Admired for his ability to make powerful statements (both political and artistic) in watercolor, Alex Powers passed away peacefully on March 25, 2020. Join us as we honor his life and artistic legacy.
Using gouache, charcoal, pastel and sometimes collage on illustration board, Alex Power’s loose realism combined an emphasis on drawing with an awareness of the art of our times. “I attempt to deal with issues such as human origins, religion, philosophy, economic inequality, etc. These overwhelming issues are difficult to deal with, but they are what interest me. And, since I believe in the singularity of life and art, these issues are the content of my life and my current work,” he said.
 in watercolor. Join us as we honor his life and artistic legacy.){kind=link}
Alex was long time my best source for passing back and forth feedback on each other’s work. We both collected each others work. He was a wonderful and very honest artist. Most artists start as angry young artists and mellow. Alex started mellow and developed anger. The more anger the stronger the work.
I have been researching Alex’s work because my late mother purchased a 1977 original watercolor of his, a beautiful landscape titled “Marsh Forest.” I find this early subject to be serene and his style lovely, clear, and sultry. In fact, everything I found of his is so angry looking, that I thought I had the wrong artist. So sad to learn of Alex’s passing from dementia. It must have been wonderful to have him for a friend.
I totally love the Art of Alex Powers AND even more his teaching. I have said for years that his book is my stranded on an island book. Every time I reread it I understand another level of nuance and truth.
When I wanted to create an online course to help artists identify a style that would be true to them it occurred to me that the clues were all in his book so I wrote to him and requested his permission to include a part of his book as the underpinning of my online video workshop. He immediately said to help myself to it and wished me well. The success of Unlocking Your Style is due in a large part to his ideas and guidance. I owe him.
I am re-reading “Painting People in Watercolor . A Design Approach ”, which I bough around 2012. It was a revelation for me then and it’s being a revelation now. When I first read, or, better, studied it, I was beginning to paint with watercolour and I could barely grasp the depth of Alex’s teachings. Now I am much more experienced and I find his teaching absolutely revealing, helpful and profound.
I was looking for a photograph of Alex, and I have just found this page and learned that he passed away. I am devastated.