Angela Fehr

I started teaching online because I was teaching myself to paint in watercolor. When I would have a new insight into watercolor, I felt this irresistible urge to share what I’d learned with someone, and that led to filming videos for YouTube. Since then I’ve found that teaching provides an even greater reward than painting alone, helping others fall in love with watercolor and accept and enjoy the learning process with all its ups and downs. 

I seek a loose, heart-led style in my work, and I love painting the landscape as a way of connecting to my environment with heart and emotion. I use on-location sketches as a way of taking mental notes that I can bring into the studio to explore further. Painting on location forces me to pause when I would ordinarily walk on, it helps me to learn to look more deeply at my surroundings and see beauty in unexpected tiny moments and corners of the world. 

I’ve been painting in watercolor since my first workshop at the age of 18; twenty-five years ago! I live in northern British Columbia, Canada, and have found the isolation of the north to be a perfect place to develop as a “self-taught” artist. Lots of time spent working out my struggles through trial and error have helped me to develop into an instructor who deeply understands the student’s journey to watercolor mastery. In 2013 I launched my first online watercolor course and since then I’ve been able to teach and inspire watercolor students from all over the world, travel and have my dream career unfold before my eyes!

I’m most inspired by the natural world; the way we see creation in action every day, from sunrise to sunset. I’m all about noticing beauty and calling others to take note and pause to witness the awe and majesty we see in the world. And watercolor inspires me! It’s just an absolutely pure joy to let it flow across the paper and feel called to engage with my brush. 

The travel! I want to see the whole world, and never forget what I experience there. Every location holds new discoveries, and I don’t want to miss anything.

Because I make them feel awesome! Seriously, we have a tendency to be so self-critical, and if I can communicate the message that it’s OKAY to be a learner and that you have what it takes to become your own favorite artist, then I consider that workshop a success. I try to be honest and transparent about my own learning process and the fact that every painting is an unknown outcome, and that makes me very approachable and relatable.

There’s always a big learning curve in learning how to paint a new place! I want to welcome the opportunity to learn a new color palette, to process new sights, with the understanding that it might not all click at first! The rewards of attempting are found in the growth and expansion I find as I stretch myself in new directions.