Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society

Board of Directors and Committee Volunteers Meeting
2024-08-20 16:00 - 19:00 UTC | Sally Treanor’s Home, 756 Richmond Avenue, Buffalo, NY
Our August 20th meeting will be in person from 4 til complete at Sally Treanor’s home! It’s potluck. Bring your favorite potluck deliciousness.

Members in person Meeting and Demonstration by Judith Haynes Levins
2024-09-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Buffalo, 14226, United States
After a brief Members Meeting catching us up on the Fall’s Events, Exhibition, etc., we will have the pleasure of a demonstration by popular Cazenovia NY artist and instructor Judith Hayes Levins,

Artist Statement:
Judy knew from the beginning that art was her passion and her place in the world. “I see beauty in our world and try to convey that with brush, paint and paper. My medium is watercolor and I express with it in an energetic, bold manner. Art is a form of communication and by painting my world and having others feel something when viewing it, we have shared a moment together and that is a wonderful thing.”
Artist Bio:
Judith’s art education began at home with her mother’s love of art instilled and nurtured in her children. Judy continued her passion at Boston’s New England School of Art & Design, where she majored in Fashion Illustration. After graduation she taught figure drawing and textile rendering with The School of Fashion Design while she pursued her freelance art career.
Life has taken her up and down the East coast, currently putting down roots in Cazenovia NY, a charming lake community tucked into the pastoral landscape of Central New York. She is a member of CazArts and has volunteered as President of the Cazenovia Watercolor Society (CWS) for three years, as Secretary for two and serves as social media/website Chairperson. She keeps her brushes busy by joining the Adirondack Plein Air group, Mountain Air Painters, on weekly painting adventures as well as participating in numerous plein air groups.
Judith teaches her love of watercolor in her private studio at the historic Atwell Mill in Cazenovia NY. She holds workshops with CazArts, and travels to watercolor societies & art groups for demonstrations/workshops. Students have described Judy’s love of the medium as “contagious”. She says she wants her teaching to plant little watercolor seeds, then sit back and watch her students bloom.
Judy is an award winning artist that has gained Signature Gold status with the Central New York Watercolor Society (CNYWS), as well as filling a chair on their 2017 -24 Board of Directors. She sells her work from her Gallery/Studio and exhibits with the numerous groups she participates in throughout Central New York.
You can follow her painting adventures on social media Facebook and instagram.
For more information contact Judy, jhlevins@icloud.com or here on her website jhlevins.com

NFWS 2024 Fall Workshop with Brienne Brown
2024-10-23 09:30 - 2024-10-26 16:00 | Kenan Center, 433 Locust Street, Lockport, NY, 14094, United States
“Creating Dynamic Watercolors: Bringing the Everyday to Life”
Dates: Wednesday October 23 to Saturday October 26, 2024
Location: Taylor Theater Meeting Room at The Kenan Center in Lockport, NY (behind Kenan House – accessible ramp), 433 Locust St., Lockport, NY 14094
Time: 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Fee: Members: $460 Non-Members: $500

To for more information on the workshop and to register, view and print the attached Registration Brochure:
Brienne Brown Brochure
About the Artist:
Much to her mother’s indignation, Brienne owned little clothing that was not covered in paint. From a young age, Brienne showed talent in art and music, but wanted to pursue a career in the sciences. She started her education at the University of Utah as a double major (Art and Chemistry), eventually receiving a BS in Chemistry and finishing with a Master’s degree in 2004. After graduation, Brienne worked in a Toxicology lab. Though she painted some by taking an occasional class, as the years wore on, she realized she wanted more art in her life than a career in science would allow. She was surprised and delighted to find great fulfillment in painting. In fact, it became a necessity.
After leaving her job as a toxicologist to raise her first child in 2008, Brienne had the opportunity to paint more consistently. Prioritizing painting and taking workshops from artists she admired paid off. Soon she was not only exhibiting and entering shows regularly, but also winning awards. Brienne holds signature membership status for the National Watercolor Society, American Impressionist Society, and several other watercolor societies. Every year, she participates in several national juried and invitational plein air events, teaches workshops all over the country, and holds online courses. She has won several top awards in many plein air and watercolor competitions across the country. Her work has been published in Splash 17 Best of Watercolor: Inspired Subjects, PleinAir Magazine, Southwest Art Magazine, and Watercolor Artist Magazine.
See Brienne’s website: www.briennembrown.com for more information and images.
Coordinators: Betty Stanton (stanton.elizabeth9@gmail.com)
Jeanne Gugino (jeannegugino@icloud.com)

October Demonstration by Workshop Artist Brienne Brown
2024-10-24 | Online on our YouTube Channel, NY, United States
Because of a scheduling conflict at our usual in person meeting and demonstration venue, the Amherst Community Church, we will not be able to invite you all to see a demonstration by our Fall Workshop Artist, Brienne Brown. We will, however be able to videotape her demonstration, and will post it on our Youtube Channel as soon as it is edited. We are so sorry that this anticipated Thursday night event has been cancelled, but are grateful for technology and social media! We will send out an email with a link to the video on our Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society Youtube Channel as soon as it is posted.

Board of Directors and Committee Volunteers Meeting
2024-11-12 16:00 - 18:00 | On Zoom
This will be a zoom meeting beginning at 4 pm on November 12, 2024.

November 21st Member Meeting and Demonstration by Watercolor Artist Carrie Waller.
2024-11-21 16:00 - 18:00 | On Zoom
Following a brief Members’ Meeting we will be treated to a watercolor demonstration by Carrie Waller who currently works from her Arkansas studio after returning from Tokyo, Japan where she resided for the last 8 years.

Carrie Waller is a watercolor artist working in a realistic, detailed style. Her studies in Interior Design and Graphic Design as well as her time spent living in Europe and Asia have influenced her as an artist. Her unique works are bold, vibrant, and dramatic.working in a realistic, detailed style. Her training in Interior Design and her studies in Graphic design as well as her time living in Europe and Asia have influenced her as an artist. Her unique works are bold, vibrant and dramatic.
Carrie is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, San Diego Watercolor Society, Louisiana Watercolor Society, Mid-Southern Watercolorists and the Watercolor USA Honor Society. She teaches workshops and private classes.
Carrie has won numerous awards and has had works published in many publications including Watercolor Artist Magazine, The Art of Watercolour, Pratique des Arts, Southwest Artist’s Magazine, International Artist Magazine, Artist’s and Illustrators (runner up for Artist of the year), and The Artist’s Magazine. Most recently Carrie’s painting “Denkyu” won Best of Show in the 2023 Women in Watercolor International Competition, her painting “Abundance” was awarded the Grand Prize in the American Women Artists, Making Their Mark exhibition. Her painting “Banned” received the Dana Bartlett top award in the NWS member exhibition. “Celebration” and “Denkyu have received the Gold Medal award in the Mid-Southern Watercolorists Annual Juried Exhibitions. Her work has also been published in Splash, The Best of Watercolor editions 16 – 23.
Artist’s Statement
I have always had a fascination with watercolor. The difficulty of the medium challenges me and the transparent layering cannot be replicated with any other medium. I challenge myself to push the medium by creating saturated colors and let the white of the paper sparkle through to create my dramatic lights. I love the process of being a still life painter. Conceptualizing the perfect painting in my head, the hunt for the props, setting up my finds in a dramatic composition utilizing natural lighting and seeing my idea come to life. My intention is for the viewer to be captivated by the beauty and light of the piece and for it to give them an amazing visual experience. My goal is to make the ordinary, extraordinary.

January Members Meeting and Demonstration by Vermont Artist Michael Ridge
2025-01-16 16:00 - 18:00 | On Zoom
OnThursday January 16, from 4 to 6 pm we will be treated to a watercolor demonstration by Michael Ridge!

February 20 Members Zoom Meeting and Demonstration by Moh’d Bilbeisi
2025-02-20 16:00 - 18:00 | On Zoom
February’s Meeting and Demonstration will be a Zoom Event. All NFWS Members will receive a link to the Zoom Call by email early in the week of the event.

Following a short Members Meeting we will have the inspiring opportunity to welcome Moh’d Bilbeisi an imaginative professor, architect, illustrator, and watercolorist who is driven by an incredible passion for self-expression through art. His works are often noted for their unique dynamism, elegance, and technique. Moh’d has developed an innovative style that blends precision with abstract expressionism. His use of vibrant watercolors and expressive brush strokes make his work an excellent choice for a wide range or projects and purposes.
Moh’d is accomplished in using watercolors, ink, and graphite/pencil as well as modern digital techniques. His work is highly collected by individuals, nationally and internationally. In addition, corporations and other entities such as Ducati USA, BMW, SKFGroup, Oklahoma State University, Emirates Air, and Hilton Intl. have utilized Moh’d’s talents for graphic illustrations and ads. He is also a noted author of several books such as Graphic Journaling and co-author of Words and Colors, Firmitas, among others.
Moh’d’s works have been featured in many exhibitions, nationally, and internationally. He also conducts graphic workshops throughout the globe. His illustrations have appeared in numerous publications, books, and journal ads.

Artist’s StatementI view my work as an extension of myself, always trying to understand what is physical and non-physical through drawing and painting. This led to unique and individual attempts for self-expression through the artistic medium. The complexity of today’s life and issues, personal andnon-personal, demanded a more complex artistic medium that is dynamic, expressive, and hardto master.Three powerful forces meet in my work; a passion for geometry, a delight in the free movementof watercolor and an ebullient physical energy. In paintings that range from flowers pieces, tointeriors, to cityscapes, the artist presents his subjects in flux, their forms and outlines editedand sometimes distorted as they emerge from a flurry of calligraphic strokes and dissolvingblooms of watercolor. Direct, fresh and decisive, these works harness watercolor at its mostpure, using its natural inclination to soak, flood and bleed in a free and open fashion. “I aminterested and only interested in harnessing the natural disposition of the medium tocommunicate the idea or the message,” says the artist. “I believe that watercolors demand thattheir wetness, fluidity, chromatic interaction, and application express their nature, which issuspended colored particles in an aqueous solution.I frown at any watercolor painting that does not address this important issue.” Of course, thechallenge is to allow the medium its freedom and at the same time structure it to achieve thedesired image. In other words the artist must strive to balance order and chaos. “I favorprecision but not accuracy.” “I also favor looseness versus rigidity.” Painting the thin linebetween the chaotic nature of the medium and the rigid nature of shapes is what distinguisheswatercolor painting from other artistic modes of expression. Chaos and order are two sides ofthe same coin. Favoring one versus the other is limiting and prescriptive. I opt for a mediationbetween the two in which both sides exist at the same time.”

March Members Meeting and Demonstration by Marilynne Bradley on Zoom
2025-03-20 16:00 - 18:00 | On Zoom
Following a brief Members Meeting, we will be treated to the inventive approach to watercolor by Missouri Artist Marilynne Bradley.
Artist’s Statement
Over the years my work has slowly moved from the representational area towards the impressionist area and continues to invent itself in a structured geometric cubistic style. It is a journey, and I suspect that there will be no final destination.
My primary focus is on expressing myself with abstract design, color, line, texture, pattern, and mark-making. My paintings are shaped by life experiences, memories, and what is imagined. They evolve through a trial and error process of deliberation, experimentation and improvisation.
They evolve through a trial and error process of deliberation,experimentation, and improvisation. Every change leads to a new discovery, and the process continues layer by layer until I see something that seems to work. I am searching for an image that feels alive with movement.

Board of Directors and Committee Volunteers Meeting
2025-04-08 16:00 - 18:00 | On Zoom
This will be a zoom meeting beginning at 4 pm on April 8, 2025

April 24th In Person Members Meeting and Demonstration by Dan Meyer
2025-04-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Buffalo, 14226, United States
After a brief Members Meeting catching, we will have the pleasure of a demonstration by popular Western New York artist and teacher Dan Meyer.This meeting and demonstration will be IN PERSON at the Amherst Community Church on Thursday, April 24th from 7 to 9. Please note that this is the 4TH THURSDAY, not the 3RD. Hope to see lots of members there as we reconnect in person after a long winter.

After graduating from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Dan utilized his artistic skills in the advertising, aviation and packaging industries. After more than 30 years in the commercial field, he left to pursue a fine art career as a wildlife artist and illustrator. Dan has exhibited his paintings at wildlife art shows primarily in the northeast and has won numerous awards including being twice named Artist of the Year by Ducks Unlimited, Buffalo Chapter. His illustrations have been featured on posters, adorned consumer packaging and accompanied national magazine articles. Dan is a charter member and past president of the Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society and honorary member of the Central New York Watercolor Society. Recently, Dan’s days of traveling to participate in art festivals has been relegated to a few select local art festivals. Most of his artistic endeavors have been to share his knowledge of watercolor through classes in the Western New York region. Dan has instructed classes in watercolor and drawing over the past 20 years which have since grown to include Williamsville Continuing Education, Amherst, Clarence, Akron and Orchard Park Senior Centers.Dan says, “A good painting is the result of trial and error, repetition, experimentation and practice, practice, practice!”

His original watercolors, giclee reproductions, show and class schedules and email contact are on line at www.danmeyerwatercolors.com

ARTIST STATEMENT – Changes in Attitude

The years have taken their toll, I like to think in a favorable way. The intensity of deliberate, calculated strokes have evolved into relaxed gestures of pigment between brush and paper. My transparent watercolors are directed at allowing the creative senses to collectively assemble an image that says “This is how the artist saw it”.

Spring 2025 NFWS Workshop with Carl Purcell
2025-05-12 09:30 - 2025-05-16 16:00 | Castiglia Art Center, 21 South Grove ST, East Aurora, NY, 14052, United States
Spring 2025 Carl Purcell’s
Workshop – Painting the Patterns of Nature
Registration opened on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Respond with your registration quickly as our workshops fill up fast!
Attached is your REGISTRATION FORM for this Spring’s Watercolor Workshop with renowned artist, author and instructor Carl Purcell.
Registration Form for Carl Purcell’s Spring 2025 Workshop
This inspiring workshop will be held at the Castiglia Art Center at the Historic Roycroft Campus, 21 Grove Street, East Aurora, NY 14052, Monday, May 12 – Friday, May 16, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm.

May 15th Members Meeting and Demonstration by Carl Purcell, our May 2025 Workshop Artist
2025-05-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Buffalo, 14226, United States
After a brief in person Members Meeting, we will have the pleasure of a demonstration by our May 2025 Workshop Artist Carl Purcell. This meeting and demonstration will be IN PERSON at the Amherst Community Church on Thursday, May 15th from 7 to 9.

Carl Purcell taught painting and drawing at Snow College in Utah for 30 years. He is currently retired from the college but is a popular painting and drawing workshop instructor, having conducted workshops throughout the West, from Alaska to Arizona , and in Great Britain.
Carl is the author of the North Light publications, Painting With Your Artist’s Brain (a watercolor book) and Drawing With Your Artist’s Brain. In addition his art has been featured in numerous articles published in The Artist’s Magazine and in Splash I. He has been invited to jury exhibits in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Michigan and Califonia.
Carl has achieved signature member status in the National Watercolor Society and was given honor member status in the Utah Watercolor Society for his contributions to watercolor in the state. He has won numerous awards, including a purchase award in the 2008 National Watercolor Society’s international exhibition. In 2009 Carl was chosen as one of the panel of three judges for the National Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition.
“Stone Cadence” is one of a series of paintings I have been working on that explore the rhythmic patterns I see and feel in rock surfaces. I am drawn to the contrast of vertical fissures and cracks that cut through the horizontal layers of rock strata. To me these counter thrusts are like the unplanned events that cut through the well-laid plans of our lives. I see these rocks as living forms, moving and dancing to the rhythm of life.”
While his primary medium of choice is watercolor, Carl also loves to work in oil and acrylic. Carl lives with his wife Nan in Manti, a small town in central Utah. His paintings reflect his love of nature, especially the rock canyon country of Utah.

June Members Meeting, Show Your Art Show!
2025-06-19 18:00 - 21:00 | Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Buffalo, 14226, United States
SHOW YOUR ART SHOW! In person at Amherst Community Church
With Comments by Sherryl Perez and Sandy Ludwig, 6:00 pm, JUNE 19, 2025. Pizza at 6:00, Art Show at 7:00. Bring one painting, matted or framed and ready to share.

Sherryl’s Watercolor

Sandy’s Watercolor

Submission Period, Fall 2025 Members Watercolor Exhibition
2025-07-05 08:00 - 2025-08-15 23:30 | NY

September 18, 2025 In Person Members Meeting with Demonstration by Mike Killelea!!
2025-09-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Buffalo, 14226, United States
Our first Members Meeting of the year, in person on September 18, 2025 from 7 – 9 pm at the Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Snyder, NY. ( Lots of parking behind the facility.) Snacks provided by our Hospitality Committee.
After a brief Members Meeting welcoming everyone back, highlighting the upcoming events for 2025-26, and reviewing the work of a busy new Board of Directors, we will be treated to a demonstration by our Signature Member and Program Chair Mike Killelea.

Killelea’s plein air paintings, headlined as “exquisite watercolors” in American Artists’ Watercolor magazine, have appeared in print, museums and exhibitions. “I am a fanatic about painting in plein air. There are great scenes all around us, and even under our noses,” Killelea said. “By forcing an artist to choose a subject from an endless variety of options, their design and color skills are strengthened.”
Michael Killelea is an artist, author, teacher and traveler.
His work and biography have been included in the Smithsonian Institution’s Library for the American Art Museum/National Portrait Gallery, the Library of Congress, the Watson Research Library at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and those have become the basis for permanent files on him. He has been included in the Burchfield Penney Art Center data base as one of 215 best past and present artists in Western New York. He has traveled extensively and painted in plein air almost everywhere he’s been.
He is the former Secretary and a Signature member of the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA). He’s also a Signature member and Program Committee chair of the Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society, a former Board member of the Niagara Arts & Cultural Center in Niagara Falls, and a signature member of the Buffalo Society of Artists. Until Covid ended it, he painted year round in plein air with the All Weather Gang. Killelea is a graduate of SUNY Farmingdale and has attended Pratt Institute and the School of Visual Arts. His work is in numerous private collections, has been reproduced on book and magazine covers, posters, prints & greeting cards and is featured in two books he wrote and illustrated about Long Island’s rural North Fork.
His website is www.killeleart.com, and he posts a new painting every week on the Killeleart Facebook page.

Fall 2025 Workshop with Gary Tucker, Mood and Atmosphere in Watercolor
2025-10-14 09:30 - 2025-10-17 16:00 | Kenan Center, 433 Locust Street, Lockport, NY, 14094, United States
Dates and times: Tuesday, October 14, to Friday, October 17, 2025, 9:30 – 4 pm
Location: Taylor Theater Meeting Room at The Kenan Center in Lockport, NY (behind Kenan House – accessible ramp) 433 Locust Street, Lockport, NY 14094
Fee: Members: $400 Non-Members: $460 (see application for details)
Here’s your link to the Workshop Page and the Registration Brochure.

October Members Meeting and Demonstration by Gary Tucker!
2025-10-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Buffalo, 14226, United States
Our October Members Meeting will be in person on October 16, 2025 from 7 – 9 pm at the Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Snyder, NY. ( Lots of parking behind the facility.) Snacks provided by our Hospitality Committee.
After a brief Members Meeting bringing us up to date on our Fall 2025 Exhibition’s Reception and Awards Ceremony on October 18th, and, highlighting other upcoming events for 2025-26, we will be treated to a demonstration by our Fall Workshop Artist, Gary Tucker.
About the Artist:
Gary started to make art his life path while still in high school under lifelong mentor Anita Fahs. Eventually Gary was drawn east to Boston where he met Professor Kaji Aso at the SMFA. Professor Aso introduced eastern aesthetic, calligraphy and sumi painting. Gary graduated to the media of watercolor and found he could achieve more subtlety, power and expressiveness in his painting.
Artist’s Philosophy:
What is the place of the artist in society? I feel the artist to be caretaker of the heart. Human beings have empathy for each other, for other creatures, even for plants. The artist values this empathy. This empathy leads them to the heart of human beings, and the artist seeks to move the hearts of others through their artwork.
To communicate through any medium, we need to understand how to employ our craft. We learn this through immersion. We study nature, we look to the great art of our predecessors, we train our eyes, our ears, our mind and our heart to become more perceptive, more sensitive so that we may say something more. A good teacher will emphasize the fundamentals until the student becomes the artist. The fundamentals are constant through every culture, every medium and every masterpiece.
See Gary Tuckers’ website: www.GaryTuckerartist.com for more information and images.

Reception and Awards Ceremony, Fall 2025 Members Watercolor Exhibition
2025-10-18 12:00 - 14:00 | Carnegie Art Center, 240 Goundry Street, North Tonawanda, NY, 14120, United States
Our reception and awards ceremony will be on Saturday, October 18th from 12 to 2 pm at the Carnegie Art Center, 240 Goundry St., N. Tonawanda, NY

Board of Directors and Volunteers Meeting
2025-11-11 16:00 - 18:00 | NY
The meeting will be at 4 pm at Sally Treanor’s Home, 756 Richmond Ave., Buffalo. Potluck!!

November Members Meeting and Demonstration by Tanis Bula on Zoom!
2025-11-20 19:00 - 21:00 | On Zoom
Our November Members Meeting will be on Zoom on November 20, 2025, from 7 – 9 pm. We will send an email to all members early in the week of the Zoom call.
After a brief Members Meeting bringing us up to date on our late fall/early winter upcoming events for 2025-26, we will be treated to a demonstration by our Internationally renowned watercolor artist Tanis Bula.

About the Artist:
Tanis Bula is an internationally renowned watercolorist. She is the winner of
numerous awards and has been featured in Watercolor Magazine. She has
exhibited in Europe and Japan as well as the US, and her work is included in
corporate as well as individual collections. In Japan, she was one of three
American watercolorists selected for individual shows. For three diﬀerent years
she went to Japan to sign paintings and meet with buyers.
Tanis studied at Iowa State University and the Kansas City Art Institute and has
participated in workshops both nationally and internationally. She has painted in
France, Italy, Portugal, Japan, the Caribbean, and Mexico. She was the owner of
an award-winning graphic design firm in Denver before gaining the recognition
that allowed her to turn to painting fulltime. She has painted a variety of subjects
including landscapes and is best known for her vibrant florals.
Artist’s Statement:
Somewhere, some place, someone is having a terrific time! For me, that often
means being struck by the incredible beauty of nature. Nature oﬀers an
abundance of complex shapes, textures, patterns and colors. The constant
shining of light makes each moment unique. I capture this moment in my
painting. Flowers especially exhibit this feeling in nature, incredible beauty
constantly in transition. Their fragility and delicacy lends itself uniquely to the
light and transparency possible with watercolor. I love bright colors and strong
contrasts, and this too is reflected in my art. My joy is to bring a wonderful
moment to life in a way that can be shared and returned to me again and again.

Tanis Bula graciously sent us a photo of the iris she will paint and a list of the pigments on her palette. Thank you, Tanis. We look forward to your demonstration.

January 2026 Members Meeting and Demonstration by Andy Evansen
2026-01-15 19:00 - 21:00 | NY
Our January Members Meeting will be on Zoom on January 15, 2026, from 7 – 9 pm. We will send an email with a link to all members early in the week of the Zoom call.
After a brief Members Meeting bringing us up to date on our winter’s upcoming events for 2026, we will be treated to a demonstration by our nationally renowned watercolor artist Andy Evansen.

March 19, 2026 Members Meeting and Demonstration by Jody Ziehm
2026-03-19 19:00 - 21:00 | Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Buffalo, 14226, United States
Our March Members Meeting this year will be different! It will be in person on March 19, 2026 from 7 – 9 pm at the Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Snyder, NY. ( Lots of parking behind the facility.) Snacks provided by our Hospitality Committee.
After a brief Members Meeting highlighting the upcoming events for 2026, we will be treated to a demonstration by an amazing artist, our Signature Member and popular teacher Jody Ziehm

Jody is a beloved watercolor artist and teacher based in Niagara Falls New York. Jody creates drama in her paintings by turning up the “volume” with color. While preserving the white of the paper for lights, creating mystery in her darks, invites the viewer in. Expressive marks using unconventional tools such as sharpened sticks, create a raw textural quality. Two important words in her process are “letting go”, enforced with the use of a misting bottle. She is more interested in the emotion of her inspiration, rather than replicating an image.
Although she believes that there are paintings surrounding us in our everyday lives, Jody’s most recent portfolio is inspired by hosting Artful Travels, guided journeys across Europe and the United States. We come together to explore communities in their rich history weaving together art, culture0 and shared discoveries.
Host of “The Art of Watercolors by Jody Ziehm” a long running local cable community program. It can be seen online at WWW.LCTV.NET on demand.
She teaches 3 weekly classes at the Carnegie Art Center in North Tonawanda New York. She also teaches an annual fall workshop at the Chautauqua Institution Chautauqua, New York. Conducts workshops in an around Western New York and Canada.
Most recent award -National Watercolor Society 2025 members Exhibition awarded the Julian Ellsworth Garnsey Past Presidents award. Juror Mario A. Robinson.
Accepted into 2025 Transparent Watercolor Society Annual exhibition.
Solo exhibition 2024 “Saturated Expressions” Carnegie Art Center North Tonawanda New York.

April Members Meeting and Demonstration by Catherine Hillis on Zoom!
2026-04-16 19:00 - 21:00 | On Zoom
After a brief Members Meeting bringing us up to date on spring upcoming events for 2026, we will be treated to an zoom online demonstration by Virginia incredibly creative watercolor artist and teacher Catherine Hillis.

Catherine Hillis has competed in national watermedia competitions and plein air events for decades, earning hundreds of awards and many signature memberships along the artistic way. Her paintings can be described as traditional landscapes, still lifes and figures but she relies on a unique perspective to draw the viewer into the world as she sees it, incorporating humor or beauty whenever possible in unexpected places. An eager traveler, and perhaps even a bit of a gypsy, she attains to view everyday subjects with fresh eyes. “I paint both en plein air and in the studio but I cannot tell you which I prefer. I only know that whatever piece I’m working on at the time is the one I am meant to create.” Hillis’ works and articles about watercolor painting are published regularly. Among the many publications she’s contributed to are American Watercolor Weekly Newsletter, Watercolor Artist Magazine, the SPLASH books, PleinAir Magazine, The Art of Watercolour and Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine. She’s served as Artist in Residence in Dinan, FR, at Hot Springs National Park, AR, and at Chateau d’ Orquevaux. Watercolor paintings by Hillis are included in museums, corporations and the homes and offices of private collectors. Known for her commonsense approach to teaching, the artist has taught throughout the Washington, DC region, across the country and overseas. She believes in presenting multiple demonstrations and personalized individual coaching during each class or workshop. “I believe in giving back to the community by sharing my skills with others. It’s my desire to provide students with skills for a lifetime.” “Our daily lives are hectic. I like to think my work can slow the pace, and make a troubled world feel better as I take a wide view of the chaos and bring focus and order to the pandemonium around me by squinting and then positioning my pencil and brush onto paper or canvas.”The artist has earned Signature Memberships with the National Watercolor Society, Laguna Plein Air Painters, the San Diego Watercolor Society, Southern Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, Virginia Watercolor Society, Missouri Watercolor Society, the Washington Society of Landscape Painters, Baltimore Watercolor Society and the Western Colorado Watercolor Society
Catherine Hillis is a daydreamer and a bit of a gypsy. Wherever she happens to be is probably where she’ll be painting, whether in the studio or outdoors. If the light is just right and there’s a compelling narrative, brushes and paint come out. She invites viewers to join her on the journey and enjoy traveling to another time and place with a satisfied smile on your face.

May 2026 Members Meeting and Demonstration by Chris Leeper!
2026-05-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Buffalo, 14226, United States
Our May Members Meeting will be in person on May 21, 2026 from 7 – 9 pm at the Amherst Community Church, 77 Washington Hwy, Snyder, NY. ( Lots of parking behind the facility.) Snacks provided by our Hospitality Committee.
After a brief Members Meeting bringing us up to date on our Spring 2026 Exhibition’s Reception and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 23rd, 12 – 2 pm, and, highlighting other upcoming events for 2026, we will be treated to a demonstration by our Spring Workshop Artist, Chris Leeper.

Chris Leeper’s Artist’s Statement
“Why do I paint?” That thought occurs to me occasionally. My answer is not particularly enlightening. I paint because I have to. It is what I do. It seems it has always been that way. Growing up in rural western Pennsylvania left an impression on my sense of how I look at the world. It seems as far back as I can remember I have had an excitement and a need to respond when confronted with a sublime landscape.
My muse is the light. Iam always looking for that moment when light, shadow, and form al come together. I enjoy representation; however I will often alter a painting as it develops. For me, the act of painting is one of discovery and possibility, thus my paintings are usually more distillations than true representations.
So, Ipaint. The wonder and blessing of it is that after 40 years or so, Iam still excited, inspired, and curious. That is a gift.

The Reception and Awards Ceremony for our Spring 2026 Members Watermedia Exhibition
2026-05-23 12:00 - 14:00 | Carnegie Art Center, 240 Goundry Street, North Tonawanda, NY, 14120, United States
Our reception and awards ceremony will be on Saturday, May 23d from 12 to 2 pm at the Carnegie Art Center, 240 Goundry St., N. Tonawanda, NY
