Hands-on with Life-City-Watercolor

Join open-air painter Roderick Turner for a watercolor workshop grounded in observation and the poetry of everyday life. Whether sketching commuters on buses or capturing still life, Turner uses watercolor to tell stories through movement, color, and atmosphere. In this hands-on session, participants will learn foundational watercolor techniques, such as how to control the medium and let the medium lead. We will explore how to see: to notice the symbolic value of objects, the gestures of people, the interplay between old and new, and nature’s connection to it all. And also how to slow down: tuning into your surroundings and embracing the emotional texture of a scene. Whether you’re capturing a street corner in transition or a quiet moment in a café, this workshop is about finding the story in what’s often overlooked

No experience necessary. All materials provided. 

IMAGE: Roderick Turner, Demolition (the tearing down of the Old Ferebee Hope Recreation Center) 

About Roderick Turner

Roderick Turner is an award-winning open-air artist whose murals have been recognized in Virginia and Washington, DC. His paintings have been exhibited at numerous group and one-man shows throughout the East Coast. Further, his artwork is currently exhibited throughout DC in public and government buildings. Turner has served as a panelist for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanity (DCCAH), Anacostia Museum, and American Dreams. Some of his various honors and awards include: Arts and Fellowship Grant 2025 (DCCAH); PEFi Grant 2025 (DCCAH); Art Bank Program 2024 (DCCAH); Best in Show, TFAA Regional Show, Alexandria, VA; Commission for Langston-Brown Center 2020, Langston Brown Community Center Association; Commission for Kimball Elementary in 2019 (DGS); Public Art Building Communities Grant (PABC) in 2008; and Lila Wallace Reader’s Digest International Artist Grant 1993.