The workshop venue owners and organizers said this about my workshops and classes
Dale’s support of LOLA Arts has gone far beyond his role as an instructor. His 1- and 2-day workshops are always tailored to meet the needs of our artists and students, making a lasting impact on their creative journeys. He has also been incredibly generous with his time, volunteering for fundraisers by conducting live demonstrations and donating original paintings to benefit our programs. In addition, his involvement as a judge for our summer shows has brought invaluable expertise and insight, helping us showcase local talent. Dale’s dedication to the arts and his unwavering support of our mission have made him an essential part of the LOLA community. – Jennifer Anderson LOLA , Land O' Lakes Arts Executive Director The only difference between a beginner and a seasoned painter is that they have made more mistakes! Remember we learn from our mistakes. – Dale L Popovich IWS American Impressionist Watercolorist |
I am honored to share my past dealing with artist Dale Popovich. I am a founding member and past president of Land O' Lakes Area Artisans, Inc., a/k/a LOLA, which is a non-profit school for art education located in Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, is a town of less than 950 people. LOLA’s goal is to give “all” people an opportunity to share various types of art and ensure that everyone can take a class or enjoy free art events. LOLA makes classes affordable and gives out free classes when needed. Almost since LOLA started, Dale Popovich has taught classes while charging a fee, which makes it possible for LOLA to keep class fees at a rate that our community members can attend. I want to remind anyone reading this that all artists deserve to be financially compensated for their work. LOLA has always received rave reviews from the students he has taught. He has offered watercolor classes for beginners to advanced students, and he inspires and gives confidence to all the students. Dale ensures that his students who continue to take classes learn something new each time they attend. His classes fill, and he has developed a following in the local area. And LOLA has seen new people come from quite a distance to attend his classes. Dale and his wife, Marilee have been great supporters of LOLA in many ways, from helping with LOLA’s logo, donating art for fundraisers, and even doing live watercolor painting at fundraisers, which helps people learn what LOLA brings to the community. There are no words big enough to thank Dale for all he has done to help LOLA grow and thrive, but THANK YOU, Dale will have to do. Create, Share, Repeat, – Lynn Richie Past President of LOLA Presently: Chairperson of Land O Lakes Public Art Wisconsin Art Board member |
Dale’s three-day Abstract Patterns of Nature Watercolor Workshop was wonderfully delivered. He was very organized with special projects each day. His step by step approach really helped us to understand the layering process of painting textures, in the landscape. We learned various ways of producing textures using toothbrushes, scrapping tools, paper towels & spritzing water.
Subject matter varied between water, snow, lots of trees, buildings, various grounds, and a sprinkle of flowers. He is very patient, funny, and thorough with his delivery of information. He does not worry about making a mistake, he just works it into the painting like it was supposed to be there. Many great lessons, Very enjoyable.
– Frankie Johnson
Owner of Mainstreet Art Center
and participant in the 2020 Watercolor Workshop, Abstract Paintings of Nature in Watercolor
at Mainstreet Art Center
Subject matter varied between water, snow, lots of trees, buildings, various grounds, and a sprinkle of flowers. He is very patient, funny, and thorough with his delivery of information. He does not worry about making a mistake, he just works it into the painting like it was supposed to be there. Many great lessons, Very enjoyable.
– Frankie Johnson
Owner of Mainstreet Art Center
and participant in the 2020 Watercolor Workshop, Abstract Paintings of Nature in Watercolor
at Mainstreet Art Center
Thank YOU for making the trip to share your love and knowledge about watercolor with us! Your workshops are so well organized and packed with great content! We are further along in our journeys as artists for spending this time with you.
- Jean Weiner
President
3-Day workshop, 2024
Iowa Watercolor Society
- Jean Weiner
President
3-Day workshop, 2024
Iowa Watercolor Society
Here's what some of my students have said about my workshops and classes
Dale was so kind to let me join his class at the last minute. His generosity of spirit was on display throughout the workshop. He kindly stopped at each important step and waited for everyone who wanted to take photos for us to use. Dale answered every question with unfailing politeness and a great depth of knowledge. Every painting carefully selected allowed Dale to teach us his methods step-by-step. He had a completed original painting and basic perspective, composition, and drawing( supplied earlier so we could use it for our drawing before the class.) Then, he led us to follow his steps. Each day, Dale introduced us to interesting techniques, such as the use of a Chinese calligraphy brush for foliage. Dale did not miss stopping by and giving input to each person in the class. BTW, he gave the original demos he painted to the class members in a drawing - generosity once again on display. I highly recommend Dale as an instructor for anyone of any level.
– Peg Wastell
New Richmond, WI USA
Dillman's Art Retreat
2023 4-Day Watercolor Workshop
– Peg Wastell
New Richmond, WI USA
Dillman's Art Retreat
2023 4-Day Watercolor Workshop
I’ve attended Dale’s workshops at Dillman’s for the past 3 years. They are all excellent—and this was the BEST one yet! The pacing was awesome. I am a slow painter, yet I had time to finish my paintings each day after class and still have time to take a nice break to enjoy the gorgeous weather and wind down. I felt that the painting was helped by the number of paintings we did (six rather than eight as we had done in previous workshops) and the workbook that Marilee and Dale put together and provided us with a week before the workshop started (so I was able to draw everything for paintings before the workshop rather than having to do the drawings for the next day each night during the workshop.)
I love that we do paintings of all the seasons in the Northwoods—so between the different paintings, we learn how to paint snow, rocks, water, winter, fall, spring, and summer scenes and colors.
I like how he divides doing a painting into phases: he does a phase (and we watch), and then we do the phase (and he comes around and looks at what we are doing and gives each of us feedback and tips.)
No matter how many workshops and classes I’ve taken with him, I always learn something new! It’s why I keep coming back.
– Janet Szumal
Long Grove, IL USA
Dillman's Art Retreat
2020-2024 4-Day Watercolor Workshops
Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts 2020-25
Weekly Zoom Watercolor Studio Classes
Living in the north woods of Wisconsin, my aspirations to become a watercolor artist are driven by my surroundings. Dale Popovich has taught me how to capture what I see around me through every workshop opportunity into beautiful landscape paintings. Dale’s accomplishments as a master of watercolor show in his teaching. He can teach any budding artist from beginner on. He provides the student with detailed pages of helpful information for each painting we work on, easy to understand and use. He guides you through each technique step by step. He observes what you are doing, giving helpful advice as you progress through a lesson. He is never critical, constantly reassuring and building confidence. His humor and stories are delightful, putting students at ease. Every workshop I’ve taken is fun because he makes it that way, and I will continue to take as many as I can.
– Carolyn Andrejat
St. Germain, WI USA
Dillman's Art Retreat
2023 -24 4-Day Watercolor Workshop
LOLA Workshops
Lakeland Art League Workshops
– Carolyn Andrejat
St. Germain, WI USA
Dillman's Art Retreat
2023 -24 4-Day Watercolor Workshop
LOLA Workshops
Lakeland Art League Workshops
Seldom have four days made such an impact! I hadn’t had formal art instruction since high school and was nervous before entering Dale Popovich’s watercolor workshop. I need not have feared because his teaching was clear, positive, and empowering. I learned so many techniques and regained the joy of painting. This course also changed the way I see landscapes around me every day. That road in the woods is potential for my next watercolor! – Kathy Krohn-Gill Merrill , WI USA Dillman's Art Retreat 2023 4-Day Watercolor Workshop 
Dale presents an excellent workshop. I learned so much during the four days I attended I was exhausted! I came home with 5 new paintings that illustrated techniques and information Dale had to teach us. He was very organized and purposeful, as illustrated by the workbook he created especially for this workshop. It is a wealth of information that can be referred to in the future. I recommend taking a workshop from Dale.. – Jennifer Scott Green Bay, WI USA Dillman's Art Retreat 2023 4-Day Watercolor Workshop 
Art is beautiful...training the mind and soul in watercolor...with teacher Dale Popovich...Watercolor Jedi. – Philippe G., Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Art 
So many thanks, Dale, for understanding people like me who are so rooted in my old ways of painting! You offered techniques that opened my eyes to the expanding watercolor techniques I would never have tried without your encouragement. I was pleased that you walked the floor and gave suggestions to improve. Finding new dark colors really created new richness in my work. Gone are the days of washed-out paintings. I recommend Dale Popovich to any and all watercolor beginners and pros. Thank you Dale. – Gail Thovson Hutchingson MN USA Dillman's Art Retreat 2023 4-Day Watercolor Workshop 
Thank you for the comprehensive follow-up and addendum to your class last week at Dillman’s. I had an excellent learning experience as well as a good time painting with you.
I have attached a photo of the final exercise I completed in my studio after returning home. 
My wife Louise and I have registered for your Dillman’s class on Rivers, Rapids, and Waterfalls from June 2 through 7, 2024. I very much look forward to painting with you again. – Bob Barfknecht Eau Claire WI USA Dillman's Art Retreat 2023 4-Day Watercolor Workshop |
It was a challenging few days learning completely new techniques and design, but in the end, it was a very rewarding journey. Thanks for expanding our horizons, Dale. – Byron Petersen Sioux Falls, SD USA Great Plains Watercolor Society 2023 3-Day Watercolor Workshop 
Dale was great in teaching this workshop. With his past teaching experience he has a great approach for teaching. Giving the hand outs prior to workshop is an excellent teaching tool. I have all that plans my paintings for reference for further trial and error on my part. THANK YOU SO MUCH! – Marian Sprecher Sioux Falls, SD USA Great Plains Watercolor Society 2023 3-Day Watercolor Workshop 
Dale is extremely talented both as an artist and a teacher. The quality and variety of techniques that I’ve learned from Dale have raised my artwork to greater heights. Dale knows how to identify the strengths of an artist. He has shown me how to challenge the expected and unexpected ways of watercolor. I have observed impressive artistic growth not only in myself but among the other artists in the workshop. I highly recommend Dale’s classes and workshops. – Tammy B. Woodstock IL USA Dillman's Art Retreat 2023 4-Day Watercolor Workshop 
Dale is a terrific instructor who manages to be both effective and helpful despite the limitations of Zoom. If you’ve ever wanted to explore watercolor painting, I recommend you sign up for his classes. Outstanding! – Fred Mahaffey Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine, Art Chicago Weekly Zoom Watercolor Studio Classes 
Thanks for the best workshop I’ve ever attended. Dale explained what he was doing and how we could get there together. His step by step approach allowed everyone in the workshop to be successful with their paintings. He helped us all to loosen up and see the larger image and then overlay each area until we got to the details. Lots of fun, thanks. – Jim Heroux Sioux Falls, SD USA Great Plains Watercolor Society 2023 3-Day Watercolor Workshop 
This series of classes changed my life! It allowed me to call myself an artist. I think having a couple of years of failed paintings underneath my belt helped me get even more out of what the class offers. Both Bob and Dale are terrific teachers and artists. ~Mary Longe Foundations of Drawing & Painting Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago |
Over my painting journey, I’ve attended several workshops. Dale Popovich is an award - winning artist, who creates unforgettably beautiful watercolor paintings. Many of my workshop instructors have also been excellent at their craft. But none compare with this instructor’s generosity, individual help, caring, and overall teaching ability.
Dale provided frequent but short demonstrations, supplemented with explanation as he painted. Immediately following each demo, students painted that portion of the scene while it was fresh in their mind. As students painted, he constantly circulated, offering help whenever needed.
Dale Popovich created a positive class atmosphere in which students were free to ask questions (some with light-hearted bantering while they learned}. Each student came away with demonstrable accomplishments and, most important, a feeling of inspiration.
– Marion Wiley
2019 Watercolor Workshop at Dillman’s Bay Resort
Dale provided frequent but short demonstrations, supplemented with explanation as he painted. Immediately following each demo, students painted that portion of the scene while it was fresh in their mind. As students painted, he constantly circulated, offering help whenever needed.
Dale Popovich created a positive class atmosphere in which students were free to ask questions (some with light-hearted bantering while they learned}. Each student came away with demonstrable accomplishments and, most important, a feeling of inspiration.
– Marion Wiley
2019 Watercolor Workshop at Dillman’s Bay Resort
Dale, Thank you so much for this course. Just finished watching it and I cannot tell you how much I pulled from it. I always felt that watercolor was one of the harder mediums to work in and very unforgiving but obviously not so. I am now about to give this painting a go. I am not sure that I will have it finished in 48 minutes but I will eventually post the result! Looking forward to more online courses.. – Suzzane D. Crete, IL Towering Winds Academy of Fine Arts Online Course |
""I'm loving this Dale. It's taking me back 10 years to your studio. I'm also appreciating Marilee's technical input. Her sense of timing is exquisite." – Patrica M. Manors, FL Towering Winds Academy of Fine Arts Online Course |
I attended one of Dale Popovich's one-day watercolor workshop sponsored by the Bloomington Watercolor Society. I learned how to really loosen up – fantastic experience. The class really push me to try some new things in new ways. I learned a lot about reflections during this workshop. You are a patient and engaging teacher. I wish we had another day. Thank you so very much, Dale!
– Robin E., Bloomington Watercolor Society |
I just wanted to say again how much I enjoyed your watercolor workshop this weekend in Fish Creek, WI. I learned a lot and appreciated your personable and easy-going style. I also was impressed with the way your critiqued our work, constructive and encouraging. It really helped me to think of ways I can improve my landscape painting. – Dee M. Peninsula School of Art |
Thank you, Dale, for such an inspiring and productive workshop, Painting the Northwoods at Dillman’s Resort. Your guidance and encouragement throughout the four days helped each of us feel a sense of accomplishment, no matter what skill level we were at. I appreciated and learned so much from your four-step process of adding a darker value at each of the four phases. Your pauses between each step allowed us to paint along with you. During the pauses, you brought your work around the room showing us up close to each step, and allowed us to photograph it to have a record of each step. Many other instructors do not use your method, but paint Alla prima – start to finish – which makes it very hard to follow along. Learning your four-step method has helped me be able to analyze my photographs to decide on the focal point with the freedom to choose how I want to interpret the photo. Thank you so much for a delightful workshop!
– Sheri and Don Johnson
West Lafayette, IN USA
Dillman's Art Retreat
2021 4-Day Watercolor Workshop
2019 4-Day Brown County Art gallery Watercolor Workshop
– Sheri and Don Johnson
West Lafayette, IN USA
Dillman's Art Retreat
2021 4-Day Watercolor Workshop
2019 4-Day Brown County Art gallery Watercolor Workshop
I first came across Dale's watercolor classes in the spring of 2020. He was doing some Watercolour Escape Saturdays on Facebook Live. After following along with his painting, I was determined to learn his style. He has a wonderful, loose method of interpreting scenes and communicating that to his students. I like to think I am "playing" more when I paint in Dale's style, and I feel I have the tools to interpret my own scenes and get pleasing results. – Rick Janzen Black Creek BC, Canada Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine, Art Chicago Weekly Zoom Watercolor Studio Classes |
Thank you so much for sharing so much of your knowledge, techniques, approaches, and tools! A special thanks for all of your encouragement! I appreciated your individual guidance and help each step of the way. I was very hesitant and intimidated by watercolor and your step-by-step modeling and demonstrations were so very helpful in breaking it all down. You were very patient in allowing us to try each step before moving on and even though I was exhausted after the three days, I was also very excited to continue to practice all that you taught us! I have continued to practice with this wonderful medium and I am starting to apply all the new knowledge and tools you provided in my figure painting! A million thanks! – Maria Galvan-Herrera 2020 Mainstreet Art Center 3-full Day Watercolor workshop |
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At our February meeting, we enjoyed a beautiful presentation from Dale L Popovich highlighting his distinctive method of landscape painting. As part of his presentation, Dale offered two-door prizes of which I was one of the lucky winners.
I was very fortunate to see his online course "Learn the Magic of Watercolor" where he once again highlighted his very distinctive method of doing trees and woodland scenes. It was lovely to be able to watch the techniques and be able to pause the film and try out the technique myself. Here is my attempt at the project which still needs a bit of work, but so far has turned out quite well. My best takeaway was "watch the paint dry" while working on the piece. By waiting between layers while the painting dried instead of using a hairdryer, I was able to slow down and evaluate where I was going during the painting.
Thank you, Annapolis Watercolor Club and Mr. Popovich for this very informative opportunity. Mr. Popovich is offering a workshop with our club and offers several online courses which I would not hesitate to recommend at Towering Winds Academy of Fine Arts.
I was very fortunate to see his online course "Learn the Magic of Watercolor" where he once again highlighted his very distinctive method of doing trees and woodland scenes. It was lovely to be able to watch the techniques and be able to pause the film and try out the technique myself. Here is my attempt at the project which still needs a bit of work, but so far has turned out quite well. My best takeaway was "watch the paint dry" while working on the piece. By waiting between layers while the painting dried instead of using a hairdryer, I was able to slow down and evaluate where I was going during the painting.
Thank you, Annapolis Watercolor Club and Mr. Popovich for this very informative opportunity. Mr. Popovich is offering a workshop with our club and offers several online courses which I would not hesitate to recommend at Towering Winds Academy of Fine Arts.
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– Dina Weavers Annapolis Watercolor Club
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