A respected watercolor painter, NFWS Signature Member Mary Hardegen will be our demonstrator in February.

Mary shares the following:
“Exposed to watercolor at a young age, I knew that my artistic abilities would ultimately be devoted to it. Watercolor itself offers a lifetime of experimentation to learn its elusive qualities. Intrigued more by what the paint itself displays than the actual subjects I choose, I am inspired by anything that captures light and color, especially landscapes. An expressive medium with unique results every time makes it an exciting medium to share with others through hands on experience, which is why I also enjoy teaching others about watercolor.

My work has been exhibited locally and nationally, receiving awards and being purchased for personal collections.

I have been a member of NFWS for over 12 years, serving as President and in several other roles. I also participate in the Southtowns Watercolor Salon. Centennial Art Center, and Western New York Artists Group.

I have taught classes in a variety of settings. I currently do not have a website but can be contacted through email.”

Join us for an evening of friendship and inspiration. Everyone is welcome!!

For our January 17th Members Meeting we welcome NFWS Signature Member Vicki O’Reilly whose mastery of luminous florals and keen observation of nature and our surroundings delight lovers of watercolor across the Niagara Frontier.

Vicki has shared the following:

“I have admired watercolor paintings my whole life, but until 15 years ago, I had never worked in watercolor. In 1997, I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art and art history from U.B., taking classes part time while I raised my two children. I also studied locally with a studio artist in portraiture and life drawing in oils, pastels and charcoals. I was first introduced to transparent watercolor when I met Denise Sperry at a figure drawing class and was intrigued by the medium in which she worked. Denise told me that she gave classes in technique, and I immediately signed up. From then on, I have never looked back.
I draw inspiration for my paintings from observation of my everyday environment as well as experience gained in my travels. People are often the subjects of my paintings and at other times I find a landscape or cityscape of a place intriguing. Flowers, however, are a special subject for me and often I find myself drawn to them, wherever I may be. I believe that we all sometimes take the beauty around us for granted and I try to paint in a way that makes people take notice. My goal when I paint is to relate my poetic response to my subject. I will frequently zoom in and exaggerate the color or value to intensify the drama, create a sense of mystery and communicate my excitement. Each painting holds a challenge for me both technically and spiritually, as I work to depict visually what I feel emotionally.
I am a signature member of NFWS and have been honored to receive awards for pieces exhibited in their juried shows. I served on the Board of Directors for 3 years and continue to be active in the society. I am also a longtime member of the Williamsville Art Society where I served as past President and chairperson of several committees. I continue to exhibit in their shows as well and have been honored with several awards. In October 2016, I was accepted as an exhibiting member of the Buffalo Society of Artists. I live in Buffalo, New York and have continued my art education by attending numerous workshops both locally and internationally.”

Everyone is welcome to join us for an entertaining evening of friendship, learning and inspiration.  See you in January!