Watercolor Society announces winners of Rehoboth Art League exhibit

At the March 27 grand opening reception of the Delaware Watercolor Society’s juried exhibition, more than 150 art enthusiasts packed the Tubbs and Corkran galleries at Rehoboth Art League to see the best in water media painting. Fifty-eight artists from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia showed off the beauty and diversity of the age-old medium.

Elizabeth Collard, DWS president, noted in her opening remarks that this exhibition is the very best and largest DWS has presented to the public to date. Collard said, “We are proud to display the exceptional talents of our associate and signature members to the public in this beautiful setting."  She noted the wonderful array of subject matter found in this special exhibition with a scope that includes figures, landscapes, abstracts, florals, architectural and fantasy paintings.

Juror and awards judge Rachael Collins selected 85 paintings that demonstrate the skill, color and expression that can be achieved in watercolor and related water media. Collins is an award-winning artist and signature member of numerous watercolor societies.

In her statement regarding the show, Collins said, "Selecting paintings from this particular field of 144 works, each of which has its strengths and each of which matters to the artist who created it, was not easy, and I tried to give it the care it deserved. Having an opportunity to examine each entry gave me much pleasure, as did knowing that the exhibit would hang in such a wonderful venue. I’d like to thank each artist for the opportunity to see and experience your work. It is always an honor to be allowed to look through the 'window to the soul' that each painting provides."

First place went to "Think It Over" by Laura Hwang; second place went to "Vertigo" by Cathy Mercedes Walls; third place went to "Longevity, Fidelity, and Happiness: Wedding Birds II" by Nancy Orme Mysak.

The Baxendell Award went to "Past, Present and Future Plein Air Artists" by Elizabeth Forsythe. Merit Awards went to Dale Sheldon’s "Meet Me at Dogfish," Paige Ruby’s "Head of a Woman," Gail Zinar’s "Boston Marathon 2013" and Dorothy Harrison Braun’s "Autumn Tide."

The exhibition runs through May 3 at the Rehoboth Art League, 12 Dodds Lane, Henlopen Acres. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m., Sunday. For more information, call 302-227-8408.