I wrote this article for the local newspapers recently and thought you might find it interesting.

THE ACCIDENTAL AUTHOR

Artist, painting instructor and author Karen Richardson is happiest when working on a new watercolour and never intended to teach art classes. That happened by a fluke. And she never meant to write a book either, but she did.

Karen had been painting professionally for two decades when a gallery in Whitby asked her to fill in for an art instructor who had to back out. Karen agreed, and taught the perspective drawing and watercolour course. Not only did she find great fulfillment in helping aspiring artists; she also revealed a knack for explaining painting techniques in an easy-to-follow format.

Since then, she has taught hundreds of adult students in galleries in Port Perry, Lindsay, and Peterborough, and at workshops in her Port Perry studio. During these classes, Karen noticed a pattern: almost all students had difficulty with the same issues – such as choosing the right paper, mixing richer colours, controlling the behaviour of paint, and staying motivated when a painting wasn't cooperating.

She found herself explaining over and over how to avoid challenges like these, and how to fix problems when they did occur. A few years ago, she joked to her students "I sound like a broken record - I should write a book!" And her students heartily agreed.

Finally, last fall, Karen started to record all the nuggets of watercolour wisdom she could recall. Two months later, she had a finished manuscript titled 'Watercolour Toolbox', illustrated with 70 photos of her realistic paintings of stones, flowers, landscapes and buildings. She hired a publisher in BC to produce the full colour book, which is due off the presses early this summer.

Subscribe to Karen's Newsletter if you wish to receive studio news updates or notice of upcoming painting classes.