Al Kline Watercolors

ARTIST STATEMENT

As a watercolor artist, my goal is to form an impression of my subjects. I enjoy coastal painting of wildlife and nautical themes. I explore and take advantage of the medium so it expresses the subject in a manner fit to watercolor. The medium allows my art to express an atmosphere of impressionism by the way watercolor flows and reacts on paper. This is something that I cannot control, nor do I want to. I allow the medium to offer certain details and effects, offering a variety of edges and atmosphere to form an impression that exploits the properties only found in this magical medium.

bIOGRAPHY

Al Kline is a self-taught artist who began painting with watercolor in April 2017. He is a signature member of the Southwestern Watercolor Society (SWS) and the Watercolor Society of South Texas (WSST) and a featured Merit Artist for the Rockport Center for the Arts.   He has been selected for member exhibitions by the American Impressionist Society (AIS) and the American and National Watercolor Societies.  (AWS, NWS).

Al was born in Holland to Dutch parents.  He moved to the United States as a young child.  He showed interest in art, including watercolor and drawing, at a young age.  He began to draw at age 5.   He painted his first watercolor at the age of 11. 

Al earned degrees in Health Science Education, Chemistry, and Biology.  He earned a Doctorate of Podiatric Medicine and spent his working career providing medical and surgical services to his community for over 30 years.  

In 2017, he rediscovered the art of drawing and watercolor.  He began studying watercolor in July 2017.  He studied with renowned watercolor artists Frank Eber, Vladislav Yeliseyev,  and Herman Pekel.    He was subsequently voted as President of the Watercolor Society of South Texas in 2018.    

In 2018 and 2019, while studying art through instructional workshops, he quickly gained recognition for his drawing skills and unique painting style.  He received notice in the local and statewide watercolor communities.

In 2020, he began to focus more on teaching watercolor to the Watercolor Society of South Texas (WSST).  The WSST has a rich history of promoting watercolor art in South Texas over the past 50 years.  With the advent of online platforms, He used these platforms to teach the basics of drawing and watercolor to the WSST society members.  The WSST continues to offer monthly paint sessions and guest workshops.   

In 2022, after 5 years of painting and drawing, there was a conscious shift in his work.  Not just painting portraits and scenes, but concentrating on compositional design and texture to express a deeper meaning in his paintings.  The artistic influences of Valfred Thelin, Nita Engle, Andrew Wyeth, and others began to influence his artistic direction. 

Through teaching and now online instruction, he has gained notice as an accomplished watercolor artist.  His ability to simplify the painting process and his skill in drawing and design have gained him international recognition.  

Al now enjoys traveling and has painted and taught workshops throughout the United States and Europe. He is an invited artist with Paint by Destination, a company that specializes in watercolor workshop cruises across Europe. He is well-known for his impressionist painting style and enjoys sketching and painting en plein air.

Al taught the “Basics of Watercolor” course at the 2025 En Plein Air Exposition in Reno, Nevada.  Al’s passion is painting and teaching watercolor.  He enjoys sharing his ideas, including watercolor basics, a simple way to prepare for both en plein air and studio painting, and techniques in creating dynamic works of art.  

He has won other prestigious awards, including “The Artist’s Choice Award” at the OPS Texas En Plein Air Event in Kerrville, Texas, and Merit Artist for the Rockport Center for the Arts. His specialty includes creating small “sketch-paintings” or “littles” in his sketchbook as preparation for larger works in his studio.

Al is the author of “Watercolor Impressions: Techniques in Creating Dynamic Watercolors,” published in 2023, and he provides an online platform for teaching through Thinkific.