Artist Profile

Adam VanHouten is a professional artist who has 20+ years of experience teaching as a visual art instructor, painting workshops. VanHouten received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting and Art Education from Western Michigan University and a Masters in Education from Michigan State University.  Adam is an artist with a commitment to sharing his learning through his teaching and to continue to develop and grow his practice as a working artist. VanHouten's paintings glow with light and texture displaying the colors and nuance of Northern Michigan. "I allow the texture of the painting medium to guide my choices, drawing inspiration from the visual surfaces around me with their many layers of time and weathering."  VanHouten's passion and skill for art is evident in his paintings, displaying his ability to depict scenes in a unique impressionistic style.  Adam's unique voice in painting allows the textures of the painting to show through in the final artwork. 

VanHouten enjoys spending time with his three children and his wife, Beth. Living in the beauty of Northern Michigan allows him to travel quickly and easily to paint some of the most scenic spots in all of Michigan.  If he is not painting, he is inspiring the next generation of artists, kayaking or hiking, or playing the guitar.

Artist CV

"My paintings are inspired by the textures of this world. I seek to engage viewers with my understanding of the way things feel and look, both inwardly and outwardly. I allow the texture of the painting medium to guide my choices, drawing inspiration from the visual surfaces around me with their many layers of time and weathering. Textures take time to develop and my work depicts layers that entices and reveals more about our time here on Earth. The visceral feeling of paint, whether the soft wash of watercolor, the thick impasto mark of oil paint, or a dry brush stroke against a rough paper, draws me into the art making process."

-Adam VanHouten-