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  • April 05, 2023 6:04 AM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)

    By Cissy Geigerman, Gallery Co-Director


    Our theme this month is Borders and Fences, real or rhetorical.  As always, our members love to apply the themes in many creative ways, including puns!  You will have to study Katie Steck’s painting for a minute to get it, but it will hit you.  After such a fabulous IWE show, it is nice to relax and enjoy the offerings from our members.   As volunteers this month we had Mansueto Fabugais, and our incoming Gallery Directors, Leisa Patin and Linda Flowers.  It takes a village to make this event go smoothly and we appreciate everyone’s help.  

    Our judgewas Diane Brahm. She is academically trained in art at the University of Texas at Austin and continues to develop and test a contemporary approach to modern portraiture and design.  She strives to progress toward a fresher presentation.  Ms. Brahm is adept handling oils, pastels, charcoal, and mixed watercolor.  Her art has won numerous awards in both regional and national shows and has been published in national art magazines.  She shares her gifts teaching art, currently in the west Houston area.  She also holds workshops for adults, teens, and school aged children.  Ms. Brahm has previously served on the boards of the Houston Civic Arts Association, Houston Art Society, and West Houston Area Artists.  

    Ms. Brahm did a thoughtful review of the entries.  She used our simple system of placing yellow sticky notes on her favorites and then narrowing it down.  “Such difficult choices!” she said.  There were many, many notes affixed.  Even though watercolor is not her primary choice of medium, she admires the versatility and look of watercolors.

    First Place

    Tamara Kontrimas “Shoring the Dunes”



    DB: This is a lovely play of lights and darks in an unexpected way, and an abstract representation of a very realistic subject.  This artist can draw, paint, and design.

    TK: I had been entertaining the idea for painting the beach fences for a while, and now was the time to do it.  I would love to paint more loosely like the painting next to mine, but it is more natural for me to approach it in a calculated way.  To make the fences, I thought about masking, but decided to trim some brushes to the exact width.  


    Second Place

    Larry Spitzberg “Seaside Village”



    DB: I noticed several of your paintings in the gallery today, and I chose this one because I was drawn in.  I love the looseness, the primary color palette, and the people in the painting.  I could look at it a long time and would enjoy it in my house.  

    LS: I have been trying to paint like Frank Webb who, many times, uses straight lines in his works.  I actually bought a ruler and used it in this one.  Frank’s first step is to splash on a bunch of color and then carry on from there. That was my approach but I think I failed because I don’t know how to paint.  

    Cissy Geigerman: I beg to differ. Also, I enjoyed talking to Larry’s wife and she shared with me that Larry painted several of these especially for this show.  The one that is recognized is actually the one that he kept going back to for tweaking.  It is always hard to know when to call it done.


    Third Place

    L. Lynn Adamson “Peace on Earth”



    DB: In spite of the small size, this is a little gem.  The colors are beautiful with plenty of realism.  We are glad you submitted this, keep it up!

    LA: I am new to WASH from Minnesota, and this is my first entry.



    Honorable Mention

    Laurie Hammons “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors”



    DB: I love the limited color scheme, the washes, and splashes.  Just beautiful.  A good title too!

    LH: I started with the houses, then later got the idea for the fences and kind of went crazy.


    Honorable Mention

    Irene Sheytman “Walls”




    DB: This is a large stone road and buildings.  I love the way the roughness of the stonework and brickwork is displayed.  The composition draws you in, my eyes follow all the way up the road.

    IS: This is from a photograph for reference, but I changed the composition quite a bit.  I added more walls, staircases, and of course railings to go with the stairs.  


    Honorable Mention

    Carla Gauthier “Hiking Near Austin”


    DB: This artist has control of the medium.  It is a lovely landscape and I love the depth shown from the transition of foreground to background.  

    Cissy Geigerman: Carla Gauthier could not attend the reception, but is very pleased to be recognized.  She is a popular instructor here at WASH and contributes in many ways.  We appreciate her enthusiastic response when the Gallery puts out a call for entries.  

  • April 03, 2023 3:21 PM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)

    Fontaine Jacobs is a self-taught artist who has shown in galleries and won awards for both her commercial and fine art throughout the United States. Her most famous commission was of Octavia Spencer from The Help. She was honored to present the painting and meet the actor at a Cancer Fundraiser in Memphis, Tennessee.  

    Fontaine is a Signature Member of the National Society of Artists. At the Watercolor Art Society of Houston's February Membership Show, she won the First-Place Award for "Palmetto. Blue Faced Iguana" which also won the First-Place Award at Galveston Art League’s 2022 Fall Juried Show. 

    Fontaine paints portraits, landscapes, animals, and abstracts. She strives to merge impressionism with realism to capture an image or go completely abstract. Visit Fontainefineart.com to see additional works or request a commission 

    "Mallard"


    "Sailor's Delight"


    "Curious Cayman Iguana"

  • April 03, 2023 3:11 PM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)

    This month's exhibit "Fences and Borders" is now open, showing through April 29, 2023.  Come take a look!


  • April 03, 2023 2:52 PM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)

    Congratulations to the 2023-2024 officers newly elected  at yesterday's general meeting:

    President: Karen Stopnicki

    Vice President: Donna VanFleet

    Treasurer:  Janet Traylor

    Secretary: Kathleen Cooper  

    We appreciate your willingness to lead WAS-H into the new fiscal year!

  • March 18, 2023 9:12 PM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)

    WAS-H 2023-2024 proposed slate of officers

    Karen Stopnicki is a native Houstonian and lifelong artist, who while in the 4th grade convinced her parents to let her to take adult painting classes, and ultimately earned her BA in Art from the University of Texas. She currently runs a busy household that includes her husband, 13-year old son, a cat and a dog, does commissions as a professional artist, and is a consummate volunteer.

    A long-time WAS-H member, she is currently serving WAS-H as President and has previously served on the WAS-H Board of Directors in a variety of roles including Public Relations Director, Annual Members Exhibit Director, and Website/Technology Director. She has also served key volunteer roles in the Mark Twain Elementary PTO and the West University Little League Auxiliary.

    She will bring business acumen to her role as WAS-H President from her years in corporate advertising and marketing for local and national retailers. “I hope to marry my love for WAS-H with my background and experience to keep the organization heading in a positive direction. We have so much to offer the community, and I look forward to seeing WAS-H full of shows, classes, and events with members and guests.”

    _________


    Donna Van Fleet has passion for the arts, project management, and helping organizations thrive, and she is enormously grateful to WAS-H for allowing her to indulge these passions as Co-Vice President and IWE Chair.  A math major who took every art class and was editor of the college newspaper, Donna became an executive at an international computer company and has chaired the boards of an opera company, a school of natural sciences, an adolescent girls’ organization and a hospital.  

    I look forward to ongoing collaborations at WAS-H to make life colorful!


    ________


    Janet Traylor is a native Houstonian.  She attended University of Houston and received a degree in Accounting.  She then followed her dream of working in the Oil & Gas Industry; she worked for just over six years with Tenneco Oil Company.  When Tenneco sold its position in exploration and production in 1988, she had just had a beautiful baby girl.  Great timing, she became a stay at home mom, volunteering with Service League, tutoring children in math, and holding the position of her church bookkeeper.  She was a ballet mom, Swim mom, and waterpolo mom serving on many boards as needed.  When her daughter left for college she resumed her career in Oil and Gas Accounting at Houston based Enervest, where she retired as Manager of Accounting Advisors in April 2017. 

    Her first dabble in Art was in 2006 when she took some classes at the Jung Center in Chinese Brush Painting.  After retiring in 2017 she discovered WAS-H and has taken many classes and major workshops since.  She loves the interaction of the classes at WAS-H, but needs to spend more time working on her art at home on her own.  

                I have enjoyed serving as the secretary on the WAS-H Board for the year 2022-2023.  I am looking forward to getting back to the numbers by switching places with our esteemed current Treasurer Kathleen Cooper for the 2023-2024 Board.

    ________


    Kathleen Cooper spent her career in the field of tax accounting and planning, mostly dealing with the international tax issues of major corporations.  She has been the WAS-H treasurer from January, 2021 through the end of the current fiscalyear.  She is now passing the baton, and will work as the Secretary in the coming fiscal year while helping the new Treasurer get acclimated. 



  • March 13, 2023 11:33 AM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)

    The Crѐche Festival Houston is inviting artists to submit work which explores, depicts, or interprets Christ’s nativity for a juried and judged exhibition: They would like to see more watercolors in their exhibit.

     For more information, click HERE

  • March 13, 2023 11:08 AM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)


    First Place Award

    John Salminen

    Promenade Price: $7000

    Watercolor on paper 

    33 " x 33 "

    Duluth, MN



    Second Place Award

    Dean Mitchell

    Angel in the Window Price: $15000

    Watercolor on paper 

    22 " x 30 "

    Tampa, FL



    Third Place Award

    Lyudmila Tomova

    Rehearsal Break Price: $1200

    Watercolor on paper 

    18 " x 24 "

    Cary, NC



    Odette Ruben Memorial Award:

    Susan Keith

    Brighter Days Ahead



    Jack Bowen Award:

    Cheryl Wooten

    Day's Catch


    Margaret Scott Bock Award:

    Monika Pate

    Antiques and Lace


    Herbert Family Award:

    Daniela Werneck

    The Blue Butterfly


    E. Thomas Kraycirik Memorial Award:

    Ken Call

    Red Lollipops 


    Board of Directors Award:

    Chris Krupinski

    Pears and Squares


    Special Merit Award:

    Xiaochang Zhang

    Bride



    Merit Awards:

    Cindy Brabec-King - Cherry Bomb

    Richard Tiejun Chao - A Window to Your Soul

    Mehrdad Sedghi - Reflection of Slence and Darkness 

    Carla Gauthier - Bay Oaks Light

    Soon Warren - Dream of Soaring

    Alison Hendry - Missing Charlotte

    Colleen Reynolds - Hair Like Mine

    Mohammad Bhatti - Desert Nomad 

    Sid Bingham - Barking Dogs

    R. Mike Nichols - Mom

  • March 13, 2023 11:00 AM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)

    By Paula Fowler

    Vikki Trammell, A Friend of WAS-H

    If you are an artist in Houston, Texas, then you don’t have to look far to find a friend who is a wealth of artistic knowledge, a creative force and a joy to know. Her name is Vikki Trammell. She and her husband, Ben Russell, are the owners of Art Supply on Almeda. This store is an artist’s treasure and is at a new location, but it’s history in Houston goes back more than 60 years.  If you have lived here for a while, you might remember the store on Richmond Ave or the one on Main Street. The current address is 5301 Almeda Road.  It seems like they have always been here to serve Houston’s art community! 

    We hear Vikki’s name a lot around WAS-H. She has been a generous donor of merchandise awards for our major shows and provider of artistic goodies for our monthly lottery at our general meetings. In addition, she gives a 20% discount to you, as a WAS-H member. All you have to do is ask for a discount card when you’re shopping. 

    I recently had the pleasure of sitting down for a visit with Vikki and hearing about how she arrived at this spot. The story begins when Vikki was born the middle child of seven into a military family at Fort Sills, Oklahoma. So moving around, including time in Germany, was part of her childhood. By high school, she was living in Garland, Texas. She started college in the Dallas area, but was eventually drawn to Houston, where she continued her education at University of Houston, by then, a single mom, working, taking care of a baby and studying! She studied marketing, but always managed to add an art class to nurture her creative side. The job she had at this time was at Art Supply on Richmond Avenue which would eventually be owned by her future husband, Ben Russell. Together, they teamed to market art supplies, foster artists by offering studio space, and by becoming integrally involved with the Houston art community. 

    In 1997, it was necessary to find a new home for Art Supply and they bought a large 1946 New Orleans-style building on Main Street and began a complete remodel that would include retail space, 26 artist studios and 7 live-work spaces. The intimate bond that they had established with the Houston artists was evident during this time, because they were able to remain open, without air conditioning, through a Houston summer…and their customers stayed loyal!  

    Then 5 years ago, after 22 years on Main Street, it was decided to move once again, this time to a location at 5301 Almeda Road. This time, the space would be built from scratch according to their own design ideas and would include the store, 15 studios and 5 work-live spaces.  It is conveniently located in a bustling, interactive community that is emersed in education right off Highway 288 and near the museum district and the medical center and is just a short trip from our WAS-H building. This was a tough time for a transition because Houston had just gone through Hurricane Harvey and the city permitting department was overwhelmed with the demands of all the rebuilding. And then Covid hit just as they opened! But, once again, their loyal clientele stuck beside them and with a firm plan and perseverance, they emerged with a wonderful new building that has clean lines, high ceilings and artist-friendly light from high windows. Parking is conveniently located behind the store. 

    When you visit the store, you will be greeted by a staff of 3 full-time and 2 part-time assistants, many of whom are working artists, who know the supplies from their own personal experience. One of those friendly faces, Lucy, has been working at Art Supply for decades and teaches painting in the Heights. They can guide you as you shop and give you expert advice and comparisons between vendors. Vikki makes sure that Art Supply stays up-to-date with new trends by being an active participant in iAMart, a coalition of independent, locally-owned art-materials stores that are committed to helping artists of all experience levels succeed by helping them purchase the best supplies for their individual need and to support and promote local artist, arts organizations and educators. 

    Vikki also contributes time, and inspiration to others in the Houston art community by being an Advisory Board member of Print Matters and the Community Artists Collective and by being actively involved with, among others, Lawndale Art Center , the Art League and the MFAH Glassell School of Art. She always stays connected has a focus on the art community’s needs and fellowship that includes the professional artists as well as the hobbiest.

    I hope that you make it to Art Supply and take some time to chat with Vikki the next time you are indulging your urge for new supplies. She is a multidimensional person who is curious about everything, has a broad breath of knowledge (she’s affectionately known as “Vikkipedia”!), and approaches life with a sense of humor. She directs her own creative talents toward thinking about and developing Artist’s Books. She will enrich you life!

  • March 13, 2023 10:41 AM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)

    46th International Watermedia Exhibit

    is Open NOW through March 29, 2023.

    Gallery hours have been extended during the duraton of the IWE.

    WAS-H Gallery will be open 7 days a week.

    Monday - Friday and Saturday & Sunday

    10am - 3pm

  • March 13, 2023 10:27 AM | Nancy Moody (Administrator)

    By Donna Van Fleet, WAS-H Co-Vice President

    IWE -- ABUNDANCE OF ART, ABUNDANCE OF VOLUNTEERS 

    Eighty-four paintings came from around the world to be mounted in a breath-taking exhibition in our Gallery. WAS-H is enormously grateful to their artists for their sharing their artistry with us. 

    And the artists are grateful to WAS-H . . .

    "I’d like to thank all the volunteers who made the 46th IWE possible." ~ John Salminen, "Promenade"

    "Thank you for the amazing show and your hard work!" ~ Lyudmila Tomova, "Rehearsal Break"

    "Thanks to WAS-H. It was an honor just to be selected into your show." ~ Sid Bingham, "Barking Dogs"

    What does it take to go from this...


    To this?


    It takes a cheerful uncreating crew under the seasoned guidance of Mike Doan.


     And a tireless hanging crew led by Paula Fowler with the incomparable curation of Carla Gauthier.


    WAS-H is very blessed to have 5 generous donors who fund awards in the names of loved ones: Art Supply on Almeda, Estate of Odette Rubin, Friends of E. Thomas Kraycirik, the Hebert family, the Jack and Annis Bowen Foundation and past and current members of the WAS-H Board of Directors. Thank you to Laura McMahon for creating loving tributes to those for whom the awards are fondly named, and gratitude also for the devoted labors of Laura and Louise Bateman and their team in managing this year's judging and award process, including the slideshow for the Grand Opening Meeting. 

    For the website slideshow, thanks to Laura Mossman, fount of knowledge, smoother of feathers, solution-magician, and tireless toiler who carried out a myriad tasks to bring IWE to fruition. For assembling a lasting record as well as a lovely panorama in the form of the Exhibition Catalog, we owe a big debt of gratitude to Beth Graham. 

    Thanks to Maureen Lewis and her welcoming crew for managing a standing-room-only Members Meeting, and to Kathleen Church, Darlene Dittoe, Beth Graham and Karen Stopnicki for making our beloved building "company-ready".

    Special gratitude to Brenda Swenson not only for serving as juror and judge for the Exhibition, as demonstration artist for the Members Meeting and as Workshop instructor, but also for her relentless dedication to overcoming multiple flight delays to get here in time for the proceedings to go on as scheduled. 

    "Cheers!" to Kathleen Church, Patty Armstrong and their Reception crew for a Grand Opening reception bubbling with camaraderie, cuisine, and libations. And to Rick Wells Photography, Drury Inn and H-E-B for enhancing the festivities with gratis services.

    The Exhibition hangs through the month of March, and WAS-H eagerly welcomes throngs of art lovers to come visit, with thanks to Kelly Medrano, Nancy Moody, Veronica Koenig, and their Communications cohort for spreading the word and to Cheryl Evans for making the communications colorful with her artwork.

    To the many more who are not named or pictured here, please be assured your efforts were seen and cherished.  Your spirit of community is what makes IWE possible.




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