Instructor: Annie Strack
Hosted by: Northern Plains Watercolor Society
Location: Online Workshop
Date: Saturday October 25th, 2025 – 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM Mountain time
Lunch: We will have a 30 minute break for lunch.
Member Registration Cost: $60
Non-Member Registration Cost: $90
Refund Policy: 50% refund will be granted before August 1st but no refund after August 1st. The workshop recording will be available for 6 months if you are not able to join live on October 25th.
A native of Naples, Florida, Annie Strackis a classically trained professional artist whose formal art school training included advanced studies of numerous mediums. Although she is best known as a Modern Master of maritime painting, she is also an experienced expert in many other mediums, subjects, and styles. As a commercial artist, her designs have been used by hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other businesses. An experienced drafter, she has created architectural renderings for dozens of architects and building contractors and her illustrations have been featured in numerous publications. She is also an industry trained expert in the uses and properties of artist materials, and she works with artist supply companies to test and review new products. She is a Brand Ambassador for Dynasty Brush, Daylight Lamp, Hahnemuehle paper, and Chartpak artist materials. Her extensive knowledge makes her in demand as a workshop instructor and leader.
She’s the author of The Artists Guide to Business & Marketing and a feature writer and contributing editor for Professional Artist Magazine, The Crafts Report, and other publications. She’s the producer / host of Painting Seascapes in Watercolor, which is broadcast on TV worldwide and also available on DVD.
Strack has been published in several prominent magazines including Plein Air Magazine, Southwest Art Magazine, The Artist’s Magazine, Watercolor Magazine, The Art of Watercolour, Fine Art Connoisseur, The Crafts Report, Junxion, Wooden Boat International, Country Roads, Gallery Insider, House & Home, Louisiana Life, Gulf Coast Arts & Entertainment Review, Louisiana Homes & Gardens, Fig, County Lines, and Covington Magazine, and she has been featured in dozens of newspaper and television interviews. Her art has been featured on the covers of Art Calendar Magazine, Harmon Homes Magazine, Inside Northside Magazine, and Northlake News Magazine.
Her paintings are exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the world, and have been featured in 24 solo shows. She exhibits in a multitude of national and international juried shows and she has received hundreds of awards and grants. She has served as juror for many art exhibitions and recently juried the Dinard Plein Air Festival in France.
Strack earned the prestigious honor of Signature Membership in dozens of artist societies including the International Society of Marine Painters and International Plein Air Painters, and she holds the esteemed honor of being an Official Authorized Artist for the US Coast Guard. She has volunteered on the Board of Directors of numerous organizations for several decades and chaired a countless number of juried exhibitions, plein air events, workshops, programs, and fundraising. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Watercolor Society.
Her artwork hangs in over 1,000 collections worldwide, including: USCG, Navy, Senate, Pentagon, Fredonia Museum, Zigler Museum, Lake Pontchartrain Maritime Museum, Jefferson Parish Courthouse, St. Tammany Parish Public Art Collection, San Benito Public Art Collection, VA Retirement Home, Merrill Lynch, Kildare Marine, Biloxi Sun-Herald, St Tammany Parish Hospital, Ochsner Foundation, New Orleans World Trade Center, Marsh USA, Transwestern Services, International Matex, Liberty Tire, Republic of China Department of Culture, and many more.
Annie Strack travels around the world to teach workshops and curate exhibits, and in between her travels she can be found painting or teaching in her studio near Philadelphia. She endeavors to dip her toes in an ocean at least once a month.
Seascapes with EXCITEMENT! Take your paintings to the next level with Master Artist and Artist Materials Expert Annie Strack.
(Can’t make that date? NO problem, you can watch later and work at your own pace! You’ll have access to the recording and the reference materials and instructions for SIX months!)
Using the reference photo (and drawing provided), students will draw the subject onto their watercolor papers. Students may printout and trace my drawings onto their watercolor paper. We will draw the beachscape together in class – do not draw that one in advance.
Material list:
Paper: Two pieces of watercolor paper, roughly quarter sheet size (10×14, or 11×15, or 12×16) and at least 140 lbs. I will be working on 12×16 blocks. You can use pads, blocks, or loose paper that is taped down. You will also need some scrap pieces upon which to test your brushstrokes.
Paint: Bring your usual palette of watercolors. At the very least, you will need to have a split palette of primary colors, and you can never have too many shades of blue. The colors that I can’t live without include indigo, payne’s grey, green-gold, cobalt, manganese, violet, ultramarine, ochre, and sepia, but you can use your own colors. I do NOT use many staining colors. I will use a lot of different colors, but it’s mostly about value and chroma not so much about color! So, bring your regular palette of colors. I recommend only using professional grade paint.
Brushes: Bring your usual assortment of watercolor brushes. I recommend natural hair (sable and squirrel). I use mostly sizes 6 through 12 round (Kolinsky sable) bushes, and sizes 2, 4, and 6 mop/quill brushes. A few synthetic brushes are handy for lifting, and a rigger/liner is also useful.
You will also need: water containers, paper towels, eraser, pencil, masking fluid, T-square or ruler. Reference materials will be provided for the workshop.
If you have any questions about the workshop, the supply list, or preparing for the workshop, please contact me. I’m happy to chat with you and answer any questions you might have.