From her studio in Taos, Laura Robb discusses why she prefers natural diffused light with Gabor. About the Artist: Robb took her first steps to becoming an artist while still in high school by attending Art Student’s Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After graduation she moved to New York City to continue her education under Michael Aviano and upon returning to Oklahoma received critiques from Richard Schmid. Today she paints in a beautiful north light studio designed and built for her in Taos,...

In this fascinating episode for painters and sculptors alike, Simon discuses how he has been inspired by the drawings and sculptures of the Old Masters, and how he incorporates those concepts that into his own art.  About the Artist: Since immigrating to the U.S. in 1991, [Simon Kogan] has steadily risen to national prominence as a sculptor whose widely acclaimed work - monumental to miniature - reflects a bold, yet poetic pursuit of the archetypal and renders an ethereal quality highly...

Is the old adage, “color gets all the credit and value does all the work” actually true? Tune into this conversation between Gabor and Skip Whitcomb to find out. About the Artist: An accomplished outdoor painter, Whitcomb has received numerous awards for his landscape paintings in oil and pastel, his work resides in major public and private collections.  He has had several one-man shows and participated in numerous gallery invitational and museum exhibitions throughout the country. Graduated...

Many of our episodes tend to center around theoretical and technical advice for artists. However, in this episode Gábor gets into the nitty gritty of the practical considerations (gear, prep, clothing, etc.) necessary for the landscape painters who want to brave the cold or snow. About the Artist: Gábor Svagrik was born in Szeged, Hungary. His family immigrated to the United States and settled in Illinois. Svagrik studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago where he was fortunate to...

A common problem that Gábor sees in the work of students is that their shadows are too dark. In this episode, he offers practical tips on how to remedy this issue.  About the Artist: Gábor Svagrik was born in Szeged, Hungary. His family immigrated to the United States and settled in Illinois. Svagrik studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago where he was fortunate to study with nationally recognized watercolorist Irving Shapiro who stressed the importance of composition, design, and...

Every time Matt Smith goes out to paint, he runs through the foundational principle of painting: Drawing, Value, Design, and Color. Here he and Gabor discuss the merit of each principle and the necessity of painting with each principle in mind. For more of Matt's perspective on color, see his previous episode on The Reality of Color.   About the Artist: Matt Smith earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from Arizona State University. Somewhat frustrated with the abstract focus of...

In this episode, Randy Sexton recalls his experience with pencil drawing and how that has shaped his painting.  If you want to learn more about Randy's 365 Day Online Mentorship Course with TAAO, visit: https://tucsonartacademyonline.com/randall-sexton-oil-painting-online-art-workshop  If you want to check out Randy's Video Downloads with us, see: https://tucsonartacademyonline.com/randall-sexton-artist-instructional-video If you are interested in more free content from TAAO make sure to...

Of the foundational principles of painting, Matt Smith claims that color, while being the most emotional, is the least important of the principles. Tune in to this week's episode to hear his reasoning. About the Artist: Matt Smith earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from Arizona State University. Somewhat frustrated with the abstract focus of the program at ASU, he began looking to outside sources for inspiration and guidance. These sources included fellow artists, fine...

Andy often gets asked questions from students about the foreground. How much information should be put in or how much detail should be included? Here he lays out some guiding principles for artists to consider.  About the Artist: Andy Evansen’s interest in art started in childhood, as he can’t recall a time when he wasn’t drawing. He began painting watercolors in the mid 1990s as a change of pace from his career as a medical illustrator. Choosing a ‘style’ was not difficult, as Andy was...

Randy walks Gabor through his development over the years as an artist: where he started, how he's changed, and what he's interested in now. You never know where your journey with art may take you until you try something new! If you want to learn more about Randy's 365 Day Online Mentorship Course with TAAO, visit: https://tucsonartacademyonline.com/randall-sexton-oil-painting-online-art-workshop   If you want to check out Randy's Video Downloads with us, see:...

Calling all watercolorists! If you have ever had questions regarding masking (liquid frisket), then this episode is for you: tune in to hear Andy share his thoughts with Gabor on the subject.  About the Artist: Andy Evansen’s interest in art started in childhood, as he can’t recall a time when he wasn’t drawing. He began painting watercolors in the mid 1990s as a change of pace from his career as a medical illustrator. Choosing a ‘style’ was not difficult, as Andy was always inspired by the...

Most artists don’t have the luxury of having people who work for them, so it’s up to them to handle their own shipping, marketing, etc. In this episode, Randy Sexton discusses how he as a professional artist manages, organizes, and priorities his time in the studio.  About the Artist: California based artist, Randall Sexton, is nationally known for the use of color and expressive brushwork in his oil paintings of “everyday” scenes. Raised in rural Connecticut, Sexton moved to San Francisco,...

We are back on the Paint & Clay Podcast with a more controversial episode for you where watercolorist Andy Evansen shares all his thoughts on the use of Opaque paint!  About the Artist: Andy Evansen’s interest in art started in childhood, as he can’t recall a time when he wasn’t drawing. He began painting watercolors in the mid 1990s as a change of pace from his career as a medical illustrator. Choosing a ‘style’ was not difficult, as Andy was always inspired by the watercolor paintings...

In this episode Colley tells Gabor about his admiration for the great painter Elioth Gruner and what we can learn from his work.  About the Artist: "I have long believed “It’s not what you paint but how you paint it”.  With this in the fore-front of my mind I’ve dedicated myself to developing my skills to the highest level possible. I’m aiming to tell a visual story with clarity and sophistication but I am also driven to distort and abstract the image as much as possible while still...

Have you thought about dabbling in pastels, but are unsure where to start? Well this episode is for you! Gabor and Lorenzo Chavez discuss the rising popularity of the medium and how learning about color palettes actually drew Lorenzo towards his love of pastels. About the Artist: Lorenzo Chavez's first inspirations and foundation as a young artist were formed by the local landscape and the art history in New Mexico. Lorenzo now makes his home in Parker, Colorado and uses this location as a...

Taking criticism about your work is never easy, but according to Colley Whisson, if you want to improve your art, it is necessary. Tune into this week's episode to listen to a discussion about why we need to hear the bad news.  About the Artist: "I have long believed “It’s not what you paint but how you paint it”.  With this in the fore-front of my mind I’ve dedicated myself to developing my skills to the highest level possible. I’m aiming to tell a visual story with clarity and...

Behind every great athlete are thousands of hours of practice, preparation, and training. Painting and sculpting also require practice in order to grow, and that requires time, which can be frustrating to the new artist. Tune into this episode to listen to Gabor and Lorenzo Chavez offer their thoughts and stories on this topic.  About the Artist: Lorenzo Chavez's first inspirations and foundation as a young artist were formed by the local landscape and the art history in New Mexico. Lorenzo...

Australian artist Colley Whisson and Gabor discuss how you can make the viewer feel like they are "in the scene" of your painting.  About the Artist: "I have long believed “It’s not what you paint but how you paint it”.  With this in the fore-front of my mind I’ve dedicated myself to developing my skills to the highest level possible. I’m aiming to tell a visual story with clarity and sophistication but I am also driven to distort and abstract the image as much as possible while still...

The Paint & Clay Podcast is back and today we have a special guest in the studio: Colorado artist Lorenzo Chavez! In this episode, Lorenzo and Gabor offer you a road map to simplifying the subject(s) of your painting.  About the Artist: Lorenzo Chavez's first inspirations and foundation as a young artist were formed by the local landscape and the art history in New Mexico. Lorenzo now makes his home in Parker, Colorado and uses this location as a base to travel and paint the American...

In this episode, Eric offers painters three key tips for simplifying their work. About the Artist: Eric Jacobsen was born and raised in New England. He received a BA in History from Gordon College in Wenham, MA in 1989 and studied fine art at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT from 1991-1995. At the Academy he received training in the Beaux Arts tradition of drawing and painting from life. Eric's true inspiration is the amazing beauty that he sees in nature. Jacobsen is a “Plein...

Design, or what some artists refer to as composition, is one of the most important aspects of a good painting. Eric Jacobsen and Gabor talk through how painting by design must be something intentional, not accidental. About the Artist: Eric Jacobsen was born and raised in New England. He received a BA in History from Gordon College in Wenham, MA in 1989 and studied fine art at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT from 1991-1995. At the Academy he received training in the Beaux Arts...

In this episode, artist Eric Jacobsen and Gabor go over how you can really enjoy the loose application of paint.  About the Artist: Eric Jacobsen was born and raised in New England. He received a BA in History from Gordon College in Wenham, MA in 1989 and studied fine art at the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT from 1991-1995. At the Academy he received training in the Beaux Arts tradition of drawing and painting from life. Eric's true inspiration is the amazing beauty that he sees...

Sculpting from life obviously has its benefits, but by offering tips that have helped him over the years, Simon proves to Gabor that sculpting from photographs can be equally advantageous.  About the Artist: Since immigrating to the U.S. in 1991, [Simon Kogan] has steadily risen to national prominence as a sculptor whose widely acclaimed work - monumental to miniature - reflects a bold, yet poetic pursuit of the archetypal and renders an ethereal quality highly resonant with the viewer. A...

Colorado artist Skip Whitcomb discusses the necessity of abstract composition which underlies all good painting. About the Artist: An accomplished outdoor painter, Whitcomb has received numerous awards for his landscape paintings in oil and pastel, his work resides in major public and private collections.  He has had several one-man shows and participated in numerous gallery invitational and museum exhibitions throughout the country. Graduated Art Center College of Design. “Mood and feeling...

Why is it important to lift up certain elements while playing down others? In this episode Matt Smith dives into the difference between active and passive areas of a scene and why it is important to consolidate and highlight rather than to directly render what is in font of you. About the Artist: Matt Smith earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from Arizona State University. Somewhat frustrated with the abstract focus of the program at ASU he began looking to outside sources for...