Watermedia 2007

ANNOUNCING MONTANA WATERCOLOR SOCIETY’S 25th ANNUAL NATIONAL JURIED ART EXHIBITION ----
WATERMEDIA 2007
OCTOBER 2 - OCTOBER 27
at the Bigfork Art and Cultural Center, Bigfork, MT

"Rippling Hills, Shining River"
Sallie Bowen---workshop participant says,
"I was combining watercolor and collage before Nita's workshop-now I will do more inspired by her!"

Juror Notes---MTWS Watermedia 2007
Nita Leland

Nita says it is always interesting to finally see the paintings in person and she was impressed when she saw this show. She says when she first starts to juror the awards; she walks through the whole gallery and gets an overall view of the paintings.

Then she begins to look for certain things…

What is this artist trying to tell her?
A special character, emotion, concept, etc that comes through.
How did they use the materials to express the above?
Finally, she looks at the technique.

This way of looking opens her up to appreciating newer artists that are working on perfecting technique but have something fresh and new to say.

Gold Award winner—Missi Paul ‘Tropic Blues’

Nita said that this is a difficult subject to make these flowers look good. She felt that these were graceful and lovely with nice negative shapes around the edges and demonstrates technical expertise. Nita said the artist fulfilled all of her criteria (above).

Silver Award winner---Cindy Brabec-King ‘Across the Centuries’

Magnificent, lots of detail, very expert in handling technique but also shows the mystery.

Bronze Award winner---Peggy Woods ‘Down time’

Deeply understands the subject, a master at work, comfortable with watercolor.

MTWS Founder’s Award winner---Bobbie Wieber ‘Jewels from the Garden’

Elegance and fragility of the flowers, handled greens well, beautiful contrast of complements.

MTWS President’s Award winner---Kimberly Shirley ‘Living History’

President Margo Voermans said it was a difficult choice with so many great paintings from Montana artists this year. This painting just ‘spoke’ to her.

Nancy Beelman Award winner---Pamela Caughey ‘Riptide’

Nita was surprised there were not more abstract paintings in the show. She felt this was a dramatic piece and said the color moves…you can follow it. Good shapes and nice lines moves you through the painting.

MTWS Board of Director’s Award winner---Mike Mazer ‘Red, White & Blue’

The artist shows lots of care, controlled and appropriate to the subject.

Nita touched on the winners of all the merchant awards briefly and her comments are following;

Virginia Blackstock---Good shapes and color and then the pattern makes it a nice piece of work.

Tom Francesconi---Wet in wet landscape is difficult. This is spontaneous and has energy. The light draws her into the center of interest.

Kirby Attwell---Liked the composition, the arrangement of darks breaking up space.

Natallie Smythe---Simple elegance, simple palette and background…it harmonizes.

Wimer Anderson---Loves the color, arrangement of values, variations of the dots, vertical shapes.

John Ulberg---Fresh, spontaneous, direct. Ultimate watercolor.

Michelle Cattin---Spontaneity of background, fresh feeling, contrasts with the more precise tablecloth, touched her.

Richard Beighle---Well drawn, beautifully composed, subject touched her.

Armida Rene’ Oursland---Negative spaces are applied well, nice echo pattern of the veins, etc.

Eva Eriksen---Nita loved ‘Rocky’! Well handled monochromatic.

Charlotte Peterson---Negative shapes are strengths, everything around the center has activity.

Jan Stout---Simplicity, spontaneity, liked the point of view.

Pia Messina ---Nita said it was brave to do a portrait without a face. Very modern, nice big shapes and pieces.

Sy Ellens---Loves the way the color moves, unusual take on the recession of color.

Sandra Marker---Fresh, love of light and landscape, trying to understand how color works.

Vickie Lynn Johnson, Watermedia Contact
Montana Watercolor Society
PO Box 2605
Missoula, MT 59806