Winter Watercolor Landscape

The fourth grade students at Gowanda Elementary School studied two winter landscape painters, Grandma Moses and Thomas Kinkaid. The students compared and contrasted their paintings and learned that even though Grandma Moses’ artwork didn’t show as many details as Thomas Kinkaid’s, she was still recognized for her talents and unique style of art. The students were inspired by these artists to create their own watercolor winter landscape paintings. With the help of their art teacher, Nick Napierala, the students learned the watercolor technique of masking an area using tape which protects an area and keeps it white. They learned the wet into wet watercolor technique which allows colors to mix and look like tie-dye. They also learned that when you sprinkle salt on top of wet watercolor it looks like snow crystals when it dries.

 —Nick Napierala

Nick Napierala received his Master’s degree in Art Education from SUNY Buffalo State College in 2011. He currently teaches kindergarten through fourth grade art at Gowanda Elementary School.