Artist Profile: Holland Wentz Etheridge

The Charles H. Taylor Visual Arts Center is proud to have Holland Wentz Etheridge as one of our talented Watercolor teachers. She has been a professional artist since 1969 and is a signature member of the American and Virginia Watercolor societies​​​​​. Her work, Cherry Blossoms (bottom), is currently on display in our Artists Who Teach 2020 Exhibition. 
 

Artist’s Statement
 

"I feel excitement and an urge to draw and share what I see and experience. I find great beauty in sharp contrasts, patterns, intimate details, and subtle gradations of value and color, from the palest to the darkest. My process of creating involves intense, patient observation. Intimate relationships develop with each subject. Realism becomes interpretation."    
 

How did you get into teaching art?
 

"My parents encouraged all five of us children to make all kinds of art as long as I can remember. When I retired from Le Yaca Restaurant after 28 years, the only thing I wanted to do was paint and draw. James Warwick Jones had asked me for ten years if I was interested in teaching. After several productive years, Jon Moneymaker asked me “how do you paint like that?”, and the idea of teaching and sharing what I had learned started growing. Shortly after that, Betty Anglin asked me to substitute for her Thursday watercolor class. I found that to explain how, meant I had to find a way to say it. I began reading and researching how other watercolor painters put their ideas into words. It was challenging and exhilarating. When the spring class ended, I told the students that I was looking forward to summer break. Sharolyn Hayes and the rest said 'no, we don’t take a break!' and I’ve been teaching over four years now at the Charles Taylor and loving it."
 

What do you enjoy most about teaching?
 

"The best part of teaching is the students. We interact, encourage and learn with and from each other. To see their accomplishments is astounding. I am learning new ideas, approaches and techniques, because I feel I should try them first before trying to teach them. Many of the students had art interests when young, but worked all of their lives until retirement, and now really appreciate the opportunity to return to art. We are all growing together!"

Image Credits: The Water Taxi Driver (top left), Sunset Prism (right), Cherry Blossoms (bottom left).