Michael Potashnik

Michael Potashnik began his art studies seven years ago at the Art League School in Alexandria, VA.  His studies have included classes and workshops in basic figure and gesture drawing, watercolor and plein air painting.  He is a member of the National Watercolor Society, the Virginia Watercolor Society, the McLean Art Society, Loudoun Sketch Club, Arlington Artists Alliance in Virginia, Baltimore Watercolor Society, and the Southwestern Watercolor Society.

Michael’s paintings have been juried in the Virginia Watercolor Society in 2023 and 2022 and the Underground Gallery’s National Juried Exhibit and “Out of the Blue” Exhibit in 2023.  He received Second Place in the Annual Waterford Fair Fine Art Exhibit in 2022.  He also received Honorable Mention for his painting “Life on the Nile” in the 50th Anniversary Treasury of Art Show of the Vienna Art Society and Honorable Mention at the Eye of the Beholder art show in Alington, VA.

Michael’s watercolors follow the school of realism or naturalism.   His subject matter includes rural and urban landscapes and people in their natural habitats and social milieus.  He is both a studio painter and a plein air artist, preferring to paint life out of doors whenever possible.

Michael is also the Publisher of the International Wine Review which he founded in 2005.  The Review is an online subscription-based publication which produces bi-monthly reports and wine review articles on the world of wine for wine professionals and other deeply involved wines.  It appears on www.i-winereview.com.

Before his retirement, Michael had a long career in international development with the United Nations Development Program and the World Bank. Michael has six grown children and resides with his wife in McLean, Virginia.