Viewers of public television may turn on their TVs today and see a familiar face. Gary Spetz, a 1974 graduate of Forest Lake High School and a longtime resident of Marine on St. Croix, has a new show that will begin airing on KTCA Minneapolis Public Television today.

The weekly ìhow to paintî series ìGary Spetzís Painting Wild Places! With Watercolorsî is designed to teach beginners and seasoned artists watercolor painting techniques.

The series focuses on wilderness locations from around the country. Two Minnesota scenes are featured within the first 26 episodes.

ìBeginning painters often get hung up on composition and values,î Spetz said. ìI teach a method where key shapes are isolated, at the start of a painting, with a liquid masking materialówhich greatly simplifies the watercolor painting process. It enables a painter to focus, more incrementally, on smaller segments of the paintingómaking the process more palatable.î

The programs are edited into quick moving but easy to follow, step-by-step instructions. He offers concise explanations of his techniques with strong visuals and solid editing.

Rather than constantly narrating instructions, Spetz uses his words sparingly over a musical background that makes the programs soothing and pleasing to watch.

ìI think it is important to keep the camera perspective moving, for interest, and important to frequently zoom in close, so that the viewer can easily see the process,î Spetz said. ìOften, itís best for me to just stop talking and just let the viewer ësoak it in,í visually. Thatís where a pleasant acoustic background music becomes so important.î

With the premise of ìso much to paint,î Spetz chooses his subject matter from six scenic locations throughout the United States.

Each scene presents new painting challenges, which, in turn, provide Spetz with new opportunities to teach his painting methods.

Spetz, who now makes his home in Montana, is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society and is well known for his wilderness depictions of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Lake Superior and, closer to home, the St. Croix River.

The series is produced by Gary and Marlene Spetz and underwritten by artist publications ìThe Artistís Magazineî and ìWatercolor Magic.î

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Forest Lake Times
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