Between Tides – Painting of the Week

Your Art Collection

Between Tides is an original 1987 watercolor featuring the tranquil Santa Barbara harbor. Recently, an Antiques Roadshow fan spotted it at an antique store in Rapid City and reached out to verify its authenticity—made possible because my business card was still attached to the back! He picked up this early piece for just $45.00, though with updated modern framing, its value today is approximately $1,675.00 based on my current work of similar size.

Spotting an Original Watercolor

If you are evaluating whether a watercolor is original, look for a few subtle clues:

• Paper Texture: Original watercolors often have a gentle, natural wave rather than lying perfectly flat. The process of applying water and paint causes the cotton fibers to expand and contract.
• Signatures & Markings: My original pieces feature a hand-painted or watercolor pencil signature, often accompanied by the year—never an edition number.
• Provenance: Many collectors attach an envelope containing the original receipt or history to the back of the frame, providing valuable context for future owners.

Built to Last: Conservation & Quality

This piece remained in excellent condition after nearly four decades because I exclusively use professional, archival-grade materials. Every watercolor of mine is painted on 100% cotton rag paper using pigments chosen for their exceptional lightfastness.

To preserve your art for generations, we assemble all custom framing with conservation-grade backing and light-filtering UV protective glass (or museum glass upon request). When properly framed and cared for, these high-permanence materials ensure the artwork stays vibrant for 100 to 300 years, when displayed out of direct sunlight.

P.S. I hope to see you at my watercolor demonstration today where you can also enjoy the Rural Art Show and Fine Art Festival this weekend!