The Saint Louis Watercolor Society
presents
Richard Stephens
October 10-12, 2008

During most of my many years as a watercolorist I have been concerned with technique and mastery of the medium. It is important, whatever the discipline, to practice and perfect the fundamentals. I have read an artist must paint at least a thousand paintings before gaining an understanding of the physics, temperament and possibilities watercolor has to offer.

Well, I have painted my thousand, and well beyond. I feel I have gained that basic understanding of the fickle relationship between paper, pigment, brush, water and artist. Technique, though always changing and improving, is basically instinctive to me now.

But even more important than technique is design. Design is that much-used word that encompasses so much yet is often vague and elusive. In my work the two most evident, and I think important, elements of design are contrast and confident brushstrokes of color. Contrast adds mood and drama to my paintings while color brings vibrancy and emotional excitement to the viewer. Good design will go a long way to make up for immature technique, but great technique will not make up for poor design. In my personal art, and in the workshops I conduct, I emphasize the elements and principals of design. It may be Art 101, but I feel it is the most important area of concern in the making of good art, whatever the medium, subject or style.

As I have matured as an artist and feel more comfortable with my command of the medium and sense of design, I face another challenge. It has always been there, but has been patiently waiting for me to get technique and design under control. That challenge is the statement, story or narrative in my work. It demands much more than producing a pretty picture or showing off with technique. What I have found is that it is not always present in my work. Too often it is just technique or pleasant subject matter. But in those special paintings, those three or four a year that go beyond "pretty", those that engage the viewer on several levels, emotional, intellectual and esthetic. For me this is both exciting and fulfilling.

It is the quest for the excitement, that rush, understood only by other artists that have been blessed (or cursed) with the experience, that gives me reason to continue in the elusive process of making art. "Making Art" certainly means producing my own work. But it also means sharing with my students my knowledge, experience and passion for watercolor. I love to teach. I have discovered that through teaching, more than any other endeavor, I continue to learn.

Richard Stephens
b. Hot Springs, Arkansas 1946

A native of Hot Springs, Arkansas, Richard Stephens earned a Bachelor's Degree in Art from the University of Central Arkansas in 1969. After serving in the Army as an Illustrator, Stephens began his professional career in 1971 with a design firm in Little Rock, Arkansas. Three years later he opened his own graphic design studio in his hometown and continues to provide design and production services for a wide range of commercial accounts.

Having been introduced to the medium in college, Stephens's re-discovered transparent watercolor in the early 90's. He quickly garnered a reputation nation wide for his confident, loose, impressionistic paintings. His works have won awards in numerous national competitions and he has earned signature member status in several major Watercolor Societies. In 2005 Watercolor Magic magazine named Stephens one of 10 artists in their annual "One's to Watch" edition.

Stephens shares his passion for the medium by conducting painting workshops around the country. The son of schoolteachers, Stephens' comfortable personality and easy style is well adapted to the classroom. He was again featured in Watercolor Magic in June 2007 with an article including several of his paintings and drawings with emphasis on his teaching process and philosophy. Stephens had three of his paintings selected for inclusion in the 2008 edition of SPLASH, a book published every two years representing the best of watercolor in America.

Although recognized for his landscape, architectural and figurative work Stephens feels the real subjects of most of his paintings are his brushwork and the light he tries to capture and amplify through value contrast and an unexpected color pallet. Believing that drawing is the foundation for all good art and design, Stephens often allows his pencil work to show through and become an engaging element in his watercolors.

Stephens says, "My goal is to interpret, not to render. I want to engage the viewer, entertain him and share my vision. When people view my work that is the last step in the painting process. Of course I want people to like my work, but like it or hate it, I don't want them to be indifferent.

See his web site www.raswatercolors.com to view his work.

It is an honor for the St. Louis Watercolor Society to host this workshop; and a great opportunity for the society's members and friends.

Questions? Please contact:
Karl Zickler, phone:(314) 409-9352 e-mail: zickler@sbcglobal.net, or
Marlene Johnson, phone: (636) 530-7724 e-mail: aljohn3@aol.com

There is a $50 non-refundable deposit required for advance registration. Final payment is due Sept 1, 2008. If, after you have made your final payment, you find out you cannot attend, we will gladly refund your money, less the $50 deposit, as long as we can find a replacement. The workshop is 3 days. A workshop participant may not split class time with another artist.

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