Garden State Watercolor Society Presents its 46th Annual Juried Show “Nature’s Beauty”
“Vinalhaven” by Charles McVicker
Garden State Watercolor Society presents its 46th annual juried show, “Nature’s Beauty,” at D&R Greenway Land Trust’s Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, Princeton, August 11 through September 25, with an awards and closing reception September 25, 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Artwork by 65 artists, from Cape May to Sussex County, was selected for the exhibition by juror Jeanne Dobie. Many of the artists are nationally known, such as Tom Chesar, Joan Gantz, Charles McVicker, Beth Shoenleber and Jinnie May. Juror Dobie has also chosen the awards to be given September 25. Dobie is a nationally respected artist, author, educator and juror. Educated at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art (now University of the Arts), Dobie served on the faculty of Moore College of Art, Philadelphia. Her book “Making Color Sing,” well thumbed by watercolorists, is distributed internationally in English, French and Chinese. Watercolor Magazine recognized Dobie as one of the “20 Great Teachers” in 2006.
In making her selections, Dobie says she looks for “how the artist orchestrates different aspects of the painting. A great painting depends on the artist creating balance of arrangement, movement, lighting and composition. The artist is always looking for the feeling and mood of their subject matter.”
Concurrently, GSWS Member Emeritus Lucy Graves McVicker will have a one-woman show in the first floor gallery. McVicker is a well-known Princeton artist who creates abstract work in water media using a wide variety of processes and techniques. This is McVicker’s first solo show at the gallery and she is excited to support D&R Greenway’s mission. She shares, “I love what D&R Greenway does to save our landscape that ensures a place for artists to paint.”
“We are delighted to partner once again with the Garden State Watercolor Society,” says D&R Greenway Land Trust President & CEO Linda Mead. “D&R Greenway’s mission is to preserve and protect a permanent network of natural lands and open spaces, creating and extending greenways – unbroken chains of preserved land surrounding stream corridors, headwaters, water recharge areas and significant ecosystems. Together, D&R Greenway and GSWS hope to inspire a conservation ethic that results in an increased public commitment to land preservation and stewardship.”
“Many artists get inspired from the world around them,” says GSWS Exhibition Co-chair Judy Hummer. “Their experiences are shaped by the environment and the interactions that occur in their day-to-day lives. This influence is transmitted and expressed when an artist creates work. Such seemingly simple decisions as what medium to use, the type of paper, and choice of palette all play a role in how the artist’s intention will come across to the viewer. There are many ways to interpret the theme of the show and our artists have responded beautifully with a variety of subject matter, media and technique.”
“We encourage other artists and the general public to enjoy the exhibition and the events being held in conjunction with it,” says Garden State Watercolor Society President Tess Fields. “It’s a good fit to bring artists from around the region to a place that was created to educate and inspire the public about nature.”
The exhibition will be in the Marie Matthews galleries of the Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, Princeton. Admission is free. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., closed holidays and special occasions – please call ahead to confirm availability.