# Michael Solovyev
*Watercolor Artist*

Michael Solovyev is a watercolor artist and instructor known internationally for his airy, light-filled paintings that seem to glow from within. Drawing on his background as a head theater stage designer and oil painter, Michael brings a director's eye for light to every canvas, believing that even a pile of rubbish can become a work of art if it's lit beautifully. Working in a luminous, transparent style, his paintings reflect a career-long fascination with light as the true subject of any composition.

Trained in traditional academic art and seasoned by more than 50 theater productions before transitioning fully to watercolor, Michael sees painting as a partnership rather than a solitary act. Unlike oil, where the artist controls every outcome, watercolor moves and lives on its own terms, a collaboration he compares to the collective creativity of the stage, where artists, lighting, and materials all work in unison. That spirit of co-creation, adrenaline, and experimentation shapes his teaching, encouraging students to embrace watercolor's unpredictability rather than fight it.

Michael is a Signature Member of several prestigious societies, including the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour (CSPWC), the National Watercolor Society (NWS), the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA), the North East Watercolor Society (NEWS), and the International Watercolor Society (IWS). He is also a Brand Ambassador for Daniel Smith, Escoda, and Baohong. His work has been featured in 16 solo exhibitions and more than 70 group exhibitions worldwide, earning numerous awards, and he has represented Canada at major watercolor festivals in countries including Hong Kong, Italy, France, Peru, Bolivia, and Portugal. Through his online platform, Michael offers a full library of video courses and workshops, from beginner fundamentals to advanced techniques, along with his own line of watercolor materials designed to support artists at every stage.

As an artist who has led workshops on nearly every continent, from small European ateliers to festivals across Australia, South America, and Asia, Michael brings a global, generous teaching style, sharing his personal techniques and secrets more openly than most masters in his field. Whether in a live workshop or an online course, his goal is to help students see the world the way he does: not as fixed objects, but as light, atmosphere, and possibility waiting to be captured.

Learn more about Michael Solovyev and his work by visiting his [website](https://www.watercoloronline.com/), or follow him on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/michaelsolovyev/?hl=en).

**Connect:** [Website](https://www.watercoloronline.com/) · [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/michaelsolovyev/?hl=en)

## Retreats led by Michael Solovyev

### Loose Style in Watercolor Retreat with Artist Michael Solovyev in France
October 12 - 19, 2027 · Teyssode, Occitanie, France · $4,400
Instructors: Michael Solovyev
[Details](https://uptrek.com/ai/content/retreat/loose-style-in-watercolor-retreat-artist-michael-solovyev-france) · [Book on uptrek.com →](https://uptrek.com/retreat/loose-style-in-watercolor-retreat-artist-michael-solovyev-france#book)

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**Last updated:** 2026-07-22