Congratulations to all of the artists whose paintings were selected for awards in our Spring 2023 Open Watercolor Exhibition. Our judge Mary Whyte’s General Show Statement and individual comments are shared below. The award winners can now be seen at the Carnegie Art Center, 240 Goundry St, N. Tonawanda, NY. The Exhibition can be viewed until May 26, 2022. It’s a stunning show, beautifully juried, and hung. Thank you to Martha Rogala and Janet Ide, co-chairpersons of the NFWS Exhibition Committee, and to Natalie Brown and the volunteers at the Carnegie Art Center. Here are some snapshots of the winners with Ann Sessions, Martha Rogala and Janet Ide. We had fun!
Again, congratulations to all artists who submitted their paintings. Keep painting and stay safe!
General Show Statement:
I am very honored to be this year’s juror for the NFWS annual exhibition. Culled from 104 entries, these 59 paintings represent some of the finest work being done in watercolor today. Varied in style, subject matter, and point of view, the watercolors in this year’s exhibition show heart, ambition, creativity, and imagination. Mary Whyte, Juror
THE AWARD WINNERS
First Place Award to Lan Fang for “Fallen Leaves in Water”
Judge’s Comment: A masterful and sensuous work. Creative, inventive and stunning in the execution of line, color and depth.
Second Place Award to Robert Bemisderfer for “Deerfield Trace”
Judge’s Comment: This work exhibits the finest qualities of the watercolor medium. It is fresh, pristine, simple and elegant.
Third Place Award to Jennifer koury for “Majesty”
Judge’s Commentary: An ambitious work, this painting successfully combines a myriad of beautiful shapes, repetition of curves and interesting textures in a telling woodland scene.
Honorable Mention Award to Daniel Meyer for “A Stitch in Time”
Judge’s Commentary: A beautiful rendering. The translucent qualities of pigment combined with elegant shapes put forth a beautiful work.
Honorable Mention Award to David Gardner for “Imagined Cove”
Judge’s Comment: The varied, abstracted shapes and edges combine to create a dynamic, light-filled scene.
Board of Directors’ Award to Larry Nagode for “Knox Run”
Judge’s Comment: Direct, confident, and solid in value range and depth.
Margaret M. Martin Award to Margaret Roseman for “The Summer Porch”
Judge’s Comment: A joyful shower of color. The small interlocking shapes work together to create a true sense of summer light.
Judge’s Choice Award to Carol Koziol Clark for “Pretty in Pink”
Judge’s Comment: A total jewel of a work. The repetition of shapes and color combine well to create a lovely composition.
Judge’s Choice Award to Stella Day for “Harbour Impression”
Judge’s Comment: Delicate, light filled and full of imagination. The brushwork is descriptive and fanciful.
Judge’s Choice Award to Manning McCandlish for “Edge of Forest”
Judge’s Comment: The combination of soft edges, rounded shapes and crisp lines portray an appealing sense of place.
Judge’s Choice Award to Martha Rogala for “In Search of the Perfect Light”
Judge’s Comment: The sense of filtered light and atmosphere in this work creates a lovely narrative.
Judge’s Choice Award to E. Jane Stoddard for “Inner Harbor, Buffalo”
Judge’s Comment: The sure-footed technique and interlocking shapes all come together to form a solid personal interpretation of a familiar scene.
