Laurin McCracken (born 12 November 1942 in Meridian, Mississippi) is an American watercolor painter known for his photorealistic still lifes, florals, landscapes and other subjects. [1]
McCracken earned a B.A. in Art and Architecture from Rice University. He also graduated from Princeton University with a Master's in Architecture and Urban Planning. [2] For forty years, McCracken worked as an architect and the head of marketing for several of the nation's leading architectural and engineering firms. [3] McCracken took his first watercolor classes in 1999 with Gwen Bragg at The Art League in Alexandria, Virginia. [4]
He also studied under Alain Gavin, a professor at The Art Institute of Chicago. [4] [5] McCracken retired and began painting full-time. He lives and works in Fort Worth, Texas. [6]
McCracken is influenced by the Flemish Baroque school of still life where meticulous attention is paid to detail. These works of art are centered around compositions of flowers, eating utensils in the style and manner of the ontbijtje of "little breakfast", while these Flemish works were of a style of Vanitas, [7] McCraken's work is not philosophical in the sense that the subject is meant to communicate the transience of life or ephemeral nature of existence. McCracken's work is tied more closely to the more current photorealism school with a subject matter or influence of the Flemish Baroque period. Stylistically, McCraken's work also reflects the Flemish Baroque characteristic of lighting the subject matter from the left against a dark background. [8] Unlike the Flemish school, McCracken accomplishes his work in watercolor with a technique and quality that rivals the original medium of oil.
McCracken has earned signature status in more than a dozen watercolor societies, including the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, [9] Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Southern Watercolor Society, Society of Watercolor Artists, Tennessee Watercolor Society, [10] Watercolor West, and the Watercolor USA Honor Society. He is also an Elected Member of the Allied Artists of America, Inc. [11]
Laurin McCracken (born 12 November 1942 in Meridian, Mississippi) is an American watercolor painter known for his photorealistic still lifes, florals, landscapes and other subjects. [1]
McCracken earned a B.A. in Art and Architecture from Rice University. He also graduated from Princeton University with a Master's in Architecture and Urban Planning. [2] For forty years, McCracken worked as an architect and the head of marketing for several of the nation's leading architectural and engineering firms. [3] McCracken took his first watercolor classes in 1999 with Gwen Bragg at The Art League in Alexandria, Virginia. [4]
He also studied under Alain Gavin, a professor at The Art Institute of Chicago. [4] [5] McCracken retired and began painting full-time. He lives and works in Fort Worth, Texas. [6]
McCracken is influenced by the Flemish Baroque school of still life where meticulous attention is paid to detail. These works of art are centered around compositions of flowers, eating utensils in the style and manner of the ontbijtje of "little breakfast", while these Flemish works were of a style of Vanitas, [7] McCraken's work is not philosophical in the sense that the subject is meant to communicate the transience of life or ephemeral nature of existence. McCracken's work is tied more closely to the more current photorealism school with a subject matter or influence of the Flemish Baroque period. Stylistically, McCraken's work also reflects the Flemish Baroque characteristic of lighting the subject matter from the left against a dark background. [8] Unlike the Flemish school, McCracken accomplishes his work in watercolor with a technique and quality that rivals the original medium of oil.
McCracken has earned signature status in more than a dozen watercolor societies, including the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, [9] Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Southern Watercolor Society, Society of Watercolor Artists, Tennessee Watercolor Society, [10] Watercolor West, and the Watercolor USA Honor Society. He is also an Elected Member of the Allied Artists of America, Inc. [11]