Table of Contents
For more than four decades, watercolor has been a constant companion in the life of British-born watercolor artist and teacher Bill Holkham.
From his early days selling original paintings at outdoor art markets in England to seeing his work commissioned and collected around the world, Bill's journey has taken him across countries, subjects and generations of painters.
Today, from his home in Florida, he continues to paint almost every day while sharing the techniques and lessons learned over a lifetime through Let's Paint Watercolors.
Painting should be enjoyable, accessible and something anyone can learn.
Where It All Began
Bill's professional journey began in England during the 1980s.
One of his early proving grounds was London's famous Bayswater Road, where artists would display their work outdoors and sell directly to the public.
There were no algorithms, social media followers or online stores. Just an artist, his paintings and the people who stopped to look.
Those early years helped shape Bill's approach to art.
He discovered that technical perfection wasn't necessarily what made somebody stop in front of a painting. People responded to places they recognized, memories they treasured and scenes that made them feel something.
It is a lesson that has stayed with him ever since.
“Every painting tells a story. I paint places that take you somewhere.”
From Britain to the World
Over the decades that followed, Bill developed a remarkably varied body of watercolor work.
Landscapes and seascapes sat alongside aviation paintings, city scenes, wildlife and, eventually, an extensive collection of paintings celebrating some of the world's great golf courses.
His work has been commissioned or collected by organizations including The World Bank, Ford Motor Company and Heathrow International Conference Centre, while his paintings have also appeared in juried exhibitions including the Chelsea Arts Society and Guild of Aviation Artists.
But the subjects themselves have always mattered more to Bill than the accolades.
A Scottish golf course at golden hour. A quiet English village.
An aircraft disappearing into the clouds. A Florida river. A sunlit Italian doorway.
The subject may change, but the attraction is usually the same: light, atmosphere and a sense of place.
Finding a New Home in Florida
A new chapter began when Bill moved from the UK to Florida, USA.
Florida offered an entirely different landscape to paint.
The muted greens and changing skies of Britain gave way to brilliant sunlight, Spanish moss, coastal scenes, wildlife, historic towns and the extraordinary rivers and springs of North Florida.
Bill began exhibiting and selling his work locally while also teaching watercolor classes.
Teaching gradually became an increasingly important part of his life.
The objective wasn't to teach people to paint exactly like him. It was to give them enough confidence and understanding to discover what they could do with a brush.
A New Chapter: Let's Paint Watercolors
More than 40 years after Bill first began selling his paintings, another unexpected chapter started.
Together with his son Ross, Bill created Let's Paint Watercolors.
Bill paints and teaches; Ross works behind the camera, filming, editing and sharing the lessons with an online audience.
What started as a simple way to share Bill's knowledge has developed into a worldwide watercolor community, with hundreds of tutorials covering landscapes, wildlife, architecture, coastal scenes and much more.
Many of the people watching haven't painted since school. Some have never held a watercolor brush before.
Others are experienced painters simply looking for inspiration or a relaxing project.
That range of experience has shaped Bill's teaching philosophy.
No unnecessary jargon. No intimidation. No pressure to create a masterpiece.
Instead, Bill breaks paintings into manageable stages and encourages students to enjoy the process.
As he often reminds his students:
“Every painting you make — however imperfect — is proof you showed up.”
The Tools Behind the Painting
After more than 40 years of painting, Bill has learned that an enormous collection of materials isn't necessary to create good watercolor.
He frequently teaches with a deliberately limited palette and encourages painters to understand their brushes and colors rather than continually buying more of them.
At the same time, good tools should allow the artist to concentrate on the painting rather than fight against their materials.
That shared philosophy led to Bill's relationship with Fuumuui.
Bill has incorporated Fuumuui brushes and art materials into numerous tutorials, putting them through the practical test that matters most to a working artist: actually painting with them.
The collaboration has since grown beyond simply using the products, with Bill sharing feedback and ideas developed from decades of painting and teaching.
It is a partnership built around something both Bill and Fuumuui believe strongly:
Good art materials should help more people enjoy making art.
Passing It On
Perhaps the most rewarding part of Bill's watercolor journey today isn't where his own paintings hang.
It's seeing somebody paint something they didn't believe they were capable of creating.
A student arriving at a class saying, “I can't paint.”
Someone returning to art after 30 years.
A beginner sharing their first watercolor online.
Or a member of the Let's Paint Watercolors community proudly posting a finished painting inspired by one of Bill's tutorials.
After more than four decades, Bill is still learning, still experimenting and still picking up his brushes.
Only now, thousands of other painters are picking theirs up alongside him.
And perhaps that is the most fitting next chapter in a life in watercolor.
Follow Bill's Watercolor Journey
Keep up with Bill Holkham's paintings, tutorials and watercolor projects:
