"Blue Ridge" received Jean Shanahan Plein Air Award at the 10th Annual Signature American Watermedia International Exhibit

Blue Ridge 21 x21

I am pleased to share that "Blue Ridge" has received the Plein Air Award the 10th Annual Signature American Watermedia International Exhibition. The exhibit was juried by Soon Y Warren. It is limited to artists who have achieved signature status in a select group of watercolor societies. I am fortunate enough to be a Signature Member of AWS,NWS and a Master Signature of the CWA (MCWA).

I am thrilled to be accepted this year as I am now living a few miles away instead of hundreds.

I will be at the reception this Saturday and hope to see Southern Californian friends there!

Details:

Opening Reception Saturday Feb 9

On exhibit Feb 10 to Apr 21st

Fallbrook Art Center
Fallbrook, Ca

Fallbrookartcenter.org

Winsor Newton Award at California Watercolor Association 49th National Exhibition for "Seven Layers of Spring"

Seven Layers of Spring 15 x 21

Thank you to Iain Stewart and Karen Frey for selecting and awarding one of my favorite paintings of Mount Diablo in all it's exuberant spring intensity.

This is my tenth time exhibiting in this National since 2004 when, with beginners luck I entered for the first time and was awarded the Jade Fon Award by Charles Reid. This gave me a major boost in commitment to painting time as validation I needed at the time.  This is the fourth time I have gotten an Award in a CWA National.

Iain Stewart selected 74 paintings out of more than 500 entries and Karen Frey in turn selected 25 for Awards. I use mostly Winsor Newton watercolor paints so this Award is especially satisfying.

Here is the Catalog page where my painting appears. It is great to be placed with other fabulous award winning paintings, but I wish they had not omitted the word Award in the caption.

Reception January 12th 1 to 3 pm
The exhibit runs Jan 11 to Feb 16 2019
Firehouse Arts Center - Harrington Gallery
4444 Railroad Ave Pleasanton 94566
Admission is free to the public

"Winter Whites" first painting of 2019

Winter Whites 16 x 20

I am spending time learning to paint the ever changing ocean colors, forms and light.
I was drawn to the abundance of white foam here, it lent itself to being painted in watercolor with the very white white of my Arches Bright white paper being put to good use.

Thank you to SDvoyager.com for the feature article

What a great introduction to the creative community in and around San Diego.
San Diego Voyager covers creative people happenings and places in the San Diego Area.
They found me from an instagram post of a recent painting.

Read the article here and get a sneak peek of some new paintings I haven't shown anywhere else
http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-robin-purcell/

Lily Pond at the Frick Collection NYC

Lily Pond 9 x 12.5 watercolor on paper

A studio painting from a photo I took on a trip to NYC this summer.

I wanted to play with shapes and colors in this patterned subject.

Here's the work in progress shot for you to see the small but important changes I made.

"Santa Monica Mountains" Accepted into Southern California Inspirations .NWS Oceanside Museum of Art

Santa Monica Mountains
14 x 21 watercolor on paper
Honored to be selected for this exhibit.

National Watercolor Society: 

Southern California Inspirations,

Past and Present

December 22, 2018 - April 21, 2019

Oceanside Museum of Art

Dear Robin,

Congratulations! 

Your watermedia painting Santa Monica Mountains

has been accepted for exhibition into Southern California Inspirations, Past and Present at Oceanside Museum of Art.

This Exhibition will also include several curated works from past SoCal-based NWS members: Art Riley, Barse Miller, Emil Kosa Jr., Hardy Gramatky, Jade Fon, James Green, Jake Lee, James Patrick, Marion Wachtel, Milford Zornes, Millard Sheets, Phil Dike, Phil Paradise, Ralph Hulett, Rex Brandt, Robert E. Wood.

The mountains in Southern California are younger and more angular than in Northern California where I  have painted in the past. 

The geometry of the rocks contrasts with the vegetation in a way that is very beautiful to me.

 I often think of fabric as I paint these patterned places. 

This scene in Malibu reminds me of a madras plaid and evokes the endless summer of Southern California's climate.