One-Day Class:
Monica Austin
Painting Your Story
Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026
Time: 9:00 am- 4:00 pm
Venue:
Marsh Lane Baptist Church
10716 Marsh Ln
Dallas, TX 75229
Price: $115 for members/$130 for non-members (includes Supply Fee)
Monica Austin will lead participants in an SWS one-day class, diving into the mechanics of storytelling specifically in watercolor. Learn how to effectively transform your memories and emotions into visual stories for better results.
"Every painting begins with a spark—an image, a memory, a feeling—and becomes a story only you can tell,” Monica says. "This class is about uncovering that story and letting it guide every brushstroke. Where do you want to take your viewer? We’ll explore how story and emotion shape composition, and how values bring depth, focus, and meaning to your work. Through shared exercises, you’ll see how a single subject can shift dramatically when viewed through different narratives. Then the focus turns to you: what do you want YOUR painting to say?”
More from Monica:
"As artists, we all want to capture something in our art. What that is varies from person to person. Sometimes we create simply to get something out of our heads or off our hearts. Sometimes we want to hold onto a sweet memory before it fades - to capture the little things that made a moment special. And sometimes we want to share an experience, lived or imagined, in a way that allows someone else to feel a little of what we felt."
"I think it can be easy to get caught up in the 'side quests' of being an artist. We want to develop our technical skills, finally understand color theory, take every class we can, complete a 30-day painting challenge, get into exhibitions, or make work that sells. there are good reasons to pursue all of these things. But sometimes, in the middle of all that, we lose sight of something pretty important: telling a story."
"That might sound daunting. It still does to me. But let's start simply."
"Maybe the story you want to tell is just: I saw a beautiful flower. I appreciated it. I want to paint it so someone else can experience some of that beauty too. That's it. No grand philosophy required."
"Even a simple story like that starts to guide the decisions you make. What if that flower was your Nana's favorite flower, and the pot it's growing in is Nana's pot? Then maybe the pot matters to the story. What if the flower isn't connected to a person, but it was growing in a garden where the thick vibrant foliage was part of what made the scene so beautiful? then maybe the setting belongs in the painting too. Or maybe the story really is just about the flower. In that case, stripping away the surrounding details might be the best way to tell it."
"Now let's say we've decided: we're painting a beautiful flower."
"You reach for your brushes. Do you grab the big ones? Flat brushes? Tiny, precise botanical brushes? That choice starts to shape the story. Your brushes affect the size and character of your marks, the looseness or precision, and ultimately how the flower feels."
"Then you reach for your paint. Do you want smooth, clean color? The rough texture of granulating pigments? Light, luminous layers built up slowly? Or an opaque color that goes down in one bold stroke?"
"Here's the fun part: there is not one right answer. You could turn in any direction at each point in the process, and each choice would lead you somewhere different."
"That's what we are going to dig into in Story Class: What is our story - and which way do we turn?"
Supply Fee Basic supply fee ($15 included in registration) covers the special paper and paints we will use during class.
NOTE:
Monica will also provide all other supplies including palettes, brush, water containers, pipettes, spray bottles, rags, pencils, erasers, tape, etc. for just $10 for the day—simply email Monica at monica@mocah.studio after registration. You can walk in worry-free; everything you need will be provided.
Monica Austin is a Texas-based watercolorist whose work blends precision, story, and luminous color. With a background in creative design—specializing in branding and custom interior art features—she brings a refined sense of composition and visual identity to every painting. Beginning in graphite, Monica developed a deep love for structure and value before diving headlong into watercolor during Covid, embracing the medium’s fluidity and challenge.
Her artistic voice has been shaped through study with masters including Laurin McCracken, Thomas Schaller, and Randy Meador. As she continues toward her first signature, Monica’s work has been juried into exhibitions with National Watercolor Society, Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, and Watercolor Art Society - Houston.
“I’ve always seen in high definition,” she says—a perspective reflected in her fascination with macrophotography, tiny details, and the quiet narratives carried in a single expression or object. While known for her crisp realism and strong value design, Monica is intentionally pushing toward looseness, exploring the magic that happens when control gives way to flow.
A dedicated educator, she teaches weekly classes and leads workshops throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area and neighboring states, emphasizing fundamentals, color theory, and building paintings on a foundation of powerful value composition.
