Free and Flowing Watercolor
Adult Class | Registration opens 8/4/2026 9:00 AM MDT
This class offers an immersion into layering watercolor techniques, guiding students through a range of applications from soft transparent washes to opaque lines. The goal is to encourage the development of brushstrokes that find a balance between spontaneity and accuracy in drawing.
Regarding the class projects, each student will work from a photo of their choosing or create their own still life.
- Watercolor palette (recommended suggestion: Portable Watercolor Paint Palette Case)
- 1 heavyweight cold-press watercolor block, recommended weight: 300 GSM (Any brand is fine, Arches is preferred)
- Watercolor brushes: round brushes at a variety of sizes, one medium-sized dagger brush, one mop brush, one liner brush for details, one flat brush if desired
- Watercolor paint cakes or tubes: at least bring primary colors and black (any brand is acceptable, my favorites are Gamblin, Daniel Smith, Schmincke)
- Rag
- Cup for water
- Portable easel is optional
- Supplies are available locally at: HR Meininger, Guiry’s, Red Herring Art & Supply, Point
- Creative Supplies
- Also available online: Blick Art Materials and Michaels
Mikael Olson
Born in Denver in 1973, Mikael Olson has been painting for as long as he can remember.“I paint because it is the most natural way for me to define myself. I prefer to paint ordinary things, and I try to paint them honestly. Painting is my response to the intoxication of my visual experience.”
Mikael is a graduate of Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design and has continued to hone his craft through studies at the Arts Student League of Denver. He has worked alongside such prominent painters as Quang Ho and fellow Coloradan Kevin Wechbach, and includes among his influences such diverse talents as Andrew Wyeth and Richard Diebenkorn. His painting style, which he describes as “impressionistic toward slightly expressionistic,” is beautifully suited to the subjects he prefers: single objects in bold still-life, human figures thoughtfully composed and cleanly rendered, and light-infused street scenes.