Back in 1999, I was obsessed with getting Yahoo to pick up my web site on their search engine. After viewing all the entries under Yahoo's, visual arts - painting - watercolors, and methodically going through each alphabetical listing, I finally got down to the "G's". Monte's work really woke me up! I just had to contact him and tell him just how much I liked his paintings. I could tell he, like many other contemporaries I admire, was influenced by the greatest American watercolor instructor to date, Edgar A.Whitney.

Monte replied to my message with promptness and interest. There was something very familiar and genuine about our correspondences from the beginning. It was great having a big brother in the business. Through our e-mails, Monte became my mentor, advisor and friend. I looked at his work for inspiration and would often try to emulate a particular subject or technique that I had seen on his web site. He really helped me to grow as a watercolorist. My paintings became looser, fresher and more inspired because of Monte's influence.

When I learned about Monte's 5 day workshop near Yosemite and how affordable it was, I was determined to go. I had gotten so much out of just knowing him over the Internet, that I knew this was the just the next step. With all the unknowns of traveling alone across the country, I had a gut feeling it was what I should do.