My mother shared her artistic interest with me and even as a child, I was singled out because of my drawing skills and became accustomed to being identified as an artist. I graduated with a BFA (painting & drawing emphasis) from the University of Utah & was especially influenced by Diana Gardner, Paul Davis, Dave Dornan, Doug Snow and George Dibble. While attending the university I acquired several pieces from professors by trading student work. I also was selected on scholarship to attend Ed Maryon's Monterey Bay watercolor workshop. I have been honored to have my work included in two separate issues of "Watercolor Artist" magazine (Feb issue, 2012 & 2013).
Although I enjoy painting in oils, I have focused on watercolors for the last few years. The transparency of watercolor produces a freshness & purity of color unequaled in other mediums & I appreciate artists who are able to preserve the white & paint in a truly purist way. On that note, I am pleased to share that "Totnes" has been juried into the TWSA 37th National Exhibition (Kenosha Public Museum, Kenosha, Wisconsin, May4-Aug4, 2013) Watercolor truly keeps me humble. I have to keep reminding myself that I have a relationship WITH watercolor & refrain from trying to control it. It continues to kick my butt on a regular basis!
My first watercolor floral series was an exploration of negative space. I planned my compositions around the white (left paper) floral shapes. Although, I encouraged the paint to flow & mix freely within designated areas, I maintained strict control on the main value shapes. I learned so much about the individual color character traits and how well they played with others!
Recently, my personal challenge has been to incorporate the human figure into the landscape. I appreciate the Chinese tradition of including the figure in the landscape, humanity often dwarfed by the immensity & power of nature. I've been more focused, however, on the relationship between the figure and landscape. Instead of separating & defining, I try to find those places where the two merge. Recent workshop instructors (Carla O'Connor, Richard Stephens, Alvaro Castagnet, Christopher Schinck) have also ignited a desire to experiment with mixed water media. The opacity of gouache & acrylic can be used to offset & enhance transparency.
I have spent an incredible amount of time in the studio drawing from the live model & many of the landscapes were done "en plein air". Being able to draw is essential & I continue to practice on a regular basis.
I must admit to a bit of stubbornness in also shaping my desire to paint with watercolor. I have known many fine artists who have switched to oils in order to make a living. For whatever reason, oils have more credibility in the art market. I am committed to being a student of watercolor for the time being and am an active signature member of the Utah Watercolor Society. (I have also earned signature status in the Wyoming Watercolor Society, the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies & the National Watercolor Society.) The UWS provides wonderful workshop opportunities, bringing in the "big names" from all over the world & I try to take advantage whenever possible. I have also been given the opportunity to teach workshops, do some public speaking & judge art shows. As a lifelong learner, my passionate relationship with watercolor continues to grow & change. If I'm lucky, this challenging & rich medium will continue to surprise, delight (& frustrate) me for a very long time!
Recent Activities/Honors:
January Guest Artist (Presentation/Painting Demo) for Midway Arts Association (Midway, UT)
March Guest Artist for ISA (Intermountain Society of Artists) - Salt Lake City
Visiting Artist (UDAM/Crayola grant) for Summit Elementary second graders (in the classroom Jan-March, 2o13) - Look for our upcoming public exhibition & art in the Cache County buses!
February 2012"Watercolor Artist" magazine - "Red Rock Reverie" - article is entitled "The Year's Best Paintings" by Jessica Canterbury
February 2013 "Watercolor Artist" magazine - "Southern Desert Hike" - article is entitled "The Best of the Best" by Beth Williams
JURIED EXHIBITS & AWARDS
- 2013 - FAV (Feb) "OUTSTANDING WATERCOLOR" for "Totnes"
- 2013 UWS Spring Exhiibition - "Q" & "Chasing The Light"
- 2013 TWSA 37th National Exhibition - "Totnes"
- 2013 Sears Invitational - 2nd Place (watercolor) for "Stone Stories" & honorable mention for "Polperro"
- 2013 UWS-CVC - "Polperro" (BEST OF SHOW)
- 2012 Logan Fine Art Salon - "Thames" & "Buskin' Blues" (Cash Award Winner)
- 2012 MTWS (Montana) Watermedia Exhibition - "Arches of Academia"
- 2012 92nd Annual National Watercolor Society Exhibition - "Mesa" (Awarded Signature Status)
- 2012 Watercolor Wyoming 27th Annual National Exhibition - "A Chicken of A Different Color" & "Southern Desert Hike" (BEST OF SHOW) (Awarded Signature Satus)
- 2012 UWS Spring Exhibition - "Buskin Blues" (AWARD OF EXCELLENCE) & "Mackinac Island" (Utah Arts Council TEP 2012-2013)
- 2012 Sears Invitational - 2nd Place (watercolor landscape) for "Southern Desert Hike"
- 2012 UWS-CVC Spring Exhibition - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE for "Fishin' In The City"
- 2011 XLIII Annual Watercolor West Exhibition (Brea, CA) - "New York Neighbors"
- 2011 ISA Fall Exhibition - THIRD PLACE (Watercolor Division) for "Sow Mendon"
- 2011 UWS Fall Member Exhibition - "Heart of the Matter" & "New York Neighbors" (JURORS AWARD)
- 2011 UWS-CVC Fall Exhibition - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE for "Growth"
- 2011 Logan Fine Art Salon - HONORABLE MENTION for "Southern Desert Hike"
- 2011 Watercolor Wyoming 26th Annual National Exhibition - "Slot Canyon Date", "Red Rock Reverie" (BEST OF SHOW) & "La Jolla Seals"
- 2011 UWS Mini Show - BEST OF SHOW for "Canyon Abstraction"
- 2011 37th Statewide Competition (ECAC - Ogden) - "Sow Mendon" & THIRD PLACE for "January in Cache County"
- 2011 UWS Spring Exhibition - "January in Cache County" & JURORS AWARD for "Entanglement" (Utah Arts Council Travelling Show)
- 2011 Wasatch Plein Air Paradise (Utah) - FIFTH PLACE (professional division) for "Flooded Field"
- 2011 Logan Summerfest - THIRD PLACE for "Abandoned Woad"
- 2011 International Watermedia XVII (PPWS, Colorado Springs) - "New York Neighbors"
-2011Sears Invitational (Dixie State College)-First Place(watercolor landscape) for "Sow Mendon" & Honorable Mention for "Minnow Memories"
- 2011 Artist's Magazine - FINALIST (watercolor) for "One Dog, Two Dog, Red Dogs, Blue Dog"
- 2011 UWS Signature/Two Star Exhibition - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE for "Slot Canyon Date"
- 2010 Arizona Watercolor Association (international) - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE for "Slot Canyon Date"
- Sept. 2010 FAV Finalist (OUTSTANDING WATERCOLOR) for "Photo Op In Central Park"
- 2010 Fall Intermountain Society of Artists - BEST OF SHOW for "Red Rock Reverie" & THIRD PLACE (mixed media) for "Entanglement"
- 2010 UWS Fall Exhibition- JURORS AWARD for "Resolution"
- 2010 Wasatch Plein Air Paradise (Utah)- First Place (studio) for "Red Rock Reverie"
- 2010 Summerfest Plein Air Competition(Logan, UT) - FIRST PLACE for "Sow Mendon"
- 2010 ISA Spring Exhibition - HONORABLE MENTION for "Fetch"
- 2010 UWS Spring Exhibition - "Minnow Memories" & AWARD OF EXCELLENCE for "Hiking With Jake"
- 2010 American Watercolor Society 143rd Annual International Exhibition/2010-2011 Traveling Exhibition ("One Dog...")
- October 2009 FineArtViews - Finalist (OUTSTANDING WATERCOLOR) for "One Dog..."
- 2009 UWS-CVC Winter Exhibition - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE for "Peony"
- 2009 UWS Fall Exhibition - 'Book Club Weekend" & "One Dog,..." (AWARD OF EXCELLENCE & PEOPLE'S CHOICE)
- 2009 AVA (Alliance for the Varied Arts) Member Show - BEST OF SHOW for "Go With the Flow"
- 2009 Summerfest Plein Air Competition - "Logan Canyon From 400 North" & "Dry Canyon From 400 North" (AWARD OF MERIT)
- 2009 Wasatch Plein Air Paradise - AWARD OF MERIT for "4th & Main" (Midway Paint Out) & "Rockport" (Studio piece)
- 2009 UWS Spring Exhibition - "Lady in Yellow" & "Go With The Flow"(AWARD OF EXCELLENCE)
- 2009 ? National Watercolor Society – "Red Rock Reverie" (San Pedro, CA)
- 2009 34th Annual Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition (San Diego, CA) - AWARD OF MERIT for "Worship"
- 2009 UWS Mini Show - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE for "Summer Solstice Plein Air Group"
- 2008 UWS-CVC Winter Exhibition - BEST OF SHOW for "Joel"
- 2008 UWS-CVC Summer Exhibition - BEST OF SHOW for "North Logan Pastoral"
- 2008 UWS Signature/Two Star Exhibition - "Far From the Gambling Crowd" - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
- 2008 "Garden Gifts" (Botanical Watercolors - one person show) @ Red Butte Gardens (SLC)
- 2008 Summerfest Plein Air Competition - "Little Mountain From King Nature Park Trail" (SECOND PLACE)
- 2008 UWS Spring Exhibition - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE for "Rhubarb"
- 2008 33rd Annual Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition (Tubac, AZ) - "Green Fracture"
- 2007 (Dec.) "Plein Air Oils" (gallery walk artist) - Caffe Ibis (Logan, UT)
- 2007 UWS Fall Exhibition - JACK RICHESON TRANSPARENT WATERCOLOR AWARD for "Walking Jessie"
- 2007 Wasatch Plein Air Paradise - AWARD OF MERIT (professional category) for "Wasatch Paradise 2007 #2"
- 2007 Show/Gallery Walk @ Fuhrimans Gallery (Logan, UT)
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