The Tahoe Art League meeting slated at 7 p.m. July 11 will be especially interesting with presenter Dale Laitinen. He will do a watercolor painting demonstration for the group.

Laitinen has been painting for more than 40 years. One of the signatures of a Laitinen landscape painting is the long view with the natural forms of the topography being foremost.

His works extend to the interaction between structures such as roads, dams, canals, powerhouses, and the natural landscape. In one of these paintings one might find a concrete dam that spans a river canyon, or a highway that cuts through desert sandstone, or a shadow of a bridge that crawls slowly across a red rock wall. The hallmark of a Laitinen painting is the unique imprint of blended representation and abstraction that is a singularly recognizable interpretation of the landscape.

After college Laitinen spent eight years as an independent trucker hauling freight across the country. In 1985 he turned to painting full-time. TAL will also be treated to his sense of humor. His Web site at http://www.dalelaitinen.com spotlights his humor with such features as Faux Art News, Wingnut and Art Psychic.

Some of the periodicals Laitinen has been featured in are: The Artist’s Magazine, Watercolor Magic, Watercolor Magazine, and Drawingboard Magazine.

Laitinen’s work has been featured in several books including “The Splash Series,” “Painting with the White of your Paper” and “The Transparent Watercolor Wheel.” The Florida Watercolor Society has invited him to be the workshop instructor and guest demonstrator for their 2007 convention and trade show. In addition he will be on the discussion panel that includes the editor of the American Artist Magazine.

An active workshop instructor, he has traveled widely in both the US and abroad. Of local interest, he recently completed a week-long retreat style workshop class at Saint Mary’s Art Center in Virginia City. This summer he will also be teaching outdoor painting workshops in the Silver Lake area at Kit Carson Lodge, in Mammoth Lakes, in Lake Tahoe, and in November at Yosemite National Park. There is an upcoming Laitinen Exhibition at the Pogan Gallery Aug. 24 to Sept. 14. Guests are invited to meet the artist at a reception from 3 to 6 p.m. Aug. 25.

Tahoe Art League meetings take place from 7 to 9 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month at the South Lake Tahoe Center, 3062 Lake Tahoe Blvd. These meetings are open to the public. One of the goals of TAL is to help the public enjoy and appreciate the visual arts. For more information on TAL, view the Web site at http://www.tahoeartleague.org or call (775) 588-8899 or (775) 588-3579.