About Ashgrove Watercolor School
We help people feel at home with watercolor: precise enough to learn, free enough to play. Discover our story, our mission, the method we teach by, and the team you’ll learn with.
Our Story
Ashgrove began as a small weekend circle in a sunny studio where botanicals and landscapes met cups of tea. A few gatherings turned into dozens of workshops across seasons. With each cohort we refined how to translate intuition into teachable steps—without draining joy from the process.
Highlights
2018 — first botanical series “Leaves that Breathe”.
2019 — introduced layered wash curriculum.
2021 — moved online and built critique circles.
2024 — launched Focus Mode to deepen practice.
Mission & Approach
Our mission is to make watercolor clear and joyful. We pair concise demonstrations with deliberate play, mixing technique drills with guided improvisation. The aim is confident hands and a curious eye.
Principles
- Small steps, vivid results
- Structure then freedom
- Critique that builds
Practices
- Layered washes
- Edge control
- Color journaling
Methodology in 3 acts
Act 1 — Observe: train attention through value maps and contour walks.
Act 2 — Translate: build forms with wet-on-wet, then refine with wet-on-dry.
Act 3 — Reveal: design edges and accents to guide the viewer’s eye.
Values, Focus & Transparency
Explore our values through an interactive accordion. Enable Focus Mode to dim everything else and track how long you stayed in focused reading.
Transparency: 60%
Focus time: 00:00
Higher value = more dimming of non-focused content.
Value Scale
Clarity over jargon
We favor precise words and demonstrations you can repeat, not mystique. Every exercise has a why and a how.
Habits over hacks
Consistency wins. We build short daily loops you can keep—even on busy days.
Play invites mastery
We schedule play—the sketchbook is a lab. Curiosity keeps skills growing.
Kind critique
Feedback is a scaffold. Notes are specific and actionable, never vague or harsh.
Sustainable pace
We teach rest as skill. You grow better when breaks are designed, not stolen.
Craft with heart
Technique serves emotion. We train both hands and intent so pieces feel alive.
Focus Meter
Dots fill as you keep Focus Mode on. Aim for a steady pace rather than a sprint.
Team
We’re a small crew of teachers and facilitators who draw, test, and refine together. No pedestal—just practice.
Mira Lawson
Lead Instructor, Curriculum
What Mira does
Designs core drills, leads critique, and oversees student progress maps.
Theo Park
Studio Operations
What Theo does
Keeps workshops smooth, from materials to space flow and timing.
Ava Nguyen
Community & Critique
What Ava does
Hosts critique circles and writes weekly prompts for sketchbook play.
Rowan Patel
Color Theory
What Rowan does
Builds color maps and runs experiments on palettes and light.
Leo Sánchez
Technique Coach
What Leo does
Helps translate references into value structure and confident edges.
Noor El-Sayed
Learning Design
What Noor does
Structures cohorts and makes sure each step is rewarding and clear.
Ask a question
Reach out with anything—courses, materials, or your current practice. We’ll reply within 2 business days.
Studio info
Visit our studio by appointment. We keep hours flexible to support focused practice.
- Phone: +1 (907) 531-2846
- Location: 24 Ashgrove Lane, Suite 3
- Hours: Tue–Sat, 10:00–18:00
