Andy Evansen

Andy Evansen – Loosening Up Your Watercolor Painting

Andy Evanson, View from Boca Footbridge, watercolor on paper

Andy Evansen’s interest in art started in childhood, as he can’t recall a time when he wasn’t drawing. He decided to pursue a career in art and attended the University of Minnesota’s commercial illustration program, eventually getting hired as a medical illustrator in Minneapolis creating artwork for medical device companies, textbooks and journals. Once that industry became dependent on digital art, he longed for a return to fine art and began watercolor painting.

Choosing a ‘style’ was not difficult, as Andy was always inspired by the watercolor paintings of British artists Trevor Chamberlain, David Curtis, Ed Seago and John Yardley, among others. He found himself attempting to capture the landscape with the same economy of brushstroke, taking advantage of the luminosity of watercolors done in just a few washes. In addition, he was impressed with the way those artists seemed to capture everyday scenes in such a way that revealed a hidden beauty, subjects that many would simply pass by. This appealed to Andy as he grew up in the rural Midwest of the United States, far from the large, bustling cities of the east coast or the drama of the Pacific on the west coast. His familiarity and love of simple farm scenes and small towns is evident in his work today.

His work gained recognition after winning an international watercolor competition through American Artist magazine, appearing on their cover in 2005. He’s been featured in numerous other publications since, and has become a sought-after workshop instructor who paints and teaches internationally.  He became a signature member of the prestigious Plein Air Painters of America (PAPA) in 2012 and was elected their President in 2015.

His paintings have won numerous awards, including the Bronze Medal of Honor at the 2012 American Watercolor Society Exhibition and the Painters Award in Northwest Watercolor Society’s 2012 Waterworks Exhibition, and in 2015 he received the High Winds Medal and his signature status from the American Watercolor Society.

His love of painting on location also led to him being a featured presenter at the 2014 and 2016 Plein Air Conventions and inclusion in the 2017 Qingdao International Masters Watercolor Plein Air Event.

Andy has been asked to jury several exhibitions, including the Hoosier Salon in 2016 and the New England Watercolor Society in 2017.

He recently opened his own studio gallery, Evansen Art Studio, in Hastings, MN. You can also view his work at his website below.

Join Andy Evansen in Mexico in 2025,
January 11 – 18, 2025

For beginners with some experience, to advanced artists
Click to see details of this Workshop

To read more about Andy and see more of his work, visit his website: www.EvansenArtStudio.com