse myself in your paintings. I want everybody on the planet to see them the way I see them. You may have received this award before and probably more too. If you choose to accept it, please go to my sight and copy/paste the award (if you choose to do that). If not, it doesn’t matter. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate your following me and how much I enjoy your watercolors! How I’d love to drop in for a drop or two of that Wild Turkey and feast my eyes on those succulent watercolors! Thank you. 🙂
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That is more than considerate of you, Matt! Thank you very much. I will certainly let you know if/when I base a painting on your photo, and give you credit should I post it on line afterwards.
Thank you very very much–it is a super glimpse of a lovely spot at just the perfect time of day.
Thank you also for your kind words about my paintings.
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Thanks for stopping by my blog, and I’m glad you liked the sunset photo. You’re absolutely more than welcome to use it for a painting! I’ve enjoyed looking through some of your past work on this site. Awesome stuff!
– Matt
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Thank you for sharing your photos with us. Thank you for these lovely words.
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It’s really admirable that you can pursue what you like.Thank you for the beauties you created…
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Good evening ,
I have sent you an e-mail with the explanation. This way your blog stays as nice as it is.
Ciao, Francina
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It’s very invigorating to have you weigh-in on the wisdom of sticking with one artistic discipline or keeping one’s fingers in many creative pies, JoDee. Of course, what my late instructor told me in the summer of 1964 was spoken very personally to me after taking me aside. It wasn’t his generic advice to everyone on earth, nor do I believe it should be so.
However, for me his words proved to be a tremendous help because it has now been 48 years since he said it, and I’m only just beginning to learn about watercolour. My personality is such that I quit easily, and his good counsel has helped me stick with it and immerse myself more in the endless challenge this medium alone leads me into.
I encourage everyone reading this to visit your site and discover the multitude of ways their creative spirit can be fed through your ‘eclectic multi-tasking’! http://refrainfromtheidentical.com/?page_id=3378
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[…] I read a provocative quote (that stung me) on an amazing watercolorist’s blog. Lance Weisser was referring to his former art instructor’s wisdom that helped him to decide to specialize: […]
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You have a lot masterpieces.
Good job!
You are very talented.
I’m glad I found your blog.
🙂
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[…] let me introduce you to Lance Weisser and the watercolour that changed my mind. "School Yard Pasture" by Lance […]
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You both write and photograph entertainingly, and I am very happy to have happened upon your site. Thank you for giving me more background on your journey and I will take interest on where you lead us next. Thank you for your encouraging words.
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Thanks for liking the photos! Oddly enough I got into visual arts determined to be a watercolor painter and graphite artist. Somehow it segued into writer/photographer. I say somehow because I don’t want to admit I got frustrated with it all and stopped. Secretly I want to try again some day.
Very nice paintings, by the way. It’s most certainly an impossible seeming medium to work in; I have a profound appreciation of anyone who lasts more than six months with it.
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Thank you, Cowboy–you have a great appreciation for the big outdoors and all the wildlife and freedom within it. There’s a lot of ranching done here, so we have that in common! Thank you for your kind remarks today.
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Howdy –
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I’m glad you do, I believe I’m going to enjoy yours also…….
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It’s mutual! I envy your situation, while celebrating it with you. Thank you for your kind remarks.
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Welcome aboard, Lance. It’s a pleasure to meet you. We do enjoy your work.
Best wishes,
Miles and Pippa
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If they come close to your photographs, I’ll be more than pleased. I hope visitors here will take advantage of your ‘gravatar’ and visit your Yellowstone region images. The winter scenes make me grateful you go out when you do–the icy blue snow and setting-sun-kissed ice.
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Great site and art. I really enjoyed looking through your work. Your paintings have simple, elegance that remotely remind me of some Japanese art, but they have a very distinct style that is all your own. Great stuff.
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I’m glad to have made a mini-contribution to your etymological bliss.
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I didn’t know–and am now very glad I do. Without you, I’d have gone on blissfully ignorant (well, ignorant–I don’t know about the blissful part)
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forgive me–I didn’t see this until just now. And thank you for asking . . . I’m not even close to ‘mastering’ because watercolour takes enormous courage which I’ve yet to dig deep enough to find. It demands both a letting-go, and a clawing-back, almost simultaneously. The great watercolourist J. W. Turner literally clawed his by apparently growing one fingernail very long precisely for that purpose. You will find your medium, I am sure of it–and if it’s several, why not? Thank you for your kindness, AGIAD
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As you’re an artist who does miniatures, you may be interested in the origin of the word (if you don’t already know it):
http://wordconnections.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/not-originally-what-you-almost-surely-think-it-was/
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I may finally make my transition from sketches to paintings, but I have to do my research on what type of paint and surface I should use.
My mind is all over the place, and the part where you mentioned:
“Even though you show promise,” he said, “you’re not likely to master one medium in your lifetime, much less two or three.”
is something I should probably consider. I’m going to say it’s safe to apply that to ‘master one skill’ as well since I’m trying to write, draw, paint amongst other things.
How long did it take you to ‘master’ or get to this stage in your ability to paint?
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I admire you and your art. Thank you for taking the time to comment. You capture the spirit and essence of those you draw and paint–so illusive and difficult, yet it comes off as a breeze!
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Thank you x 38 times! I truly appreciate you appreciation.
Maurice
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