We are excited to introduce you to our new Corporate Sponsor for IWE, LevellingUP. LevellingUp is an online platform where artists can connect with Master Artists who provide mentorship opportunities.
One of the Master Artists featured on the website is Keiko Tanabe. Keiko is starting a new mentorship group at LevellingUp. Her first session is on Sunday, March 6, 2022. If you are interested in checking out LevellingUp and participating in Keiko’s next mentor group, WAS-H members get a discount. Use WAS-H_10for3 and receive $10 off per month for your first three months of membership with LevellingUP.
Full details and registration can be found at https://www.levellingup.ca/keiko-tanabe-mastermind/
by Paula Fowler, Gallery Co-Director
Once a month at the Watercolor Artists Society – Houston a show gets hung in our gallery or, as in the case of our Covid years, on our website. Ten of these shows are open entry. The other two premier shows, the International Watermedia Exhibition and the Annual Members Exhibition, have a juried entry. All the shows offer the opportunity to sell your work, possibly win an award and to share your work with your family and friends and they are a core part of the WAS-H culture and camaraderie. So it is with great pleasure that a dedicated group of volunteers gather behind the scenes to make this all happen.
The morning that the February 2022 show, with a theme of A Few of My Favorite Things, was hung was a beautiful winter Saturday morning in Houston. I arrived at the gallery early and the building was already abuzz with the energy of the scheduled paint-in with Linda Jarnagin in session upstairs. Downstairs in the gallery, our Artist Liaison, Laura Mossman, had previously arranged this month’s 52 entries on the floor, leaning against the walls all around the gallery. I stood alone taking them all in. What a great feeling to see all these potential winners and to see how they interpreted the theme.
The fun part is about to start. It’s like a big puzzle, really. Arrange the works so that they flow around the room with pleasing color transition, complementary genres, and aesthetic balance of sizes. Oh, and make sure this is equally spaced on the available walls. This is quite an iterative process, and the painting are ultimately moved around a lot.
When my Co-Director, Nancy McMillian, and the volunteers (Patty Armstrong, Leisa Patin, Irene Sheytman, and Donna Dean) arrived, we dove in. Everyone has a say and, believe me, everyone has an opinion! We pick some larger eye-catchers to anchor the walls and go from there. Sometimes what feels like it will work, doesn’t look so good from across the room. Some paintings are moved over and over. We agree, disagree, laugh, chat, and have a really
wonderful time. After over two hours, we hang the last painting, step back and have a quiet look at another great show. It’s magical! I love this job!
At this time, our judge, Alison Hendry, arrived and we cleared the gallery of all people so that she could spend time with the works alone. She had so many “Favorite Things” to consider: beautiful landscapes, florals, beloved pets, prized grandchildren. After another hour or so, she was done, and we had another group of winners to call with the good news!
Alison was an exceptional person to work with. As a Signature Member of WAS-H, she knows a lot about what makes a painting a winner and her comments were both insightful and educational. She born and raised in Canada. Her rocket-scientist father, who is also an artist, presented her with her first paint set when she was eleven. After earning degrees in Biology and Nursing, she worked in Obstetrics until she retired. After she moved to Houston, she got her introduction to watercolor and to WAS-H from one of our favorite artists and teachers, Ellen Orseck. She has subsequently won many awards, including the President's award for the AME in 2020 and a gift award in the IWE 2021. She was also accepted into the Houston Visual Arts Alliance online show in 2021.
We owe Alison many thanks for the numerous ways she helped us with this show. The following are her comments about the winners:
First Place – Palmetto by Fontaine Jacobs
“Bold confident strokes, excellently rendered in a striking composition full of movement on an extremely difficult surface. I noticed it immediately across the room and loved the warm tones on the right that played well with the cooler darker greens with great shadows and light. “
Second Place – Cedar Creek Wimberley by Erik Sproghe
“Masterful technique in every part, from the light on the water, where I swear I see a face in the bold colors of the bank, to the interesting viewpoint across the tree that draws us to the soft focal point of the bridge. “
Third Place - Grapevine by Zahid Shaikh
“Love the mixture of abstraction of the leaves and the representational of the grapes. Subtle darks and highlights on the grapes, the colors used, the negative painted leaves and all those drips kept me interested and looking for a long time. “
Honorable Mention – Sophie by Robin Avery
“The diagonal bold solid masses of color for the background set off the expertly rendered sweet smiling happy dog. Love the eyes and the opaque nature of the paint. Made me smile to look at it. “
Honorable Mention – Trail Creek Winter by Fred Kingwill
“This made me feel cold just looking at it, but brought back wonderful memories of childhood and snowshoeing in the woods. The snow on the pines is fabulously painted and the composition is excellent. I feel the heaviness and quiet of the forest covered in snow. “
Honorable Mention – Lazing on the Llano by Kathleen Church
“Loved the loose impressionistic style with strokes of color confidently applied. The yellow fields and bright blue water in the background draw the eye in from the cool greys of the foreground. Excellent composition. “
Honorable Mention – Love Locks at Sunset by Nan Wright
“Interesting viewpoint through the fence of the locks to the water. The warmth of the light in the background pulls us through and then the cool dark fence pops the eye back again. Great movement. I noticed the further back I stood the more details emerged. “
Thanks Volunteers: Please join me is once again in thanking all the volunteers that make our shows happen and give some thought to joining us in the process soon. If you are interested in joining in, sign up on the SignUpGenius on our homepage.
Each month, the winners are asked to share a few words about their experiences associated with their paintings. Below, we present what they shared.
First Place - Palmetto by FONTAINE JACOBS
Palmetto started as a small Plein Air painting sketch at Maas Nursery that I used as a reference for the larger version finished in my studio. With Yupo, it is a challenge to make flat washes, which I overcame by painting in one direction from the center outwards with just the amount of pressure on my brush to avoid lifting the paint. I was inspired by the repeating elements and added the complimentary red for interest.
Second Place – Cedar Creek, Wimberly by Erik Sprohge
This was on our last Geriatric Art Society (GAS) trip. GAS is an offshoot of WASH. We would meet twice a year in different places in Texas or surroundings and paint. I love the hill country, the clear water, the rocks, the hills. This scene is of the bridge off highway 12 right before you get into a little cluster of shops and restaurants in Wimberly.
Third Place – Grapevine by Zahid Shaikh
I'm out of my comfort zone here, not my usual style. Inspired by Jean Haines, British master watercolorist, I did the background first using deep, rich colors and lots of water, then lifted the pattern of leaves and vines. Finally, I painted the grapes with a little more definition. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process!
My painting, Sophie, expresses my love for our wonderfully sweet, loving, funny labradoodle. This painting is a Valentine’s gift to my husband. He’s her personal trainer, chef, medical assistant…and Make-up Artist (He takes her to the groomer!) I hope the love we feel for her is genuinely expressed.
I have always loved loose and colorful watercolor landscapes. There is something about the fresh color, the hint of impressionism, the reminder of just how beautiful our natural world is that makes me happy. In this little scene along the Llano River where a few friends and I spent a long weekend at the beginning of Covid, I was drawn to the fields and river. The parallel lines of rock, low-water bridge, fields and distant tree line are broken by the S curve of the river and the large tree emerging from the shoreline on the right. And then of course there were the cows roaming around in the field to make it a perfect Texas scene! The rocky shore is beautiful. Long layers of stone required being creative with grays. My palette was simple: Sennilier Permanent Yellow, a mix of cobalt and cerulean for the blues in the sky, with some darker ultramarine in the river. There’s a touch of quin gold in the fields as well. I mixed the blues on the palette and some quin gold for the tree to keep it unified. While I did this version in my studio, the first was en plein air, my favorite way to paint. I love the immediacy of painting on location.
Trail Creek Winter is an effort by me to express the emotions and joy I have when traveling (usually by snowshoes or skis) through the glorious winter forest along trail creek which is just on the border of Wyoming and Idaho. The painting has no white paint but lots of masking fluid (Pebeo). It was painted on 140lbs cold press D’Arches papers and was a “rejected” painting in WASH's International Show!
My daughter-in-law is a wonderful photographer and a romantic! When I saw this shot from their recent California trip, I knew I had to paint it... obviously I'm a romantic too!
The Russian Cultural Center is hosting an exhibit by WAS-H Artist, Rada Bukhman. The exhibit opens with a reception on Friday, February 11, 2022 at 7 pm.
The exhibition, called “Woman’s World” is reflective of Rada’s life-long relationship with music and dancing. Rada is a classical pianist but also took up flamenco dancing when she lived in Canada. Music, dancing, and her love for flowers is a common theme throughout her work.
Rada was born in Omsk, Russia into an artistic family. She received her undergraduate education in Moscow as a classical pianist and continued her studies in classical music and art at the Jerusalem Academy. After moving to Vancouver, Canada, in 1996, Rada experimented with different types of painting media and clay and learned the art of flamenco dancing.
Rada moved to Texas in 2017 with her husband and 13-year-old daughter. While she still works in oil, she has found a new love of watercolor and enjoys combining drawing, lino printing techniques and watercolor to create new and interesting compositions.
Rada’s paintings can be found in galleries throughout Canada. Her expressionist style and sense of color is sought after by collectors. Her paintings can also be found in many private collections throughout Canada, the US, and Europe.
Rada is an active member of the Watercolor Art Society – Houston. She frequently participates in the WAS-H monthly shows and has pieces in our Members’ Sales Gallery.
Rada’s exhibition runs through March 31, 2022, and can be seen at 2337 Bissonnet St., Houston, TX 77005. For more information, call (713) 395-3301. The Russian Cultural Center is open 10 am – 3 pm daily, except Sunday, when they close at 2 pm.
Congratulations to our International Watermedia Exhibition juror Soon Y. Warren on being awarded an honorable mention in the 13th Annual Watermedia Showcase, organized by the Watercolor Artist magazine. Here is what Soon told the magazine about her painting "Victory of Wings" (pictured below). To learn more about Soon Y. Warren and the upcoming IWE, please click here.
"What was your inspiration for your painting, Victory of Wings?
When I entered the sculpture room in the Louvre, I was awe-struck by the statue, Winged Victory of Samothrace. She stands proudly at the top of a grand staircase, and her poise seemed to dominate the air. I promised myself I’d bring her to life in a painting one day. It took a few years to come up with a suitable background idea before I could get started.
What excites you most about how the painting turned out?
I knew it would be impossible to capture the feeling of awe in that first encounter with the statue, but I’m pleased that, when I look at the painting, it does call up a feeling of wonder from my heart.
Describe your painting process and materials.
After drawing the subject on my paper, I applied masking fluid on the highlight areas of the tunic, the top of the wings and shoulder, and on the bot-tom of the foot and the ship-shaped stand. After the mask dried, I sprayed clean water in the center area and brushed the excess water to every side of the paper. I worked on 300-lb. Winsor & Newton paper to prevent any buckling. While the paper was wet, I poured yellow on the top, red in the center and blue at the bottom to create the back-ground that is the foundation of this painting. The three pigments mingled and spread outward to the edges. It was controlled chaos. I wanted there to be a transition from the glow at the top to a cooler effect at the bottom of the picture plane, and for this progression to be smooth and continuous, with-out interruption.
What turned out to be the biggest challenge in the creative process?
Once the background was set, the next challenge was to create a glow at the top of the body and to keep the statue integrated with the background. To start, I used a mixture of dark black, equal amounts of indigo, permanent alizarin crimson and sepia to paint the body, wings and wavy tunic. I did some scrubbing to bring out the highlight areas of the body.
What has been most influential to your painting life lately? How do you continue to keep your work fresh and exciting?
Painting with colleagues and teaching workshops keeps my creativity activated. These situations present new problems and solutions, and ideas that I can utilize. Victory of Wings is one such example. I was teaching, and I was trying to figure out how to rescue the gray, wet paper. I started to lift the paint using a wet brush to create an object, and I liked the resulting effect. That’s when I knew what I wanted to do with this background."
Happy new year! I think none of us expected to be beginning another year at WAS-H with the Covid worries and with socializing concerns and constraints. However, if these last two years have taught us anything as an organization it is that with a little ingenuity, perseverance, and good humor, we can adapt and make it over the hurdles.
As the year opens, we have our gallery lined with 42 wonderful works of a general theme. You can see the images on our online gallery, but nothing equals standing in front of the work, so please plan on stopping by the gallery soon. And while you’re there, take a look in the sales shop on the first floor where you’ll find paintings for sale by our members. Our Artist Liaison, Laura Mossman, has done a great job of coordinating this new effort.
This month we were so fortunate to have our first show of the year judged by Nancy Paris Pruden. She shared with us her vast artistic knowledge as she did the difficult job of picking the winners from the 42 wonderful entries.
Nancy is an award-winning artist, lives and works in Houston, Texas. She grew up in Ft. Worth, Texas and started painting at a very early age when she won a scholarship to study drawing and later painting at the Experimental Art Program in Ft. Worth. By the time she graduated from high school, she was selling her art and is today shown in many national juried shows. Texture and color are her main interests, and she paints from life Alla Prima style in oils. She received her BFA in Painting and Drawing from University of Georgia and continued her training with workshops with several major artists before attending the Art Students League in New York. She has won numerous awards and has participated in many One Woman Shows and museum shows across the United States. Nancy lives in Houston and organizes Painting Workshops in France, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, and Mexico in the summer. She also maintains a blog on her website that is loaded with inspirations information for artists of all media.
www.parispruden.com
I’m so happy now to share some of the thoughts that Nancy had about the winners.
First Place – Fall at the Overlook by Fred Kingwill
“Well-drawn with a variety of warm and cool greens and nice use of areal perspective. Loved the runny color in the sky for added texture. Nice placement of the center of interest and variety of shapes and marks.”
Second Place – Voyager Reflections by Jackie Liddell
“Again, well-drawn with an interesting division of space. Variety of colors and temperatures in the reflections. Nice handling of loose and precise drawing and nice placement of shapes.”
Third Place – Awning and Harbor by Larry Spitzberg
“Loved the unusual viewpoint and subtle diagonal composition. The drawing of the boats was a bit awkward and the perspective was a bit off, but it was in keeping with the overall whimsical feel of the painting so didn't bother me. Loved the awning at the top of the painting as it made you feel you were peaking in on a personal scene.”
Honorable Mention – Quiet Celebration by Pat Waughtal
“Strong sense of depth. Lots of surface visual interest as multiple layers furthered the sense of depth. Variety of brushwork and shapes of marks and unusual placement of focal point were strong points.”
Honorable Mention – Rubicund by Ruby Allen
“Nice variety of shapes and loved the way the marks on top of the shapes furthered the direction of the eye. Liked the blue and orange complementary color scheme and opposite diagonals, but the best was the choice of that neutral gray at the bottom and dark at the top to add color relief.”
Honorable Mention – Babson Farm Quarry by Charles Browne
“Nice drawing. Liked the way the rock and reflections gave you a vertical in a basically horizontal composition. Liked the subtle handling of the sky and the little pops of warm green in a cool green landscape, but wish there had been more colors used in the greens. Maybe try a little red added to the greens and even some orange to change color without changing value.”
Thanks Volunteers
Our amazing volunteers that stepped up to make this month’s show possible were Patty Armstrong, Leisa Patin, Marcia Wasson, Laura Mossman and Nancy McMillian. Thank you for your time and good humor. We really do have fun! If you are interested in joining in, sign up on the SignUpGenius on our homepage.
Coming Up
The prospectus for the February show is posted under the Monthly Gallery Exhibits. The theme is A Few of My Favorite Things. Hope you plan to enter something! And then, get ready! Our International Watermedia Exhibition is in March. A lot of work is going on behind the scenes right now to make this a big success! This is another opportunity for you to share a bit of your time and volunteer to help out.
For years one of my favorite things to tell my students and myself is: ”Paint those things that you love or that you would like to love”. My painting, Teton Fall, met that criterion. I have spent over 40 years in the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. I have a serious love affair with the area and the wildlife. The painting was done on a D’Arches watercolor block, 7.9 x 7.9 inches, cold press, 140 lbs. The scene is the Snake River Overlook where my wife and I got married on 4 feet of snow. I spent about 30 minutes painting it and a lifetime learning how to paint it (something I am still trying to do!). I probably have painted these particular scenes in all times of year, weather, colors, etc. 50 times. I suspect I will keep doing it!
Second Place – Voyager Reflections – Jackie Liddell
Because I have always lived close to the gulf, I marvel at the way water looks with the changes in seasons, atmosphere, and tides. The most challenging days are the clear days with clam water and reflections. I enjoy the geometric shapes and lines created by the old shrimp boats that work in the bays around us. This painting was sketched in plein air and painted back in my studio. I was thrilled that our juror liked it.
Third Place – Awning and Harbor – Larry Spitzberg
My painting awning and harbor was from a pretty photo that i took of the picturesque harbor at Honfleur, France. After 3 cups of coffee, I attacked the paper, as I tend to do rather than just paint it, and my hands made a different picture than the photo. My impatient nature and love of colors makes it hard anyway to just copy the photo. I leave all my energy on the paper!
Babson Farm Quarry is my second attempt at a quarry painting. Babson is on Halibut Point in Rockport, Massachusetts, and is one of numerous local granite quarries which were abandoned after the industry faded in the early 20th century. The tower in the painting is one of several observation towers along the east coast which were built to keep a look-out for German U-Boats during WWII. The quarries are a frequent subject for local artists who inspired me to make my own interpretation.
Petite, Liz Hill exerted an enormous presence. As an artist, her creativity was astonishing, her curiosity limitless, and her determination famous. A painting by Liz Hill was always quirky. Regardless of how long one studied it, some element surprised or astonished the observer. Was it a line that ended abruptly? Or wandered off casually. Colors skate across her boards. A misplaced patch of white? No, it is perfect….
One dear friend of Liz’s tried to recall how she was acquainted with Liz -- Liz was first a creative being, second an artist, maybe a watercolorist, certainly a teacher and occasionally a terrorist. Another recollected how Liz had something in her mind, in her hands, in her vision and heart that translated into unique visual experiences. “ It was often not easy with Liz, one way or the other, but we loved her, just the way she was.“
Naomi Rosborough wrote “Liz’s art is visually compelling - I cannot say was. “I would study her art and try to imagine how it came to be. I was filled with the mystery of her talent. When I remembered that she was a designer for a large furniture company in Houston, it began to make sense to me. Her collages were environments- no matter if they were people, pigeons or animals. She could not help but create complete worlds.“
Erika Just, living a continent away, departed Houston but carried with her an admiration for Liz’s arresting works. “It is so sad that Liz passed away,” Erika can be heard saying in her own imitable way. Erika said “Liz Hill was one of the great artists of WAS-H in Houston. Her Paintings were special and were recognizable instantly as being hers. Her parting is a great loss to the art world of Houston, she will be missed terribly.”
Nothing could encapsulate Liz’s extraordinary breadth of talent. No one could ever say it did not take long to know Liz, or recognize her distinctive style of paintings, her influence or to know about her. Her reputation far outran her, galloping through the polite aquarelle world of custom and manners. In a painting mode famous for shy transparency and delicate luminosity, Liz painted like a kickboxer. She shoved paint. She tore paper and glued scraps. Figures and portraits emerged like prophets, some robed, some disrobed. She painted jewelry like rocks and walls like gossamer scarves. Whatever was dense and opaque, Liz transformed into vague suggestions, lyrical melodies in paint, leaving the viewer stunned.
Dear friends knew Liz on multiple levels. Janna Macy, a longtime friend and teacher, tells the story that after Janna was recovering from a bad fall, Liz invited her for a walk in Houston’s Arboretum. Janna was confident it would be a stroll through the woods, something rejuvenating more on a spiritual, metaphysical level than a slow run through the forest, but Liz was the leader and pushed on, forward, leaving Janna behind. ‘Walk’ doesn’t adequately describe Janna’s surprise as Liz, diminutive Liz, led her granddaughter and Janna hurriedly down the path until they arrived at the park’s center pavilion, Liz’s principal objective. It was not until later that Janna realized Liz had been in pain throughout the exercise. She was being Liz exerting and pushing forward, regardless of her own discomfort.
Louise Bateman recalled being an assistant to Liz and how that translated into a real-world work experience, emphasis on work. Frequent encounters with rules brought Liz repeatedly to the attention of the WAS-H Board but her influence was undeniable. Entering the annual Teacher-Student Exhibition was always an object lesson in influence – a room full of Hill-ish paintings staggered against every wall. She terrorized her students until they adored her, imitated her and gouged out their own paint palettes, shredded paper and mixed media in deepest, sincerest emulation.
Another longtime friend and co-teacher, Carol Rensink, recalls “The relentless, bold and experimental, way Liz would build a painting always amazed me. If her art was mountain climbing, she was always at the edge taking risks, but she usually arrived at her destination, with an interesting, well-designed painting.”
Thinking about her friend and colleague, Carol added, “I will miss my art friend immensely. Liz taught me that making art is an adventure to be savored….and it guides how I choose to make art.“ Martha Carson also appreciated Liz for her sheer creativity. “Many people tried to capture her style in their own work and, of course, failed to do so“. Another artist recalled “Liz was often a light bulb. She could be dark, but when she turned on, she was brilliant. Her paintings were bright, even her darkest, most deep shades were interesting.” Josianne, one of Liz’s favorite models wrote the following, "Liz is a very inspirational woman. She saw so much beauty in me and always booked me to model. I admired her bold and zesty spirit. She is loved and missed by many. God bless you Liz Hill and thank you for being a friend to many."
Ardent admirers found Liz a mystery and a mess. Norm Wigington recounts the day he first encountered Liz at WAS-H. Midway through attending his first morning studio session, Liz accosted him, demanding to know what paints he used, where he bought his brushes and how he used charcoal, who was he and brusquely summarized his paintings as monumental, simultaneously indicating that was not necessarily flattery, just honest criticism. But it was a quick lesson he said. “Her own work was so outstanding, I trusted her taste implicitly,” he said.
Rosanne Friedman sent this: “Liz had a balance in her skills - ample talent for art, a keen understanding of people - that included a wit and humor in her wisdom, and then enough of a business acumen to follow though in selling her work. She fulfilled her talent, shared it in her exhibits, and her teaching with appreciation of others, and found a space for her work on collectors' walls. Always generous, she donated a portrait to our temple fundraiser. The art work was gathered at one point, and I demonstrated putting her work on a wall and taking it away - the wall was naked without the art work. That room needed that piece. It found a home there with the other colors and textures surrounding it, but it popped out. That was Liz, she found a place among others but she always distinguished herself. I'm so glad to have known her. She saw things that others didn't on the surface and beneath it. I loved her.”
Read the following family's announcements here:
https://www.facebook.com/lizhillhome
The life and art of Liz Hill will be honored with a visitation and art display in the foyer of Fairfield Baptist Church on Sunday, January 16th from 2-4pm. Fairfield Baptist Church is in Cypress, Texas, at 27240 Highway 290. Guests are requested to enter through the double doors on the west side of the building under the tower with the cross.
Someone so gifted is our treasure forever. We will always remind ourselves great treasures can be found in small packages and Liz will always be present in our future art and creative efforts. Thanks, Liz. We miss you already.
Nothing says the holidays at WAS-H like the opening of the December show that features small painting that would make ideal gifts. With that in mind, over one hundred Small Treasures now decorate our walls. As you view them, you are drawn to one because of the sense of peace and calm. Another because of the sly humor. And then there’s the abstract that lets your own imagination take wing. Every time I took a lap about the gallery, another one would catch my eye and make me linger. Do plan to make it by the gallery soon and see what our wonderful WAS-H family has shared this holiday season. And take a moment to ready Winner’s Words in our blog to see what some of our winners have to say about their paintings.
Our judge this month is one of our most talented and valuable members, Jan McNeill. Jan was born in Canada and grew up in Texas and Massachusetts. She completed her chemical engineering degree in Edmonton Canada and then emigrated to Houston in 1978. While she always enjoyed math and science, she also has a special love for art, so when her children entered middle school, she started taking watercolor classes from Caroline Graham, and when she retired from her career at ExxonMobil after more than 30 years of service, she started taking classes at the MFA Glassell. She also enrolled in workshops of several internationally known artists. And then, lucky for us, she found WAS-H. Since becoming a member, Jan has served in an impressive number of key roles. She has been Gallery Director, Vice-President, President, Publicity Director, Education Director, Paint-in Coordinator and is now Historian Director. In addition to that, she has won many awards at WAS-H and is currently a Signature Member. Thank you, Jan, for sharing your time and expertise!
Jan did a wonderful job of evaluating the December show. I love to hear what it was about a painting that swayed the judge to pick it as a winner. Jan shared with us these thoughts in her own words:
“There were many lovely paintings that I would have loved to have chosen, but I was limited to only 7 awards! There was nice diversity in subject matter (representational, abstract, type of painting surface, figures, animals, floral, landscapes, etc.)”
First Place - Multicolored Calico by Zahid Shaikh
“Exquisite composition of a cat. The soft edges and soft fur were especially well done and are tough to achieve.”
Second Place - Winter Blues by Darlene Dittoe
“Liked the varied size of the trees in winter. The cool tones, beautiful washes and overall composition were very pleasing.”
Third Place - Snow Overnight by Nan Wright
“A well-executed abstract that connotes snowy trees. Beautiful shading and texture. It reminded me of skiing in Vermont. “
Honorable Mentions
Coconut Bounty by Patty Browning
“The textures and varied colors highlighted a strong composition. The work is on YUPO which can be difficult to master its slick surface.”
See Ewe by Karen Capper
“Loved the loose and expressive composition. Made excellent use of a limited palette.”
A Little Texas Christmas by Philip Weigand
“A charming composition in pen, ink, and watercolor. Loved the line work and color variation on the boots!”
Fall by Chris Bunger
“Fresh and loose landscape. The soft edges in the water reflections helped develop a sense of depth.”
Our shows are a great deal of fun to organize and hang. I share primary duties with my Co-Director, Nancy McMillian, and this month Leisa Patin, Susan Bizzell, Patty Armstrong and Laura Mossman joined us in making it all come together. If you feel that you might like to help with a future show or reception, please sign up on the Sign-up Genius on our home page or email me at gallerydirector@watercolorhouston.org. It really is a great way to help WAS-H and to get to know some of our amazing members.
Our January show registration has already begun and goes through January 6, 2022, so try to squeeze some time to check out the prospectus and prepare an entry or two. We look forward to seeing you.
Happy Holidays!
First Place – Shadow-Multicolored Calico by Zahid Shaikh
Just like human portraits, the most challenging aspect of painting pet portraits is getting the eyes right. The eyes are what makes the subject alive, which is why I always start painting the eyes first. "Shadow" was my second attempt because I didn't get the eyes just right the first time!
Third Place – Snow Overnight by Nan Wright
Snow Overnight was a somewhat serendipitous piece. Did you ever paint a picture and only like one part of it? That’s what happened here. I cut out and matted only the part that spoke to me!! I love the serenity of snow.
Second Place – Winter Blues by Darlene Dittoe
I just love to paint trees, especially aspen and birch. I also love Tonalist and limited palette work. Thus, Winter Blues.
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