Artist-Educator
Nicholas Stecher is a Southern California based Artist and Educator
Nicholas Stecher is a Southern California based Artist and Educator
Original studio watercolor paintings by Nicholas Stecher. Currently featuring the Anaheim Colony Project which aims to uplift the Anaheim community by highlighting the beautiful character of this great city.
Watercolor and pencil on 15 x 22” Arches 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2023.
Watercolor and pencil on 15 x 22” Arches 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2020. $495 contact me for details.
Watercolor and pencil on 15 x 22” Arches 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2020. $495 contact me for details.
Watercolor and pencil on 11 x 14” Arches 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2021. $230 contact me for details.
Watercolor and pencil on 14 x 14” Arches 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2020. $295 contact me for details.
Watercolor and pencil on 6x9 inch 140 lb Canson cold-pressed paper, 2021. $80 contact me for details.
Watercolor and pencil on 8 x 10” Canson 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2021. $120 contact me for details.
Watercolor and pencil on 11x14” arches cold pressed paper, 2021. Private collection.
Watercolor and pencil on 10 x 15” Arches 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2020. Private Collection.
Watercolor and pencil on 5 x 7” Canson 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2020. Private Collection.
Watercolor and pencil on 6 x 9” Canson 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2020. Private Collection.
Watercolor and pencil on 8 x 8” Canson 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2021. $95 contact me for details.
Watercolor and pencil on 6 x 9” Canson 140 lb cold pressed paper, 2020
Watercolor and pencil on 8x10” cold-pressed paper, 2019. $120 contact me for details.
Watercolor on 8x10 inch Arches cold-pressed paper 2019. $120 contact me for details.
“Green Bus on Chapman,” watercolor on cold pressed paper 2014. Private Collection.
Pencil and watercolor, 2018.
Custom painted house portrait. Watercolor on 8x10” cold-pressed paper, 2017. Private Collection.
“Wine Barrel Wedding Invitation,” hand painted custom wedding invitation, watercolor on cold pressed paper, 2016.
“Mt. Palomar Altar,” custom hand painted wedding thank you card, watercolor on cold pressed paper, 2016
Colorful realist watercolors created on-site capturing the mood of a specific time and place.
I can’t think of many things I enjoy more than painting outdoors, especially when I’m painting palm trees. Growing up in the Hudson Valley, New York, for most of my life the only time I would see palm trees was on vacation. Painting palm trees takes me there and I can almost feel my blood pressure go down. I painted this one for Plein Air April on campus at Oxford Academy, Anaheim and managed to catch the moon as it set. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted on campus at Oxford Academy, Anaheim for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted from a window looking out at my backyard on a cloudy morning for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Southern California Heritage Garden at Katella High School, painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
This retired US Navy jet flew in the Korean War and has been a feature at Boysen Park since 1959. Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
The 5 Points Market was featured in No Doubt’s “Sunday Morning” music video. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, April 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Southern California Heritage Garden at Katella High School, painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
Painted for Plein Air April. 4x6” watercolor and pencil, 2021.
"The Lembert Dome," plein air watercolor painting 2014. Private Collection.
To paint the Lembert Dome reflecting the setting sun I had to endure swarms of biting mosquitos, but it was all worth it in the end. Painted on location in Yosemite National Park, California.
Drawn and painted from a balcony on the Promenade with watercolor and pencil on cold pressed paper, 2015. Private Collection.
Created on site at the historic Santa Barbara Mission with watercolor and ink in a moleskine sketchbook, 2015
Painted on site with pencil and watercolor, 7-26-2020.
Painted on site with pencil and watercolor, 7-15-2019
Painted on site with pencil and watercolor, 8-6-2019
Painted on site in Downtown Fullerton, California with watercolor and ink, 2015.
Painted on site at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California with watercolor and ink, 2018.
Painted on site at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California with watercolor, pencil, and ink, 2014.
Painted on site at sun rise in Siem Reap, Cambodia with watercolor, pencil, and ink, 2015.
Painted on site in Santorini, Greece with watercolor and ink in a moleskine sketchbook, 2016.
Painted on site in Prague with watercolor and ink in a moleskine sketchbook, 2016.
Painted on site in Copenhagen, Denmark with watercolor, pencil, and ink in a moleskine sketchbook, 2016.
Plein air watercolor painting at the historic home of Hudson River School painter, Frederic Church.
A selection of projects from my Visual Arts students.
Objective:
What: Students will apply relevant criteria from traditional and contemporary cultural contexts to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for their self-portrait drawings. (Prof.VA:Cr3)
How: Students will draw a self-portrait and peer critique each others use of accurate shapes, form, and proportion while communicating clear messages about their identity through a minimum of 3 symbols.
Why: As an effective communicator, students will express ideas about their personal identity through contour line drawing and apply chiaroscuro.
Objective:
What: Students will shape an artistic investigation of perspectives of life in an American city through urban landscape drawing. (Prof.VA:Cr1.2)
How: Students will create an urban landscape drawing effectively communicating their perspective of life in an American city while demonstrating linear one-point perspective with a minimum of 5 buildings and document their process via Seesaw journal.
Why: The urban landscape drawing project will document students perspective of life in an American city.
Objective:
What: Students will engage in making a work of art or design without having a preconceived plan using the element line (Prof.VA:Cr2.1).
How: Students will create a Zendoodle demonstrating creative and effective use of a variety of line styles to create a design with rhythm and balance.
Why: In this unit students will be asked to explore a variety of uses for line. This project asks students to develop design skills with a variety of types and styles of line.
Objective:
What: Students will shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present day life using a contemporary practice of art or design.
How: Students will paint a movie poster communicating their stance on a socio-political issue through 5 symbols and critique a peer’s use of emphasis, movement, and unity to create an effective composition.
Why: The symbols and design choices should creatively communicate a clear message about the chosen socio-political issue clearly and effectively.
Objective:
What: (VAPA 2.1) You will solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of the elements value, color, and texture to demonstrate atmospheric perspective in a watercolor painting.
How: You will communicate a universal theme through a Surreal Watercolor Dreamscape Painting demonstrating a surreal, illogical dreamlike or fantasy setting using juxtaposition, metamorphosis, or dislocation, and Linear and Atmospheric Perspective.
Why: As a life-long learner, you will demonstrate all previously learned linear and atmospheric perspective skills. As a critical thinker you will explore your dreams and fantasies to communicate a universal theme using surrealist techniques.
Original ceramic art by Nick Stecher.
Rutile Blue glaze on Bone Clay cone 5 stoneware. 2023.
Rutile Blue glaze on Bone Clay cone 5 stoneware. 2023.
Albany Slip glaze on Bone Clay cone 5 stoneware. 2023.
Reduction-fired stoneware, 2005
Wood-fired stoneware, 2005
Wood-fired stoneware, 2005
Stoneware, 2005
