Featured Artist Teri Starkweather

Artist Teri Starkweather captures the play of light and the depth of color in stunning watercolor still lifes and landscapes. Visit her website to see more of her portfolio.

 

 

I became fascinated with art and painting in high school when I took an oil painting class. I eventually took a Saturday figure drawing class at Art Center College of Design.

 

 

After high school, I went to Art Center full time and majored in painting. After graduating, I worked as a scenic artist at NBC and did some freelance illustration.

 

 

I eventually discovered that I was hypersensitive to oil paints and solvents. After a long period with environmental illness, I decided to switch over to painting with watercolors. Today I also paint with water soluble oils.

 

 

I’ve always been excited by the beauty of nature. My watercolors depict beautiful flowers, plants, birds and fish as well as the the ocean waves near my home in Laguna Beach, California. I create strong compositions with strong, saturated color.

 

 

I am often inspired by the beauty I find on vacations in Hawaii. I take many photos on these trips and when I return to my studio, I use them as photo reference for my watercolors.

 

 

I’m attracted to painting luminous images with light reflections and dark shadows. I always incorporate the play of light, which amplifies truth, life and the hidden beauty of nature.

 

 

One of my early influences was Joseph Raffael, who painted large florals in watercolor. I also loved the egg tempera paintings by Andrew Wyeth, which I saw at a Wyeth show at the Los Angeles Museum of Art while still a teen.

 

 

I am a signature member of Watercolor West and have exhibited at the Oceanside Museum, Springfield Art Museum, Westmont Museum of Art, Lancaster Museum of Art, Riverside Art Museum, Downey Museum of Art, Brand Library Gallery and Brea Art Gallery.

 

 

My artwork has been included in many art books. I have been on the cover of Textures and Surfaces and did an article demonstrating my technique in “Painting the Many Moods of Light.” I won the cover contest of the June 2010 issue of American Artist Watercolor Magazine.

 

 

My work has been shown in several local Laguna Beach galleries and the annual Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach.

 

Artist Teri Starkweather invites you to follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

 

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