My biggest complaint about my college art experience is that even after taking Painting 101… I didn’t really learn much that I didn't already know. Frankly, I was expecting more. Let me explain.

Back then, the “in” thing was expressionism, abstraction, and found-object painting. I walked into class with several years of painting already under my belt. Many classmates didn’t have that—and I watched them struggle.

Two assignments have stuck with me:

• The newspaper clipping. We were handed tiny black-and-white clippings and told to paint them larger and in color (mine was a pope—don’t ask me which one or where that 'masterpiece' ended up).
• The cardboard still life. A pile of taped-together boxes, spray-painted in garish patterns. We were simply told “paint that.”

Looking back, I think my professor (a professional non-representational painter) wanted us to extrapolate from minimal input or avoid “subjective choices.”

But here’s what was missing: no attempt was made to teach us how to see, what to look for, or anything on technique.

No discussions on composition, form, light, color mixing, brushwork, tool choice, etc. You know, the fundamentals of painting. Seems so obvious in retrospect, but it was mostly, “Paint that.” So we did—and hoped to stumble into insight.

I eventually switched majors to graphic design and illustration (which served me well), but that experience shaped how I teach today.

How I teach differently

My experience in college was, I suspect, similar to many others back then. Perhaps it's still like that? So when I decided to go all-in on teaching, I wanted to make sure that I give my students a better experience and a better education than I had.

So when you learn with me, you’ll always know:

• What we’re doing (the goal),
• Why it matters (the context that makes it stick), and
• How we’ll do it (methods and techniques).

Before we pick up a brush, we cover the foundational concepts—simplified and made practical for landscape painting. Honestly, those lessons often take longer to create than filming the painting sessions. But they’re the difference between copying and understanding.

So the next time you’re learning something new, make sure you have the full context. It’s not about trying harder—it’s about understanding better.

Coming soon: Painting Dramatic Clouds 2.0

If clouds and skies are on your list this year, join the waitlist for my brand-new course, Painting Dramatic Clouds 2.0. You’ll get an advance copy of the supply list now and a special early bird discount when enrollment opens on October 10.

​Join the waitlist →​

👉 If you’d like to hear more about my approach, watch my short video: Why I Teach Painting.

Enjoy the journey!

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