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  • August 27, 2023 8:29 PM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)

    It's time for the 2023 WAS-H Art Fair!

    When: Saturday, October 21

    Time: 11 am - 4 pm

    Where: WAS-H Parking Lot

    Eligible Participants: WAS-H members only

    PARTICIPATE

    Tent Space (8 spaces available)

    • 10' x 10'
    • Unlimited pieces of Art
    • Unlimited sizes
    • Tent may be shared with other WAS-H artists but only one artist needs to sign up for the tent space.
    • Member responsible for manning tent during the entire event.
    • Work set-up or break-down crew.
    • Fee: $35
    SIGN UP HERE

    WAS-H Community Tent

    • 10 pieces of Art
    • Matted & in clear plastic. Each piece of art will be labeled by WAS-H.
    • Art must be no larger than 16 x 20, matted.
    • Participants take turns helping customers (two hours, max)
    • Work set-up or break-down crew.
    • Fee: $10

    SIGN UP HERE

    Table (8 spaces available)

    • 6' x 8'
    • Unlimited pieces of Art
    • Unlimited Sizes
    • Table may be shared with other WAS-H artists - one artist will sign up for the table.
    • Member responsible for manning table during the entire event.
    • Work set-up or break-down crew.
    • Fee: $30
    SIGN UP HERE


    ADDITIONAL DETAILS

    Morning set-up will begin at 8 am. Set-up crew will bring tables/chairs down from upstairs and place them at the front on the building, along the sidewalk until all the tent participants have set up their spaces. Garbage cans will be strategically placed around the lot and bottled water/ice will be set up in the downstairs kitchen area. Crew will also need to install the two Art Fair Flags in front.

    Artists with tents will have 20 minutes to unload and remove cars from lot.

    Artists with tables will have 15 minutes to unload and remove cars from lot.

    Space Allocations: For those who will purchase a tent space or a table space, the map is shown below with the appropriate space numbers (1 through 16). You can indicate your preference when signing up for the event. The first sign-up with an appropriate space number will be assigned the space.

    Art: Must be 80% watermedia (no oil). Art must be presentable and in good taste. Participants with tents/table spaces may bring framed pieces and additional tables, etc. to set0up their space. We recommend having one or two framed pieces, with the remainder of the pieces matted for presentation. Standard sizes are ideal for sales, since standard frames are most cost effective for the customer. You may sell prints of your original art at this event.

    Sales: Will be run through the WAS-H cashier desk, which will be right outside the WAS-H front door, near the community tent. WAS-H will receive 25% of the sale, so please price your pieces accordingly.

    Rain or Shine: If bad weather appears, we will move the event inside the WAS-H building, using both the up and downstairs area. Space will be limited, so artists may need to limit the volume of work if this happens.

    Advertising: We are creating more brochures this year and ordering 20 new neighborhood signs to put out the Sunday before the event. We will also use Facebook and Instagram marketing to get the word out to our community. We are looking for a bigger turnout this year!

    Pre-Fair Meeting: We will host an information meeting about two weeks before the sale to ensure that all participants understand the details on the day of the event. We will go over space allocation, seller responsibilities, and discuss Art Fair best practices. Sellers are required to attend the meeting - preferrably in person, but we will also offer a zoom option. 

     

    VOLUNTEER 

    We need volunteers! If you’d like to volunteer as a set-up helper, coordinator, cashier, follow this link to sign-up.


  • August 13, 2023 11:01 AM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)

    by Katherine Rodgers, AME Director 


    The 54th Annual Member Exhibit is fast approaching with a deadline for entries on September 27 at 3pm. We are looking forward to filling our Gallery walls with artwork from our talented members and having artist, Ken Call, be our juror and judge for the show.  

    Born and raised in Rochelle, Illinois, Ken Call went on to graduate from the American Academy of Art in 1980 with an associate degree in Illustration and Watercolor. He has worked as a national freelance artist for many years and spent 1993 and 1994 studying and painting in Paris, France. To date he has created over 500 illustrations for books, magazines, art publishers, advertising agencies and corporations. In the last few years, he made the transition to fine art and portraiture. “Many of my originals are hanging in galleries and homes across the country. Several awards have led to Signature status in the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, Missouri Watercolor Society, Montana Watercolor Society along with being a Master Signature member with the Transparent Watercolor Society of America and Illinois Watercolor Society.” - Ken Call  Ken Call will conduct a workshop at WAS-H October 2-4.

    You can also participate in the AME by volunteering. Runners will be needed on the day of judging to move paintings for judging and installation and to assist with the reception. It’s a great way to get to know your fellow artists. Click HERE to sign-up to volunteer. 

    Click to see the prospectus: HERE

    Here are the key dates:

    • Registration begins: Tuesday, September 12 @ 10 am
    • Deadline to register: Wednesday, September 27 @ 3 pm  
    • Judging/Installation: Saturday, September 30 from 10 am – 3 pm  
    • General Mtg/Demo/Awards: Sunday, October 1 @ 2 pm  
    • Reception follows awards.

    Questions about the rules and regulations for the show may be directed to: Kat Rodgers, AME Director, ame@watercolorhouston.org.


  • August 13, 2023 10:42 AM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)

    By Linda Flowers and Brian Flaherty, Gallery Co-directors

    The August 2023 Gallery paintings at the Watercolor Art Society of Houston (WAS-H) are a captivating exploration of the diverse facets of human connections and experiences. Curated by Linda Flowers and Brian Flaherty, this month's exhibition sheds light on the multifaceted concept of "People," moving beyond conventional portraiture and nudes to encompass a vibrant tapestry of emotions, relationships, dreams, and distant landscapes.

    Comprising a total of 64 artworks by 37 artists, the August Gallery offers a rich visual narrative that transports viewers into moments frozen in time. The theme of human interactions is eloquently captured through vivid strokes, colors, and textures encompassing the spectrum of artistic styles.

    Our judge was Leslie Cuenca, an accomplished artist, yoga and dance instructor, hailing from Havana, Cuba, and currently residing in Houston. With a background encompassing art, architecture, theology, and liberal arts studies in Italy, Leslie's creative journey is as diverse as her talents. As a professional dancer specializing in Latin dances and belly dance, as well as a dedicated yoga practitioner, Leslie shares her expertise as an art teacher across Houston's venues. Notably, she teaches at the University of St. Thomas, The Art League of Houston, HBU, and the YMCA. Discover Leslie's remarkable work at Cothren Contemporary.


    Brian Flaherty, Leslie Cuenca and Linda Flowers

    For those unable to experience the gallery in person, the virtual platform offered on the WAS-H website ensures accessibility to many of the captivating works of art in this month's show. To see the online show, click Online Gallery

    The Watercolor Art Society - Houston invites its viewers to embark on a journey through the intricacies of human existence. From vibrant depictions of relationships and dreams to the allure of distant landscapes, this exhibition encapsulates the essence of the human experience in all its diversity and vibrancy. Whether one has the opportunity to walk through the gallery's physical space or explore the virtual exhibit, the August Gallery will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark, reminding us of the power of art to unite, inspire, and reflect the myriad facets of our shared journey.

     

    WINNERS

     

    First Place - Rusty Tumbles, Rodeo Clown

    Karen Hamilton

    Judge: "The expression, colors and textures are exquisite. The subject of the rodeo clown resonates in the heart of every Houstonian. This is a culminating figure in our society. He is a hero, entertainer, police and fireman all in one; putting himself on the front lines to help others. His expression captures the grit and heart behind his endeavor.”


    Second Place - Mr DG

    Adam Zhao

    Judge: “I love the use of negative space in this painting, it flows. The figure is painted beautifully and the perspective of the hand and cane in the foreground is very well done giving this figure a dignified yet natural stature.” 


    Third Place - He Want To Give It To You

    Erik Sprohge 

    Judge: “The emotional quality in the two little figures is charming. The artist really captures the essence, purity and innocence of childhood through the figure's expression. The attention to detail is so delicate and sweet and the flower in the foreground pops with light.”

     

    HONORABLE MENTIONS

     

    Kay Salem

    “Jett Fusion Of Light”

    Judge: The attention to detail in this painting is exquisite. You can tell the subject is a real musician because the fingers are placed correctly across the guitar chords, like he is really playing a tune. The lines for the chords, guitar strings and the subject's hair are very well done, as well as the use of shadow and light. 

     

    Carol Rensink

    “Disaster at the Watering Hole”

    Judge: “The flow in this painting is striking. I love the position of the figures in different directions, the anatomical movement is capturing. I also love the flow of the ink between the figures, from a distance creating a very modern and decorative abstract composition that is very well balanced.”

     

    Naomi Rosborough

    " We Don't Do That”

    Judge: “The lines and use of mixed media in this painting are very well done and very expressive. I love the use of color in just the right areas to give this face a lot of personality."

     

  • August 13, 2023 10:36 AM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)


    I'm More Than My Story, 16x32, watercolor on Ampersand Aquabord

    One of our talented instructors, Daniela Werneck, was recently featured in an article! The article unpacks her technical approach and inspiration as an artist.

    "Aquabord artist Daniela Werneck is a realistic watercolor painter based in Houston, TX, whose work combines the most traditional watercolor methods with a contemporary look... A self-taught watercolorist, Dani became a full-time artist in 2015, focusing on realistic figurative watercolor; since that, she has been exhibiting nationally and has received several awards in regional and national competitions."

    Read the full article on Ampersand's website, here. 


  • July 17, 2023 5:00 PM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)

    By Linda Flowers and Brian Flaherty, Gallery Co-Directors

    This month’s “Student / Teacher” theme provides an opportunity to see the creativity and skill of students and teachers at WAS-H. What a fun and lively gallery reception for all, displaying 80 diverse paintings, created by participating artists or WAS-H teachers over the last two years. Please take time to see all this month’s paintings in person or in the virtual gallery (Click Here).

    Guadalupe Hernandez was our judge for the show, currently an Artist-in-Residence with the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. His practice examines themes of family, labor, and cultural practices through a series of paintings and works of cut paper inspired by the traditional Mexican craft of Papel Picado.  Recently he was notably among six pairs of visual artists in the 2022 US Latinx Art Forum Mentorship Program supporting an intergenerational skill exchange. He will also serve as the 2023/2024 Visiting Artist of Color at The Art Students League of Denver in the fall.


    Picture above, L to R: Brian Flaherty and Linda Flowers (Gallery Directors) with judge Guadalupe Hernandez.



    Gallery Directors, Linda and Brian, host the reception and the 65+ attendees.

  • July 12, 2023 9:59 AM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)


    The Woodlands Art Gallery & Studios is hosting an exhibition for WAS-H instructor Mohammad Ali Bhatti! The exhibition is titled "Vibrant Expressions: Celebrating the Colorful Traditions of Pakistan and the Energy of the American West." 

    Mark your calendars for the opening reception on July 20, 2023, from 5 PM to 8 PM. It will be an evening filled with delightful refreshments and a unique opportunity to hear from Mohammad. The exhibition will be available for viewing until September 15, 2023.

    Learn more: The Woodlands City Lifestyle


  • July 02, 2023 11:21 AM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)

    Upcoming Shows: August and September 2023

    August 2023 Show

    Drawing by Xylina Wu

    Theme: People

    This month we invite artists to explore people. Portraiture, the human figure or a group of friends.

    Judge: Leslie Cuenca

    Prospectus August 2023 v2.pdf

    Registration Opens: Friday, July 14

    Deadline: Wednesday, August 2, 3 pm

    Reception: Sunday, August 6, 3 pm


    September 2023 Show

    Painting by Laura Mossman

    Theme: Experimental

    We encourage our members to used different techniques or mediums for this show. Do something wild!

    Judge: TBD

    Prospectus: TBD

    Registration Opens: Friday, August 13

    Deadline: Wednesday, September 6, 3 pm

    Reception: Sunday, September 10, 3:30 pm



  • July 02, 2023 11:15 AM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)

    June 2023 Volunteer of the Month – Mike Doan

    Mike Doan has been a WAS-H member for the past 10 years. He started volunteering for WAS-H during IWE when Dawna Hasara was the Director. He became part of the IWE take-in/crating/re-crating crew. For the past several years, Mike has been the leader for the un-crating/re-crating IWE team. Mike’s organizational and leadership skills shine in this role. He has a system, and it works! 

    In addition to volunteering for IWE, Mike is also our Open Studio Coordinator. Every Friday morning you will find Mike greeting new and regular members as they arrive to participate in Open Studio. He can make coffee and cut mats, too!

    Mike is also the “unofficial” custodian of WAS-H. He likes to keep this a secret, but you can often find him on a ladder changing a bulb, switching out batteries in the clock, or watering the plants outside. “I just like to help,” Mike says. “And WAS-H is a good organization – this is my way of giving back to WAS-H for what it does for me and others who like to paint.”

    Mike was born in Salt Lake City but moved several times when he was a child.  He lived in Tripoli, Libya for 4 years (2nd-5th grades) and moved to Ankara Turkey for 4 years (8-11th grades). He finished his high school year in Houston and then attended A&M University. Mike graduated with a math degree, which set him up for a career in computer science. He worked for various oil field services companies. He wrote software to find oil. Mike retired from Schlumberger a few years ago.

    Mike lives with his wife, Marsha, and their cat, Smog. Marsha enjoys crocheting and knitting and Mike likes to play golf, bridge and other card games, in addition to reading. One of their favorite pastimes is to go on a cruise. “Marsha and I went to one of those Murder Mysteries in Brookshire, TX, and we solved the mystery. The prize was a free cruise-that was our first one. When we went on the free cruise, they also had a murder mystery and Marsha solved that one -- for ANOTHER free cruise,” explains Mike. They’ve been cruising ever since! 

    We want to thank Mike for giving his time and helping WAS-H to continue its mission, "to further the cause and interest in water-media." Our volunteers are the lifeblood of this organization, and we couldn't do it without them!


  • June 18, 2023 10:50 AM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)

    Get excited for these two upcoming WAS-H shows in July!

    July Show Student/Teacher

    Here is a chance for students to show off what they learned in class at WAS-H. Teachers may also display work but will not be considered for prizes. 

    Judge: Guadalupe Hernandez 

    July Prospectus

    Register Here

    Deadline to enter: July 5, 2023

    Reception: Sunday, July 9 @ 3pm

    Pick-up: August 1st 

    August Show: People

    Entries can include the human figure, a portrait or even a group of friends. Abstracted entries are fine, as long as the abstract is indicative of a person or people.

    Judge:  Leslie Cuenca

    August Prospectus

    Registration Opens: July 14

    Registration Deadline: Aug 2

    Reception: Sunday Aug 6

    Pick up: September 5 



  • June 18, 2023 10:26 AM | Kelly Medrano (Administrator)

    By Linda Flowers and Leisa Patin, Gallery Directors

    June 2023 Gallery Conversations

    This month’s “General” theme encouraged many artists to participate in the show. Due to the wonderful participation, the gallery is now displaying 80 beautiful paintings. It is a moveable feast as Hemingway depicted in his book, but in this case, it is a moveable feast for the eyes. A bunny showed up to partake in the gallery festivities along with a little tuxedo bird. Even an old car can be elegant if you know how to capture its curves.

    Our judge for June was Judi Coffey. She was past president of WAS-H from 1986-1987 and past president of The International Society of Experimental Arts. The Houston Chronicle has written about her art and other outlets such as American Artist Magazine and The West Wind Review have also mentioned her work. Judi works in a variety of mediums including watercolor and collage.

     

    Gallery Directors, Leisa and Linda, get the reception started.

     

    Leisa and Judge Judi Coffey.

    Adam receives his honorable mention.

    First Place


    Jacqueline Liddell

    “Seaside Sushi”

    Judge: "This piece is very well done. It's very colorful and just fun.”

    Artist: Jacqueline loves crabbing. She explains that the crab “Barnacle Bill” is a permanent model in her studio. She has used him in several of her paintings.

    Second Place


    Mohammad Ali Bhatti

    “Blue Sonata”

    Judge: “I like abstract paintings. I wish this was a full sheet or a diptych. It would be so much more exciting. The color and composition pulls you into the painting and moves your eyes around.

    Artist: This was a study for a larger painting.

    Third Place


    Eleanor Buchan

    “Backstage”

    Judge: “The background was so perfect, it didn’t look painted. I like that it was different and stood out among the others.

    Artist: This is a painting of me and my father when I played a part in the "Wizard of Oz". My father was part of the backstage crew.

    Fourth Place


    Cheryl Evans

    “Cologne Cathedral Sentinels”

    Judge: “This is Just a wonderful painting and beautifully done. So many things to look at.”

    Artist: I was in Cologne Germany towards the end of the day when I looked up and saw the Sentinels. The color just exploded as the sun was setting.

    Honorable Mention


    Leisa Patin

    “Winter In NYC Chinatown"

    Judge: "This is an interesting street scene and well done. I love oriental touches.”

    Artist: This was a sunny day in NYC. I try to depict scenes with light and dark contrast. Due to my engineering background, I enjoy buildings and perspective.

    Honorable Mention


    Adam (Yidan) Zhao

    "My Neighbor, Mr. Robinson"

    Judge: "This is a very well done portrait. His face brings back memories.

    Artist: I appreciate the opportunity that WAS-H gives us to show and exhibit our work. I continue to hone my figurative skills by attending the Model lab on Wednesday. It's a great resource.

    Honorable Mention


    Robin Avery

    Judge: “This piece has such bright colors. It's fun to look at."

    Artist: After years of seeing fields of poppies, sunflowers, lavender, mustard and Spring flowers in the fields of France, I’ve created paintings that echo the colors of Provence.

    My tubes of paints shouted to be open and to be whisked across the crisp white paper.

    I think about neighboring colors and the direction I want the viewers eyes to take.

    Honorable Mention

    Susan Giannantonio

    “Fortyleven”

    Judge: “I really like abstract paintings and this one caught my eye. I just wish it was matted, to add the space it needs to breathe.”

    Artist: Experimenting with abstracting the landscape has been a great deal of fun! It takes on a life of its own.





1601 West Alabama Houston TX 77006
Gallery: 713-942-9966
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admin@watercolorhouston.org

HOURS: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 am - 3 pm

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