Watercolor Painting with Tony Couch, AWS
Skill Level: Beginners, Students, Hobbyists & Professional Artists
Monday, September 14 – Wednesday, September 16, 2026, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.;
Thursday, September 17, 2026; 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
$575 members/$625 non-members
The workshop sessions begin as Couch completes a painting, explaining what he is doing, and why, as he paints. Students paint in the afternoons, after which Couch critiques all the day’s completed work, including his own. An optional slide show/lecture on the principles of design – including color and composition – will be presented in the afternoon of the first day.
Couch received a Bachelor Degree in Art from the University of Tampa, and did further work at Pratt Institute in New York. Simultaneously, he worked as an artist for Associated Press and freelance illustrator while studying watercolor painting with Edgar A. Whitney, ANA. His first book, Watercolor: You Can Do It, became North Light Publishing’s all time best selling book on painting. It has been the textbook for several college art departments and has been translated into Chinese for markets overseas. A follow-up book on technique went through three printings and was translated into Japanese for that market. A third, Tony Couch’s Keys to Successful Painting was also published by North Light. His watercolor instruction articles have appeared in Palette Talk, The American Artist, Australian Artist, North Light Watercolor Magic” and “the artist” magazines. His work is included in twelve art instruction articles and publications by other artists in the US., Australia and the UK. He has produced 10 “How To” Videos and DVDs, some of which are used in colleges and in various state educational systems via television. He conducts workshops throughout the US and abroad.
Couch has won over 70 national awards and his work has been included in three annual exhibitions of the National Academy of Design. For more information, visit tonycouch.com.
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Photo Courtesy of Artist: Tony Couch, Safety Harbor, watercolor © 2025
Nocturnes: Painting the Moonlight in Watercolor with Alan Shuptrine
Skill Level: All skill levels are welcome
Friday, October 30, 2026; 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
$285 members/$335 non-members
Nocturnes: Painting the Moonlight invites artists to explore the quiet drama and mystery of nocturnal landscapes through watercolor with renowned artist Alan Shuptrine. In this immersive workshop, students will learn how to paint by contrast—capturing the subtle glow of moonlight against deep shadows, and discovering how darkness can heighten emotion, atmosphere, and depth. Guided by Goethe’s words, “Where there is much light, the shadow is deep,” Alan will demonstrate how to juxtapose light and dark to create luminous night scenes filled with mood and movement. Come explore moonlit paths and shadowed tree lines and experience the night through watercolor!
A painter known for his watercolor technical ability, sensitive and thought-provoking paintings, Shuptrine has extended his reputation from a renowned master craftsman and water gilder to a nationally acclaimed watercolorist. His paintings are collected nationally, in both corporate and private collections. Born the son of recognized painter, Hubert Shuptrine (1936-2006), Alan has continued the legacy of realism that both Andrew Wyeth and his father Hubert established.
A resident of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, Shuptrine’s pursuit of the arts includes schooling at The Baylor School (Chattanooga, TN); The University of the South (Sewanee, TN); and The University of Tennessee (Knoxville, TN). His style is Realism with highly detailed and dramatic lighting in his landscapes and figurative paintings surrounded in usual fashion of his masterful framing, sometimes in carved and intricate gold leaf designs. Shuptrine’s medium is primarily watercolor which he applies and controls in various techniques, from wet-in-wet to drybrush. He prefers to handcraft, carve, and gold leaf his own frames for his paintings.
In 2019-2020, Shuptrine kicked off a literary collaboration with National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year, and Appalachian Trail expert, best-selling author Jennifer Pharr Davis. Davis and Shuptrine continue to provide national speaking engagements. This fine art, coffee-table book is self-published and titled I Come From A Place. The book features the collection of paintings by Shuptrine and accompanying verbiage by Pharr Davis. For more information, visit alanshuptrine.com.
Photo Courtesy of the Art: Alan Shuptrine, Nightwatch © Alan Shuptrine, watercolor, 20.5 x 27.5 inches © 2026.
Color Boot Camp in Oil with Susan & Doug Diehl
Skill Level: All Artists to Beginners to Professional
Friday-Sunday, February 5-7, 2027; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
$425 members/$450 non-members
If you’re painting still lacks the color impact you desire, consider this workshop. Far more than a “regular” color workshop, this rigorous course will heighten your awareness and ability to see color in all its attributes and deceptions. Susan and Doug will teach the Russian Impressionist method they employ to SEE and identify the color you wish to depict (especially in the neutrals and shadows), create a concept for that color, followed by a methodology for mixing pigment. These tactics guarantee you will be able to obtain any color you can conceive of! Also covered is a blueprint for creating color harmony; (the lack of which ruins the most paintings) and tactics in creating atmospheric space by harnessing colors magic. Also covered is the coveted skill of creating depth in your paintings by honing your color space skills. the artist will come away with pages of useful color swatches and a practical color mixing strategy. For more information, visit diehlfineart.com.
Break Free from Reference Photos in Pastel with Karen Margulis, PSA-MP, IAPS-EP
Skill Level: All skill levels are welcome.
Thursday-Saturday, March 18-20, 2027; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
$485 members/$535 non-members
Artists can all benefit from ideas to help us create more expressive paintings. Karen is always striving to interpret her subject by including her own personal touch rather than a copying the reference and painting exactly what she sees. In this workshop she will share my tips and techniques for the effective use of photos to inspire paintings. She will give you the tools you need to move away from copying the reference and to help you create stronger paintings. She will do multiple demos and share lessons and challenges as well as offer plenty of help at your easel.
Karen is a full-time artist and art educator. She lives in Atlanta Georgia with her husband, Michael. They have two children and 6 grandchildren! She received my BA in Education from the University of Florida.
She considers herself a contemporary landscape painter. She received recognition for her pastel paintings. She has exhibited her award-winning work around the world and has been published in The Pastel Journal for her wildflower and landscape paintings. She is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America and a Masters Circle recipient of the International Association of Pastel Societies. She has also been a faculty member at the prestigious IAPS Conventions. For more information, visit karenmargulis.com.
Caption: Photo Courtesy of the Artist: Karen Margulis, Summer Buzz © pastel on paper © 2025
Atmospheric Landscapes in Watercolor with Keiko Tanabe, AWS, NWS, AIS, SDWS-MA
Skill Level: Ideal for Intermediate to Advanced Watercolor Artists who wish to deepen their impressionistic style and elevate both their technique and artistic voice.
Thursday-Saturday, June 3-5, 2027; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
$630 members/$680 non-members
Discover the beauty of painting landscapes that breathe with light, mood, and emotion. In this watercolor workshop, Keiko Tanabe guides artists on a journey from the foundation of structure to the expressive freedom of impression.
Through clear instruction and intuitive insight, Keiko will demonstrate how to simplify complex scenes, design with purpose, and infuse your paintings with atmosphere and feeling. During her live demonstrations, she provides a running commentary, offering an inside look at her thought process – how she interprets the subject, makes compositional decisions, and chooses colors and brushstrokes to express mood and intention. For more information, visit ktanabefineart.com.
Students will learn to balance control and spontaneity, creating paintings that are fresh, luminous, and deeply personal. With each session, you’ll gain the confidence to paint more freely and the understanding to turn everyday scenes into evocative works of art.
Learning Goals:
- Simplify landscapes into strong, readable shapes and values.
- Capture atmosphere and mood through color, light, and edges.
- Balance expressive brushwork with solid structure and design.
- Convey emotion and a sense of story through composition.
- Paint with confidence, freedom, and individuality.
Caption: Photo Courtesy of the Artist: Keiko Tanabe, Florence Yellow Facade, watercolor on paper © 2026
Learn from a Master! Don’t miss the unique opportunity to receive one-on-one instruction from a nationally-recognized Master Artist! For more information about individual instructors, please visit their websites.
Master Artist Workshops are held in the Isenberg Art Academy classrooms located downstairs in the Museum. Enter on the North Patio – pond side at Big Spring Park.
If you are interested in a Master Artist Workshop that is SOLD OUT, please email your name and phone number to Laura E. Smith, Director of Education and the Isenberg Art Academy at lsmith@hsvmuseum.org to be added to the wait list. Members registration fee refers to Huntsville Museum of Art members.
Click the image or green button above to register for upcoming Master Artist Workshops.
The closest airport is the Huntsville International Airport. The airport code is HSV.
Here are five places to stay near the Huntsville Museum of Art.
AC Hotel by Marriott Huntsville Downtown (across the street – within two blocks)
435 William Avenue SW, Huntsville, Alabama 35801
Hotel Front Desk: 1-256-836-7776
Embassy Suites Hotel & Spa (across the street – within two blocks)
800 Monroe Street, Huntsville, Alabama, 35801
Hotel Front Desk: 1-256-539-7373
Homewood Suites by Hilton® (within six blocks)
714 Gallatin Street SW, Huntsville, Alabama 35801
Hotel Front Desk: 1-256-539-1445
Hampton Inn & Suites Huntsville Downtown (within two to three blocks)
313 Clinton Avenue W Street, Huntsville, Alabama, 35801
Hotel Front Desk: 1-256-270-9120
SpringHill Suites Huntsville Downtown (near Museum – not in walking distance)
745 Constellation Place Drive SW · Huntsville, Alabama 35801
Hotel Front Desk: 1-256-512-0188