California Watercolor Association

54th National Exhibition

We are very pleased to present our National Exhibition to you on this gallery.

Carolyn Lord, our juror of selection, chose the 85 paintings presented here and Barbara Tapp, our juror of awards, chose the following 20 paintings for the awards listed. Each of them was kind enough to provide us with their thoughts about why they chose the awarded paintings. We hope that you will enjoy the work presented here as much as we enjoyed preparing it for you.

Following the 85 paintings that comprise the National Exhibition, we are pleased to present, as this space allows, an additional 30 paintings that were selected for their merit.

Antoaneta GeorgievaRemains of the Day

$1900

Gold Award

Remains of the Day was selected because of the shift of light across the painting: from softly lit, to color-and-detail depleting glare. Also, the accurate drawing in the portraits is counterbalanced by the fluid application of watercolor, a characteristic that is unique to this painting medium.
~ Carolyn Lord

This painting evoked joy in me because of the connection between these three women. It is beautifully painted with bold variation in brushwork, colors, values, and delicate effects. A bold well composed group with the focus being their faces surrounded by their well rendered clothing.
~ Barbara Tapp

Jamie Morgan

Colby Park Garden

$1169

Silver Award

Colby Park Garden was selected because of the sophisticated use of perspective and color, the distillation and abstraction of architectural forms, and the seemingly casual application of watercolor: all bound together in a solid composition. ~ Carolyn Lord

Strong values created a pleasing sense of space and took me into this street scene. This artist has an excellent command of perspective, volume and values using a pleasant limited palette and creating a unique and refreshing exceptionally well composed streetscape that captured my attention.
~ Barbara Tapp

Gaoshan HU

End of the Road

$800

Bronze Award

End of the Road was selected because of its unique color harmony, its fluid shapes and surreal motifs, plus several modes of paint application which demonstrates the watercolor’s inherent flexibility.
~ Carolyn Lord

I loved the unusual design, subject and creativity in this painting. Is the fish scared? It is cleverly designed with the dramatic triangular open mouth balanced by the huge round black eye, three landscape bands of colors and then the contrasting net like black line-work crackling over the fish head.
~ Barbara Tapp

Eileen Mccullough

H.B. Pier on a Windy Day

$1600

Arnold Grossman Memorial
ColArt Americas
Stillman & Birn
International Artist Publishing
Mijello Co. Ltd Award

Great very appealing choice of fresh colors and individual distinguishable watercolor mark making creating a very attractive dynamic beach scene. Well constructed yet maintaining an abstract looseness. ~ Barbara Tapp

Cara Brown

Broadway

$3350

CWA Signature Members I
FLAX Art & Design
University Art Supplies
Art Supply Warehouse
Mijello Co. Ltd Award

Commanding sense of design and fun jive in contrast between round luscious pink organic rose petals, blue stripes and stalks. Full of energy. Love the strong values.
~ Barbara Tapp

Leslie Wilson

Breakfast Chef

$1700

CWA Signature Members II
FLAX Art & Design
University Art Supplies
Art Supply Warehouse Award

This is a well constructed painting with accurate drawing and perspective. I loved the light on the cooks shoulder. There is a sophisticated understanding of lights and darks. I feel I am in the room. ~ Barbara Tapp

Jeff Ishikawa

Remnants

$712

Mary Spivey Award for Excellence in Landscape Painting
Holbein
FASO 1 Award

An exciting use of texture, colors and shapes that captured energy and my curiosity. ~ Barbara Tapp

Lei Chi

Dad

$10000

Artistic Journey
Armadillo Art
Mijello Co. Ltd
University Art Supplies
de Young Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Award

I thought this was an intriguing portrait and a clever use of light. The pale yellow seat fits well around the man’s torso and the background added mystery to the painting. Beautifully designed and subtle. ~ Barbara Tapp

Marilyn Miller

Lhasa

$900

Dick Cole Memorial
Mijello Co. Ltd.
FLAX art& design Award

I love the positive and negative shapes and colors creating a nice interplay and support to the moving figures. ~ Barbara Tapp

Michael Friedland

Central Valley Afternoon Glow

$1200

M. Graham & Co.
Blick Art Materials
FLAX art& design
Art Supply Warehouse Award

A sense of space and mood is captured very successfully in this carefully painted landscape. This artist handles watercolor washes and textures superbly.~ Barbara Tapp

Karen Mai

A Quiet Moment in the Typhoon Shelter

$3900

Past Presidents Award

I love the interplay of lights and darks in this busy boating scene. Well painted and designed. I like the sense of place achieved by the calm waters and hazy background. ~ Barbara Tapp

Eric Wiegardt

Umbrellas

$2000

FM Brush Company Ltd, Mijello Co. Ltd. Award

This painting commanded my attention with its free form drawn figures and trees. The painting feels wet. The artist has freedom and energy in their loose washes, color choices, calligraphy and brushwork plus a great understanding of perspective within the disappearing crowd. ~ Barbara Tapp

Woon Lam Ng

Morning Market 2023

$5800

David Nathan Memorial
Dan Curry Memorial Award

Great energy in the mark making helped create an exciting set of textures turning this street scene into a new energy. The artist showed restraint choosing a limited palette and soft yellows as a successful background to this painting. ~ Barbara Tapp

Geoff Allen

Packing Up

$2150

Legion Paper
Blick Art Materials
Holbein
Mijello Co. Ltd. Award

This is a powerful response to the subject by this artist, showing freedom and joy in the brushstrokes. There is a wonderful natural style and sophisticated understanding of composition as seen in the well placed boats, shadows and large background tree. ~ Barbara Tapp

Linda Curtis

Planter Path

$625

Norbert Volk
Mijello Co. Ltd. Award

My eye had so much to explore in this attractively designed iris painting. This artist has a distinct style with the dark calligraphy markings as seen on the petals. The dark and light contrast interplay between the curled petals and the changes in directions of the stalks created a dynamic painting. ~ Barbara Tapp

Sean Barrett

Plasticity

$2200

Watercolor West Reciprocal
Mijello Co. Ltd.
Art Supply Warehouse Award

This is a complex sophisticated watercolor that had me saying, “How did they do this?” The blurred background is painted brilliantly and the tangled wires have been masterfully manipulated. ~ Barbara Tapp

John Salminen

California Line

$5000

QOR Artist Watercolors
Blick Art Materials Award

What great contrast and intrigue as I explored this watercolor. The clearly defined perspective of the cable car tracks ties the painting together. A sophisticated composition as my eye eased into the complicated streetscape from the yellow on the bottom right to the blue in the center allowing me to rest before I explored further. ~ Barbara Tapp

Susan JochheimOh No, There’s a Bug in My Garden

$1500

Holbein
Blick Art Materials
University Art Supplies
Art Supply Warehouse
Mijello Co. Ltd. Award

This is a very playful, watercolor romp with great use of outlines and washes. ~ Barbara Tapp

Patrick Fanning

Loading Net

$1200

Holbein
University Art Supplies
FLAX art& design
Strathmore Award

Wow, this is a dramatic composition. There is movement throughout in the figures, nets and mysterious lighting. There is a distinctive style of simplification of shapes and values. I feel swept up in the scene. ~ Barbara Tapp

John James

Flying Kites In Grey Skies

$950

FASO 2 Award

I loved this freeform abstract painting dealing with fracturing space, creating depth from the upward moving spindly plants. The fan brushstrokes added a refreshing new texture and drew me around them and into this intriguing painting. ~ Barbara Tapp

Congratulations to the 20 award winning paintings. And now, please enjoy these following 65 paintings that were selected from the 370 that were submitted for this year’s National Exhibition.

Ronald Bean

Carmel Cove

$500

Barbara Bochenek

Celebration

$1200

Kathie Boissiere

Luscious

$2000

Sasha Boyko

View of Legnaro Italy

$300

Francesca Brayton

Color Me Koi

$1200

Winifred BreinesMexican Cup, Oranges, Pottery, Blue Stripes

$850

Susan Butler-Graham

Forest Bathing

$445

Kathy Byrne

Antique Gauges

$1300

Nancy CaldwellFishing from the Pier in Winter

$1250

Kathleen Conover

Locomotion

$1500

Don DevineI’ve Seen Enough

$2500

Linda Erfle

Meyers and Cobalt Blue Glass

$1700

Anne Fallin

BFFs

$3150

Mark FarinaOdello Artichoke Fields, Carmel

$1800

Karen Fiene

Reflections at Blake Garden

$1200

Andy Forrest

Fruit and Veggies

$500

Karen Frey

Quiet Harbor

$2500

Marina Goldberg

Age of innocence

$2000

Joan GombosCoffee Time

$1000

Beth GrantHaven’t You Ever Noticed that What the Hell is Always the Right Answer

$1250

Douglas Greer

Hit the Road Jack

$1000

Lori Hess

Aleah and the Moon

$2750

Sharon Hind-Smith

Flooding to Patio

$400

Michael HolterStairway to…

$1500

Gregory HolzhauerBarn Off High Road To Taos

$450

William Hook

Industrial Fantasy 2

$900

Carol HussleinRooftops and Flowerpots, Paris

$850

Bev Jozwiak

In the Wings

$1000

Kim Kearns

Jacob

$895

Donna Kenny KirwanSurf’s Up

$1200

Norman KondyPoint Blank

$700

Raffi KondyFreedom Square, Yerevan, Armenia

$900

Chris Krupinski

Take a Cutie to Lunch

$5000

Bharati Kshirsagar

Sunday Morning

$400

Lena Lee

The Golden Hour in Emptiness

$800

Marion Leggett

Desert Rose

$400

Iris Lian

Down the River

$500

Maura Madden Donovan

On the Bayou

$1000

Ellen Maldonado

Tranquility

$300

Craig Moline

Feather River Canyon

$650

Lily Nan

Dawn

$1200

r. mike nicholsWatercolorist 2

$2000

Irena Noreikaite PetraitieneMagnolia Grande

$3900

C Normart

Sierra View

$2450

Kristen Olson

California Oaks

$450

Eileen Ormiston

Motorcycle Mirror

$1800

Nancy Partovi

Sierra Winter

$6000

Kate Peper

All In

$1300

Patricia Pierce

Santa Fe Serenity

$500

Robin Purcell

Turquoise Coyote

$2600

Dale Rutz

Dancing on the Kitchen Table

$600

Tom Sallak

Generations

$2500

Jane Sneed

Java Beach Cafe

$800

Jane Spencer

Pure Joy

$1800

Allison Spreadborough

Bolinas Lagoon

$1500

Kathleen Stumpfel

Mt Shasta Meadow

$900

Sujit SudhiTropical Vista

$300

Jiangang Sun

Quiet Harbor II

$2500

Michael Tang

Afternoon Light

$15000

Kirsten Theurer

Before The Storm

$2500

Salvador Valencia

Awakening

$1200

Steve Walters

Open For Conversation

$1200

Margaret Washington

Obon Festival

$2500

Georganne Zaro

Harbor Watch

$1000

Tianya Zhou

Enjoy Music

$2900

The following thirty paintings were selected to present here for their merit.

Mary Axelson

Peony III

$5000

Marnie Becker

Red Kimono

$2500

Cindy Brabec-King

Fresh Coat of Gold

$3000

Keming Chen

Painting Artwork

$3000

Robert Davidson

Cayucos Coast

$3000

Margaret Fago

Red Begonias

$475

Qian Gao

Outdoor market

$800

Dmitry GrudskyNaughty Girl

$1500

Iretta Hunter

Trail Stars

$650

Carol Irwin

Tornado

$1000

Lei Jin

Red Boat

$1200

Lucinda Johnson

Canyon Light

$850

Karen Kramer

Enchanted Forest

$1400

Patricia Lawrence

Rolling at Ocean Beach

$4500

Shirley Lim

Welding In Sunset

$900

Ann Maglinte

Bay Trees at Dusk

$600

Michael Reardon

Saint Agnese

$2200

Bonnie Joy SedlakBranching Out

$850

Tony Segale

El Rancho

$950

Charlotte Severin

Winter Frost

$850

Lynn Slade

Spring Runoff

$1500

Katherine Stair

Stroll on St. Charles

$1500

Carol Stair

Avenue of the Giants

$1850

Joseph Tringali

Secret Spot

$750

Monique Uyterhoeven

Dusk on Monte Bello Preserve

$1200

Ann Walker

Mali Mavens

$3000

Marilyn Wear

Blissful Blossoms

$1200

Laurie Wigham

Point Reyes Tree Tunnel Two

$1200

Pamela Wilburn

Red Zinnias

$1000

Kikuko Young

Cyclamen in Bloom

$750

Thank you. We hope that you’ve enjoyed our National Exhibition web gallery this year. Inquiries about purchasing a painting can be sent to: national@californiawatercolor.org

The CWA
National
Exhibition
Committee

Director
Michael Friedland

Jurors
Carolyn Lord
Barbara Tapp

Fundraising
Carol Husslein
Iretta Hunter

Catalog Design
Patricia Rosa

National gallery page design: ^© Michael Friedland
Excellent web gallery development: Adrienne Hefter
Thank you Adrienne!