Winners Chosen for NWWS 82nd International Open Exhibition

A watercolor painting of a horse, titled “Waiting Patiently,” took first place. The artist turned out to be …

One of juror Andy Evansen’s goals in picking 75 watermedia paintings from the 664 submitted to the Northwest Watercolor Society’s (NWWS) 82nd International Open Exhibition was to pick different styles to show the medium’s versatility and possibilities. At the Awards Reception, he explained why he chose each painting. The recorded event is available for public viewing as is the free online exhibition through January 6, 2023, at www.nwws.org.

On the First Place Winner:

The first place of $2,000 cash went to Caitlin Leline Hatch for her watercolor painting ‘Waiting Patiently’ (shown at top). “The small important subtle light shapes in the face to indicate tendons, sinews, and veins and the strong rich colors in the neck” impressed Evansen with the artist’s remarkable skill. “It’s painted realistically but expressively enough that it still embraces what makes watercolor such a beautiful and unique medium.”

On the Second Place Winner:

“Every time I looked at this painting, it brought a smile to my face,” Evansen said of Amalia Fisch’s ‘Guillermo’ awarded second place of $1300 cash. “A cubist break up of the space…reduced to large simple shapes works so well. A unique vision and charming painting.”

On the Third Place Winner:

“The textures and variety of shapes in the eyes make a difference in the elegance and design of this painting. We’re looking directly at the dog and that makes another level of majesty. It has as much emotion and feeling as any of the portraits of people,” Evansen explained about Lei Chi’s ‘Olive,’ awarded $800 for third place.

A Purchase Award of $1,000 was given to John Ebner for ‘China Mist.’ Eleven other merchandise and cash awards were also handed out.

At the end of the event, Evansen congratulated everybody and in an almost apologetic voice said, “If you didn’t win an award, try again next time – like we all do.”

A variety of watermedia paintings are accepted into NWWS exhibitions. All artwork is for sale by contacting the NWWS treasurer, Shirley at [email protected]. Artists receive 75% of the sales price.

About NWWS
The Northwest Watercolor Society (NWWS) was founded in 1939 in Seattle, Washington when a group of eight artists came together to form an organization dedicated to the celebration of watercolor. With a goal to inspire both a lasting interest in the art of watercolor painting and an appreciation for watercolor as an artful, imaginative medium, the history of NWWS began. From these modest beginnings, NWWS has grown into the internationally recognized, historically rich organization of today with a membership over a thousand Signature, Lifetime, and Associate Members across the USA, Canada & internationally.

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