Bedtime Stories With Pappa

Watercolour and story by M. Chad Randall

My name is M. Chad Randall, and I'm a children's book illustrator and middle school art teacher living in Orange, Texas. Art has been a central thread in my life since childhood. From the moment I could hold a pencil, I was sketching stories, imagining characters, and building worlds.

I illustrated two books in the late 90s and early 2000s, but left art for the corporate world, wrongly thinking I couldn't support my family as an artist. After nearly three decades, my passion for art and storytelling has brought me full circle, compelling me to begin illustrating again.

Today, I work traditionally in watercolor and pencil, and run a YouTube channel called Bedtime Stories With Pappa, where I read gentle stories aloud for kids and families. I also teach middle school art, encouraging young artists to value their creativity and voices.

Art brings me joy and connection—but it also brings challenges. Watercolor is my chosen medium, but it can be unforgiving. I wrestle with consistency, color control, and capturing light. I want to deepen my understanding of layering, transparency, atmosphere, and classical technique to bring more clarity and feeling to my illustrations.

That's why I'm so inspired by the Watercolor Academy. I admire its classical focus, structured learning, and mentorship from real masters. It's exactly what I've been looking for—an opportunity to grow in skill and confidence.

Winning the Watercolor Academy course would be incredible. It would help me grow as a professional illustrator and as a teacher passing that knowledge forward.

I hope people will vote for me because I'm committed to the journey. I want to keep telling stories that uplift and connect—with more beauty, skill, and intention.

Thank you for considering my story.

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