Art Inspiration | Artists Network

A State of Flow: Watercolor with Massimiliano Iocco

Christina Richards — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 06:15:00 +0000

An artist shares his plein air philosophy for embracing imperfections and seeking a human connection. Italian artist Massimiliano Iocco blends bold brushwork with a joyful disregard for control to transform urban scenes into portals of emotion, through watercolor. I had the privilege of observing the artist’s plein air sketching process in action last summer, in China, at the annual Qingdao International Watercolor Exhibition. It was refreshing to learn that what most inspires Iocco is a measure of disorder. He finds beauty even in the more mundane features of cityscapes and often uses these unexpected elements to create visual interest and…

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What’s your all-time favorite art museum?

Artists Network — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 06:15:00 +0000

We asked seven artists to name the one museum that stands out above all others for them.

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The Cover Story: Artist Holly Dyrland Shares the Inspiration Behind Her Impressionistic Landscape

Artists Network — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 06:15:00 +0000

Regardless of time of day or season, Canadian artist Holly Dyrland finds endless inspiration in the mutable sky, capturing its beauty and emotion in her impressionistic work. “It has always struck me that the sky expresses the life of the day,” she says. “It can move in billowing clouds so close you can imagine touching…

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Burning Question: What step in your painting process feels most vital?

Artists Network — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 06:15:00 +0000

From inception to final details, each phase of painting plays a role—but one always stands out. Three artists reveal the stage that makes their work come alive.

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12 Fixes for Creative Burnout

Artists Network — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 06:15:00 +0000

We asked a few award-winning artists and art instructors—as well as our wider Artists Network community—to share some of the ways in which they take up arms against this sea of creative troubles to end them.

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Little Wonders: The Pleasure of Painting Small Works

Anne Hevener — Fri, 09 May 2025 06:15:00 +0000

Discover the surprising advantages of working small with these tips
by watercolorists John Lovett, Brenda Swenson, Karen Mai, and Jacqueline Gnott .

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Leaning Into the Painting Process

Artists Network — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 06:15:00 +0000

Lean into the painting process by exploring these creative techniques and problem-solving strategies.

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One Dog Many Ways

Artists Network — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 06:15:00 +0000

Whenever I’m trying out new tools, I find it helpful to use a familiar and beloved subject. By Shari Blaukopf I draw my dog Alice constantly because she’s always at my side. When I’m at my computer, she sleeps in a bed on the floor right next to me. She has another bed in my studio, too. It’s no wonder that she’s one of my most revisited subjects. Alice just turned 11 but has been modeling for me since puppyhood—that’s a lot of drawings. Since I know her sleeping form so well by now, it provides the perfect opportunity…

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The Invisible Made Visible

Cynthia Close — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 06:15:00 +0000

This curated selection of key texts and artists’ voices explores the history of Latinx-American art from the 1960s to the present.

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Flight School: Painting Birds

Anne Hevener — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 06:15:00 +0000

Six artists explore various approaches for rendering birds with flying colors.

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How to Come Up With a Title for Your Artwork?

Anne Hevener — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 06:15:00 +0000

13 artists share the their process for tackling the challenging task of naming their works.

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Pulling the Pastel Heartstrings

Artists Network — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 07:15:00 +0000

Steph Mouw’s dramatic still life encapsulates her appreciation for light, shadows, and the gift of connection.

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City Slickers: Line & Wash

Artists Network — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 18:23:12 +0000

Whether you’re a beginner planning to take the plunge into drawing outdoors or are a more experienced urban sketcher wanting to loosen your style and use watercolor in a whole new way

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How Do You Define Success as an Artist?

Artists Network — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 07:15:00 +0000

Is artistic success measured out by awards? Commissions? Instagram followers? We took this question to a few well-known artists and also consulted the larger Artists Network community. The answers had very little to do with the “numbers,” and much more to do with communicating a vision and connecting with others. “I succeed when I work every day, with purpose, and don’t concern myself with what others may say or think about what I’m making. That is the business of art. Everything that comes after that is the artof business.” — W. Truman Hosner “Success for me is being able to…

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Painting the Poetry of Paris

Anne Hevener — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Sometimes, even if you intend to resist it—an iconic subject may still be the right subject for a painting. Pastelist W. Truman Hosner rose to the challenge, finding his own artistic truth in a painting of Notre Dame Cathedral. For many artists, a significant part of travel is becoming acquainted with the locale by capturing its scenery in art. Michigan-based artist W. Truman Hosner appreciates travel as an opportunity to expand knowledge. “As an artist, naturally, I paint and sketch as I travel,” he says. “I do so, however, not to make a record of where I have been, but…

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A Master of Masking

Michael Chesley Johnson — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 07:15:00 +0000

Canadian artist Brian Turner uses a refined technique to capture the subtle interplay of light and shadow in his radiant snowscapes.

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