Medina artist earns national watercolor honors

Medina County Art League member Rick Surowicz recently was awarded the prestigious Frederick Wong Award by the American Watercolor Society, where he is a signature member.

His painting, "Winter Barn," which earned the award, is currently on display in New York as part of the 159th International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society. In addition, Surowicz recently earned signature membership in the Transparent Watercolor Society of America with the acceptance of his painting "Winter Tangles."

Surowicz attended the Columbus College of Art and Design and experimented with different media. After taking watercolor classes from Fred Graff, the well-known Medina watercolor artist, he settled on transparent watercolor.

Surowicz said he "loves both the freedom and the challenge of working with transparent watercolor."

He is also dedicated to teaching others the techniques of transparent watercolor.

In 2020, Surowicz began teaching watercolor painting online using YouTube and Zoom. He has taught more than 600 Zoom classes with approximately 30 students per class.

In his classes, he focuses on painting rather than drawing. He teaches students how to paint on both dry and wet paper and emphasizes the technique of "negative painting," or painting around a subject rather than painting the subject itself.

Beginning later this summer, Surowicz will start a new series of online classes.

He offers two formats. In one, students watch a YouTube demonstration of a complete watercolor painting and then create a similar work. In the second, more interactive format, students register in advance and watch Surowicz demonstrate his painting methods through Zoom.

After the demonstration, students create similar paintings using a template he provides. While they work, Surowicz offers guidance and critiques.

More information about the classes is available at rsurowiczart.com/2022-learning-page.