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A membership community for you to learn & practice watercolors with guidance and great company

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Perhaps you’re feeling a little like this when it comes to watercoloring…

  • You can’t seem to bring yourself to sit down and make time to paint and even if you sit down to paint, you struggle to decide what to paint
  • You have something you want to paint, but get stuck on how to approach it
  • When you paint, it doesn’t quite turn out right and you’re not sure how to improve
  • You want to paint more freely but are unwilling to waste your paint and paper
  • You get in your own way by overthinking or shying away from trying because you’re afraid your painting will be bad

If you’ve experienced the above stumbling blocks, then you probably know that it just comes down to practice.

But if all it takes is practice…

Then it should be easy to make progress. Except when it’s not.

And that’s what inspired me to build this place

  • It’s easy to let something that should be enjoyable become overwhelming, frustrating, and ultimately not fun
  • Becoming discouraged because we don’t have anyone to turn to can quickly become the reason we give up trying completely
  • If we are not careful, self-doubt, perfectionism, and fear will prevent us from practicing and making progress

Watercolor can (and should) be full of curiosity, exploration, freedom…and fun!

Introducing: Paint With Me

Paint With Me is a place for you to practice with guidance, make mistakes, and have fun while learning watercolors.

I’ll provide the guidance, and you’ll have a place to ask your questions and get help.  All you have to do is show up and paint! But you see…that is the key – you must be willing to mess up and accept ‘good enough’ in order to make progress.

Because, you will mess up, and that’s totally OK because it’s part of the process of learning.

And I’ll let you in on a little secret…you’ll never stop learning. But that is exactly what makes watercolor so much fun.

So what do you say? Let’s paint together!

Paint With Me Is Here To Help You:

Develop technique and see improvement in your paintings

Paint things that may currently feel impossible

Practice with guidance, encouragement, and feedback

Troubleshoot questions and issues that arise when painting

Connect with other wonderful, inspiring creative people

Hi, I’m Susan!

I discovered watercolors during a particularly challenging time in my life. While recovering from a bad flare of my chronic kidney disease, I was looking for something to distract me from stress and anxiety. I stumbled on some old watercolor supplies and quickly realized that it had been over 10 years since I made any kind of art.

I started with my old supplies and timidly painted something unimpressive. But I was hooked. I became obsessed with figuring out which supplies to buy and how I could improve. When I was painting I forgot all about the other things I was dealing with at the time.

I’ve heard many times from people how much they want to paint, but can’t bring themselves to actually do it. This community exists because I believe in the power of having a creative outlet.

I’m here to help you get inspired, encourage your artistic side, and maintain a consistent creative practice that will bring you more joy and fulfillment. I’m here to guide you, so let’s paint!

Here’s what you get inside Paint With Me:

Monthly Painting Inspiration

 Each month you can look forward to receiving fresh inspiration through guided video exercises from me, live guest lessons, community challenges, and more! These lessons vary in subject matter and technique to keep things fun and interesting.

I also take into account what the community wants to learn as much as possible…and I am willing to give it a try, makes mistakes, and share my approach alongside you!

Interactive Live Sessions

Come join me on our live Paint & Chat sessions, hosted twice each month on Zoom.  Come ask questions and drop in for a casual paint-along and chat.

The sessions are recorded and replays are made available for you if you can’t make it! (Sessions currently occur on Saturday afternoons, Pacific time)

An Inspiring Community

Inside our community, you have the chance to meet fellow creatives, ask questions, get advice, and connect over watercolors.

We have some of the best kind of people in here. (Although I might be a little biased!)

You can share your work in our community and see other people’s work as well. Inspire and be inspired by them.

Best of all, it’s private (and not on Facebook!)

A Complete Foundations Course

My foundational watercolor course, Just Watercolor is all about getting started with the basics. The course is 5 modules and covers the basics of watercolors from supply choices, color mixing and brush techniques all the way to completion of a simple landscape. 

The course is perfect for absolute beginners and typically costs $97, but you get access to it for free along with your membership!

All Members Also Get Access To:

Full Member Library

You’ll have immediate access to the full library of all current and previous lessons and live calls. If you’re ever looking for something to practice, you can pick and choose what you want, when you feel inspired.

 

The Studio

The Studio is a (virtual) place for members of the Paint With Me Community to gather and have an opportunity to connect over watercolors. Sessions are hosted by some of our wonderful members!

Monthly Challenge

Each month, we have a challenge painting where you get access to my guided real-time process and a timelapse version, too!

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What Our Community Members Are Saying…

"I appreciate Susan's style of teaching, her artistry, and her vulnerability. I feel fortunate to have landed in this community to continue to develop my creativity and artistry. I appreciate learning about art supplies as well as other artists who I might want to follow. Susan and our community are generous and generative."

Ellen B.

"Susan is a talented, generous, and warm instructor, and her lessons are clear, well-organized, and easy to follow. I appreciate her encouragement, insights, and gentle guidance very much. It's like having a painting buddy with me."

Diane W.

"After struggling with watercolors in elementary school, I gave up. They were too hard. Now at 84 having grown in either courage or recklessness, I decided to try again. Susan and the group have been wonderfully encouraging and helpful. This time around I am loving Susan and the medium."

Sue C.

"Over the past year my painting has been very sporadic with long gaps in between. It is great knowing the Paint With Me community is there to access when it suits without any pressure or fear of missing out. Susan's style and attitude make it a pleasure to participate, without feeling like you HAVE to, and her regular emails have kept me connected even when not painting."

Louise M.

"Paint with me is a group of people who are kind and supportive And I feel encouraged to paint because of them. Our leader, Susan, is warm and supportive which sets the tone for the group. Being with the group improves my mood And makes me happy besides giving me a chance to express myself as an artist."

Jeanie H.

"The PWM community provides me with the perfect amount of structure I need to improve my watercolor painting. Susan provides monthly challenges, video instruction on a variety of techniques, and a community platform in which to share and inspire one another."

Kathy S.

"I am very grateful for this opportunity to learn new skills in a kind, encouraging community with great teachers and lovely colleagues. I am also grateful for the very gentle but honest and helpful feedback on my work when I have sought that. (No one grows and benefits if the teacher only says, 'Nice work.')"

Margaret C.

"Paint With Me has met my expectations of learning how to paint and what paint brushes and paper to use. It amazes me that I am really painting with watercolors. The practice draws me into a world of beauty."

Mae S.

"If you want a great community, enjoyment, and some great online learning, this is the place for you. Paint With Me has that and a teacher/administrator who is approachable and "there for you". This is a wonderful place to be."

Jenelle C.

30 Day Worry-Free Guarantee

I am personally committed to providing you with the support, encouragement, and resources you need to continue making progress with watercolors while enjoying the process.

If you are not completely satisfied with your experience and decide you want to cancel at any time within your first 30 days, just let us know and you will receive a refund – no questions asked.

Not sure if Paint With Me is right for you?

Paint With Me will not be for everyone, and I’d rather help you figure that out before you join rather than waste your time.  So let’s figure it out…

Paint With Me is for you if:

  • You’re a beginner, advanced beginner, or intermediate watercolor painter.
  • You’re aspiring to get better at painting watercolor in a ‘loose’-ish style
  • You tried learning from free tutorials and YouTube videos but you want more guided instruction
  • You’re ok with learning from someone who is learning alongside you and willing to share the real process.
  • You want to explore a variety of different subjects using watercolor.
  • You are looking for monthly lessons to follow so you can practice more consistently

Paint With Me is NOT for you if:

  • You want to learn how to paint in a very detailed, realistic style using watercolors
  • You classify yourself as an advanced watercolor artist and need little instruction or guidance
  • You are not ok with a mentor/guide who is learning alongside you and transparently shares mistakes and mishaps
  • You prefer to see a full schedule of all lessons prior to joining. (I select what we learn based on community requests combined with creative inspiration)
  • You enjoy a teaching style that uses accurate terminology and extreme technical depth. (While I believe in learning the foundations, I believe more in experimenting.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Have some questions? Let me try and answer them for you…

Are all the lessons & exercises available immediately?
You get access to everything already inside Paint With Me right away.  All the previous lessons and live call replays are stored in the Member Library so there’s plenty to pick from right when you join! I continue to add to the library with our new monthly lessons, so your content library will continue to grow.

What if I am a total beginner with watercolors?
If you are just getting started with watercolors (like you just bought supplies) or you feel strongly that you are an absolute beginner who needs help with the foundations, then I have great news for you! I have included my foundational watercolor course, Just Watercolor, inside the community for you to access and get started with!

Can I cancel the membership if I don’t have the time to keep up every month?

I totally understand that life gets busy and one of the first things that gets put aside is painting. (It happens to me too.) There is an option for you to pause your membership if this happens.  There is also an option to completely cancel your membership as well.

Can I upgrade to the annual membership later?

Yes, you can! You can easily upgrade to annual membership at any time through your account page.  Our system will automatically take into account the time left on your current subscription and prorate it so that you won’t be double charged.

Can I access the content from inside Paint With Me after I cancel?
No. Your membership entitles you to enter the members area and access the content there released prior and during the duration of your membership. If you cancel or do not renew your membership you will no longer be able to access the content inside Paint With Me.

What time and where are the live calls hosted?
The live calls are hosted through Zoom on weekend afternoons at 1:30pm Pacific Time (dates and times subject to change). If you are unable to make the live calls, the sessions are recorded and a replay is put up in the Member Library 24-48 hours after the call.

How is Paint With Me different from the free tutorials I can find online?
You can definitely learn with all the amazing free online tutorials that are out there! I learn from so many of them too! But these free tutorials don’t offer assistance troubleshooting problems that arise when you try painting them for yourself. If you are resourceful you can, of course, find another video addressing the issues you encounter, but wouldn’t a direct way to ask and get answers be easier? I think so!

Can I get personal feedback and support on my work?
You can ask questions and get advice, support, and feedback any time from within the community, but there are also 2 monthly live sessions where you can ask (and chat) with me live.

What if I don’t enjoy Paint With Me or it isn’t what I expected?
I have a good feeling that you will LOVE Paint With Me, however, if for some reason you are not 100% satisfied in any way, I have a 30 day money back guarantee.  If you want to cancel any time within your first 30 days, just let us know and you will receive a refund – no questions asked.

Got more questions? Email support@paintwithmecommunity.com and ask away!

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