His landscapes are wonders of beautifully modulated light, sumptuous color, and a vast wealth of visual information. His control extends to every challenge in representational painting: the turning of forms, the subtle nuances of color, the rendering of textures and translucencies, the play of air, shifting skies, running water, and open seas. For a painter of such command, the idea of teaching a beginner watercolor class might seem somewhat less than exciting, but this is not so for Falato. Working with his students at Paier College of Art, in Hamden, Connecticut, he brought to the basics of watercolor a passion and energy that soon had a room full of novices excited and interested—and not without reason. Falato quickly demonstrated that the ability to use the very basic vocabulary of watercolor is crucial to creating high-quality work.