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Oceanside Pier, thirty seconds

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Joseph Zbukvic

Arguably the greatest contemporary watercolorist, Joseph Zbukvic has been giving a demo class this week at the Fallbrook School of the Arts. The last four days have been intermediate students from around the country and globe, all terribly proficient.



Joseph is from Australia. We became friends a year or two ago when he taught here the first time. He is jaw droppingly good, a keen observer, with a serious gift for accurately sensing light values. I have been stopping by everyday and lusting after his demo work. I got the nerve to snap a picture this afternoon.

Zbukvic is quiet and laconic. Humble and self effacing. As I said, he is an intent observer. Tremendously gifted. Has written several books on the medium, all now out of print and very expensive. Mr. Zbukvic has won hundreds of awards. Although I certainly don't know him very well, I would suspect that they have little meaning to him. He has a duty to his craft. That is why a person like Joseph teaches, not for money or acclaim.


His classes sold out instantly with a huge backlog. He likes my gallery and made it a point to suggest that his students stop by. I think that everybody did. They were all very nice. Most competent class I have ever seen at the campus.

Google his images. I hope that you appreciate his talent as much as I do. It is an honor to have him teach in our town.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

all well and good but, you know, great technique does not necessarily translate into great art....

Blue Heron said...

I have received a couple snarky comments like this. I have had the pleasure of looking through his sketch books and watching him work and in my opinion he is a brilliant and very gifted artist. He works at the critical moment in wet on wet watercolor. I tried my hand at this once upon a time and it is exceedingly difficult. One day I will own one of his pieces. If he's not your cup of meat, to each his own.

Henk Prinsloo said...

His talent is brilliant and his ART
exceptional!