Ted Nuttall Gallery

Ted Nuttall Watercolor Painting

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Ted’s paintings continue to win awards in juried exhibitions throughout the country. His work has been featured in numerous national and international art publications. Most recently, he was a featured artist in both the 2014 Russian publication “Masters of Watercolor” and in the 2013 French publication “Pratique Des Arts”.

Ted Nuttall Biography

A graduate of Colorado Institute of Art, Ted Nuttall is a figurative artist whose painting expression was born out of his observation of people. Ted is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, San Diego Watercolor Society and enjoys Master Signature Status with both the Transparent Watercolor Society of America and Watercolor West.

Ted’s paintings continue to win awards in juried exhibitions throughout the country. His work has been featured in numerous national and international art publications. Most recently, he was a featured artist in both the 2014 Russian publication “Masters of Watercolor” and in the 2013 French publication “Pratique Des Arts”. Ted was the featured cover artist for the February 2014 issue of Watercolor Artist magazine. Ted’s work has been published in North Light Books’, Splash 8 and Splash 10, and his painting “Whispering Smith” appeared on the cover of Splash 12.

Artist’s Statement

For as long as I can remember, I have been a fascinated spectator of human behavior – the quintessential people watcher. I naturally seek the unique character in everyone I encounter. Often, as I observe someone in his or her everyday environment, I am rewarded with a moment when a gesture or expression combine with the play of light and shadow. A contemplative smile, hands cradling a book or carefully tying a shoe, a shadow cast by a pair of wire-rimmed glasses – and there occurs a pivotal instant when a story appears.

My paintings are an attempt to compose and thoughtfully record the nuances that transfixed these moments, these stories, in my mind.

Matisse expresses the notion superbly:

“I do not literally paint that table, but the emotion it produces upon me.”

Ted is definitely an intuitive painter. He paints very deliberately, with a lot of thought. He employs a style of using many light transparent layers to build up the feeling of depth. He also adds an element of energy and excitement to his paintings by the use of what he calls ‘Sloppy Dots’. Sloppy dots are really just little blobs of colour. They are fascinating in that up close they appear to be very busy and haphazard but when viewed further back they just blend into the portrait. All you notice is that the portrait is a little more interesting and involving.

I started painting in watercolour as a young child and I’ve just never outgrown it. Something in that mysterious interaction between water and pigment continues to fascinate and inspire me. The nature of water is such that it can’t be controlled and, as a watercolourist, I must let go and enjoy the ride. I am rewarded for this by the many spontaneous surprises watercolour offers.

For the past 7 years I have concentrated on cityscapes. I paint them because I love the energy of cities and am continually fascinated by people. My goal is to capture the interactions between people and the places they live. I can often be found wandering the streets and alleys, sketchbook in hand, capturing those fleeting interactions of everyday life.

I enjoy the challenge of drawing and painting the shapes of city life but I judge a work to be successful when it tells a compelling story that draws the viewer in. For me it’s all about the story.

“The year 2013-2014 saw an explosion of momentum in my art career. It’s like all my wanderings, explorations and efforts over the past years just came to fruition this year.”

American Artist Ted Nuttall Watercolor Painting
American Artist Ted Nuttall Watercolor Painting