Lin Fredrickson

2026

Artist of the Month 

October

Lin Fredericksen
TAG Artist of the Month
October 2026
I drew a lot when I was young and when I retired,
decided to take it back up. So I started coming to TAG's
Thursday Open Studios--trying watercolors because (I
thought) that would be easiest. I learned a lot from
watching and talking to the experienced artists here, who
generously mentored me and shared their materials so I
could try out new mediums. I had a lot of fun, even if my
paintings weren't very good!
I was lucky to be in Thursday studio when Lee
Hammond arrived in Topeka. She was amazing! My
drawing skills improved dramatically while taking her
classes at TAG from 2019-2022. I learned colored pencil
techniques for the first time and I still enjoy using them
(though my hands have started to complain). I have fond
memories of meeting under the shade trees in Gage
Park during COVID.When I started drawing with soft pastels to give my hands a
break, I really loved the richness of the colors and the
layering you can achieve. I tried my hand at plein air
landscapes with pastels and they've become my favorite
medium for the sketches I do in life drawing classes.
Most recently I've tackled painting again-- acrylics this time,
because they're so much more forgiving than watercolors.
I've heard more than one teacher say, "If you can draw, you
can paint." I have no idea why they think that, but I keep
plugging away.
Regardless of which medium I choose, I gravitate to the
people and animals I know for my subjects and I like
paintings that tell a story. I often rely on old family snapshots
for material. Looking back at my first AOM two years ago I
am pleased to see I've made progress