"Stormy Road to Newcastle"

"Stormy Road to Newcastle" Northern Ireland Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 15x22 inches 22 March 2015 On my trip to Northern Ireland last year, I was looking forward to being bowled over by the beauty I'd always imagined I'd see in the legendary Mountains of Mourne ( where the "Mountains Sweep Down to the Sea" as the song goes ). And I was - but more so than I ever could have imagined. And the overpowering beauty, energy, and majesty of the ever-changing sky was a revelation. Never have skies seemed so alive to me - as if they were always trying to talk to me - to tell me something. And every day since - I believe they did. So inspiring and amazing they were. Driving toward Newcastle this day - I had to stop and just try to take it all in. I still am.

Facade Study in Warm and Cool

"Facade Study in Warm and Cool" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 18x13 inches on Fabriano Artistico 16 March 2015

"Kitchen - Castle Beynac; France"

"Kitchen - Castle Beynac" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 18 x 13 inches 03.14.2015

Italy - Summer 2015

Lots of time in Italy this year - never a bad thing! I'm very happy to be exhibiting and presenting at the IWS Exhibition; Fabriano In Acquarello, and The Festival Internazionale in Sperlonga in May. Then in June, teaching in Rome for the Associazione Romana Acquerellisti. A few sample attached. Can't wait!

"End of the Day - Toulouse Cathedral"

"End of the Day - Toulouse Cathedral" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor. 22x14 13.03.2015

"Conversation - Girona"

"Conversation - Girona" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor. 22x14 inches - 12.03.2015

"Walking the Dogs - Barcelona"

"Walking the Dogs - Barcelona" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 22 x 15 inches 03.11.2015

"Old Chair in Italian Light"

"Old Chair in Italian Light" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 12x14 Inches 03.10.2015

"Landscape - Northern Ireland"

"Landscape - Northern Ireland" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 22x15 inches 08.03.2015

Whistler's Nocturnes

James McNeill Whistler - a few of his magical Nocturnes. Lots to love and lots to learn here.

"Listening to your Paintings"

"Listening to Your Painting" Is there a better feeling as an artist than when you find yourself lost inside the world of your painting as it unfolds in front of you? Everything seems to be happening as it should, but it’s as if you are not even painting it! Yet somehow the thing appears - as if by magic. Of course when this happens (and it does not always!) it is not magic; but it does feel magical. And it is at those times when I feel most alive - when I exist completely in the moment of creation - no worries about the past and no fear of the future. All that matters is what is happening at that very moment in the world of the painting. Then I feel beyond time and space - outside myself, and completely at peace. I am untouchable. My choices and reactions are the ones that have come from somewhere beyond thought and effort. Rather they spring from something more direct and honest, more emotive and pure. I’m always asking my groups - and myself - "not to paint whatever it is that inspires us - but rather to try to paint the inspiration itself". Fancy words, but what do they mean? Well, for me, if I am stopped in my tracks by a particular sight or scene and suddenly "feel a painting coming on”, I think it’s important to remember that the painting I will do will not be a copy of whatever that sight or scene is - but rather my interpretation, my reaction, to that sight or scene. Because if there is any art to be found, it is only there. And so with little more than my basic idea and an overall plan of shapes and values in mind, I begin. And this is where my thinking stops and my feeling takes over. I then just have to trust myself enough to let my instincts lead the way. And as I paint, I am informed - and my painting is shaped - by my emotional response to the scene that inspired me - not by the specifics of the actual scene itself. In fact, once the painting begins, the actual scene fades in importance as it is in the world of my painting that I now live entirely. Given this, I am very open to the possibility that my plan may - and will - shift as I proceed….. All paintings have a mind of their own. So its great to be able to let “mistakes” happen and decide on the fly if they are good or not. Most often, when they happen (and they will), you learn to recognize immediately that they are often “just what the painting wanted” and you see them not as mistakes, but as advantages that could have never been planned. Memory and instinct silently guide us to make choices our mind could never imagine. Learning to shut off the world, turn down the volume in your mind, and “listen to your painting” is really just another way of saying that you are learning to trust yourself and hear only your own unique artist’s voice at last. That - and your painting - very often know what is best. My painting "Fog on the Tiber - Rome" from last year is of real things in a real place - but is much more about how I felt and reacted to those things - that place - on that day.

Watercolor Sketch - French Cottage

Another take on this one - but this time around , a quick one hour sketch in tone and color only. Decided to call the pencil version done. "French Cottage" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor. 20x14inches 04.03.2015

Interview - One Drawing Daily

Really grateful to Thomas Dalsgaard Clause for this terrific interview he did on me and my work for his blog "one drawing daily" - be sure to follow him there - and everywherehttp://onedrawingdaily.com/2015/03/03/interview-with-watercolorist-thomas-w-schaller

Drawing - French Cottage

Just felt like drawing today - May or may not add color to this .... Can't quite decide just yet -) "French Cottage" in progress - Graphite on paper Thomas W Schaller 02 March 2015

"Vicars' Close - Wells"

"Vicars' Close - Wells" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 18x24 inches 01 March 2015

"Frozen Path - Ohio"

"Frozen Path - Ohio" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 22x15 inches 28 Feb 2015

"Abandoned Gatehouse - Northern Ireland"

"abandoned gate house" northern ireland thomas w schaller - watercolor 13x18 inches 22 feb. 2015

"Venetian Moonlight"

"venetian moonlight" thomas w schaller - watercolor 24x15 inches 21 feb. 2015

Work in Progress - Ancient Bridge - Rome

Final Day Demo Painting in progress for the workshop I am teaching for the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. "Ancient Bridge". 15 x 22 inches

Work in Progress - Plein-Air Egyptian Museum, San Jose

Third Day Demo Painting in progress for the workshop I am teaching for the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. One hour Plein-Air study in shadows / value composition / simplification of detail /light "Egyptian Museum - San Jose. "15 x 22" inches

Work in Progress - Villa Rotunda; Vicenza, Italy

Third Day Demo Painting in progress for the workshop I am teaching for the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. One hour study in skies / value composition / simplification of detail "Villa Rotunda - Vicenza; Italy " 22 x 12 inches

Work in Progress - Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society

Second Day Demo Painting in progress for the workshop I am teaching for the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. One hour study in light / value composition / perspective / architecture "St. Christopher's - Siena" 15X22 inches

"Demonstration Painting in Progress" SCVWS - "End of day - Heidelberg"

First Day Demo Painting in progress for the workshop I am teaching for the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. One hour study in light / value composition / and complementary colors. "End of Day - Heidelberg" 15X22 inches

"Demo Painting - Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society"

So happy to be hosted this week by the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society for a great workshop with a LOT of excellent painters! Grateful for the very big turnout for my demonstration painting today - an interpretation of one the most amazing places I have ever been lucky enough to experience. My friend and I had such a fantastic day making this climb - far more than worth it! "View from Summit - Slieve Binnian : Northern Ireland" . Watercolor - 24x18 inches

2015 Missouri Watercolor Society International Exhibition

Very grateful to the Society and to juror Linda Doll for including my work "Painters on the Capilano" in the 2015 Missouri Watercolor Society International Exhibition.

Upcoming Video/DVD Series: Artists Network TV

Boomer on set helping to direct my latest Video Project with Artist's Network TV. ( He felt I needed at least three takes for every scene! - )

Opening of the 1st IWS International Exhibition of Watercolor - Museum of the City of Mexico.

Opening of the 1st IWS International Exhibition of Watercolor 26 February - 22 March 2015 Museum of the City of Mexico. "Fog on the Tiber - Rome" and "Pacific Coast Highway - Los Angeles" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor. 76x56 cm Each.

"Fabriano in Acquarello 2015"

For the Fabriano in Acquarello 2015 Exhibition coming up in Italy - I decided to send an old friend of a painting - "Royal Crescent - England". And a very big thanks to some great new friends for helping make this happen.

China Art Forum - Article

A very very big Thank You to my friend Jayson Yeoh and all the good people at the China Art Forum for printing this great article about me and my work. I'm so grateful. Thank you so much! http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA3NDA5MDYzNg%3D%3D&mid=203242289&idx=2&sn=75bf982ddcef8500961d2fa298bb78b3#rd

"Bernini at the Borghese"

"Bernini at the Borghese" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 22X15 inches 25 Jan. 2015

"A Hike in Ohio"

"A Hike in Ohio" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 22 x 14 inches 21 Jan. 2015

Masters of Watercolour Exhibition - St. Petersburg

Upcoming Exhibition: Masters of Watercolour, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 20-31 January http://www.watercolormasters.ru/ ВЫСТАВКА "МАСТЕРА АКВАРЕЛИ" Сайт выставки ведущих акварелистов мира "Мастера акварели" WATERCOLORMASTERS.RU Arch of Septimius - Rome Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor; 30x22 Inches.

"Light of the Pantheon - Rome"

"Light of the Pantheon - Rome" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 18X24 Inches 17 Jan. 2015

Are we artists only when we paint?

Are we artists only when we paint? As visual people, we are – in a sense - always painting. In fact, most paintings I do begin long before the brush ever touches the page. As Edward Hopper said: “Art is the outward expression of the inner life of an artist. And this inner life will result in a personal vision of the world.” And it’s in how we see and feel about the world that we are framing our future work. When just out walking, we may notice a bit of light, a hint of color, a composition of values that we never saw before. Or as the sunlight slants along a narrow street that we may have seen a thousand times, we realize; we never noticed it quite like that. Sometimes, we do a sketch, or take a quick photo. But often, we just file these impressions away somewhere in our hearts – a collection of moments. Over the years we amass a vast storeroom of moments; visual, sensory, and emotional memories - a collection we can draw upon for a lifetime. And in that collection should also be those feelings we had at the very moment we saw that light, or remembered the smell of those leaves, or the chill in the air one afternoon as the shadows inched across that road, or the talk we had that day with a neighbor or a friend. This is the stuff of Art – more than the exact specifics of what this view or that scene may actually look like. And so of myself I ask that I paint not so much the scene in front of me – but rather, how I remember, or how I feel about that scene right now. And if my painting comes even close to asking that question of the viewer, then I feel I’ve done my job. A painter paints, a writer writes, and so on it is said. That’s true enough. We only improve those skills that we practice. The only garden that grows is one that we have watered. And to be honest, I am usually not happy when I have to miss a day of painting. It is the garden I most wish to tend. But I think I need to remember how much my inner life is shaped and informed by the world around me. Taking some time to just be mindful and observant of this world – moment by moment -is critical. If I spend a little time just riding my bike, or watching people on the street, or talking with a friend, or just absorbing the sights, the sounds, the millions of angles of light that Nature provides, or just looking up and really watching the sky; all this helps to shape my unique personal vision. And back at the easel, that is at least as important a tool for the artist as any paint or brush could ever be. While this is a view of a scene, it is a painting of a feeling. “Approaching the Summit - Slieve Binnian” Northern Ireland 

"Rooftops of Rye"

"Rooftops of Rye" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 18x24 inches 13 Jan 2015

Three Bridges - Los Angeles

Three More Bridges - Was teaching and missed a couple of days last week - so here are 3 more bridges - this time all in Los Angeles: Detail of the 4the Street Bridge : Detail of the 7th Street Bridge : And The Cesar Chavez Ave. Bridge.

Three More Bridges - NYC

Three More Bridges - Last Day - All New York City: Sky Bridge on the Lower West Side, The Gapstow in Central Park, and The Bridge over 42nd Street at Grand Central.

Demonstration Painting

Huge thanks to the Valley Watercolor Society for hosting such a big and successful workshop for me - Great group! Lots of talented and enthusiastic painters! My first quick demonstration painting today .

"Moonlight in the Campo " - Rome

"Moonlight in the Campo" -Rome Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor 15X22 Inches 08 Jan 2015

Three Bridges a Day - Day Three

My thoughts are with the people of Paris today. So for Day Three of the 3 Paintings a Day exercise - in honor of France - I'm posting only paintings of French Bridges. The one on the right is Pont Valentré in Cahors, the other two are partially real and partially imaginary bridges inspired by the beautiful Dordogne Region in that amazing country. And I'll nominate Andy Evansen to see if he's willing to play along.

Three Bridges a Day - Day Two

Thanks for all the great comments yesterday! So for Day Two of my Three a Day Marathon , I'm sticking with Bridges as my theme. Here's one from all the 3 places I've lived - New York City, Los Angeles, and Ohio. And today I tap the great Sarah Yeoman to join the party! Cheers - Tom.

Three Bridges A Day - Day One

Thanks (I think) to a few friends ( Bev Jozwiak and Iain Stewart come to mind), I've come down with the "3 Watercolors a Day" Virus .... Thought it wasn't catching but apparently, it is. So I'm keeping mine to a theme - my beloved bridges. Here's one in Vancouver, BC, one in Northern Ireland, and one in Rome. And I now get to tap my good friend William G. Hook to get on board the 3 a Day Train and hope he forgives me -)

"New Year's Day - Ohio"

"New Year's Day" - Ohio" Thomas W Schaller - Watercolor. 22 X16 inches - 02 Jan. 2015