Artist reception and silent auction:
Sunday, January 13, 2:00-4:00pm
Tom Sutherland could well be considered a Master in the field of Impressionistic Watercolor Painting. As a young man, he received a degree from Northeastern University in Civil Engineering and he worked in that field for twelve years. A woodworking hobby turned his life in a different direction and really got his creative juices flowing. He designed and produced over 4,000 antique and period-type signs for many national and international restaurant chains. These signs can be found nationwide and in several foreign countries including Mexico, Europe and the Far East.
In 1999, Tom discovered the medium of watercolor and fell in love. When he wasn’t designing signs, his every waking moment was spent
exploring the mysteries of watercolor. He went to museums and sat for hours studying the works of Turner, Constable, Sargeant, Homer and other Watercolor Masters of the past. This led him to discover the work of a modern master, Alvaro Castagnet Alvaro is arguably the finest watercolor painter of his generation and Tom is one of his few students who possess the passion and skill to be called a disciple. It’s often difficult to tell if a painting was painted by Alvaro or by Tom Sutherland. Tom’s painting style has developed into a very impressionistic representation of coastal landscapes and, in particular, cityscapes. His real passion lies in the depiction of urban street scenes and many of his paintings represent scenes from his European travels. One of the most popular YouTube watercolor demonstrations is Tom’s “Painting with Puccini.” In 22 ½ minutes, Tom takes a blank ½ sheet of watercolor paper and produces a matted and framed magnificent painting of the Grand Canal of Venice.
More recently, Tom discovered a new love … teaching and he now has his own disciples. His passion for painting and his willingness to share make his classes a great starting point for many aspiring watercolor artists. Like many great artists before him, Tom also paints in oils and it’s interesting to see how the nuances of each medium carry over and influence and enhance the other. His workshops are primarily done in “plein air” because that’s where the “magic happens.” Tom will look at a scene and produce a spontaneous and exciting impressionistic painting in about half an hour. Why so fast? Tom will tell you because that’s the DNA of watercolor. Watercolor is meant to be done Alla Prima . . . in one go and Tom Sutherland is a Master of the Medium.