David Becker
David R. Becker, TWSA (Transparent Watercolor Society of America), is a fine artist, illustrator, and art instructor. He is the author of Watercolor Composition Made Easy, and How to Sketch with Watercolor is David’s second book.
Becker has had 2 different articles published in International Artist and one in Watercolor Magic.
His paintings have also been published in several books and magazines including People in Watercolor (Rockport Publishers), How To Making a painting by Irving Shapiro (Watson & Guptill), Splash 3 (North Light) and American Artist Magazine.
Becker began teaching watercolor part-time while still a student at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. He teaches classes and workshops all around Chicago and suburbs and around the country.
A native of Chicago , Becker along with his fine art is a freelance illustrator and had been an illustrator for DRAFTFCB, for 24 years. Before that he was an illustrator at J Walter Thompson for 6 years.
For more information visit www.davidbecker.org
Stephanie Birdsall
Stephanie is the recipient of over 35 awards including the Degas Pastel Society Exceptional Merit Award and Best In Show at the Bridgeport Museum of Arts and Sciences. She was included in the top 100 “Arts for the Parks” miniatures exhibition, and is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America. In 2005 she was featured on the PBS series “Expressions of the Arts”. Her formal training was at The City and Guilds of London Art School. She later studied with Albert Handell, David Leffell, Richard Schmid and Ramon Kelly. Stephanie takes great pride in seeing her students achieve excellence and surpass their expectations in her workshops.
For more information visit www.stephaniebirdsall.com
Robert Burridge
Robert is a painter in all media, a national juror, a college and international workshop instructor, and the Honorary President of the International Society of Acrylic Painters. A Signature Member of both the Philadelphia Watercolor Society and the ISAP, his honors include the prestigious Crest Medal for Achievement in the Arts and Franklin Mint awards. His work is featured in many books and magazines, on Starbucks Coffee mugs, Pearl Vodka bottles, and on eight commercial tapestries. His popular work hangs in the permanent collections of international embassies, corporate galleries and art colleges, as well as in the television and entertainment industry. His work is also featured in museums and galleries in Palm Desert, Austin, Cambria, Key West, and New Orleans. Robert’s studio is located in California’s central coast in the San Luis Obispo wine country.
For more information visit www.robertburridge.com
Jeanne Carbonetti
Jeanne has been an artist and teacher for more than thirty years. Specializing in developing the power of the creative process, she is the author of The Tao of Watercolor, The Zen of Creative Painting, The Yoga of Drawing, Making Pearls: Living the Creative Life, and The Art of Creativity: How Imagination Becomes Inspiration. She has also produced a video, The Tao of Watercolor. Jeanne runs Crow Hill Gallery of Fine Art and The Eden Center for Creative Power, both in Chester, Vermont. By invitation, she exhibited at the Fifth Annual International Biennial of Contemporary Art in Florence, Italy in 2005. Her paintings are in collections both private and corporate throughout the U.S., Europe and Australia.
For more information visit www.crowhillgallery.com
Echo Chernik
Echo Chernik is an internationally award-winning illustrator and instructor of advertising, packaging, covers, posters, and products. Her illustrations have appeared everywhere from the Bellagio Hotel & Casino and BBC America to Miller Brewing Company and Celestial Seasonings. She also has a significant fine art career, bringing her exotic visions of art nouveau and future fantasy to the public. Echo has been interviewed by CBS news and is frequently featured in international art magazines.
For more information visit www.echo-x.com
Sean Dye
Sean is an award winning artist who received his MFA from Pratt Institute. He teaches painting at the University of Vermont, and conducts popular workshops throughout North America. His work has appeared in The Artist Magazine, Pastel Artist International, International Artist, and The Pastel Journal. He is a member of the Pastel Society of America, the Vermont Pastel Society (founder), and has judged several important exhibitions. His works hang in many private and corporate collections as well as commercial galleries. He has authored two books: Painting with Water Soluble Oils (North Light, 2001), and The Mixed-Media Sourcebook (Watson-Guptill, 2005). Sean’s work also appears in Painting the Elements: Weather Effects in Oil, Acrylic and Watercolor (North Light). He has also released several DVDs, including Palette Knife Landscape (2005), Sean Dye’s East Steps to Oil Painting (2009).
For more information visit www.seandye.com
Camilla d’Errico
Camilla d’Errico is an urban contemporary painter, illustrator, character creator and comic artist residing in Vancouver, BC. With roots in comics, Camilla’s beautiful work is seen on toys, clothes, accessories and more. She has been published by Random House, Tokyopop, Boom! Studios, Image Comics, IDW and, while publishing her literature-inspired series, Tanpopo. Camilla has distinguished herself as one of the breakthrough artists in Pop Surrealism’s New Figurative movement through her ability to seamlessly weave manga and western styles with surrealist elements, wrapping it together with an extensive emotional palette. She has a unique style that bridges cultural and geographical boundaries, while remaining totally relevant to today’s varied audience. Ever the prolific artist, Camilla lives the double life of comic artist/creator and New Brow painter, while expanding her horizons to include fashion, merchandise and customized collectible art toys.
For more information visit www.camilladerrico.com
Caroline Jasper
Caroline begins her impressionistic paintings on her trademark red ground. She is the author of POWERCOLOR – Master Color Concepts for All Media and Painters’ Guide and Color Manual. She also has three DVDs: Color Moves – Painting Water with Oils, Landscape Oil Painting on Red Ground and Dramatic Depth in Painting. Caroline was featured in Sean Dye’s book, Painting with Water Soluble Oils and in magazines such as American Artist, Focus Santa Fe, Décor, and Artists’ Magazine. A Maryland Institute College of Art MFA with over thirty years’ teaching experience, Caroline’s critically acclaimed paintings have been honored in juried shows, galleries, and museum exhibitions throughout the United States. Her work is also held in corporate and private collections internationally. Galleries in Arkansas, Florida, and Texas represent her work.
For more information visit www.carolinejasper.com
Linda Kemp
Linda 
is internationally recognized for her unique, contemporary watercolor and acrylic paintings which incorporate her innovative use of negative painting. She is the author of two books: Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines – A Positive Approach to Negative Painting and Simplifying Design and Color for Artists – Positive Results Using Negative Painting Techniques, and is a presenter in numerous instructional art videos and internet forums. She is also a contributing writer and demonstrator in seven other books. Linda’s paintings and articles have been featured in publications such as American Artist, Watercolor Magic, International Artist, Watercolor Artist, Watermedia Focus, and Palette Magazine. Linda is an elected member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, the Ontario Society of Artists, and the Society of Canadian Artists. She is also profiled in Canadian Who’s Who and Who’s Who Canadian Women, the Dictionary of International Biography and the 20th Anniversary Edition of Trivial Pursuit. Linda’s award winning paintings are in private, government and corporate collections around the world, including The Royal Collection, Windsor Castle, U.K. and the private collection of the Prince of Wales.
For more information visit www.lindakemp.com
Randy Martinez
Randy Martinez is one of today’s most popular artists in the pop culture genre. His illustrations have used for most of today’s biggest pop culture properties, including Star Wars, Marvel Comics, and Lord of the Rings. Considered the Swiss army knife of Star Wars Illustrators, Randy Martinez has been creating Cartoons, Caricatures, Illustrations, Paintings, and 3D art for Lucasfilm LTD since 1999. Martinez’s art first appeared in Star Wars Kids Magazine; before he quickly moved on to create cartoons and caricatures for the Star Wars Insider. In 2007 Martinez was chosen to create the official key art for Star Wars Celebration IV and Europe. Martinez has continued a wide range of illustration styles for Topps Trading Cards, Scholastic Books, Acme Archives and many other producers of pop culture collectibles.
In 2012, Randy Martinez was bestowed a great honor when his illustrations were included in the book Star Wars Art: Illustration (Abrams Books). This book celebrates the most influential and important illustrators that have ever created official Star Wars Art since 1977. Every illustration in this book was hand selected by George Lucas from his personal art collection.
In 2012, Marvel Comics began producing Randy’s art for their fine art print program. These are limited Edition prints of fine art paintings depicting Marvels greatest superheroes.
Martinez is also an accomplished author of two how to draw books with Impact Books. Creature Features: Draw Amazing Monsters and Aliens, and Sketch Card Mania, which he co-authored with Denise Vasquez. Both books are available in all major bookstores and on Amazon.
Randy earned a BFA in Design and Illustration from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1998, and previously studied art California Lutheran University and Ventura Community Collage.
For more information visit www.randymartinez.net
Monte M. Moore
Monte M. Moore has been a professional illustrator for over 20 years focusing on the comics, gaming and entertainment industries. His work has been commissioned and licensed by top-tier companies such as Lucasfilm Ltd, Disney, The U.S. Marine Corps, Paramount, Topps, Harley-Davidson and most publishers in the comics industry including DC Comics, Image Comics, Harris Comics, IDW Publishing and many others. Licensed work for Marvel started in 1998 on the Marvel Masterpieces card series through Rittenhouse Archives and continued on other sets including the recent Dangerous Diva’s set. Later work in the early 2000’s included work for Upper Deck on the VS. card game and dozens of other card games as well as work on Magic: The Gathering for Wizards of the Coast. Monte’s work has been showcased in top industry publications such as several volumes of Spectrum: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art and in 1998 and 2001 Monte took the top awards at the World Fantasy Art Show against many of the world’s top illustrators. Along with having 7 art books being published Internationally, Monte has been Guest of Honor artist at the top conventions around the world including San Diego Comic-Con International in 2003, Lucca Comics and Games in Italy in 2006 and 2008, FACTS Con in Belgium in 2014 and New York Comic-Con several times over the years. Many publications outside the comics industry have also included Monte’s client artwork in their advertisements and those include Time, Newsweek, U.S. World Report and the Robb Report. Monte keeps his hands in many different projects, which have included writing 10 screenplays, having 2 feature films produced, Art Director on other films (see IMDB), co-owning a successful traditional game company with several games on the market, and designer of over 80 fantasy themed sculptures in distribution around the world.
“I’ve been a die-hard user of Holbein Airbrushes since I picked up my first one in 1991 and have created untold amounts of illustrations with these versatile, accurate, durable illustrator quality air brushes. Holbein has always been a color innovator, not a follower, and many companies try to emulate their industry leading products. From Designer Gouache to Acrylic Inks to Heavy Body Acrylic to Acryla Gouache to DUO water-based oils, my art supply drawer is always full of Holbein products!”
Jean Pederson
Jean is an artist recognized internationally for her mixed media and watercolor paintings, she is an international juror and a popular workshop instructor.
Jean is a contributing editor for The Artist’s Magazine, has written many articles, two books and 4 videos. Recently Jean has completed her second book “Mixed Media Painting Workshop” following the success of “Expressive Portraits: Creative Methods for Painting People” published by North Light. She has also been involved in many other publications including Splash 8, 9,10 and 14, Sketchbook Confidential, WatercolorArtist,International Artist, Magazin’Art and is profiled in Canada’s Who’s Who.
Jean is a Signature Member of many organizations, including the American Watercolor Society, The Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, The Federation of Canadian Artists and Master Signature Member of the California Watercolor Association. Jean has been honoured with numerous National and International awards including the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013. She has work placed several collections including the Royal Collection, Windsor Castle, England.
Jean Pederson has exhibited her work internationally in London England, Stockholm Sweden, New York (United Nations), San Francisco, Mexico, China and across Canada.
Visit her website: www.jeanpederson.com
Brian Rood
Brian Rood is a professional illustrator working throughout the entertainment industry. He is most known for his extensive amount of work for the Star Wars franchise. He has spent the better part of the last 12 years working primarily in a galaxy far far away… His work for the Star Wars franchise can be found on everything from fine art reproductions to the illustrated storybooks for Lucasfilm/Disney publishing. He has spent the last several years creating over 600 new illustrations for current and upcoming projects for Lucasfilm/Disney publishing and licensing. Brians artwork has been commissioned and used by dozens of licensors of Star Wars merchandise. Outside of the galaxy far far away Brians work can be found through out the entertainment industry on properties ranging from Classic television programs to major theatrical releases. When he’s not in his studio creating artwork based on Star Wars, he travels the world attending various gallery exhibits and Conventions. Brian says that, ” Working with Lucasfilm and Disney is a dream come true. There are so many creative avenues you can take with a property like Star Wars, the ideas for new paintings and works of art are nearly endless. ” When he’s not busy creating new artwork for the Entertainment industry and the Star Wars galaxy he is spending time with his wife and two children in Southern Michigan.
Brian has been utilizing both the acrylic and watercolor lines from Holbein for the better part of two decades. “ Ive tried every brand and every type of paint out there, and alway come back to the Holbein line of paints…. The colors, the quality control and the friendly nature to have the paints interact with each other when Im creating mixed media pieces are all some of the reasons why Holbein products are a permanent fixture in my studio…..”
Alex Ross
Nelson Alexander “Alex” Ross is an American comic book writer/artist known primarily for his painted interiors, covers, and design work. He first became known with the 1994 miniseries Marvels, on which he collaborated with writer Kurt Busiek for Marvel Comics. He has since done a variety of projects for both Marvel and DC Comics, such as the 1996 miniseries Kingdom Come, which Ross co-wrote. Since then he has done covers and character designs for Busiek’s series Astro City, and various projects for Dynamite Entertainment. His feature film work includes concept and narrative art for Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, and DVD packaging art for the M. Night Shyamalan film, Unbreakable. He has done covers for TV Guide, promotional artwork for the Academy Awards, posters and packaging design for video games, and his renditions of superheroes have been merchandised as action figures. Ross’ style has been said to exhibit “a Norman-Rockwell-meets-George-Pérez vibe”, and has been praised for its realistic, human depictions of classic comic book characters. His rendering style, his attention to detail, and the perceived tendency of his characters to be depicted staring off into the distance in cover images has been satirized in Mad magazine. Because of the time it takes Ross to produce his art, he primarily serves as a plotter and/or cover artist. Comics Buyer’s Guide Senior Editor Maggie Thompson, commenting on that publication’s retirement of the Favorite Painter award from their CBG Fan Awards due to Ross’ domination of that category, stated in 2010, “Ross may simply be the field’s Favorite Painter, period.”
For more information visit www.alexrossart.com
Iris Scott
Iris Scott (b.1984) is leading a revolution worldwide in oil painting – and she’s doing it by refusing to use brushes. Armed with surgical gloves instead of paint brushes, Iris swipes paint straight from Holbein tubes onto her fingertips and then finger paints across the canvas. “It’s new technology” exclaims Iris “yet it’s the oldest technology of all!”. Iris has been featured by Forbes, Barron’s, Western Art and Architecture Magazine, USAToday, CBS New York, and many others. Her originals are sold in 4 galleries across The United States, and orders for her prints ship all day every day to far reaches of the planet. Her style is resonating with a universal need to connect with art that is joyful, colorful, and aesthetically pleasing. Iris Scott believes beauty has gone underrated in recent decades and that the pendulum is finally beginning to swing in a new direction. Scott is currently based in Brooklyn, but her hometown of Maple Valley, where she was born, sits just outside of Seattle. A child of the trees, Iris’ artsy hippie parents raised her to love what you do and to commit to your passion 100%.
“Between the years of 2009 and 2011 I found myself finally selling my work. With these new dollars to spend I took great care in deciding which oils to commit to. So I began testing one brand after another. Then in 2011, while wandering around the isle of Blick in Seattle I was taken aback by a handful of colors that were vibrating on the shelf at a color spectrum light years beyond their neighbors. Those colors were the Luminous Opera, Orange, and Yellow. Alas I was too curious and had to purchase them. Not only were the colors more outrageously bright than their saturated packaging, but the consistency of the paint was perfect for thick finger painting because there was no stickiness. Regardless of color/hue I could switch from one tube to another without EVER losing the consistent feel. To this day I’ve never been able to stand another brand of oils, they all make me sick. In turn my work took a significant turn for the better as I finally struggled less with my materials. Although Holbein could charge top dollar for this valuable line of oils, they still manage to not gouge the consumer. I smile whenever I run out of paint because it means I get to go buy more of an incredibly fairly-priced paint.”
Joseph Stoddard
Joseph never lets reality stand in the way of a good painting. He wants people to get an emotional response from his paintings and sketches, and to be charmed and surprised by his interpretation. He loves to work outside in the beautiful Southern California sunshine, trying to commit to paper the sensations he experiences. Joseph has produced paintings for a number of Pasadena events, including the Bungalow Heaven Annual Tour, the Colorado Street Bridge Party, the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, the California Art Club Artists for Architecture Painting Project, the Pasadena Symphony and the Pasadena Pops Orchestra. His work has also appeared on the covers of various publications, including Pasadena Magazine. His books include Pasadena Sketchbook (2001) and Redlands Sketchbook (2007).
For more information visit www.josephstoddard.com
Betsy Dillard Stroud
Betsy Dillard Stroud rides the turbulent steeds of painting and writing. A born Virginian, Stroud began painting at the age of eight when an insightful uncle gave her a set of oils and suggested a tutor. Stroud is a signature member and Dolphin Fellow of the American Watercolor Society in New York and a signature member of the National Watercolor Society in California, the Rocky Mountain Watermedia Honor Society in Colorado, and a Royal Scorpion and life Member of the Arizona Watercolor Society. She is a former President of the Southwestern Watercolor Society. A nationally acclaimed and award winning artist, Stroud is also a former art historian who received her M. A. from the University of Virginia.
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Heather Theurer
Heather’s paintings are the product of decades of observation of people, environments, animals and textiles. Although she was not able to obtain a formal education in art, all her studies of the natural world in addition to the works of great artists including the renaissance masters, the pre-raphaelites of the late 19th century and modern masters have influenced he work in a way she couldn’t imagine getting in a classroom. Themes in her work include religious symbolism, fantasy realism, equine and wildlife, and bold reworking of Disney characters. Her process in painting is constantly morphing as she applies new techniques, but most often consist of a multitude layers of paint and glazes (as many as 20 or so in some cases) to reach the desired depth and detail that dominates her work.
Shared and collected around the world, Heather Theurer’s paintings are constructed in the midst of a bustling family with five children in Las Vegas, Nevada. Regardless of the challenges, her art has gone on to get the attention of USA Today and the LA Times, garnered contracts with Disney Fine Art and Fantasy Con, and received recognition and awards from respected organizations such as Art Renewal Center, Artist’s Magazine and Spectrum, among others.
For more information visit www.heathertheurer.com
Jerry VanderStelt
Jerry currently has an active License with Warner Brothers Studio for the creation of a Fine Art line for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films titles. All of Jerry’s artwork is based upon hand-painted, traditionally rendered paintings, utilizing Holbein Acrylic Ink “Aeroflash” applied with both an airbrush and a flat brush. His natural tendency is to create artwork with a photo realistic approach. It is for this reason that Jerry is sometimes asked if his artwork is digital or not.
Jerry has been in the commercial art business for the last 15 years and has been involved in the creation of numerous Sci-fi and Fantasy book jacket designs as well as several commercial artworks for clients such as Hasbro toys, Capital One Bank, Royal Mail Group, Ace, Pocket, Roc and Scholastic books. He has also collaborated with Sideshow Collectibles in the creation of The Dark Lord Sauron 1/4 scale sculpt. You will find many of Jerry’s artworks gracing the covers of several Topps Star Wars collectible card hobby boxes.
Jerry currently works with Disney and Lucasfilm Licensing / Publishing for various Star Wars projects and for the Indiana Jones titles.
For more information visit www.vandersteltstudio.com
Jon Young
Jon was born and raised in Swanton, Vermont. He studied illustration at Massachusetts College of Art & Design, and oil painting at Johnson State College. Since 2000, he has been the product and technical advisor for HK Holbein Artist Materials in Williston, Vermont. In 2008, Jon was one of three North American artists featured for Holbein Japan’s launch of their water soluble oil paint line “DUO.” Two of his landscape paintings were published in Sean Dye’s “The Mixed Media Sourcebook”, published by Watson Guptill, 2004. Jon’s painting, Red Autumn Dawn was awarded first place for Arts Alive’s Festival of Fine Arts juried show in 2010. He has exhibited in Burlington, Saint Albans, and Seattle. His mediums range from watercolor, ink, oils, and acrylics. Jon’s art is known for the bright colors and wide range of subject matter. He lives in Saint Albans, Vermont with wife Arleigh, and daughter Violet.
