Indiana Watercolor Fine Artist Bio of Mike Prout

At a young age I was drawing whatever I could see. It wasn’t until high school that I was introduced to principles and techniques that shaped my creative abilities. I had a fantastic art teacher who is still a great friend and mentor.

My interest in watercolor started very early on but I start using it as a painting medium until a few years ago. Some of my favorite realist painters were Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer. Others like John Singer Sargent and Andrew Wyeth are favorite too. I think that there are common intrinsic aesthetics in all forms of painting. Small, intimate paintings to large, abstract canvas all share a place in my heart and on my walls.

I paint the people, places and things that make up everyday life. I find inspiration and look for beauty even in the most mundane items. I strive for brushwork that is purposeful and elegant, and I’ve always been interested in capturing the quality and effects of light.

Family life also has a huge influence on my work. My wife and I own and operate a mid-sized horse farm throughout the year. She keeps a lot of horses on hand so I always have subjects to paint or draw. I also have two wonderful kids that come in handy as well.

Currently I paint on the side while working as a freelance graphic artist and website developer. There are so many tricks, tools and media yet to explore not to mention styles and approaches. Everyday is a new day and each sheet of white paper is another adventure.