44th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Exhibition

Michael Holter (Texas), The Survivors, 2019, watercolor, 29 x 21 inches

April 23 - June 19, 2021

The Gadsden Arts Center & Museum is pleased to host the 44th Annual Southern Watercolor Society Exhibition, featuring work by highly accomplished contemporary watercolorists from 18 states across the Southern U.S. Exhibition juror David R. Smith selected the 70 works for the exhibition and the 20 award winners. Smith is a member of the American Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society, and is a renowned painter whose work often depicts scenes of nature. He has studied under numerous instructors in both the United States and China, and his work has been displayed in galleries and museums across the United States.

Founded in 1975, the Southern Watercolor Society is a membership-based organization that was formed to elevate the stature of watercolor painters and educate the public on the significance of watercolor painting as an important creative, permanent painting medium.

Additional Programming

Watercolor Journey Workshop

April 15-17, 2021 (VIRTUAL)
Hosted by the Southern Watercolor Society
The Juror & Workshop Instructor is David R. Smith, AWS & NWS. Smith has studied under numerous instructors in the states and in China. He has displayed his work in galleries and museums across the United States, and he has earned awards at the State and National level. Click here for more information.

Art Talk Live!
Best in Show Award Winner: Dean Mitchell

Thursday May 13, 5:30pm on Zoom

Join Gadsden Arts staff live on Zoom to meet and talk with Dean Mitchell, the winner of the Best in Show Award of the 44th Southern Watercolor Society Exhibition. Award winners will be announced on Friday April 23. View the video on Youtube.

Art Talk Live!
with the Award Winners

Thursday May 27, 2021, 5:30pm on Zoom

Join Gadsden Arts staff live on Zoom to meet and talk with the top award winners of the 44th Southern Watercolor Society Exhibition. Watch the video on YouTube.

Art Talks Live!

Presented by

Plan Your visit

Second Saturday Tours

May 8 and June 12, 11am
Drop in for a docent guided tour of the Southern Watercolor Society Exhibition. Included with the price of admission.

Free Admission Saturdays

May 1 and June 5
Free admission for all visitors on the first Saturdays on the month.

Awards Video

Award Winners

Best in Show

Dean Mitchell, Hidden, 2019, watercolor, 22 x 30 inches
Juror David R. Smith awarded Dean Mitchell’s 2019 watercolor on paper, Hidden, the Best in Show honor. Smith was first taken by Mitchell’s mastery of watercolor and skillful use of various techniques, then drawn in by the mysterious narrative of the scene. He was curious about this place, seemingly forgotten by time and tucked away from civilization. In this work, Dean Mitchell employs a muted palette to depict a strong vertical set of trees standing beside, and partially obscuring the view of a house in the rural North Florida panhandle. Only a portion of the home is visible, including a front porch with craftsman style columns that hint of a once grand home. Time and neglect have taken their toll, and the dark ominous trees have begun to reach out, reclaiming the developed land.

Platinum Award

Chris Krupinski, Lemons with a Bowl of Blueberries, 2020, watercolor, 30 x 22 inches

Gold Award

Dongfeng Li, My Veteran Day's Award, 2020, watercolor,
35 x 26 inches

Silver Award

Susan Stuller, A Magical Moment, 2019, watercolor, 21 x 29 inches

Bronze Award

Larry Hughes, A Walk in the Park, 2020, watercolor, 30 x 23 inches

Georg Shook Award: Mike Elkins, Catching Some Rays, 2020, watercolor, 20 x 28 inches
Watercolor Society of Alabama Award: Kathy Simon-McDonald, The Chalk Artist V, 2019, watercolor, 30 x 22 inches
Georgia Watercolor Society Award: Audrey Montgomery, Juice, 2020, watercolor, 20 x 27 inches
Potomac Valley Watercolor Society Award: Judy Nunno, Canes and Lollies, 2020, watercolor, 22 x 30 inches
Cheap Joes Award: Alicia Farris, Hesitation, 2020, watercolor, 17 x 20 inches
M. Graham Award: Jackie Dorsey, Pulse, 2021, watercolor on arches paper, 34 x 44 inches
Canson, Inc. Award: Beverly Yankwitt, Lunar Light, 2020, acrylic on watercolor paper, 22 x 15 inches
Holbein USA Award: Lynn Schilling, Happenstance, 2020, watercolor, 14 x 17½ inches
Airfloat Award: Sue Pink, The Boss at Weeks Fish Camp, 2019, water media, 30 x 22 inches
Winsor & Newton Award: Stacy Lund Levy, Always More Fish..., 2020, watercolor, 18 x 23 inches
Holbein USA Award: Allan Butt, The Trolley Driver, 2019, watercolor, 22 x 30 inches
Dr Ph Martins Award: Karen Schaaf, Palm Pilot, 2020, watercolor, 15 x 22 inches
Dr Ph Martins Award: Z. Feng, Rock Hill, 2021, watercolor, 24 x 18 inches
Creative Catalyst Award: Michael Holter, The Survivors, 2019, watercolor, 21 x 29 inches
Golden Colors Award: Tuva Stephens, Divine Journey, 2020, watercolor, 29 x 21 inches
Ampersand Award: Laurin McCracken, Faulkner's Typewriter, 2020, watercolor, 20 x 27 inches
Creative Persistence Award: Sue Downes Allen, Spring Pathway, 2019, water medium, 19 x 19 inches

Sue Downes Allen (Lithia, FL)
John Bayalis (St. Petersburg, FL)
Marnie Becker (Bonita Springs, FL)
David Belling(Cape Coral, FL)
Randall Bennett (Lawrence, KS)
Gwendolyn Bragg (Alexandria, Va)
James Brantley (Opelika, AL)
Stephen Brayfield (Knoxville, TN)
Allan Butt (Huntersville, NC)
Jackie Dorsey (Athens, GA)
Kathleen Durdin (Tampa, FL)
Mike Elkins (Munford, TN)
Lynda English (Florence, SC)
Alicia Farris (Springfield, MO)
Z. Feng (Radford, VA)
Therese Ferguson (Melbourne, FL)
Rosemary Ferguson (Tallahassee, FL)
Ryan Fox(Raleigh, NC)
Susan Gibson (Mena, AR)
Susan Hanssen (Ft Lauderdale, FL)
Tracy Hebert (Port Allen, LA)
Janine Helton (Saint Charles, MO)
Catherine Hillis (St. Simons Island, GA)
Ken Hobson (Greensboro, NC)
Michael Holter (Plano, TX)
David Hoque (Prince George, VA)
Brenda Hounshell (Harrisonburg, VA)
Larry Hughes (Memphis, TN)
Kie Johnson (Watkinsville, GA)
Ardythe Jolliff (Edgewater, MD)
Michele Tabor Kimbrough (Marianna, FL)
Joshua Knight (Hamer, SC)
Lynne Kroll (Parkland, FL)
Chris Krupinski (Maineville, OH)
Joseph Lahita (Clayton, NC)

Dongfeng Li (Morehead, KY)
Stacy Lund Levy (Owings Mills, MD)
Laurin McCracken (Fort Worth, TX)
Margie McInarnay (Pike Road, AL)
William McKeown (Quincy, FL)
Dean Mitchell (Tampa, FL)
Audrey Montgomery (Beaufort, SC)
Gary Nemcosky (Boone, NC)
Judy Nunno (Weston, FL)
Linda Pelc (Tallahassee, FL)
Sue Pink (Bonita Springs, FL)
Thomas Rebek (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Max Robinson (Knoxville, TN)
June Rollins (Blairsville, GA)
Isolde Sarnecki (Raleigh, NC)
Karen Schaaf (Richmond Hill, GA)
Cynthia Schanink (Dardanelle, AR)
Lynn Schilling (Fort Mill, SC)
Dena Shepherd (Mission Viejo, CA)
Diane Simon (Sun City Ctr, FL)
Kathy Simon-Mcdonald (Bradenton, FL)
Mary Smith (Steinhatchee, FL)
Richard Sneary (Kansas City, MO)
Susanna Spann (Cortez, FL)
Mary Spellings (Mercer, TN)
Tuva Stephens (McKenzie, TN)
Susan Stuller (Midlothian, VA)
Don Taylor (Panama City, FL)
Lyudmila Tomova (Cary, NC)
David Waldrip (Brandon, MS)
Soon Warren (Fort Worth, TX)
Gail Watson (Toccoa, GA)
Jean Weiner (Le Mars, LA)
Suzanna Winton (Thomasville, GA)
Beverly Yankwitt (Pt. Charlotte, FL)