Robert A Callahan

My background has been in architecture in some manner, starting with an Architectural Drafting technician’s diploma after high school followed by an Under Graduate Degree at U of M, School of Architecture, Winnipeg and later an ‘Under Graduate’ and ‘Masters’ at the School of Architecture, TUNS (Technical University of Nova Scotia, now Dalhousie University).​

In college, there wasn’t much free hand drawing, however drawing was more with the use of assorted straight edges to develop drawings as one would use in an architectural office.​

At U of M, the second year year started off with a week long sketch camp led by 2 artists who were part of the architectural faculty along with some other professors. We sketched with pencil, sticks and ink, and some watercolour. This involved scenic views as well as life studies. As a student at U of M, we had life drawing classes however haven’t done any portrait work since. Most of the sketching when travelling, involved land/seascapes or perhaps something involving buildings. A hobby developed from post secondary education was photography. Rules of photography also apply to painting – avoid horizon lines in the middle, ‘s’ curves are good to lead you in but need to avoid leading you out of the picture, rules of 3rd’s, light and dark spaces or positive and negative spaces are things to think about.​

Retiring from architecture after 40+ years, I decided to pursue watercolor painting as a hobby.

Unfortunately Covid hit the world so it was self learning for a few years then having joined IWS-Canada (International Water Color Society of Canada) and CSPWC (Canadian Society of Painters in Water Color) some plein air and on-line painting was available.

Through a background in photography, I use reference photos to work from based on travel, hiking or kayak outings for use in the studio or working in plein air.