President's Palette

Receiving the call that Baltimore Watercolor Society President Sherry Morell had put my name forward to be the next President was and continues to be quite humbling. We have enjoyed a very nice relationship during the past few years and shared ideas to help benefit watercolor painters. I had recently fulfilled my term as President of the Annapolis Watercolor Club. When I got the call, I knew what was involved with this commitment. This is a very large membership of outstanding, wonderful artists. You are my peers. You are who I look up to and admire. Having you unanimously vote me as your President means a great deal to me.

There is a great revival happening now in all of the arts from music, dance, literature to painting. Being one of the oldest, largest and most respected watercolor societies in the country, we have a lot to bring to the table. The world that we are living in has quickly changed in the past few years. It is not a matter of keeping up with the change, it is first learning what has changed and then learning how to navigate our way through it.

I will tell you now as I told the Board before accepting this position, that we need to evolve and lean into this and not fight it. I think that it is an exciting challenge! The BWS Mission Statement to encourage, educate, and promote professional excellence in the creation and development of original works of art, executed in aqueous media by offering our members many opportunities to exhibit their work and develop professionally will always be foremost in my efforts going forward, however, the process may be very different from what we are used to doing.

I hope to integrate all of the arts into our process. Recently hosting an Annapolis Watercolor Club exhibit opening with an interpretive dance performance during the reception was wonderful. We got to learn something from each other’s world, support each other and grow both of our audiences. This is just one example of our new adventure.

Please consider joining me with some of your time and talents as we sort our way through this. We will do this together and you will have a “front row seat.” I want to hear from you!

Sincerely,
Linda Luke
BWS President

Announcement of Accepted Artists to the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition

Juror Alexis Lavine (NWS, TWSA, BWS) has completed her selection of paintings for the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Exhibition, choosing 97 works from 370 paintings submitted by 218 artists. Congratulations to all selected artists, and sincere thanks to all entrants for making this year’s Mid-Atlantic application phase a success.

Entrants were notified of the results by late August. Selected artists are listed on the BWS Mid-Atlantic web page.

Alexis has offered the following comments on the selection process…
“Judging a large and prestigious competition such as this one is always exciting, fascinating, and humbling. Faced with the task of choosing fewer than 100 paintings from nearly 400 entries made my job very challenging to say the least. The entries encompassed just about every possible subject, technique, and allowable materials. I tried to choose the strongest body of work, and to recognize and include all of those marvelous variations on the theme of watermedia. If your painting was selected, may I offer you a hearty “Congratulations!” If your painting was not selected, please do not be overly discouraged. I know how you feel! Keep on painting and learning and entering shows. Be stubborn! Be determined! And don’t give up on this unique, versatile and expressive medium, which we all love so much!“... Alexis

Selected entrants will receive detailed delivery/shipping instructions for the October 2 drop-off date.
Award recipients will be notified by October 3.

The 2023 Mid-Atlantic Exhibition will be open from October 6, 2023 through January 16, 2024 at the Arts Barn and Kentlands Mansion Galleries in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The opening reception will be held on Sunday, November 12, 2023, 2-4pm.

From our Mid-Atlantic Awards Team

Congratulations to artists accepted into the Mid-Atlantic Exhibition! Excitement mounts as we look forward to hearing Alexis Levine’s selections for awards. Stay tuned Mid-Atlantic artists! Because of the generosity of corporate and individual donors, the total value of awards this year has reached almost $20,000.

Special Discount Offer for Members!

American Frame, 2023 BWS corporate sponsor, has instituted a new discount program for BWS members called the Alliance Program (see their ad in this newsletter). This is an automatic 10% member discount on any purchase with no minimum purchase requirement.

To sign up for the Alliance Program, scroll down to the bottom of the American Frame website home page, click on “Resource” and “Discount.” Complete the form, which includes a drop-down menu item to select BWS. You only have to fill out the form one time and it will be linked to every order. The discount will automatically be applied each time the member returns to make a purchase, unless the member chooses to take advantage of a different temporary offer. No matter the discount applied, BWS will earn points each time a member makes a purchase. Accumulated points will determine the value of next year’s award donation. It’s a win for members shopping for quality frames, and a win for BWS!

TIME TO ACT:
Alexis Lavine is Coming

Hi Fellow Artists,

Summer is coming to a close and It is time to think about the Fall. Alexis Lavine, our Mid-Atlantic Judge, is giving a Workshop October 3rd-5th on painting on alternative surfaces. This class is going to be great and you don't want to miss it. If you have been holding off on signing up because you thought October is a long way off, now is the time to do it.

Come to this workshop and learn from the best! I have seen Alexis teach. She knows her stuff and you will be missing out if you skip this workshop. Alternative surfaces can offer all sorts of advantages.

To read the announcement about the class, or register, go to the BWS website. Look for the public events section under the Baltimore Watercolor Society header. Hit the down arrow and click on Upcoming Events. All the information is there.

www.baltimorewatercolorsociety.org

"Alexis is both a wonderful artist and an excellent teacher. The classes are a mixture of inspiration from watching her paint and learning from her individual coaching. You will not only learn the techniques of watercolor but also color theory, good design techniques and the ability to correct mistakes and fine tune a finished painting. Alexis provides encouragement, critique and humor to make classes both enjoyable and productive." KB

"Alexis has such a grand way of teaching and giving her students understanding of how to make a drawing, a design, a plan to bring it all together into a painting that is uniquely theirs. She offers encouraging critique on an individual basis, seeing exactly what is needed to improve a painting and make it better. In short, her watercolor classes are exciting and challenging, making you want to paint more and become a better painter." BP 

Other Art Organizations' Call for Entry

International Society of Experimental Artist (ISEA)
Captivating Innovation on the Cape 2023
Annual Symposium: 5 days of workshops, Evening events, demonstrations, and the ISEA INNOVATIONS 2023 Exhibition Awards Reception.
September 18 - 22, 2023
South Yarmouth, Massachusetts
Register Online by September 6, 2023
Learn more at:
https://www.iseaartexhibit.org/Symposium-2023 

Pittsburgh Watercolor Society
Aqueous Open International Exhibition 2023 
Opening "Reception" October 7, 2023
Registration Deadline: September 8 at Midnight
Learn more at: 
https://www.pittsburghwatercolorsociety.com/

The Columbia Art Center
Annual Color Columbia Paint Out 
For Artists Who Love Plein Aire Painting
October 21, 2023
Learn more and register at:
https://columbiaassociation.org/community-program/columbia-art-center/pleinair/ 

MEMBERSHIP

Welcome New Associate Members

MaryLou Andrews, Virginia Beach, VA
Nanette Catigbe, Fairfax, VA
Ann St.Clair Lesman, Millwood, VA

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