Rachel Collins, Watercolor Artist

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2026  Winter Term Classes 

Watercolor for the Joy of It

Tuesday evenings, 7:00 - 9:30 pm (Winter Term class is full; the class will be repeated in Spring Term on both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.)

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Brush in hand, paper and paint at the ready, you will begin an exploration of the techniques and tools of expression in this ever-surprising medium. This class starts with the basics of the interaction of water and pigment and uses this as the foundation for a variety of painting projects, which build from the simple to the more complex. We will cover techniques specific to watercolor, like wet-in-wet painting, using the white of the paper and taking advantage of the medium’s transparency, as well as some of the many aspects of making a successful painting, no matter what the medium. Total beginners are welcome to join, as are students who perhaps have had a class or two but don't yet feel well-grounded in the basics. In addition, people returning to the medium after a hiatus of months or years find that the careful structure of the class give them a solid review that gets them back up to speed.

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Class sessions will include demos and explanations, but painting by students is emphasized. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions. Painting outside class is encouraged, with recognition that sometimes this is not possible!   During the class term, students will have access to the variety of visual resources used in each class which they can review as needed.

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Students will need to acquire supplies for this class; a supply list can be found here. If you have questions about any aspect of the class, please contact Rachel at rbcollinsart@yahoo.com. This class will be taught in the winter and spring terms as well. 

 

Beyond the Basics:

Growing Your Watercolor Vocabulary 

​Wednesday mornings 9:30 am - 12:30 pm (this class is full for Winter Term)

Wednesday evenings 7:00 - 9:30 pm (a few spaces left for Winter Term)

9 classes - first class is January 14, 2026

Students with a solid grounding in watercolor fundamentals will expand their expressive potential through different approaches to the medium, honing their craft, developing a stronger sense of design and composition, and thereby gaining greater confidence in working with their paints, brushes and paper.  Classes will include exposure to work by a wide variety of contemporary watercolorists, instructor demonstration, and a lot of opportunity to paint and be inspired by the experience of everyone in the class! During the class term, students will have access to the variety of visual resources used in each class which they can review as needed. 

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Students will probably already own many of the supplies needed, so should bring them to the first class. A supply list is available here for anyone wanting to be sure to have at least a basic minimum. Students should plan to work on professional quality 100% cotton watercolor paper, preferably Arches or Saunders Waterford. If you have questions about any aspect of the class, please contact Rachel at rbcollinsart@yahoo.com.  This class will be repeated in spring term in mornings only. Class content varies from term to term.

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​Intermediate/Advanced Workshops planned for 2026:

For further information about the workshops listed below, please contact Rachel  at rbcollinsart@yahoo.com or visit https://www.theartleague.org/classes/search/ 

 

Painting Shadows That Work

June 13-14, 2026

Painting shadows with confidence is key to making a compelling painting.  Learn to work with color, shape, edges and design to create shadows that reveal the light that is so essential to all watercolor art. Students will take inspiration from viewing paintings by a variety of  contemporary watercolorists working in many different styles, and then create work that is uniquely their own.

 

Intimate Landscapes 

August 29-30, 2026​​​​

Not all landscape painting involves grand vistas.  Indeed, it is often by portraying smaller bits of nature that artists can bring attention, interest and meaning to things often overlooked that have a beauty all their own. Students will develop their artistic eyes as well as watercolor skills as they create paintings that give a starring role to subjects rarely in the limelight.  For watercolorists with some experience.    

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