This art blog has always been about painting—about color strategy, composition, light, and the daily work of becoming a better painter. But over the years, many of you have written to me complaining about the ads in on my blog. You’ve said they’re distracting and clutter up your feed. They break the spell just when you’re settling into a serious discussion about art.
My assistant Laura valiantly tried to keep the impact of ads down. When Google added a new kind of ad, she ruthlessly suppressed it. She cut back on the total number of ads shown, but they always seemed to creep back up.
My dilemma
Those ads helped keep the lights on. Not in a champagne-and-caviar way, but in a beer-and-sausage way. But while I was selling space on my own website, I was buying much pricier ad space elsewhere. (Google generates most of its revenues from advertising.)
Although many people said they were willing to pay for content, this blog has thousands of subscribers. Moving them over to a subscription platform is way more than I can manage right now.
A better experience for you
This week, I removed all third-party advertising from this site. That means no more ads for foot fungus medication, no more embedded tracking and no more distractions.
When you land here, I want you looking at art and reading about process. I want you thinking about light and value and composition, not wondering why I think you need orthopedic shoes. (For what it’s worth, I have never controlled the content of the ads. That’s generated from the viewer’s side, which is why all my ads right now are from car dealers.)
This is partly about cleaning up the look of my blog, but it’s also about reclaiming some of the human connection. Consider this a compositional edit: less noise, more paint.
This blog has been a conversation between working artists, aspiring artists and art collectors for more than two decades, across several platforms. It’s a place where we can talk honestly about what it means to wrestle with paint, doubt, ambition, meaning and the business side of this calling.
Instead of betting on algorithms, I’m betting on you
I will keep sharing painting tutorials, essays on composition and color strategy, and field reports from plein air workshops and art festivals. I’ll keep teaching what I know about color strategy, composition and the audacity required to put brush to canvas.
At the same time, I will talk about my paintings, my workshops and my classes. Not as random advertising interruptions, but as invitations. My goal isn’t to sell you stuff you don’t need. It’s to connect you with the paintings, workshops and classes that might be of genuine value to you.
I give you a cleaner, calmer, ad-free experience. In return, if and when something I offer serves your needs, you support that. That feels like a fair trade.
I’m calling this an experiment, and I’ll reassess it in a few months. Since so much of social media is experimentation, I don’t know how this will work. But I do know I would rather have fewer engaged, thoughtful readers than lots of annoyed visitors clicking quickly past pop-ups.
Art is built on attention, concentration and presence. It seems contradictory to preach those values while surrounding the conversation with digital noise.
What do you think?
I’d love for you to be my partner in this next phase. Does the site feel better to you? Calmer? More focused? What kind of content should I prioritize now that we’ve cleared out the clutter?
If you’re looking for an art blog focused on serious painting instruction—color strategy, composition, value structure, painterly brushwork and so much more—you’re in the right place. This site remains committed to practical guidance for working and aspiring painters.
Invest in your craft
Online painting class: How to See Like a Painter
Monday evenings, 6-9 PM
Feb 23-March 2, March 16-April 6
How to see like a painter: retrain your eyes to look past labels and focus on the architecture of a scene—the actual “bones” of the image.
Online painting class: Painterliness: Looseness and Bravura Brushwork
Tuesday evenings, 6-9 PM
Feb 24-March 3, March 17-April 7
Painterliness is less about a look than a way of thinking. We’ll focus on how to let a painting feel alive rather than overworked or timid.
Sedona Plein Air Painting Workshop: Canyon Color for the Painter, March 9-13, 2026
Paint en plein air in Sedona’s luminous red rock canyons and gain practical color skills. Wide, sunlit expanses provide an ideal classroom for seeing bold hue and subtle value relationships.
Registration is now open for workshops in 2026! Reserve your spot:
- Sea & Sky | Acadia National Park, ME, August 2–7, 2026
- Find your Authentic Voice in Plein Air | Berkshires, MA, August 10-14, 2026
- New! Color Clinic 2026 | Rockport, ME, October 3-4, 2026
- New! Composition Week 2026 | Rockport, ME, October 5-9, 2026
Can’t commit to a full workshop? Work online at your own pace:
Bravo for taking the brave uphill route away from an ad-filled blog! Thank you for sharing your wisdom and experience and good luck with this new twist in the revenue stream. Alan
Thank you, Alan!
It’s nice not to be interrupted by ads, but to be honest, I just ignore and scroll past them.
On another note, we finally got a day of sunshine in Wales, today, so I set with my plein air kit and set up shop in the town square. I painted the pub and the war memorial. I sold the painting, straight off my pad. Took a photo of it and put in all my socials as usual. Receiving some positive feedback on the community FB page, which is always nice.
Happy painting.
My Scottish friend said the same thing. I think it’s their first sunny day in 2026. Congratulations!
💜 More you, less them. Glad you’re consistent with elevating art, reducing noise. We love your blog.
Thank you, Pamela!
I have to say that I felt comfortable just scrolling past the ads. Didn’t think I noticed them, until they weren’t there! Your site feels much calmer and less-distracted now. I’ve always read it, but now feel the ability to focus more completely. I hope this works for you! And Thanks.
Thank you, Wendy! It’s interesting that you weren’t bothered by them. That’s a useful data point.
Thank you. I was one of the whiners about ads. I am glad your blog is about you now Thanks!
You are NOT a whiner, Diane!
Yay!!! Wonderful, thank you.
Thanks, Stephen!
I was annoyed by the ads, but I just clicked and scrolled past them, knowing that you had no control over the content (an frankly flabbergasted by some of the stuff The Google thought I needed to hand my credit card over for…it sometimes added a bit of humor on the side). I do like the cleaner look, but I also hope it doesn’t mean you’ll have to give up decent beer and sausage for the cheap stuff!
Life is too short for cheap beer, my friend.
Good luck with this experiment. I’ll be curious what it will reveal. Your blog is a wonderful service and more enjoyable without the truly graphic ads for dental implants that Google seemed to think I needed/wanted to see. I’d sooner enjoy your art and wisdom uninterrupted.
Cheers!
I was getting ads for intestinal worms for a while. Why totally baffled me.
Much preferred without the ads. It’s a bold step worth a try.
I do, and always will, appreciate learning from you.
Thank you, Mark.
Love the new look! I’d read your blog with or without the ads, though,
You’re very kind, Lynda.
I’ve always described you as an ‘artists artist’ and the ads also never really bothered me. Your content is typically so good, useful & thought provoking it was only a minor annoyance or something simply to scroll past to get to the good stuff – like I do with many apps today.
Thank you; I appreciate that.
The blog is so much easier to read and enjoy. Thank you- the pictures of various ailments were keeping me away!
Thank you, Becky!
That’s inspiring. without blinking ads, Your paintings really pop! The ones here are stunning, especially “Avalanche Country”, the seem new to the blog :).
Admittedly, since I usually see ads for products I have searched, I sometimes click away before finishing the blog! This is helpful for focus on the topic!
I’d love to see this listed each time too. Good reminders!
https://www.watch-me-paint.com/seven-protocols-for-successful-oil-painters/
Thank you–your wish is my command, as soon as I figure out how to do it!
I won’t miss the ads. Your blog has always been thoughtful and a good place to pick up hints and make connections. Kudos for trying this.
Thank you, Patty!