michael reardon Workshop

MICHAEL REARDON - Biography

Michael Reardon has been painting in watercolor for over thirty-five years. An avid traveler, he uses watercolor to record his observations, convey a sense of place and light, and communicate his impressions of the built, natural, and imagined worlds. He works from his studio in Oakland, California.

Originally trained as an architect with a degree in architecture from UC Berkeley, he was an architectural illustrator for over thirty years. In 2004 he was awarded the Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize, the premier award in the field of architectural illustration. In 2005 he was the recipient of the prestigious Gabriel Prize from the Western European Architecture Foundation, enabling him to spend three months painting in Paris. 

His watercolors have been exhibited nationally and internationally, including the annual shows of the National Watercolor Society, the American Watercolor Society, and the California Watercolor Association. In 2011 and 2022 he presented solo shows at the Thomas Reynolds Gallery in San Francisco and Santa Barbara. In 2023 he was honored to participate in the Kunming International Watercolor Exhibition in Kunming, China.

He is a Master Signature member of the National Watercolor Society and the California Watercolor Association. He is also a signature member of the American Watercolor Society. He is also the author of Watercolor Techniques: Painting Light and Color in Landscapes and Cityscapes from North Light Books.

Image:  Dorsoduro Evening by Michael Reardon