HENRY WALKER WATERCOLORS

        Cottage Light July

 

Artist Statement

I believe I prefer the medium of transparent watercolors because of the clarity of the result. I

tend to “muddy” oil paint and I don’t enjoy the plasticity of acrylic, both in the feel of the 

medium and the look of the finished product.  I find the intensity of color in watercolor

seductive.  I hear comments to the effect that my work doesn’t “look” like watercolor. 

II consider that a compliment.  There is also efficiency to watercolor I find appealing both 

in application and preparation.  It takes almost no time to “set up” and with aid of a hair dryer, 

results can be, if not immediate, nearly so. 

I hear often that watercolor is a “difficult” medium.  I don’t understand why that is necessarily

 so.  What watercolor has taught me is the need for preparation and patience, two qualities, 

if not exciting, certainly beneficial in the process of art as well as life itself.  I use Arches

 watercolor paper and Windsor Newton watercolor paint.  I don’t believe you can economize

 on material; it isn’t worth it.  I find watercolor a forgiving medium; if you use quality paper you 

can abuse it often with curious and interesting results. 

 I am a figurative painter.  I have no desire to alter what I am privileged to witness with mine 

own two eyes.  The natural world is spectacular enough without me messing with it.  Two words

 I overuse incessantly when observing the world around me are “Incredible” and “Unbelievable.”  

Why not try and paint the incredible and the unbelievable?  That I try—and fail—to do the natural 

world justice is my fault and not nature’s.  Yet I try.

That is what art is to me.  It is the attempt that is seductive, not the result.  Every painting of

 mine is a failure in one way or another from my point of view, hence the need to begin anew,

 again and again.  I have likened art to an irritant, like fleas on a dog.  It gets under the skin and needs worrying.

 Henry A. Walker              July 2004                                            Kent, Ohio 

EDUCATION:

Columbus College of Art and Design

Cleveland Institute of Art

Art Students League, NYC

MA, Kent State University

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Press release-Feb. 2005  Nationally recognized watercolorist, Henry Walker, will be showing his work at two

Donna's locations in Baltimore, Md.  His art may be seen at the Mt. Vernon location, 800 N. Charles St.

from April 5-May 31.  A reception will be held on April 7 at 8 p.m. at the Mt. Vernon Donna's. 

(extended at Donna's Timonium until August 2005)

    The artist is a traditional transparent watercolorist and his work reflects the natural world as

he perceives it and includes landscapes, seascapes, Italian views and the occasional cat. 

The painter's wit is revealed in his titles which include "Scared the shack out of me" which is 

understandable when on observes the painting.  

    The artist began painting seriously in the late eighties following two cancer operations that 

brought an end to a career as a college English instructor.  He has often said, "If it weren't for 

art, I doubt I would be here."  

Henry Walker has an M.A. from Kent State University and also attended Columbus Art Institute.

 

November 2002- Nationally recognized Kent watercolorist has been chosen for the National Traveling Show of the 2002 Adirondacks Exhibition of American Watercolors.  His painting, “Like a Dent in Dough” will be touring the country until spring 2003.  His painting, “Harpersfield Winery” is currently included in the 66th Area Artists Annual Exhibition at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio.  The Butler show is on view until November 25th, 2002.

He is also currently showing in a group show, “The Lure of Light, Paintings of Italy” at the Lawrence Chursky Gallery, 1850 Granger Road, in Bath, Ohio.  His Italian paintings will be on view there until November 23, 2002.  The artist will also be having a Henry A. Walker Watercolors Retrospective Show at the Scaravilli Design and Studio Gallery, 12414 Mayfield Road in the Little Italy neighborhood in Cleveland.  The opening reception is Saturday, November 9th, 2002, from 2:00 p.m. through 8:30 p.m. and is open to the public.  The retrospective show will run through the end of November 2002.

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