South Carolina Watermedia Society’s 49th National Exhibition

Artist Statement
This painting features my friend Dr. Mac Arnold, a legendary blues musician and one of my favorite people. His remarkable career includes performing on the Quincy Jones–written theme for the television series Sanford and Son and playing alongside blues and soul greats such as B.B. King, James Brown, and Muddy Waters.

When he is not making music, Mac lives and works on his organic farm in Pelzer, South Carolina. Even at 84, he continues to perform with his band, Plate Full O’ Blues, sharing his talent and passion with audiences throughout the region.

I have painted Mac many times and always enjoy capturing his warmth, wit, humor, and enduring spirit. Through this portrait, I hoped to celebrate not only his musical legacy but also the character and vitality that make him such a memorable and inspiring person.

Biography
Suzanne Accetta is an internationally recognized artist. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Cincinnati. Her award-winning work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Suzanne has illustrated children’s books for Seedlings Publications. She was featured in Women in Watercolor’s Inaugural Newsletter, American Artist Magazine, WatercolorPainting.com, and recently, the international publication The Art of Watercolour.

A lecturer, demonstrator, juror, and educator, Suzanne has taught at Otterbein University, the Columbus Cultural Arts Center, Greenville Center for Creative Arts and Mary Whyte’s Patriot Art Foundation, where she currently serves as an Arts Muster mentor.

Beyond the visual arts, Suzanne has also earned recognition as a theatrical designer and director. Her work can be viewed at www.suzanneaccetta.com. She can be found on Facebook and Instagram (@suzanneaccetta).

Artist Statement
Choosing a personally inspiring subject is important for my paintings. My style is mainly representational with the occasional spontaneity of abstraction.

This large scale watercolor painting of the three dogs is referenced from our family pets. The portraiture of the three distinctly different dog personalities was enhanced with the free-form strokes of color within their individual and realistic characteristics.

Their expressive eyes are meant to draw the viewer into the painting to observe & “feel” the happy posturing of the family pets who were truly “best friends”.

Biography
Victoria DeAngelis Alger originally from Michigan, has lived in the southern coastal United States for many years. She came to love watercolor painting later in life following her successful 35 year professional career as a landscape architect with a degree from Michigan State University. She is a signature member and past president of the South Carolina Watermedia Society.

Victoria's passion for vibrant watercolor paintings inspires her artistry. She enjoys the outdoors and painting ""en plein air”. Subjects for her studio paintings include expressive figurative and portrait artwork and unique still life and landscape compositions. Victoria's paintings have been juried into regional & national exhibitions. She has won numerous awards and recognitions, and she enjoys having many collectors of her paintings. She is very active in her local visual arts community.

Artist Statement
There is beauty in every place. Whether it's a pristine mountain or an old house, a story is embedded in its features. Painting en plein air, my goal is to observe through all my senses and convey that narrative on a two-dimensional surface.

Biography
Originally from Waxhaw, NC, Matt Andrews is a plein air artist and illustrator now in Easley, SC. After earning a bachelor's degree in visual communication at Winthrop University, Matt began working as an illustrator on new pinball machines with companies in the Midwest and Texas. In the past 5 years as the world has gone more digital, Matt 's trajectory has been the opposite by picking up watermedia and oil paint again. Matt's art represents the beauty of the commonplace and depicts the sentiment of stopping for a moment to appreciate the world around you.

Artist Statement
Most of my paintings begin as a response to a piece of literature or music. A phrase gets stuck in my mind, or I'll listen to the same song over and over again. The image I want to convey takes shape and nests inside my brain. My husband calls this obsessive phase of mine "festering." But once I begin painting, everything moves quickly. Even when I paint traditional subjects there is usually an allegory or song that inspired the work. It interests me particularly to make that inspiration — which was not visual — into a visual creation. At heart, I think I am an illustrator.

Biography
Gina Noelle Ash has been painting since childhood and held her first one-woman show at age 16. Following her Graphic Design education at the Colorado Institute of Art, she has exhibited in venues throughout Colorado, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas. She was a founding member of the artists' cooperative gallery ArtBeat in historic Manassas, Virginia; a Signature Artist with the Virginia Watercolor Society; and is a Signature member of the South Carolina Watermedia Society.

Artist Statement
"Simple Pleasures" was inspired by a photograph of my sweet granddaughter. I love her fascination with the leaves in this picture but the photo was from two years ago and the clarity was not great, so I took a few recent pictures of her and worked from several references. The painting is done on 300 pound paper and I did several washes in transparent watercolor first and brought in some watercolor gouache toward the end to soften some edges and add a few wisps in the hair. I added a thin wash of watercolor sparkles over her dress that aren't quite visible in the photo of the painting but they add a subtle magical touch to her!

Biography
Kelly's love for the arts has been a constant since childhood having grown up in a very creative family. After earning her degree in Business with minor studies in Art from Queens University in Charlotte many moons ago, she continued to dabble in art alongside marriage, motherhood and owning her own Antique, Book and Gift shop for 11 years. In 2006, after selling her shop, she began painting full time and enjoyed several years devoted to studying under artists and attending workshops to expand her knowledge in watercolor, oils and pastel. Kelly currently spends much time in the business of art as she became part-owner of Island Art Gallery in Pawleys Island SC in 2014 with several other artists. Aside from managing the gallery, Kelly shows her work at the gallery and teaches Open Studio classes and Beginner Watercolor workshops. She also has done many commissioned works and has participated in many shows through the years. Her website: kellyatkinsonart.com

Artist Statement
I am a fine-art watercolor painter and have taught the medium for 30 years. My award-winning paintings are shown nationally and internationally.

I am passionate about transparent watercolor layers that capture light within my paintings that glow with life. Natural pigments and water easily combine to portray living things.

My paintings are available on my website: www.maryaxelson.net

Biography
Mary Axelson is an award-winning artist and a signature member of Minnesota Watercolor Society, Red River Watercolor Society, California Watercolor Society and South Carolina Watermedia Society. Her painting, ""Great White Hope"" was recently awarded Best of Show by Judge Daniel Marshall, AWS at the Minnesota Watercolor Society's Spring 2026 Exhibition.

Artist Statement
As an artist and architect, my hope is to inspire and connect with others by visually encouraging thoughtful engagement by creating memorable images and experiences. Watercolor is a great medium to express energy and ideas in both process studies and final paintings. Drawing provides the foundation for me and then watercolor adds some excitement. I began drawing and painting in elementary school and years later completed a visual art major at Furman University followed by a master's degree in architecture at Clemson University. My current goal is to always be purposeful and intentional in my art.

Biography
Furman University 1972 BA Visual Art, Clemson University 1976 Masters Architecture. Worked as an Architect for 50 years in the medical facility planning field. Member of the American Institute of Architects. Signature Member in the SC Watermedia Society. Published first book in 2025, Sacred Dust Connecting Us: A Ten Year Collection of Prayer Drawings.

Artist Statement
As a painter of people, places, and things, I am especially attracted to revealing color, shape, value, and texture. I find inspiration at home and on painting trips, and I enjoy experimenting with new ideas and subject matter to keep my work fresh and new. My passion for painting is to give importance to otherwise ordinary surroundings, turning the overlooked into something worth consideration.

Biography
Although Betty Brown has lived in Wilmington, NC since 1965, she is a native of Greenville, SC. Brown began painting in 1975, studying under nationally recognized teachers including watercolor with Charles Reid, Burton Silverman, Marbury Hill Brown, Jeanne Dobie and Alex Powers. She holds degrees from Queens University, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She is a member of several professional organizations and her work has been shown in many competitive exhibitions, including the American Watercolor Society. She has many years of teaching experience in classes at Cameron Art Museum, John C. Campbell Folk School, Artists’ Week at Sea View Inn on Pawleys Island, SC, other regional workshops, and with private students. Her work is held in the permanent collections of the Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum, corporate and private collections, and regional galleries. She also writes poetry and has written her memoir.

Artist Statement
I have always loved watercolor, and have been painting with it since I was young. My paintings I hope, will reflect my constant trying to paint light using color, and to give the viewer a story to enjoy.

Biography
Margaret Bucher is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Fine Arts. She has been painting and teaching for many years, and is currently teaching beginners watercolor at the Newberry Art Center, in Newberry, SC. her paintings have won numerous awards and are part of many private and public collections across the US. Before moving to Newberry in 2013, she was the owner and director of Wee Little Arts in Richmond, VA where she taught pre schooler through elementary students. She is a current signature member of the Virginia Watercolor Society.

Artist Statement
Capturing an unusual observation of an everyday object is why I am inspired to paint still lifes, especially with glass and crystal. It is fun to gather what is in the china hutch, cedar chest, kitchen cupboards and thrift stores, then combine those finds with what is in the garden, pantry and refrigerator. The way sunshine diffuses and refracts off the glass and nature’s bounty create gorgeous shadows and reflections. Miraculous and unexpected things happen and that is what art is all about.

Biography
Sharron Burns is a graduate of Christopher Newport University with a degree in Fine Arts and moved to North Carolina in 2000. She has lived and studied world wide from Germany and Italy to Australia. She is a signature member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina, the South Carolina Watermedia Society, the Watercolor Society of Alabama, and Southern Watercolor Society. She is also a member of the American Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society and several local art organizations.

Sharron has been described as a contemporary still life painter. Her works reflect her love of still life subjects plus crystal and glass. It depicts the crispness, freshness and transparency of watercolors. She enjoys exploring the diffused facets, light reflections, interesting shadows and the clarity of glass and crystal combined with nature’s bounty and unique objects. The garden or a farmer’s market, the pantry, the kitchen cupboards and the china hutch are treasure troves!

Artist Statement
I have been an artist for 40 years. I work in many media but watercolor is my love. The flow of pigment and water is my relaxation. After my retirement from public school teaching, I started an adult watercolor group 15 years ago. In this group we have critiques of the work we are doing. I think this started my real growth as an artist. To be able to share with others and get their feedback sometimes changes the way I am working. In my retirement years I always have a painting ready to go. Over the years I have been to workshops with a variety of teachers. Each workshop has left me with something to use in my work.

Biography
I was interested in painting and crafts in my beginning. My mother was always working on a project in needlework or ceramics. I chose art as my major in college and at the time I wasn’t sure why. As an adult I realize that I have to be painting to fill my deep inner need. I took my art education to the classroom where I had a rewarding time sharing with my students. After retiring, I was the director at the local art center for 10 years. When I retired I started teaching an adult class of watercolor. Fifteen years later I am still teaching adult watercolor. I am a Signature Member of SCWS. I continue to evolve as an artist as my journey takes me to the cotton fields, tobacco fields, the SC coast and mountains. I have chosen watercolor as my main media. I invite the viewer to share my experiences of painting in close focus.

Artist Statement
Like your favorite, long lasting carpet - I am an indoor / outdoor artist :) My work represents a balance of both plein air painting (in watercolors and oils) as well as studio concentrations. On many occasions I will use the plein air (quick and spontaneous) as inspiration for the larger studio pieces. As a SC native and having lived in coastal regions all over the world -as a military spouse- my focus tends to be on seascapes, marshes, summer images and most with a bright, joyous and/or humorous spin.

Biography
Born and raised in South Carolina, Gina's family consistently enjoyed travels all along the coast. After an art degree and several graphic design positions, Gina found herself working for colleges and universities while earning her Masters in Education. Freelancing in graphic design and fine art commissions remained a priority. Later, as a military spouse, Gina continued to paint the local scenes and people of their many U.S. and overseas assignments plus extended travels. Favorite destinations for painting were Italy, Hawaii, Australia and Cuba. Gina and her ""sailor"" have settled in coastal Virginia so being just steps away from the Chesapeake Bay and minutes away from the Atlantic Ocean continues to inspire her love for seascapes and shoreside landscapes. Gina has won numerous International, National and Regional awards, has work in collections world-wide and is a Signature Member of SCWS.

Artist Statement
Starting in art school and all thru my early years as an illustrator I was encouraged to paint in many different mediums and styles. I tried them all but, in the end, I settled on watercolor. The spontaneity and flow just fit my personality and style. What I look for and strive to achieve can only be expressed in this wonderful medium. One of the things asked of the artists is to define what inspires them to do what they do. After giving it some thought, the one thing that comes to mind before anything else is the play of sunlight, indoors or out, which defines and creates a mood.

Biography
Born and raised in Rochelle, Illinois, Ken went on to graduate from the American Academy of Art in 1980 with an Associates Degree in Illustration and Watercolor. He has worked as a freelance artist nationally for many years. Ken spent 1993 and 1994 studying and painting in Paris, France. He is now living in Northbrook Illinois with his wife and two children.

After beginning his career as a studio artist, he soon branched out on his own, beginning a very successful freelance career, which to date has led to the creation of over 500 illustrations for books, magazines, art publishers, advertising agencies and corporations.

Ken in the last few years has made the transition to fine art and portraiture. Many of his originals are hanging in galleries and homes across the country. Several awards have led to Signature status in the American Watercolor Society,National Watercolor Society, Missouri Watercolor Society and Transparent Watercolor Society Master along with being a Master Signature.

Artist Statement
I have always been inspired by the uniqueness and beauty in what some may view as ordinary. I strive to express my thoughts and feelings through the objects I depict, illuminating the stories and spirits beyond the ordinary.

Biography
Dale is a South Carolina artist who works primarily in watercolor, graphite and charcoal. His interest in drawing started as a child using his surroundings of woods, creeks and his grandparents farm as inspiration. His work strives to reveal the uniqueness and beauty in things seemingly plain, illuminating the stories and spirits behind the ordinary.

Dale has been professionally involved in the arts for more than 45 years as an artist, illustrator, instructor, graphic designer, and creative director. He studied at Anderson University and Winthrop University receiving an Associate in Art and Bachelors of Visual Arts respectively. He has been involved in numerous art organizations, served on the board of the Southern Watercolor Society, and retired in 2022 from Clemson University where he held the position of executive director of creative operations for University Marketing. He is an artist member of the Artists Guild Gallery of Greenville at 200 N. Main Street, Greenville, SC.

Artist Statement
Roșie Coleman îs a watercolor, gouache, pastel and oil painter. Watercolor was her first love and continues to be an important part of her artistic journey. Her particular passion is painting figures and portraits.

Biography
Roșie Coleman, a former environmental scientist, has been painting for about 20 years. Her favorite subject is figures and portraits. She has taken classes

Artist Statement
Watercolor is my preferred medium for creating artwork. The process of painting in watercolor presents a mental challenge with every brushstroke. I love the luminosity of color and the fluid flow of working wet-into-wet on good watercolor paper. Most of my work is representational and emphasizes design and composition. I find inspiration in man-made structures and the elements of nature.

Biography
George Crown is a professional artist and illustrator, specializing in watercolor painting. George received his BA degree from Principia College, and his masters and Master of Fine Arts degrees at Bowling Green State University, Ohio. In 1978 he taught at Edison State Community College in Piqua, Ohio. During his 17 years of tenure at Edison, he was a full-time professor of art and the head of the art department. He taught watercolor painting, drawing, Art History and photography. His paintings are in private homes all over the country and he has won numerous awards for his watercolor paintings. In 1991 he and his wife Barbara purchased a retail resort business on Harsen’s Island, Michigan. They ran The Waterfront Shoppe and Crown Gallery for 26 years. In 2021 they retired to Anderson, South Carolina. He is a member of the Anderson, South Carolina Artist Guild and Art Center, as well as the South Carolina Watermedia Society.

Artist Statement
As a native of South Carolina, i find the southern landscape and her inhabitants a constant source of creative inspiration.

I am an avid gardener and observer of nature and enjoy discovering hidden scenes and the drama of the garden in various lighting situations throughout the day. It amazes me how a scene changes as the sun moves across the landscape. I strive to capture the how light illuminates form and creates atmosphere.

I begin by taking my own reference photos. I am particularly drawn to contrast of light and dark known as chiaroscuro. Interesting shapes and contrast of color also draw my attention. I may use several photos to gather information for one painting or I may use a single photo, editing out unnecessary details. I prefer to work in the controlled setting of my art studio where I can focus without distractions.

Biography
Carla was born and raised in Greenville, SC and knew from a young age that she wanted to be an artist. She discovered a love of watercolor while in high school and found great inspiration in the works of Andrew Wyeth at the Greenville Art Museum. This museum also hosted a bright and colorful show by Jaimie Wyeth in the early 1980's and the amazing watercolors of Steven Scott Young in the museums permanent collection.

Carla married her high school sweetheart and started a family but always returned to the museum for artistic inspiration.

Carla has participated in workshops with Janet Dreskin, Russell Jewel and Mary Whyte.

In the early 2000's she painted murals for an Anderson hospital, several Laurens County schools and Greenville area churches and private residences.

She currently enjoys painting in both watercolor and acrylic. She has been accepted into many local juried shows, winning awards. Carla was honored as first place winner in Pickens 41st juried show 2023.

Artist Statement
When I am in front of a canvas, my worldview changes. I become everyone and no one. I allow my imagination and interpretation of beauty around me to shine like a beacon that I have control over. My work leans towards Imaginative Realism but I like to experiment with different genres to keep my art fresh. I follow a comprehensive 5-step process with every piece: 1-Sketch on canvas. 2-Value study/painting shadows. 3-Complementary color under painting. 4-Color blocking of shapes. 5-Details and highlights. In every painting, I strive to connect emotionally with someone's heart. Since everyone is unique, I reach out in different directions to convey thoughtfulness, emotion and spirit. Currently I am participating in our local 'open studios' event to demonstrate and share my 5-step process in person with our community.

Biography
Celebrate Mindy Delaney, a talented artist whose work embodies a fascinating blend of creativity and imagination. Her artistic expression spans a wide range of subjects and palettes, showcasing her versatility. With a lifelong passion for art that began in childhood, Mindy reignited her creative spark in 2023 with training in painting and mixed media. Mindy has been recognized with numerous awards including two coveted ‘People’s Choice’ awards in Greenville and Spartanburg art competitions. She has also won awards in several online galleries including Ten Moir, Camelback, Wild Hearts and Light, Space & Time. She has been published in two publications - Arts to Hearts Project and Pennsylvania Arts & Science magazine. Her artwork is currently on display at Gallery One on Greenville’s downtown west side. She attended Temple University and lives in Greenville with her husband Jerry and her fur baby Storm.

Artist Statement
The subject of my painting is a professional musician who has modeled for me and served as my muse for a number of paintings. I painted her in this collar and sheer blouse to create a contemporary take on a Renaissance pose. Her expression and neckpiece were so impactful that I kept the remaining composition simple with some lost edges and chopped light to create the impression that the ruffles were moving air.

Biography
I am an artist based in Athens, Georgia.  My area of specialty is watercolor with a focus on portraiture. My work has been juried into local, state, national and international shows.  I am a signature member, former board member and former President of the Georgia Watercolor Society. I have attained signature membership in a number of art societies including the American Watercolor Society and National Watercolor Society.  I left careers in academia and teaching to pursue work as a full time artist. Whether portraiture or still lifes, I am passionate about capturing the spirit and story as well as a likeness of my subjects. For the last 10+ years I had been working on an exhibition honoring Georgia's legendary musicians. This is a passion project designed to pay homage to the musicians who have grown their music careers here in Georgia. The exhibition took place in several art venues over the last few years and will continue its tour this fall at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art.

Artist Statement
I am a contemporary, representational artist based in the southeastern US, working primarily in watercolor and mixed-media. I am particularly fascinated by watercolor's luminous quality and its unpredictable nature which make it both challenging and rewarding.

The theme of my work calls attention to the unnoticed, quiet legacy left to us by those who came before. Sometimes that legacy includes the remnants of old trees and flower gardens at homeplaces, the houses now gone, or old cars parked and abandoned because the memories were too great to dispose of them. Inspiration also shows up in the nature that I encounter on long cycling rides.

Biography
Marie is a contemporary, realistic watercolor artist, also working in collage, mixed-media, and occasional printmaking. Marie is a signature member of the Georgia Watercolor Society and the National Association of Women Artists. She has won numerous awards in local, national, and international watercolor competitions. Her work has been published in Artist’s Magazine and in the 2023 Splash: Best of Watercolor magazine and is to be published again in the Summer 2026 edition. She grew up in Buford and Lawrenceville, Georgia, and now lives and works in rural Wilkes County, Georgia.

Artist Statement
I believed fully when I began to paint professionally. In my 30s that I would use watercolor as a way to learn color. What I did not realize was that watercolor’s unique jewel tones and transparency had already captured me completely. I have spent my career painting in this challenging medium.

Biography
I am a self taught artist who is fortunate enough to have exhibited in many nations and international exhibitions, as AWS, NWS, Watercolor USA, ISEA, South Carolina Watermedia, to name a few. My signature member status includek the following -WHS, NWS, ISEA,-NF, SCWS, MOWS,

I live in Charleston, SC. My work can be seen online at carolynepperly.com

Or in person with an appointment made through the website.

Artist Statement
I especially enjoy creating nature compositions from photographs I take while traveling around the beautiful state of South Carolina. I strive to lure the viewer into wanting to “be there” in the painting to look for what is not obvious. My art includes representational, dream compositions, and some objective abstract. Having begun painting in traditional transparent watercolor, I mostly paint now on non-traditional surfaces using a combination of liquid and tube watercolor and acrylic paint.

Biography
Renea Eshleman's educational background and work experience have focused on business although she has, since childhood, loved making art. As time allowed, she been able to take workshops and focus on creating at a professional level mostly since 2016 retirement. She has entered and won awards in local, state, and regional competitions and serves as administrator for several art organizations and is a signature member of SCWS. Renea served in leadership roles in the SC Watermedia Society including president where she hosted the annual exhibition in Columbia in 2012 and 2021.

Artist Statement
I paint because I have to. Watercolor is my preferred medium because I love building up the lights to darks and forms in layers, and watching the white paper sparkle with colors and light. One of my favorite parts of the process is adding the final details to the painting after having spent hours building up the forms. This is what my artist friend and teacher Dylan Pierce describes as “adding jewels”. My goal is expression. I paint from my heart and hope my paintings will impact each viewer in a unique way.

Biography
Jeannie has loved creating artwork for as long as she can remember. At age 7 she won first prize for her watercolor painting at the Anderson County (SC) Fair Art Show, and she created her first commissioned portrait drawing at the age of 14. After completing her Bachelors’ Degree in Art from Clemson University and her Masters’ Degree in Art Education from the University of South Carolina, she was commissioned to create 2 landscape paintings for the SC Attorney General's office. She then proceeded to enter her paintings in juried shows and many of her paintings were displayed in museums and galleries across the state of South Carolina and Georgia. Later she worked as an Art Teacher (4 years) and Graphic/Web Designer (22 years), saving evenings and weekends for acrylic and watercolor canvases. Today she has returned full circle to her original passion which is painting and drawing.

“I don’t even remember a time when a paintbrush wasn’t in my hand; What a great life!”

Artist Statement
I begin by taking photographs of people, places and things that interest me here on the Golden Isles. As all artists are, I'm influenced by my surroundings —the vegetation, sea and architecture, along with the light and shadows that the southeast coast offers. When a particular subject strikes me, I'll usually use several images of the subject to create one photo that I believe will make an interesting painting.

Using the photo as my guide, I begin by drawing a fairly detailed image of the painting. I follow that with general washes — concentrating mostly on the warm and cool parts of the painting. From there I begin laying in moderate values of color — wet on wet — building up the image of a certain part of the painting. I then establish my darkest dark which I'll use to key the rest of the values. From there I get more detailed by working in layers — wet on wet — building up the imagery, keeping a close eye on the warm and cool areas. My intention is not to ""copy"" the photo.

Biography
Don is a full-time artist working from his studio on Saint Simons Island, Georgia. He attended The Catholic Univeristy of America in Washington, DC majoring in Art. Upon graduation hemoved back to Connecticut and begin a career in illustration and graphic design. In his mid-twenties he went to work with the Arts Exclusive Gallery in Simsbury, Connecticut where he worked for five years as the assistant director. He then began his graphic design firm Farrell Marketing & Design which he had for over 30 years. Towards the end of his graphic design career he began illustrating several of his wifes books using watercolor. In 2019 they moved to St. Simons Island, Georgia where he began his career as a watercolor artist.

His work includes subjects ranging from people to ships to florals — all scenes that he experiences living on the Golden Isles. Don has won numerous International and National awards for his work and is a Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society and the Georgia W"

Artist Statement
Feng's work celebrates beauty and illustrates a depth of expression in each piece. Each shape, each blend of color is a unique challenge for him.

In His Own Words "Painting a persons eyes is the most difficult aspect of portraiture. Chinese philosophy teaches that the soul comes from the eyes. If you can't capture a soul you may be a technical success, but your painting has no depth."

Biography
Z.L. Feng grew up in Shanghai and exhibited his portraits, landscapes and illustrations in juried shows. He moved to the United States from China in 1986. Feng has won more than 200 state, regional, national and international awards and been recognized at numerous watercolor exhibitions.

Artist Statement
I love to paint city scenes. Nocturnal scenes on a rainy night have a special feeling that I love to paint. The lights, colors and reflections give depth to the piece.

Biography
Laurie Goldstein-Warren has been painting in watermedia for almost 30 years. Here focus has always been on values, the lights and darks of a painting. Colors are a secondary thought while she paints. She has been teaching watermedia for 21 years and travels across the country. She published a book titled Her Voice about women watermedia artists. She has been published in art magazines and books . She is a signature member in the American Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society and many more art societies in the U.S. Her work is held in both corporate and private collections.

Artist Statement
My primary goal in painting is to translate ordinary scenes into the enticing, focusing on stimulating the viewer through evocative renderings of reality in a traditional representational framework. Inspired by compelling images, especially during my travels, I paint watercolor studies on location and do sketches that are further developed in my studio using several techniques; wet in wet, dry brush, and multiple transparent glazes of color to achieve desired effects. I enjoy rendering atmospheric lighting and light reflected in wet surfaces like rain puddles after a storm or in melting snow.

Biography
David Gregory is a traditional realist painter working in watercolors and oils with an emphasis on landscapes and cityscapes, though he also paints florals, still life, and trompe l’oeil. He has been a painter for over fifty years. More than four thousand of his paintings can be found in public and private collections throughout the USA and abroad. He has been juried into the following national and international art venues: The FIGGE Museum “43rd Rock Island Art Guild Exhibition 2024”; The 38th Bradley International Print and Drawing Exhibition 2023; Cape Cod Museum of Art “All the World’s a Stage” 2022; Evansville Museum of Art “61st Mid-states Exhibition” 2022; the National Watercolor Society “50 Stars 2022”; Rocky Mountain National Watermedia 2020; and The Adirondack National Exhibition of American Watercolors 2018.

Born in in Canton, Illinois, in 1947, David studied architecture, art, and printmaking at the University of Illinois.

Biography
Originally from Putnam County, Georgia, Travis Hicks is a watercolorist known for painting architectural spaces—both urban and rural—with a focus on materials, textures, light, and shadow. Hicks is a signature member of multiple watercolor societies, including the Watercolor Society of North Carolina, the Southern Watercolor Society, the Georgia Watercolor Society, and the Watercolor Society of Alabama. As the father of a pediatric leukemia survivor, Hicks also creates portraits that depict the journey of patients and families affected by cancer which he wrote about in his 2019 memoir, No Match for Her. Currently living in Greensboro, NC, with his family of five, Hicks is a Registered Architect, Professor and Head of the Interior Architecture Department at UNC Greensboro.

Artist’s Statement
Light and shadow, character and expression, color, and story: these are the pieces of the puzzle that move me to approach any painting. Each time I lift a brush, part of me leaves my mind and spills onto the page. Leaving there, my emotional response to the subject matter. It is always my hope and prayer that viewers engage with the painting and be moved by what they have seen, taking a little piece of my heart and mind with them.

Biography
Anne Hightower-Patterson (b. 1950) is a distinguished American watercolor artist and a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, where she received the prestigious High Winds Medal. Anne Hightower-Patterson also holds signature memberships in the Transparent Watercolor Society, Rocky Mountain Watercolor National, and several state organizations. In 2022, Anne Hightower-Patterson achieved signature membership in the American Watercolor Society. Anne Hightower-Patterson’s accolades include features in Fine Arts Connoisseur Magazine and other publications.

Artist Statement
"Preserving A Moment In Time..... traditional art with a twist!
I paint. It's the thing I do best. I create light and movement with watercolor paint so viewers experience a moment in time. When I observe a story and the light is just right, I have to paint. I'm attracted to places people pass everyday, but fail to recognize the beauty.

Many people say I see color and light that isn't there. I contend that I'm observing things as they really are, at least to me. Whenever possible, I try to make a statement through my work, employing a playful twist or edge that a viewer can appreciate.

I invite you to observe, and then experience, a moment in time through my work

Biography
My paintings can be described as traditional landscapes, still lifes and figures, but I try to use my unique perspective to draw the viewer into the world as I see it, incorporating humor or beauty whenever possible in unexpected places. As an eager traveler, and perhaps even a bit of a gypsy, I try to view everyday subjects with fresh eyes. Painting on the national plein air circuit for the past decade has only enticed me to travel further and wider.

White boats become abstracted shapes of bouncing color. The marsh is a complex tapestry of woven grasses and the seashore is almost too large for me to confine with paint. Colorful street graffiti becomes a modern masterpiece set in a bustling urban landscape.

Creating art makes me feel good. I’m relaxed and healthy when I paint and if I’m working outdoors, with the sun shining, birds singing and breezes blowing, I cannot be happier. I paint both en plein air and in the studio but I cannot tell you which I prefer. I only know that whatever piece I'm working on at the time is the one I am meant to create.

Our daily lives are hectic. I like to think my work can slow the pace, and make a troubled world feel better as I take a wide view of the chaos and bring focus and order to the pandemonium around me by squinting, and then positioning my pencil and brush onto paper. It is my aim to preserve that special moment in time for the collector.

Throughout my career, I have admired, studied and found inspiration in past masters of my medium, Winslow Homer, who tells stories with paint, John Singer Sargent with his marvelous technical ability, Edward Hopper and his brooding landscapes and the masterful Andrew Wyeth. I greatly admire and follow the work of contemporary painters John Salminen and Joseph Zbukvik.

Teaching art provides me another regular, joyful outlet. I believe in giving back. I’m devoted to sharing what I know with students. I’m a believer in common sense instruction and providing lifelong skills to each learner. I have proudly served as a member of the faculty at the re-known Art League School in Alexandria, Virginia; Frederick Community College in Maryland, and in many art centers across the USA and around the world. I continue each year to conduct workshops nationally and internationally.

The artist has earned Signature Memberships with: the National Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Laguna Plein Air Painters, the San Diego Watercolor Society, Southern Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, Missouri Watercolor Society, the Virginia Watercolor Society, the Washington Society of Landscape Painters and the Western Colorado Watercolor Society.

Artist Statement
My practice is rooted in careful observation of everyday life and the emotional presence of ordinary people. Working primarily in watercolor, I am drawn to quiet moments, human expressions, and scenes encountered through travel. Rather than pursuing spectacle, I seek meaning in the subtle, the familiar, and the deeply human.

Watercolor’s unpredictability and transparency allow emotion and memory to emerge naturally. I aim to capture the inner spirit of my subjects—the dignity of labor, the weight of lived experience, and the unspoken stories carried in a gesture or a face.

Through brushwork, light, and atmosphere, I strive to invite quiet reflection. For me, painting is a way of understanding humanity and sharing compassion. After decades of practice, I still believe the simplest moments hold the deepest truths. It remains my greatest joy and my way of engaging with the world.

Biography
Xiao Xing Hu is an internationally acclaimed master of watercolor art. Born in Kunming, China, he overcame the hardships of the Cultural Revolution, rising from a young farmer to earning his degree from Yunnan Art University in 1988. His extraordinary paintings capture everyday scenes, deeply rooted in the labor, dignity, and quiet moments of ordinary people. Over a prolific career, his work has garnered more than one hundred awards. Key accolades include the National Watercolor Society’s ""Masters Award"" (2013), the California Watercolor Association’s Gold Award (2015), and the American Watercolor Society’s High Winds Medal (2017). A dedicated Signature Member of the AWS and NWS, he continues to work eight hours a day without weekends. Remarkably humble, Hu attributes his brilliant global success to simple, relentless hard work and an unwavering pursuit of his dreams.

Artist Statement
My art is experimental in nature. A piece can start as simple as a thought, from a watercolor pour, or a rework of an older painting that was not successful or fully developed. I work to try to create visual interest by the use of color, shape, or using different materials to give the painting texture and layer.

Biography
He is a scientist who studied watercolor painting with Pat San Soucie, AWS, NWS and English Artist/Teacher, Hugh Templeton. He has been painting in transparent watercolor, mixed watermedia, and mixed media for the past 30 years. His work is held in private collections in California, Georgia, New York, Washington, Kansas, Virginia, Texas, and the United Kingdom.

His paintings have been included in exhibitions hosted by the American and National Watercolor Societies, Allied Artists of America, The Butler Institute of American Art, Transparent Watercolor Society of America and Watercolor USA. He was a finalist in the experimental division of American Artists Magazine’s Annual competition as well as published in Splash: Best of Watercolor 11, 13, and 18. He holds signature status in 32 watercolor societies including the American Watercolor Society. He is also an elected member of the Allied Artists of America, NY, NY and the Canadian Society of Painters in Water Colour, Toronto, ON.

Artist Statement
I create my paintings in water media but often with some collage or other mixed media additions (clock parts, musical instruments, silk papers, and other extraneous elements). I work mostly from intuition but with the guidance of artistic education I have received for over 40 years. My choice is to vary the techniques, materials, and subject matter based on my travels, surroundings, current interests, and available materials. While I do accept commissions for specific subjects, I am happiest when I create to satisfy my own need to express myself FOR myself. I receive my greatest influence from the Impressionists and from Georgia O'Keeffe, whose museum we visited in 2025. On June 1, 2026, I celebrated having my own studio and gallery for 36 years, with over 40 years as a full-time artist. Art has been my oasis in times of joy and of grief. I hope to paint for another 15 years when I will turn 100!

Biography
Judy Bolton Jarrett began her full-time art career in 1986 after 21 years as an English teacher and many years with art as a part-time business. A native of Winder, GA, she had no formal art training in high school or college. She has attended art workshops in the US and France. She is a signature member of SCWS and the GA Watercolor Society, as well as an exhibiting member of Southern Watercolor Society. Her work has been widely collected by clients in the US and abroad, both private and corporate. Special commissions have included wine label designs, special corporate commissions for private and public businesses, churches, and celebrities. She continues to show her work in a few select art shows and festivals, as well as solo exhibitions throughout the Southeast. She still owns and operates her own studio/gallery, which opened in 1990 near Columbia, SC. For many years she taught workshops and classes.

Artist Statement
My work is usually representational in nature, but tends to be impressionistic and abstracted--fluid, painterly representations of a variety of subject matter. I enjoy figurative-painting the most. I enjoy working boldly and quickly, with high-contrasts, using the flow of the water on the paper.I wish to draw the viewer in to my artistic view of the world, with what their own experiences also bring to it.

Biography
Gina Judy (Richmond, OH) a retired Ohio Art Educator of 30 years, holds an BA and MA in Art Education, from Bethany College and Ohio University, respectively. As well as the Ohio Watercolor Society, she holds signature-memberships garnered from the international/national-show acceptances into these societies: KWS, PWCS, SWS, NsWS, NWWS, AKWS, MTWS, LWS, WSA, RIWS, PPWS, RRWS, WACC, NAWA, and BWS. She is the Pittsburgh Society of Artists’ Recording-Secretary. She is an associate member of a number of societies, including the American Watercolor Society and the North East Watercolor Society. A board-member of the North East Watercolor Society she recently exhibited in their national show in CT. A highlight of 2025 was getting accepted into one of AWS’s prestigious online member shows. Winning one of four jurors’ awards on two occasions in Pittsburgh Society of Artist Shows, she recently won the 2026 Thomas Gene Zaugg Watercolor Award Juried at the Mansfield Art Center.

Artist Statement
My paintings over the last 15 years have been done in watercolor and mixed media while investigating the concept of "place". I have lived in the low country of South Carolina for 45 years and my paintings highlight this home environment that includes the river system, ocean and islands of the area. Drawing and painting from life and the use of my reference photos establishes the basic composition and linear structure of the painting. Once the application of paint starts the painting comes alive with emotion through color, texture and implied movement. Landscape, figurative, portrait and botanicals all include some aspect of place. In the painting 'Ancestors' an island daughter walks among a host of passed ancestors as she is surrounded by the water environment that they worked through the centuries and that sustains her identity.

Biography
Maura Kenny retired from the Department of Visual Arts at Coastal Carolina University in 2018 as Distinguished Professor Emeritus, where she taught Painting, Drawing, and Art Education Courses for 34 years. She earned a BS in Art Education from Southern Connecticut State University and an MFA in Painting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Maura's paintings have been juried into many regional, national and some international exhibitions winning awards at these levels. She has had two one person exhibitions at the Myrtle Beach Art Museum.

Artist Statement
My work investigates carnival as a living archive: the rituals, the costume languages, the improvised theatricality that communities use to tell their own stories. I’m drawn to the way ornamentation negotiates identity — how a plume, a pattern, a painted face can be both armor and argument, a joyful refusal and a careful remembering. I take pleasure in color as a social vocabulary; pattern as rhythm; surface as witness. Influences range from street parades and community mas-makers to family photos, old pageants, and the steady inventiveness of folks who make splendor out of what’s at hand.

Biography
Former Army Helicopter and Airplane pilot turned artist; Michele Tabor Kimbrough has been creating art for over 25 years. Her subject matter is broad from florals, people, pets, and places, reflecting the American Dream. Much of her work is from her own photography. Michele paints in watercolor, acrylics, and oils which she developed her artistic skills through many workshops by master artists. Michele maintains memberships with many art societies, art centers and museums and is the President of Southern Watercolor Society. She is also Signature Member of the following Watercolor Societies; Southern, Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama, Louisianna, Illinois, Philadelphia, and Tallahassee. Membership in these organizations provides Michele a platform of continual professional development.

Artist Statement
I paint in an abstract manner and strive to be a good shape maker of whatever subject or idea I am interpreting. The subject could be reactions and feelings, that I may have at a particular time. I am most often inspired by the mysteries and spirits of ancient cultures especially Native Americans and the surroundings that influenced their lives. My creative journey , while painting rhythmically with values of color and textures involves many layers of acrylics before the finished painting finally emerges. I hope to draw viewers closer to these feelings or inspiring histories and instill a continuing spiritual experience.

Biography
Carole Knudson Tinsley has a BS degree from Millikin University, Decatur, IL. She has a major in elementary education and a minor in art education. She has done post-graduate studies in Michigan, Virginia, and South Carolina. Carole has attended many workshops and has been juried into exhibits with internatioally known instructors and jurors. Carole has won many awards including Best of Show in several shows. She paints in watermedia and often integrates collage into her works. She designed a regular classroom into an art room at Seneca Junior High School and developed the curriculum for teaching art . Carole taught art 7 years at Seneca Junior High School. This was the first time art had ever been offered at this school. Later she developed her own private art school. She was located in Clemson, SC and Pendleton, SC and taught many students of all ages.(5-87) for 18 years. Seven of her high school students were accepted to attend the Governors School for the Arts in Greenville, SC.

Artist Statement
My particular interest is the conjunction of beauty and antiquity of rural life in the Carolinas. The use of watercolor offers a unique detailed study of often forgotten treasures and seeks to explore the way an alternate perception of an otherwise overlooked subject can provoke an emotional or imaginative response.

Various watercolor methods used, including the enhancement of light and color, can depict ecological changes to convey the allure of nature.

The art uses themes of decomposition and deterioration to evoke personal feelings like loss and urgency.

Close observation and engagement of the image is my process. The challenge is to see beyond the distraction of the decay, abandoned or dismissed and capture its splendor. Some subjects are quite ordinary, others less so. Connecting the past to the present, the paintings serve as a visual bridge. My goal is to inspire the viewers to look more carefully at the world around them and discover wonder in unusual places." "Based in Greenville, South Carolina, Pat Konicki is an award-winning watercolor artist who develops art with a creative philosophy centered on "Capturing Carolina Country."

Biography
Pat Konicki studied advertising design and graphic art at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. After graduating, she launched her career as a graphic designer, illustrator, art director and creative director. Her entrepreneurial spirit later led her to Miami, where she founded Pat Konicki Advertising & Design. Eventually relocating to the Carolinas, Konicki spent years as an educator, instructor and design consultant ultimately focusing on fine art.

Konicki’s work has also been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions across regional creative hubs and in galleries throughout North and South Carolina while a member of leading industry organizations. A testament to her commercial viability and artistic appeal, many of her original paintings are globally licensed and distributed by McGaw Graphics, Inc.

Artist Statement
Although my work is painted in a realistic manner, it is the underlying design and composition that is my motivation.

Biography
Chris is a Dolphin Fellow of the American Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America (Distinguished Master), Master Signature of American Women Artists, Gold Signature member of the National Watercolor Society, Watercolor West (Master), and Allied Artists (Elected Member), to name a few. She is the recipient of over 250 national and regional Chris has been published in major watercolor publications and has been a featured artist in numerous leading national art magazines.

Artist Statement
My inspiration often comes from big skies, open spaces, and the dynamics of nature. I’m drawn to and want to create images that attract your eyes and pull in your heart. I work primarily in watercolor, acrylic, and drawing to explore fluidity, movement, and emotion. While I try to avoid a style, it does occasionally emerge. My goal is to create work that strikes some chord with the viewer rather than creating something that is recognizable. Capturing your imagination and your feelings is my visual voice.

Biography
I was raised in a small town in central Nebraska. After high school, I pursued a career as a pilot and spent over two decades serving in the military. While flying has always been a significant part of my life, art has also been a long-standing passion. For many years, though, it took a back seat to other responsibilities. Recently, I've redirected much more of my free time to exploring and refining my artistic voice. It's been a rewarding journey, and I hope that growth is evident in my work.

Artist Statement
I create watercolor paintings that transform everyday botanicals into portals for reflection, wonder, and emotional connection. Working between realism and abstraction, I use flowers, light, water, and atmospheric color as metaphors for the complexities of womanhood, memory, resilience, and growth.

My process begins with careful observation from photographs I have taken myself, but evolves through intuition, experimentation, and layered washes of transparent watercolor. I am especially interested in moments where opposites coexist: strength and vulnerability, joy and grief, chaos and beauty. Through luminous color, fractured light, and expressive mark-making, I seek to capture the feeling of being fully human rather than simply documenting a subject.

Influenced by nature and personal experience, my work invites viewers to slow down, linger, and discover their own stories within the imagery. Each painting becomes a space where the ordinary can feel sacred.

Biography
Jessica Lily is an award-winning watercolor artist, educator, and arts advocate whose work explores memory, resilience, wonder, and the emotional landscape of womanhood. Through her Garden Portals series, she transforms familiar flowers and botanicals into luminous spaces for reflection. She earned a BFA from the University of Georgia. Her work has received awards in regional, national, and international juried competitions, including awards from the Southern Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, Women in Watercolor, Jerry's Artarama, and the Teravarna International Flowers Competition. Lily is a dedicated instructor and serves on the boards of both the National Watercolor Society and the Georgia Watercolor Society. She lives and works in the Atlanta area.

Artist Statement
I'd like to think that my career as an art teacher, specifically teaching students with severe visual impairments, has made me a better artist. In the course of my professional work, I prioritize the creative process, and I encourage my students to explore and incorporate texture as a key element in their artwork. Both of these have influenced my own artwork. Not only have I learned to appreciate the benefits of slowing down and being patient with my own working process, but I have also embraced a sense of curiosity and wonder about the subjects I paint. I am fascinated by texture, and each painting offers unique opportunities to explore how I might represent textures such as water, feathers, wood, plants, and rocks simply through brushstrokes and layers of color. Lately my preferred subject is birds, and I am particularly fond of Canada Geese. Their honking as they fly above me in the sky is enough to make me stop whatever I am doing and look for them-- "hello, friends!"

Biography
Liz List earned her BA in Art Education from the College of St. Teresa in Winona, MN in May 1988. She earned her Master's degree in Education in December 2016. The bulk of her teaching career has involved teaching students with visual impairments, first at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in NC and currently at the SC School for the Blind in Spartanburg. Her initial interests were in drawing and ceramics, but over time, she began to explore watercolor painting. Her subjects have included portraits, pets, bridges, mills, and other buildings. Birds are now her preferred subject. She works from her own photographs. As a result, she has also had to learn (and continues to learn) a little bit about photography. Being in the right place at the right time to capture a photo is half the battle, but when the right photo sparks an idea, the real work and the true joy begin. The process of painting often takes her right back to those precious encounters with birds and nature.

Artist Statement
My work explores the quiet beauty found in everyday moments through the fluid and unpredictable nature of watercolor. I am drawn to the medium for its transparency and movement. My paintings balance realism with suggestion, leaving space for interpretation and personal connection. Whether painting coastal inspirations, nature or everyday items, my goal is to capture fleeting moments of atmosphere and feeling.

Biography
Judith Ludwig is a self-taught watercolor artist whose creative Journey began after a long career in clinical dentistry and dental practice management. Inspired by nature, light, and everyday beauty, she is drawn to the fluidity and expressive qualities of watercolor. Her work reflects a balance of precision and spontaneity, capturing moments of calm, warmth, and connection through layered color and delicate detail.

Artist Statement
The focus of my underwater paintings is to share the feeling of freedom and weightlessness that I have every time I swim. The coolness of the colors and the sparkling pops of light from the sun are therapeutic and relaxing to me. I want to share that feeling with others through my paintings.

Creating any art is a continuous series of mini puzzles that need solutions. As I am working, I am asking myself a series of questions. What supports the object or being? The weight is centered where? What colors should I use to achieve the feeling that I want to convey? Has the paint been applied in a manner that best represents the subject? I continually look for “clues” in my composition and work until I am satisfied. If I have answered all the questions and solved all the puzzles, the result is tremendously satisfying for me and hopefully the viewer.

Biography
Artist and Baltimore native, Stacy Lund Levy has been creating art in many forms since kindergarten. She earned an BA from Hood College in Biochemistry as well as a MA from The Johns Hopkins Art as Applied to Medicine program. Combining her artistic talents with her intellectual interest in anatomy and science, she initially worked as a medical illustrator. Stacy then opted to establish Lund Art Studios, a career move that enabled her to take on a variety of clients locally and nationally, and to jury shows, teach classes, give demonstrations, and exhibit her artwork.

Stacy works primarily in watercolor and conducts workshops nationally and internationally. She is a signature member of the American, National, and Transparent Watercolor Societies, as well the AWA, American Women Artists.

Artist Statement
I’m a watercolorist, who paints primarily from photos taken during my travels. I enjoy wandering off the beaten path, finding subjects that draw me in with shadow and light play, and color. I am often intrigued by a secluded passageway or a forgotten structure and strive to share that in my painting.

Lately, I've been experimenting with still lifes, of sorts; those with playful colors, patterns and textures. My goal is to capture their patterns and playfulness. It's helping me to loosen up and become more focused on the big picture, and tune out the noise.

Biography
Connie grew up in a in a creative environment in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Her mother did fashion illustration and painted, and her father played the piano and was a good photographer.

As a teen, Connie studied watercolor with Alice Welsh Jenkins, and explored photography, which she pursued until her mother passed away. She then began painting “to make my mother proud.”

She graduated from the University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, in 1987 with a BFA in Illustration, and quickly became a part of the advertising community. She worked in graphic design for various Philadelphia area advertising agencies until 2009, when she followed her heart to Columbia, SC and married.

Since finding advertising work was challenging, she resumed painting. Connie says watercolor has always been special to her because of its “unpredictable nature.”

When time allows, she teaches introductory watercolor classes at the Columbia Museum of Art. She also gives private lessons.

Artist Statement
Art is about an innate need to create and the process that results from this need. The application of color and the use or non-use of texture helps control the direction of the painting. The process is exciting as I rarely have a preconceived notion or complete expectation of the outcome. Often a completed painting will result from one continuous session. However, in many cases, certain challenges within the creative process may require multiple sessions and reevaluations. It is important to always allow the creative process to continue, and this may lead to a different path…there are often sacrifices of the good for the better. Unlike many artists, I prefer to use a limited color palette with colors that produce a wide range of hues and values. The end result is generally an abstracted landscape that, while often ambiguous, creates a feeling of familiarity for the viewer or relates to some shared life experience.

Biography
Lee Monts is an award-winning artist who started painting in late 2002. His formal education and career is in Geology. Lee paints in acrylic, watercolor, ink, and oil/oil and cold wax medium on various surfaces. He also produces some mixed media/assemblage pieces on occasion. Most of his pieces are spontaneous paintings of imagined landscapes created without reference material. Lee served as a Certified Working Artist/Independent Contractor for Golden Artist Colors, Inc., from May 2018 to January 2021 and provided lecture demos on Golden Products in his home state of South Carolina, as well as in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Lee became a member of the board of the South Carolina Watermedia Society in October 2025 and is serving both as Fundraising Chair and Compliance Review Chair.

Artist Statement
The best statement I can make is that of becoming "Chi" , or one, with the brush. My fifty year artistic journey has gone from fashion illustration to all forms of fine and commercial art; however, I believe , for a work to be inspired I must surrender to the moment. The two pieces that I will enter today spoke to me, and being inspired, I prepared each, first with basic value design principals of line, value and color. First surrender, the receive and release. When Ace walked into the coffee shop sheer Happenstance, and I immediately saw the painting behind his rose colored glasses we engaged . The Sentinel Trees absorbed the Dawn's morning light as if to dress in it's spleandor.

Biography
Kathryn Morganelli received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Carolina in Art in 1969 where she also completed postgraduate studies in Textile Design and Animation.

Career:

She followed in her field with thirty years as a commercial graphic artist and consultant garnering numerous business and professional awards some of which are; A National “CASE” Award for a recruiting publication done while on staff with the University of South Carolina Publications Department, An “ADDY” Award while on the art department staff for R.L. Bryan Printing Company.

AWARDS: South Carolina Professional Watermedia Awards of Merit SC State Fair Juried 2023,2025

SCWS Plein Air Award of Merit Juried Show 2024

First Place South Carolina Watermedia 2019 Digital Show

2019 Member of Excellence Signature Status SC Watermedia Society

http://wwwkathrynmorganelliart.com

Artist statement:

http://www.kathrynmorganelliart.com available “City Art” Columbia, SC

http://www.kathrynmorganelliart.com "

Artist Statement
I like to combine landscapes with industrial or architectural features. I am constantly searching for that unusual architectural feature or special something in nature that I can translate into a memorable painting.

Biography
Born in Savannah, Ga, Morris began a career with the Civil Service with the Air National Guard, later moving to the US Air Force. In 2000, he moved to Baltimore, MD, and worked for Northrop Grumman Corp. Retiring in 2015, Al moved to South Carolina and turned his focus to the art of watercolors. He currently resides outside of Pendleton. Morris has been actively painting and sketching for most of his life. He is self-taught and has experimented with several different mediums. He studied drafting in college and the precision developed there works its way into some of his art. Since 2009, watercolor has been his medium of choice. While in Maryland, he was active in the Annapolis Watercolor Club and the Baltimore Watercolor Society, where he entered numerous juried art shows with both organizations winning several awards.

Morris studied Impressionist Art with Lee Boynton of Annapolis, MD. After moving to Pendleton in 2015, he became a member of the Anderson Artist Guild.

Artist Statement
I’ve loved daisies since childhood, yet always struggled to capture their delicate essence on paper. During art school, caught up in contemporary theories, I dismissed them as too simple, not 'cool' enough for serious art. However, encountering a vibrant, sunlit field of these wildflowers in Greenwood, SC, completely rewrote my perspective. The sight unexpectedly reawakened my forgotten childhood dreams. This watercolor piece blends the technical discipline of my academic training with the pure, unadulterated nostalgia of my earliest creative impulses—serving as a gift to my younger self.

Biography
Mengjue Ni is a visual artist whose watercolor work explores the interaction between material, light, and memory. She holds a BFA and was awarded Third Place in Oil Painting and the First Scholarship at her college. For the past 23 years, she has lived in the Carolinas, where she tutors students in drawing and painting.

Beyond her own practice, Mengjue has a deep appreciation for European art history—especially the period from the Medieval age to the early Renaissance. Her work centers on painting as a form of dialogue, offering a way to connect with objects, materials, and the quiet craftsmanship."

Artist Statement & Biography
McClain Percy is an artist and arts-based educational researcher based in North Carolina, USA. She works primarily in watermedia as a means to reexamine everyday moments from unique perspectives. My paintings are thoughts and questions brought to tangible reality; I am driven by curiosity to see unique perspectives that can become overlaid by standardizing definitions. For the past decade, my work focused on creating art in an academic context, using visuality as means to explore thorny social and cultural issues. The resulting artworks and writings have been published and performed at conferences and galleries in America, Europe, and Australia. Recently I relocated to the USA after living overseas for many years and now paint from my dedicated studio in North Carolina.

Artist Statement
I create paintings of nostalgic objects, capturing the quiet stories they carry for those who love to revisit the past. Vintage cars, with their character and classic Americana spirit, reflect the craftsmanship of a bygone era. Painting chrome means painting the world it bends and pulls into its surface. My work emphasizes fine detail and the natural translucency of watercolor. I begin with a precise pencil drawing to capture every reflection, then build color through controlled transparent glazes, allowing the white paper to create a luminous inner glow. Some areas require many layers to achieve depth while remaining transparent. I never use white paint, preserving the paper for the brightest highlights. Complementary color harmonies enhance intensity and balance. My goal is not photorealism but to capture the essence of each subject in a representational way.

Biography
Lisa’s path to art has been shaped by a rich and varied life. After earning a master’s degree in education, she worked as a school counselor before returning to her creative roots. Lisa has lived on both U.S. coasts, as well as in Canada and Guam, experiences that broadened her perspective and continue to inform her work. Now based in South Carolina, she is married with two adult children. What began as a passionate hobby has grown into a full-time artistic career, fueled by her belief that art is everywhere and in everything.

Lisa is a Signature Member of the NWS, NWWS, PPWS, LWS, WW, and WIW. In addition to her studio practice, she teaches classes and workshops, sharing her love of watercolor with artists at all levels. Her work has been accepted into 26 juried exhibitions and honored with 28 national and international awards."

Artist Statement
I have been painting off and on in watercolors since high school and taking the occasional workshop when I had time. Since retiring from a career as a psychologist, I have rediscovered the love I had for painting in high school. A great group of artists friends have pushed me see how far I can go on my watercolor journey.

Biography
Liz Purcell is a native of Clemson, SC who has been drawing and painting watercolor portraits for 30 years. She is mainly a self taught with the exception of occasional classes and workshops. Liz has exhibited her work in juried shows throughout upstate South Carolina. She was a selected artist in the Las Vegas Portrait Project in 2018. She teaches watercolor and portrait classes at the Blue Ridge Arts Center in Seneca, SC.

Artist Statement
I am an illustrator and fine artist who loves to showcase God's handiwork with my own. There is an incredible order and beauty to be found in the natural world; and, I especially enjoy displaying this beauty in floral paintings. I believe that flowers are silent messengers with voiceless lips, and that we have only to listen as we gaze. Using acrylic paint, I am able to achieve a wide variety of effects, from washes to thick impasto! I usually stretch the imagination with enhancement of the vibrant hues observed. I either use fluid acrylics, thinning them down and applying them layer upon layer on a watercolor paper surface or hard body acrylic paints layered upon canvas. To be able to paint and develop my talent has been a blessing and a joy for me much of my life.

Biography
Marcia Pyner is professionally trained, with a BFA from East Carolina University and an MFA from The University of Illinois, where she was inducted into The Honorary Society of Phi Kappa Phi. She has taught art at every level and was included in Who's Who among America's Teachers. As an illustrator, Marcia has created over thirty book jacket designs for such clients as Zebra, Dell, Ballantine, and Barbour Books. As a fine artist, she has highlights of her achievements on her Facebook page at Marcia Pyner Illustration and Fine Art, and has attained Signature Status with The International Society of Acrylic Painters and The South Carolina Watermedia Society. Two recent achievements include inclusion in The Acrylic International Biennial Juried Exhibition 2026 and The Artists' Network 5th Annual Best in Show:Pets 2026, winning an Honorable Mention. Her painting will be included in the Sept/Oct issue of Artists' Magazine. She says that she paints realistically with an illustrative flair.

Artist Statement
I strive to show through my work, the joy that I find in nature and the world. Even the most ordinary moment is worth being painted.

Biography
JIll Hassall Rees was born and raised in Southeastern Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, PA with a degree in Illustration. Jill worked for a number of years as an illustrator, graphic designer, and packaging designer. She has also participated in a number of outdoor public art installations, designing graphics for larger than life fiberglass dogs, cows and even 2 giant watering cans. After her youngest child left home for college, Jill decided to concentrate on watercolor painting and it soon became her favorite medium. She particularly enjoys painting portraits, animals and landscapes. In 2019, Jill and her husband moved to Walhalla, SC. After joining the Blue Ridge Art Center she was blessed to meet other like minded artists who were interested in painting together in nature, and the Tri-County Plein Air Painters was formed. Jill now holds Signature membership in Philadelphia Watercolor Society and SC Watermedia Society.

Artist Statement
Everything nature is my muse. My love of all flora is expressed in my paintings. I find inspiration everywhere; at the grocery store, the plant center, anyone’s garden. Weeds are in the mix as are vegetables. Vivid colors are my trademark, I want someone to see my paintings and say Wow! Light and dark contrast is something I’ve worked on for years, creating a 3D effect. I enjoy enlarging my subject to make it more dramatic, showing more details in a realistic style.

Biography
Karen is a watercolor artist living in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. She is originally from New York, attended college in St. Louis and stayed. Karen adjusted to Midwest life with her husband and three children, working as a Physical Therapist and raising her children. After her retirement, Karen decided she needed something creative to fill her time. She was lucky to find a wonderful watercolor teacher who saw her potential and help her unlock her talents. That was over 15 years ago, giving her a chance to rediscover her creativity. Since then, Karen has won awards nationally, is represented in two galleries in St. Louis. She has achieved Signature Membership in several Art Guilds and Societies around the country including GWS, SLWS, HAC, AWA, RIWS to name a few.

Her interest is Botanical Art, representational art. She belongs to the American Society of Botanical Artists. She’s been published in some prestigious magazines; including Watercolor Magazine.

Artist Statement
I am an artist, educator, adventurer, dreamer…I find inspiration everywhere & beauty in the details that are often overlooked as we rush by. I paint what makes me happy and my art is an interpretation of the world as I see it: colorful, beautiful, and bright. Nature and wildlife have been recurring themes in my work, but not always portrayed exactly as they are. No matter the medium, my signature is color; the rendition is bold and brave.

Biography
Born in Cuba, Lourdes spent most of her childhood and adolescent years in Puerto Rico. College took Lourdes from the Caribbean to the Tampa Bay area, where she received a Bachelor of Arts from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL. Later, she studied and practiced commercial art. Her art took a backseat to corporate jobs and raising a family, but eventually she returned to pursuing what she loves most.

In 2019, Lourdes traded a corporate career for a more creative lifestyle. Before moving to NC in 2024, Lourdes kept busy with galleries and group shows, commissions, community projects, and teaching watercolor. During her last 2.5 years in Florida, she was also the director of Suntan Art Center in Saint Pete Beach, FL, and helped run a small co-op gallery in the role of gallery Operations Manager.

Since arriving in NC, she has joined several local and regional art groups, including the Wildlife Artists of the Carolinas (WAOTC) where she also serves as a board member.

Artist Statement
There is a first innocence – a beauty that is young, unmarred, untested.

There is a second innocence – one in which the beauty is a result of the scars borne from the battles of life. I am interested in this second innocence.

I work the surface. I sand, layer, and scar, wanting to reproduce a piece that has a patina of age, and it is out of these surfaces that figures emerge. I seek figures, faces that seem to be familiar with the tensions of life. That bear some battle scars. And yet, have victory, even if a crippled or limping one.

Biography
Suzy Schultz is an artist whose paintings and drawings explore the themes of longing, struggle and the hope of transformation.

Suzy has little formal art training, but was exposed to art at an early age through her mother, who was a painter. She graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Mathematics Education. Taking a leave of absence, she spent a year overseas in Poland. On returning, she worked for a local missions agency, doing artwork and design for their publications. There she was mentored and nurtured in her artistic talent. When her mentor and boss left to go on the mission field six years later, she left her job to paint full time.

She has painted full-time since 1995, and her work has been featured in numerous art books and magazines, and juried into many shows. Her work recently won the first place award at the Georgia Watercolor Society National Show, and was purchased by the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, GA, for it’s permanent collection.

Artist Statement
My first love has always been watercolor. I have recently evolved into a world of watermedia emphasizing mark making, color mixing, abstracting forms, using acrylic, watercolor, and various water-soluble materials.

Biography
A self taught artist, Rosemary Segreti has taken numerous workshops over the last twelve years including Jeanne Carbonetti, Bev Jozwiak, Mark Mehaffey, Aline Ordman, Deborah Stewart, Eric Wiegardt, Fealing Lin, Abner Cope, Zoe Cohen, etc. Although particular to figures and portraits, she has more recently delved into abstracted subjects and non-objective pieces, winning awards with this new direction. Her pastel Turbulent Junctures won 1st Place in the Abstract category in the Pastel 100 journal.

Artist Statement
Alan Smith is a transparent watercolor artist who paints rural landscapes of his birthplace in upstate NY as well as landscapes of SC and Northern Georgia. He has been influenced by Tony Couch, Sterling Edwards, Ed Whitney and Zoltan Zabo. Alan paints in an impressionistic style ancod tries to capture the movement and energy of a scene while painting. He is drawn to the composition of vignette painting leaving the viewer to fill in the rest of the painting with their own thoughts and memories of places similar to the ones he paints.

Biography
Alan Smith is a self taught watercolor artist. He has attended numerous watercolor workshops over the years and has won awards from several watercolor societies in the United States.

Artist Statement
My paintings convey both human and natural beauty through saturated colors and translucency in both fine and bold brushstrokes, but they also focus on themes of social justice such as immigration, misogyny, environmental issues, and ageism. My art is a commentary of hope for our society since these images create a pathos of compassion, joy, and somber contemplation in the viewer using mediums of watercolor and pastels that allow both strength and vulnerability to be shown together. I am also an architect who designs repurposed buildings, a teacher of Sustainability at Harvard and a global volunteer to help save the environment and empower women. I paint in expressive gestures from the heart through personal observation, curiosity, and ceaseless optimism in a voice that took many years to come forward.

Biography
Constance came to the Southern States from Canada where she first displayed her artwork for sale as a teenager, then continued to do commissioned artwork to support herself while getting a BED from Miami U. with studies at Cornell, and a M. Arch. from Yale University. She then set up her architectural practices in Vancouver, Toronto, then the Carolinas where she practiced sustainable design, produced technical renderings and taught part-time at Harvard after getting an ALM in Sustainability from the school. Once an empty nester, she began to work in pastels and watercolor again painting to express her passion for beauty, social justice and concern for the environment. Her work has shown across the US in international exhibits, national shows (including GWS, LWS & SC) as well local galleries.

Artist Statement
Dana Thompson is a contemporary watercolor artist whose work is inspired by the people, memories, and landscapes of the rural South. After living in Dubai for over two decades, she returned to Middle Georgia, where Southern culture, faith, nostalgia, and dramatic natural light became central themes in her paintings.

Working primarily in transparent watercolor, Dana is known for expressive brushwork, luminous color, and atmospheric storytelling. Her subjects often include elderly women, rural scenes, children, and quiet moments that evoke grace, resilience, and human connection. Strong chiaroscuro lighting, layered textures, and emotional narrative are recurring elements in her work.

Dana combines technical discipline with expressive freedom, using glazing, wet-into-wet passages, and granulating pigments to create depth and atmosphere. She is a signature member of both the Georgia Watercolor Society and the Southern Watercolor Society.

Biography
Dana Wiggins Thompson is an award-winning watercolor artist whose work explores light, memory, and the quiet beauty of everyday life. Inspired by her rural Georgia roots and more than two decades living in the Middle East, she creates paintings that blend strong design with emotional storytelling. Dana is a Signature Member of the Georgia Watercolor Society and the Southern Watercolor Society, an Associate with Distinction of American Women Artists, an Associate Member of the American Watercolor Society, and an Associate Member of the National Watercolor Society. Her work has received national and international recognition, including Second Place in the American Watercolor Society Associate Members Exhibition and acceptance into the 2026 National Watercolor Society International Open Exhibition. Her paintings have been featured in Splash 25, Splash 26: The Best of Watercolor, The Art of Watercolour, and Artists Magazine's Top 10 Artists Over 60.

Artist Statement
Watercolor is my language, and light is my subject. No other medium breathes with such effortless luminosity—where pigment dances with water, yielding a radiance that feels almost alive. I am captivated by the way light transforms the ordinary into something poetic. A fleeting glow at golden hour, the soft shimmer across fur, or the gentle diffusion through petals—all moments of quiet magic that watercolor elevates better than any other medium.

To me, beautiful light can make even a potato sack extraordinary. It transcends subject matter, elevating the simplest forms into something profound. Through my work, I strive to preserve these moments, not in rigid detail, but in impression and emotion—using lost and found edges and an experimental palette to focus on the essence of what makes my subject special.

Biography
Rachel Parker Varner is an internationally collected watercolor artist. Her work has been showcased in both local and national magazines, including the cover of the American Veterinarian Association journal. Her inspiration derives from making her subject come alive through painting. Rachel works primarily in watercolor because she loves the sense of light this medium conveys. In all her paintings, she tries to make light the central theme. “Dramatic lighting can make a potato sack beautiful. Light is a life-giving force, and this is true in a painting as well – it breathes vitality and a sense of awe into the everyday,” says Rachel. As the daughter of an artist, she has always been immersed in the world of art and loves to share her passion with her patrons and the public through her YouTube channel at youtube.com/@rachelparkervarner

Artist Statement
Whether people, animals or inanimate objects, I love to paint something that catches my eye and I can convey to the viewer some emotion and feeling that they want to know more. I enjoy painting in an impressionist realism style.

Biography
I turned to painting watercolor after a career as a CPA. I have loved watercolor and have signature status in several Watercolor Societies. I have received several awards in national and International exhibits.

Artist Statement
My art derives from my experiences and travels, which could be views from my studio, hikes with my husband, my daily walks or our travels to national parks and European countries. I always have my camera available for reference photos for my art. I work in a variety of styles in watercolor; traditional, watercolor batik and painting on a gesso mixture surface. These different styles help to keep my art exciting. My goal is to not copy my photographs, but to use them as a guide for my paintings. I have been fortunate to take workshops from many talented well-known artists and it's always a great learning experience, especially if I learn a new technique, but keep my own artistic voice.

Biography
Gail Watson is a self-taught artist. She developed her knowledge and skill of watercolor by taking classes and workshops from advanced watercolor artists. She is a signature member of the Georgia Watercolor Society and has earned signature status in other society’s including Southern Watercolor Society, Watercolor West, South Carolina, Alabama and Tallahassee watercolor societies. She served as the president of the Currahee Artist Guild for 16 consecutive years and now she serves on the board. She is also a member of North Georgia Arts Guild, Sautee Nacoochee Art Center, Anderson Art Guild, the Bowen Center for the Arts, Oconee Cultural Arts Center and the Cherokee County Arts council.

Her passion is painting nature and scenes from her travels and always has her camera ready, looking for her next inspiration.

Artist Statement
Amber Weeks is an amateur watercolor artist whose work is inspired by the beauty of nature and the quiet moments of everyday life. Drawn to realism, she enjoys exploring the interplay of light, color, and detail through the transparent qualities of watercolor. Through her work, she seeks to celebrate the quiet moments that often pass unnoticed and invite viewers to pause and look a little closer.

Biography
Amber Weeks is a South Carolina-based watercolor artist inspired by nature and everyday life. Working in a realistic style, she creates paintings that focus on capturing light, color, and detail through the expressive qualities of watercolor. Her work celebrates the beauty found in ordinary moments and reflects a deep appreciation for the natural world.

Artist Statement
As an artist I believe the tenants of great artistic expression come from the soul and should be apart of every painting. I delight in entertaining the viewer with a story, a mood or an emotion or a combination of all three. I constantly walk down the road less traveled in search of that special something that captivates my attention. I don’t necessarily want to become famous with my art, I merely want to recharge your soul with it.

Biography
Lori is an award winning watercolor artist for the past 30 years who constantly walks down the road less traveled in search of that special moment that captivates her attention.

Artist Statement
I began painting about 7 years ago. To be honest, I chose watercolor because the supplies are cheap and do not smell. I enjoy the challenge of the medium and the struggle to control it. I generally dislike my work while I am painting, but I can find good points when I’m done. It makes me wonder how I did that.

Biography
Brian Zell has been painting watercolors for his own enjoyment for about seven years. His paintings have been shown in two juried national exhibitions. He lives in Garden City Beach, SC.