142nd AWS Annual International and 40th CWA National Exhibition

A Tangled Place 14 x 14 the 142nd American Watercolor Society International Exhibition

Valley Vertigo 21 x 14 40th California Watercolor Association National Exhibition

The 142nd American Watercolor Society Annual International Exhibtion opens in four days at the Salmagundi Club in Manhattan. Across the country, here in San Francisco at the Presidio, the California Watercolor Association 40th National Exhibition is installed now. I am thrilled to be an exhibitor in both. Why go to all the expense of entering and shipping these paintings?

I was listening to Chuck Close on NPR the other night and he articulated it very well. Art that has lasting value is usually that which is well-regarded by other professional artists. My goal is to create something original of lasting importance, that shows I have something unique to say about my subjects. The jurors in the exhibits are professionals and their acceptance of works gives me some validation and important motivation to get out there and paint .

The AWS exhibit is a first acceptance. The California Watercolor Association makes the fourth acceptance out of the last five. So I am trying to develope a track record of national recognition that hopefully collectors and galleries will notice (I also have one NWS National under my belt, so that makes a grand total of six national acceptances )