Artful Painter

Artful Painter

By Carl Olson

Art lessons for artists, collectors, and people who love art.... more

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Best of Artful Painter

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  1. Number 1: Brad Teare - Poetry of Thick Paint

    What gives a painting the power to stop us in our tracks? For artist Brad Teare, it’s more than subject matter. It’s the energy of the paint itself—the texture, the color, the visible record of the artist’s hand, and the courage to embrace authenticity over perfection. Brad Teare is a Utah-based painter whose expressive landscapes are known for their vibrant color, bold palette-knife work, and richly textured surfaces. Before dedicating himself to fine art, he enjoyed a successful career as an illustrator, creating work for clients including The New York Times and Random House. Today his paintings are represented by galleries throughout the American West and have been featured in numerous museum exhibitions and invitational shows. In this episode of The Artful Painter, I sit down with Utah landscape painter Brad Teare to explore the philosophy behind his distinctive, richly textured paintings. Brad shares how his career evolved from illustration and woodcut printmaking to becoming one of today’s most recognizable painters of the American West. Along the way, we discuss how seeing Vincent van Gogh’s paintings in person changed his understanding of what paint could do, why artists should resist the temptation to imitate their heroes, and how finding your own artistic voice is a journey every artist must take alone. One of my favorite moments in our conversation comes when Brad describes texture as more than a visual effect. Every stroke of paint records a decision, preserving the history of its creation and inviting viewers to connect with the artist in a deeply human way. It’s a fascinating discussion about why original paintings possess a presence that photographs and reproductions can never fully capture. Whether you’re a painter searching for your own voice, a collector interested in what makes original artwork so compelling, or simply someone who appreciates thoughtful conversations about creativity, I think you’ll find plenty to enjoy in this episode. In this episode:How Brad transitioned from a successful illustration career into fine artWhy seeing Van Gogh’s paintings in person transformed his approach to paintingThe role of texture in creating emotional impactHow woodcut printmaking continues to influence his paintingsWhy authenticity matters more than technical perfectionWhat collectors see—and feel—when standing in front of an original painting Thanks for listening to The Artful Painter. If you enjoy these conversations, please consider sharing the podcast with a fellow artist or art lover. Links Brad Teare Website: https://bradteare.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradteare/ Other Links Maynard Dixon Home & Studio: https://thunderbirdfoundation.com/visit-the-maynard-dixon-home-and-studio/ About the Artful Painter Website: https://theartfulpainter.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.painter/ Make a donation: https://theartfulpainter.com/donate Send an email: https://theartfulpainter.com/contact This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    1h 15min
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  2. Number 2: Clint McCall - Inherited Legacy

    I originally invited Clint McCall on The Artful Painter because I wanted to talk about the preservation of Edgar Alwin Payne's legacy—and particularly the extraordinary work his father, DeWitt McCall, did to preserve Payne's work and ideas. But like many things I start to explore, things took an interesting, unexpected turn. What really surprised me was Clint himself. I was struck by Clint’s humility and modesty. Often I would ask Clint a question, and he would humble defer to his father as the real expert and authority. He readily acknowledges that his father was the real art expert. As we talked I began to realize that Clint’s story is just as important as that of his father. You see, art wasn't in Clint McCall’s wheelhouse. Even though he as a child was thoroughly exposed to the art world by his father and his father’s gallery DeRu’s Fine Art, he chose to follow a different path. Initially, he had no intention of following his father into the art business. He spent his career in law enforcement on rose through the ranks. Indeed, he could write a book on his many exploits and accomplishments in law enforcement! Clint’s father was unexpectedly hospitalized in 2020. Sadly his father did not survive. Upon his father’s sudden death, Clint inherited an extraordinary legacy built by his father over the course of several decades. He could not turn his back on what his father had built. So, Clint now found himself becoming the steward of his father’s legacy. That remarkable legacy included all of the paintings, books, photography, and detailed records, and books that DeWitt McCall had gathered and curated. For more than five decades, DeWitt McCall was deeply involved in the preservation, restoration, authentication, and promotion of Early California Impressionist art – including Edgar Payne. His relationship with Edgar Payne's daughter, Evelyn Payne Hatcher, eventually led him to become the representative of the Payne estate and the steward of Payne's influential book, Composition of Outdoor Painting. For Clint, it was a huge, daunting job! However, Clint quietly stepped into that role, not by pretending to be his father, but by figuring out how to preserve what his father built. In this episode, my conversation with Clint ranges from his father DeWitt McCall’s beginnings as a framer and craftsman to his work as a restorer and art dealer; from Clint's childhood memories of the De Ru's Fine Art gallery to his first meeting with Evelyn Payne Hatcher; and from the challenges of authenticating Edgar Payne paintings to the responsibility of keeping Payne's teachings alive for another generation. Clint shares some wonderful personal stories—including the story of an Edgar Payne painting he encountered as a young man without fully realizing what he was seeing, the index-card archive his father kept on thousands of paintings, and the remarkable collection of objects from Edgar Payne's studio that Clint still has today. So in this edition of The Artful Painter, while my original focus was to talk about the legacy of Edgar Payne—I end up exploring something much deeper and personal: what happens when an unlikely person inherits the responsibility for keeping an artist's legacy alive. These unexpected turns in conversation are the gems I look forward to uncovering when I interview someone. Talking with Clint was no exception. This episode is a human story. It’s about inheritance, responsibility, an unexpected calling finding yourself the custodian of something much larger than you could have ever imagined! This is Clint McCall’s story.LinksClint McCall Website: https://derusfinearts.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/compositionofoutdoorpainting/ Books Composition of Outdoor Painting | Edgar Payne: https://amzn.to/4ggj9ty Edgar Payne - The Scenic Journey | Scott Shields, Lisa Peters, Peter Hassrick, Jean Stern, Pat Trenton : https://amzn.to/4xjTE26 The Payne's: Edgar and Elsie : American Artists | Rena Neumann Coen: https://amzn.to/4gkpdkU The Drawings of Edgar Payne, 1883-1947 | Evelyn Payne Hatcher: https://amzn.to/4zqZ9NH Edgar Payne, 1882-1947 | Goldfield Galleries: https://amzn.to/4hNOVRb Edgar Alwin Payne and His Works | Antony Anderson, Fred Hogue, Stendal Art Galleries: https://theartfulpainter.com/edgar-alwin-payne-and-his-works Other Links DeWitt “De” McCall III: https://derusfinearts.com/dewitt-de-mccall-iii-bio/ Elsie Palmer Payne: https://store.sternfinearts.com/elpapa1.html Eva Matysek | Fine Art Restoration: http://www.evamatysekartrestoration.com/ William Wendt: https://lagunaartmuseum.org/in-natures-temple-the-life-and-art-of-william-wendt Frank Cuprien: https://lagunaartmuseum.org/frank-cuprien-for-the-love-of-the-sea Carl Moon: https://americanart.si.edu/artist/carl-moon-3386 Mason Cole Williams: https://skidmorecontemporaryart.com/about-mason-cole-williams/ Alfred R. Mitchell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_R._Mitchell Laguna Art Museum: https://lagunaartmuseum.org/ Los Angeles County Museum of Art: https://collections.lacma.org/ Pasadena Museum of California Art: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasadena_Museum_of_California_Art The Huntington: https://www.huntington.org/collections/mus-290 Mason Williams: https://www.masonwilliamsart.com/ Matt Smith: https://theartfulpainter.com/artful-painter/matt-smith-2 Ralph Oberg: https://theartfulpainter.com/artful-painter/ralph-oberg-1 Frank Serrano: https://theartfulpainter.com/artful-painter/frank-serrano-61 Len Chmiel: https://theartfulpainter.com/artful-painter/len-chmiel-12 and https://theartfulpainter.com/artful-painter/len-chmiel-42 Christine Lashley: https://theartfulpainter.com/artful-painter/christine-lashley-9 About the Artful Painter Website: https://theartfulpainter.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.painter/ Make a donation: https://theartfulpainter.com/donate Send an email: https://theartfulpainter.com/contact This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    1h 22min
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  3. Number 3: Thomas Windsor - From Heart to Brush

    Doom scrolling on YouTube may usually be a waste of time but occasionally you stumble across a real, hidden gem. That happened to me a few weeks ago. I like watching YouTube videos about art and art history (and, truthfully, many other subjects). You know the way YouTube works - it takes your watch history and tries to predict other videos you might want to watch. YouTube wants you to keep watching videos - forever would be ideal for them. This was the case with my guest in this episode of The Artful Painter. YouTube suggested to me a video on a channel called Painting Therapy, by artist and cinematographer Thomas Windsor. That expression - painting therapy - hooked me. I clicked, and I watched, and I watched, and I watched. YouTube’s algorithm was happy, and I was enthralled by what I saw and heard as Thomas painted on camera. The binge has started and I kept watching and listening to Thomas. At one point, I left one of his videos playing as I worked on a large painting. I could not see what he was doing so I just listened to him talking in the background. I usually find it highly distracting to paint with words sounding off in the background. The words through me off so it’s something I rarely ever do. I can’t listen to podcasts while I paint, nor can I listen to songs with vocals. It’s weird I know - but that’s just me. But Thomas was an exception to the rule. After this experience, I knew I had to have Thomas Windsor on the podcast. I reached out to him and he graciously accepted. So, I’m happy to share with you our conversation in this edition of The Artful Painter. Wow! I learned a lot about Thomas in this conversation. Turns out, his day job is running a film production company. He is a cinematographer and produces commercial videos. Painting is a side-calling, but a very important one to Thomas. To whet your appetite, here are a few things we talk about:Thomas Windsor’s background in filmmaking and commercial productionGrowing up in a strict household with limited media exposureCommitting to “a painting a week”Why Thomas intentionally avoided formal art trainingPainting as self-education and self-discoveryThe connection between filmmaking and paintingWhy painting feels more personal and vulnerable than filmmakingThe difference between technical perfection and emotional authenticityThe influence of Vincent van Gogh on Thomas’s thinking about art and emotionCreativity as a direct emotional expression rather than a technical exerciseThe dangers of overthinking and perfectionism“Painting Therapy” and art as emotional regulationDepression, sensitivity, and the search for meaningObserving everyday beauty and “being an artist” in daily lifeThe importance of presence, attention, and wonder That’s a lot to process in about an hour, but, shazaam! What an hour it was for me to converse with Thomas. I hope you enjoy this episode.LinksThomas Windsor Website: https://thomaswindsorstudio.com/ Film Production Website: https://epiclightmedia.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomaswindsorstudio/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thomaswindsorstudio/ Painting Therapy channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thomas_Windsor Epic Light Media channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/EpicLightMedia Other Links Vincent Laforet Website: https://www.vincentlaforet.com/ Vincent Laforet on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaGfb_6taciyILmlJFxecvA Philip Bloom Website: https://philipbloom.net/ Philip Bloom on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/philipbloom Rodney Charters: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0153552/ About the Artful Painter Website: https://theartfulpainter.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.painter/ This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    1h 3min
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  4. Number 4: Debbie Mueller - A Sense of Illumination

    There’s a moment in life when something shifts—quietly, almost accidentally—and it takes on an unexpected new direction. For Dr. Debbie Mueller, that moment came on a rainy day in Sarasota, Florida, with a reluctant brushstroke and a “really bad painting.” It changed everything for her. In this episode of The Artful Painter, I converse with Debbie Mueller to explore her remarkable transition from a career in medicine to becoming a full-time artist. Though she found her work as a doctor in a successful OB-GYN practice rewarding, that one “really bad painting” sparked a decade-long journey that eventually lead to her leaving medicine and to pursue painting full-time. Debbie’s paintings are known for their luminous quality, thoughtful composition, and inviting sense of presence. She exhibits nationally, teaches workshops, and continues to expand her reach through galleries and competitions. Here are a few tantalizing talking points Debbie shares in her conversation:Why it’s never too late to start paintingHow Debbie transitioned from medicine to full-time artThe power of daily painting challenges (and what they teach you)A step-by-step breakdown of her painting processHow to balance self-critique without self-sabotageWhy community matters—especially for solo artistsHow rejection (even at high levels) is part of the journeyYour first painting doesn’t have to be good—it just has to begin somethingGrowth comes from volume and repetition, not perfectionStrong artists develop self-awareness, not just technical skillLimiting your palette can actually expand your creativityEmotional connection matters just as much as technical accuracy The bottom line: sometimes, all it takes is one small decision to begin. I’m sure Debbie is in for an exciting ride of her life as she pursues fine art painting full-time. I’m so glad to share with you Debbie’s story in this delightful and inspiring conversation. Links: Debbie Mueller Website: https://www.debbiemuellerart.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbiemuellerart/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/latebloomerartist/ Other Links: Strada Easel Challenge: https://www.stradaeasel.com/pages/january-2026-strada-31-day-challenge Monhegan Island, Maine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monhegan%2C_Maine Oil Painters of America (OPA): https://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/ About the Artful Painter: Website: https://theartfulpainter.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.painter/ This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    56min
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  5. Number 5: Nicholas Coleman - The Lure of the West

    In this episode of The Artful Painter, I sit down with Western artist Nicholas Coleman to talk about what actually drives his painting process — it's not just technique, but also curiosity, memory, history, and places that won't let go of you. Raised in the studio of his father, Michael Coleman, Nicholas grew up surrounded by Native models, reference materials, taxidermy, and the working realities of the art business. What stayed with him wasn't just technique — it was a deep respect for history and for the places that shaped it. In this episode, we discuss his return to the Coors Western Art Exhibit, the tension between authenticity and trend-chasing, his recent exploration of African wildlife inspired in part by painters like Wilhelm Kuhnert, and why he sometimes ignores deadlines to get a painting "out of his head." We also talk about art school battles, conservation history, spaghetti westerns, and what happens when an artist receives a fifty-page contract connected to George Lucas. Have I got your attention now? If you care about painting, place, and preserving something larger than yourself, this conversation will resonate. Nicholas Coleman is certainly my kind of artist! Links: Nicholas Coleman Website: https://www.nicholascolemanart.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholascolemanart/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicholascolemanart Other Links: Bloody Bozeman: The Perilous Trail to Montana's Gold: https://amzn.to/4rer2UQ Henrik Coleman: https://www.henrikcoleman.com/ Mediocre Amateurs: https://www.youtube.com/@mediocreamateur About the Artful Painter: Website: https://theartfulpainter.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarlOlsonArt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artful.painter/ This page may contain affiliate links from which I earn a small commission. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    1h 1min
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