busy busy busy!

 It's been busy around here as the Summer plein air season gears up and I'm also in the process of downsizing my household to prepare for moving to the Virgin Islands next year. So much to do! In the meantime, I'm thrilled to announce that my plein air workshop for Baltimore Watercolor Society will be open for registration soon! This workshop will take place on October 14th, at Cylburn Arboretum in Baltimore. Be sure to keep an eye on the Events Page of the BWS website for it, as my workshops for BWS always SELL OUT within hours of opening for registration! 

BWS plein air workshop

This workshop is for artists who want to excel at watercolor painting and take their paintings to a higher level. Annie Strack is passionate about teaching painting and will provide you with personalized instruction as she walks you through the essential techniques and the foundational concepts of plein air painting. Annie is known for her friendly teaching style, making classes both fun and informative. Learn how to mix colors, plan a composition, use values, manipulate the properties of pigments, use different types of brushes for effects, and more! All artists, whether they are new to watercolors or experienced painters, will benefit from watching Annie as she explains her techniques for creating spectacular paintings. Multiple watercolor techniques are covered, including glazing, washes, dry brush, masking, lifting, & more. Attendees will gain an understanding of the properties of different paints, learn how to successfully mix colors, and how to use values and color temperatures to enhance their compositions. learn how to break through the confusion of multiple elements in a scene, and how to plan a composition by eliminating distractions and focusing on shapes and values. Discover how to capture light and shadow, and how to create drama and interest in paintings. Watch and learn as each painting step and technique is explained and demonstrated with clarity that makes the lessons easy to absorb. 

Over my Shoulder, 16x12 watercolor

And in other news, I'm thrilled to announce that BOTH my entries - Over my Shoulder and Wait for me me, were juried into the 2025 Watercolor USA Honor Society Exhibition! These two paintings were shipped off today. 

Wait for Me, 14x20 watercolor

I'll be painting liv, en plein air, again at Winterthur on Saturday, June 21st, during their wine tour event. Be sure to come out to watch me paint and enjoy a glass of wine!

It's June already!

 This year is going by in a flash and it's already June. I can hardly keep up! I participated in several plein air events this spring and had a little time to work in my garden. This is my painting from my most recent event at Winterthur. I will be painting live en plein air at Winterthur on June 21st. 

Winterthur in Spring, 9x12 watercolor

I painted this one in Delaware with the PWCS at Greenbank mill

Philip Farm, 9x12 watercolor

and this one was at Kuerner Farm in Chadds Ford, also with the PWCS. 

Kuerner Farm, 9x12 watercolor

Come paint with me in Florida! The Florida Keys Watercolor Society is hosting a 3-day workshop January 21, 22, and 23 in Marathon, Florida. 

In this workshop, artists will learn to add EXCITEMENT to seascapes! Learn to paint the transparency of the Caribbean waters and the warm light of the tropical beaches. Create a painting that is so inviting you'll feel that you can step right into it and get a suntan. This workshop is for artists who want to excel at watercolor painting and take their paintings to a higher level. Annie Strack is passionate about teaching painting and will provide you with personalized instruction as she walks you through the essential techniques and the foundational concepts of watercolor painting. Annie is known for her friendly teaching style, making classes both fun and informative. Learn how to mix colors, plan a composition, use values, manipulate the properties of pigments, use different types of brushes for effects, and more! This workshop will focus on painting water with figures in action. Students will learn how to paint movement in water and different types of skies, and reflections in water. This class will include demos, discussions, individual instruction and both personal and group critiques. Something for artists of every level! This is one of my coveted "Signature Seascape Workshops" that artists love, and it's going to fill up fast so don't wait!

oh, and I almost forgot! My cancer is now in REMISSION! I had my IV port removed last week! YAY!

new shows and events

 Here's another photo of my students in my workshop for Delaware Watercolor Society. 

Annie Strack's DWS students 

I went out to paint en plein air several times in recent weeks, including recent trips to Greenbank Mill and Phillips Farm with the Philadelphia Watercolor Society. 

Annie Strack at PWCS plein air

My plein air painting of Phillips Farm at Greenbank Mill is currently on exhibit there, be sure to check it out if you're in the area. I didn't have a pencil that day, so I drew with a pen and then painted watercolor over it.

Phillips Farm, 9x12 ink and watercolor by Annie Strack

I'm thrilled to be published in the top three magazines for artists this Spring! Here's my layout in Watercolor Artist Magazine.

Watercolor Artist Magazine

and also in the annual Workshop Directory of Plein Air Magazine. 

Plein Air Magazine

and one of my paintings was chosen to be included in the expanded digital content of Plein Air Magazine. I also just learned that I will have ANOTHER paining featured in Plein Air magazine NEXT month!

Annie Strack's painting in Plein Air Magazine (top right)

and I was selected for Fine art Connoisseur Magazine's annual feature of the top watercolor artists.

Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine

I'm also thrilled that my painting "Into the Darkness" juried into the Colorado Watercolor Society 34th National Exhibition! 

Into the Darkness, watercolor by Annie Strack

And my painting "Toes in the Sand" juried into the Southern Watercolor Society 48th International Exhibition. 

Toes in the Sand, 14x20 watercolor by Annie Strack

And I just received this lovely exhibition certificate from China, where my painting "Sunset Run" is now in the permanent public collection of the PROC Ministry of Tourism and Culture!

Annie Strack, China Exhibition 2025

Tomorrow I'll be painting en plein air at Winterthur during their Bourbon and Bluegrass event -- come out and watch me paint if you're in the area! 

Annie Strack painting en plein air

And be sure to keep an eye on the WORKSHOPS page of my website, as I am constantly adding new events. I just scheduled new in-person workshops in Key West and upstate New York for 2026, and they are expected to sell-out as soon as they open for registration. I'll post the link for registration as soon as it opens! 

And now, just a little rant.

I was chatting with an artist friend yesterday and she mentioned that she is is now the workshop organizer for a watercolor society that is headquartered locally. She said that she is looking for someone to teach an upcoming workshop in conjunction with their international exhibition, and I immediately piped up that I was available. To my dismay, she replied that they needed to stick with hiring only "big name" artists and she couldn't hire me. 

As you can imagine, I felt quite insulted. I am a full-time professional artist and I work really hard to achieve and maintain the credentials needed to be a top leader in the artworld. 

I am a classically trained artist and an industry trained art materials EXPERT.

I am a Brand Ambassador for SEVERAL artist supply companies. 

I exhibit in international juried and invitational exhibitions around the WORLD.

I've won HUNDREDS of awards. 

I've earned SIGNATURE status in 36 artist societies (and I expect to earn 2 more this year!). 

I JURY art exhibitions throughout the USA and in Europe. 

I teach SOLD-OUT workshops all over the USA and in Europe.

I have been published in multiple leading art magazines at least once (or more!) every year for THREE decades. 

My friend then mentioned the name of a local male artist as a potential workshop instructor -- a man who is a self-taught artist, and who has less than HALF of the credentials and experience that I have. This made me feel more than insulted -- I also feel angry. 

Why am I valued so little, compared to men who are less qualified than me? 

I realize no one wants to hear a woman complain about discrimination, so I will probably delete this last section of my post in a day or two, after I cool off a bit. Thanks for listening! 

recent plein air events

 It's been a busy Spring season again with plein air events, art exhibits, and travel. Yesterday I painted en plein air at Kuerner Farm in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, which is famous for being the favorite painting location of Andrew Wyeth. 

Annie Strack at Kuerner Farm

Last week I was painting at Greenbank Mill in Delaware, and I'm going back there tomorrow morning to paint some more. 

Greenbank Mill Farm, 9x12, $295. watercolor by Annie Strack

The week before last I was down in southern Delaware teaching a large workshop on color theory for the Delaware Watercolor Society.

Students in the Annie Strack workshop at Delaware Watercolor Society 

Dinner with students in my DWS workshop

Be sure to check out my Workshop page on my website to see my upcoming schedule of events -- I'm currently booking workshops for next year and they are already selling out! 

more awards and workshops

 I'm thrilled to announce that my painting "Disconnected" won Award of Merit in the Philadelphia Watercolor Society annual member exhibition! 

Disconnected, 14x20 watercolor

And my painting "Any Which Way" was juried into the Northwest Watercolor Society annual member exhibition.

Any Which Way, 12x16 watercolor

Oh! and here's my finished painting from my online paint-along demonstration last week for Art Chat & Create! I painted this in just under one hour. The recording is available for everyone who signed up in advance. If you missed it the first time, you can still purchase the recording for $15 and it also includes online access to the materials lists, reference photos, and reference drawing.

Art Chat & Create demonstration painting, 16x12 watercolor

Next week I'm going down to Lewes, Delaware to teach a color theory workshop for the Delaware Watercolor Society. My workshop schedule is pretty full for the rest of the year, and I'm in the process of scheduling workshops for next year. So far, I have booked workshops in upstate New York and the Florida Keys for 2026, and I hope to schedule a few in between. Let me know if you want me to come to your town to teach a workshop! 

Online Demo!

 It's time for another online paint-along! The early bird price to participate in this paint-along is $10 +tax. You will receive the Zoom link to attend the live event after your payment, and you will have access to the recording for one year. Click on this link to register via PayPal.

Join me at Art Chat & Create, Thursday, March 27, at 7 pm ET 

Spring into Green with this easy paint-along demo with Master Artist, Annie Strack

This time of year can be difficult to capture in paint because nature tends to be monochromatic by nature (pun intended!) with everything being green. In this demo, Annie will take you thru the process of mixing a plethora of greens and choosing colors that with add excitement and variety to your landscapes. Learn how to use values, colors, and a variety of perspective techniques when painting trees to add depth and dimension to your landscapes. This demo is perfect for both plein air painters and studio painters! This demo is helpful to painters of all levels. 

Winterthur Garden Gate, 12x16 watercolor

All artists, whether they are new to watercolors or experienced painters, will benefit from watching Annie as she explains her techniques for creating spectacular paintings. Multiple watercolor techniques are covered in the session, including glazing, washes, dry brush, lifting, & more. Students will gain an understanding of the properties of different paints, learn how to successfully mix colors, and how to use values and color temperatures to enhance their compositions.  Students will watch and learn as each painting step and technique is explained and demonstrated with clarity that makes the lessons easy to absorb.

Annie's reference photo

You're welcome to paint-along with me! Click on this link to register via PayPal.

Using the reference photo provided, draw the subject onto your watercolor paper before the start of this Zoom session. My drawing of the subject is also provided for you to use as a guide. 

Annie's drawing

Annie's materials list:

Assorted watercolor paints
Assorted watercolor brushes, soft preferred.
12x16 watercolor paper, cold pressed or rough.

Click on this link to register via PayPal.

Wait! There's MORE! This event is a TWO for ONE! In addition to Annie's paint-along demo, you also get to watch a demo conducted by renowned oil painter Linda Fisler! Yes, that's right -- once again, Linda and Annie have teamed up to paint together online! 

Linda will be painting a spring landscape in oils and sharing her tips and techniques for mixing spectacular greens. You won't want to miss this opportunity! Click on this link to register via PayPal.

Baltimore Watercolor Society Workshops

 My workshop for the Baltimore Watercolor Society sold out immediately and they had a full waiting list, so I did two full, back to back, online workshops in two weeks to accommodate everyone. Here's the paintings I demonstrated in those workshops. 

Everyone did two paintings in each workshop, learning a variety of techniques and acquiring a lot of new skills.

These workshops were both on how to paint koi, and I taught how to create the abstracted backgrounds and add movement, and how to choose colors for the fish. 

I also explained color harmony when choosing colors, and using values and patterns to enhance the composition, and more. 

Coming up, I will be teaching an online paint-along demonstration on March 27th at 7 pm, all about using greens in the landscape and keeping the colors lively and fresh. I will post more information about that demo soon and how you can sign up for it, so stayed tuned! 

painting workshop in Delaware

 My workshop in Delaware is now OPEN for registration! This is an in-person, 3-day workshop, April 8-10, in Harbeson, Delaware. There are several lodging options in the area for artists who don't live in the immediate area. Click HERE to register. 

Color Theory Made Easy! Take your painting to the next level with Artist Materials Expert Annie Strack.

In this workshop, artists will learn to use color in ways they never imagined. You’ll learn to develop observation skills, color awareness, simple design principles and learn about light and shadows. Discover how to see color more accurately and how to banish ‘mud’ from your paintings, and mix vibrant colors on your palette. Register HERE on the Delaware Watercolor Society website.

The workshop will build your confidence and ability to use color in any medium.

You will learn how to identify colors by temperature and value and how to mix every color needed from using a split primary palette. This applies to all color mediums. Participants will gain a stronger understanding of color theory and will learn to use the right colors to create better paintings. 

This class is for artists who want to excel at watercolor painting and learn more about color theory, compositional choices, manipulating values, color intensity, proper uses of materials and supplies, and mastering the mediums used to create extraordinary paintings. 

This workshop is more than just color – artists will also learn about the properties of their pigments, brushes, paper, and other materials and auxiliaries and how to use that knowledge to create better paintings. Although I will be using watercolors to teach this particular session, the knowledge and techniques apply to all color mediums and can easily be adapted to acrylics or oils. 

I’ll help you develop observation skills, color awareness, simple design principles and learn about light and shadows. You'll learn the why's and how's behind color mixing and we'll do some exercises together that will help you build your skills and confidence in mixing colors that vary in intensity, value and color temperature. Gain a better understanding of which colors to use to achieve your desired result and reduce aimless trial and error. Click HERE to register. 

As always in my in-person workshops, participants will get a chance to win fabulous door prizes of professional art supplies! The companies that I work for as a Brand Ambassador provide me with tons of artist materials and supplies that I share with students at my in-person events. Register HERE on the Delaware Watercolor Society website.

latest videos are now available

The recording of my online demo for the Baltimore Watercolor Society is now available for a limited time! 

 My upcoming workshop for BWS sold out immediately, but I'm pleased to announce that they added a second workshop for the artists who were on the waiting list! Although that second workshop filled from the waitlist, there is a possibility that they might add MORE workshops from the waitlist. All my workshops sell out extremely fast, so I recommend adding your name to a waitlist for a chance to get into one of these additional workshops.

 Here's another new painting that I just finished! I'll be teaching the techniques, tips, and skills needed to paint koi like this in my upcoming workshops for BWS.

Dancers, 16x12 wc, Annie Strack

And I'll be in southern Delaware in April to teach a 3-day workshop for the Delaware Watercolor Society. Registration will open soon, so keep an eye on their website for details! This is an in-person workshop, but there are several nice hotels in the area for the artists who want to travel to take this in-person workshop. As always at my in-person events, there will be special surprises and exclusive bonuses for attendees! 

And finally, here is the recording of my live demo for Art Chat TV, where I demonstrated how I create the unique backgrounds in my series of seagull paintings. 

More workshops!

It's a "go!" My upcoming workshop for Baltimore Watercolor Society sold out so fast that they have added a second workshop, Feb 17-18 for the people on the waiting list. Join the waitlist for a chance to get in the new workshop!

In between all my demos an workshops I still found time to finish another painting of seagulls.

Circling, 12x16 WC, Annie Strack

And did I show you this one, yet? I painted this from some reference photos I took when I was teaching in France.

Birds of a Feather, 14x20 wc, Annie Strack

workshops and demos

Wowsa! I just found out that my painting demonstration for Baltimore Watercolor Society drew a RECORD BREAKING number of people registering to watch a BWS demo! Thank you, everyone, for coming to watch me splash paint around! 

Annie Strack, BWS

I painted two paintings in my two hour online demo for BWS, although now I will let them sit for a few days to ferment. I will look at them next week and see if I want to add or change anything before I call them "done."

BWS demo paintings

Once again, my upcoming workshops sold out immediately. BWS added a second workshop for the waiting list, which was already overflowing, too. Please go ahead and add your name to the waitlist anyway, as they MIGHT also add a third workshop from the waiting list. My workshops sell-out so quickly that I highly recommend getting on a waiting list to try to get a chance to attend. 

Annie Strack, example of color lesson

Speaking of workshops, I'm putting together a workshop for Delaware Watercolor Society right now, as we speak! This 3-day workshop will be "in-person," in a venue in southern Delaware in April. It too, will sell-out quickly, so be sure to watch for announcements from DWS. The DWS workshop is Color Theory and it's all about experimenting and learning to think outside of the box when it comes to color.  

color lesson example, Annie Strack

We'll do several techniques in this workshop and participants will gain a stronger understanding of how to choose and use color to create better paintings.  

I will be using watercolors in this workshop, but the lessons apply to all painting mediums.