NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • SINCE 1920

President’s Message

President
Ken Goldman

Ken Goldman

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Past President
Linda Doll

“The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art
inevitable.”
Robert Henri

First Vice-President
awards
Valli Thayer McDougle
Second Vice-President
Travel show
Joe Cibere
Third Vice-President
publications
Jeanne Hyland
Fourth Vice-President
publicity
Beatrice Trautman
Treasurer
Alice Kayuha
director, International
Exhibition
Penny Hill
director, Membership
Exhibition
Son Do
Recording Secretary
Stephanie Goldman
DIRECTOR, Membership
Myrna Wacknov
DIRECTOR, Historian
Lowri Sprung
DIRECTOR, FACILITIES/
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Debbie Abshear
DIRECTOR, Newsletter
N.C. Swan
DIRECTOR, HOSPITALITY
Detra Francis
DIRECTOR, Web
Parrish Hirasaki
Gallery manager
Jan Godachy

winter 2015

We artists are fortunate to see the world around us not just as identifiable objects to like
or dislike, but as a wide variety of non-objectified shapes, values, colors and potential
compositions, constantly calling us into Robert Henri’s “wonderful state” which allows
our creativity to bloom.
This year’s 95th International Exhibition is a testimony to just such an artistic blooming.
For those of us who witnessed the process of selection, it was clearly no easy task for our
jurors Judy Betts, Soon Y Warren and David Poxon to finally select 71 artists out of 1000
entries. A big thank you goes to all three of you for spending so much thoughtful time in
search of agreement on so many fine works. You have selected a beautiful exhibition that
we are proud to call our 95th!
Also, I want to thank our awards juror Peter Frank. It was a total pleasure to watch
Peter scrutinize each selection, narrow down potential winners and then, with great
discernment, decide on 31 well deserved awardees. Thank you Peter and congratulations
to all the award winners and those of you selected to receive Signature status this year.
However neither awards nor even this exhibition would be possible without the
continued donations of the many art material companies, magazines, societies and
individual contributors listed in this year’s catalogue. We never forget you and are deeply
grateful for your continued support.
Finally, did you know that all our board members are volunteers? It was not until
I became one myself that I found out what an enormous task it is to organize and
present our two annual exhibitions, an international exchange exhibition, professional
demonstrations, workshops and internet streaming lectures. Your NWS Board performs
all these tasks seamlessly while still attending to personal responsibilities at home or at
work and simultaneously creating their own artwork.
The question is often asked why do we do it? Because we have lots of fun, it stimulates
our own artistry, we feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment in giving something
back, and we get to meet lots of great artists along the way. Stay tuned for volunteer
opportunities yourself as the NWS board is always looking for artists who want to share
their expertise. Check the NWS website and get involved. It’s a blast!
www.nationalwatercolorsociety.org
Ken Goldman
President NWS 

2015 NWS Events At-A-Glance

Mark your calendars!

INVITATION
Annual Business Meeting At
NWS Gallery
Saturday January 9, 2015
2:00 P.M. - 4:00P.M.
All Signature, Life and
Associate Members are
invited and urged to come.
RSVP appreciated.
www.nationalwatercolorsociety.org

• 2015 95th NWS ANNUAL
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION
October 24 – December 19
Gallery Hours:
During Exhibitions Only
Thursdays -Sundays,
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (310) 831-1099
Closed Thanksgiving
• NWS ANNUAL MEETING
NWS Studio Gallery
January 9, 2016
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Location: NWS Studio Gallery
915 South Pacific Avenue • San Pedro, CA
90731

or phone: (310) 831-1099

ARE YOUR DUES PAID?
Check label on Newsletter See if paid until 4/1/2016. If not, please go online to to pay: www.nationalwatercolorsociety.org
or send your check to: NWS, 915 So Pacific Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731. Dues are $45 for Signature $40 for Associate.

NWS 95th Anniversary International Exhibition
National Watercolor Society would like to thank all sponsors for their
exceptionally generous donations to the international Exhibition Awards.

NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
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NWS Arts and Humanity Award

2015 NWS International Exhibition Awards

By ken goldman, nws President

complete list on Website and in catalog

NWS Purchase Award with
Silver Star $5,000
Amit Kapoor
Howrah Bridge
Loa Ruth Sprung Award
$ 2,000
(Non-Objective Subject)
Ruth Armitage
Hot Wind

N

WS very proudly presented the 2015 NWS Arts
and Humanities Award to Joe Miller of Cheap
Joe’s Art Stuff. In bestowing this award, the NWS
Board looked beyond his generosity as a business
man and recognized him for his extraordinary
contributions to society. He not only supports
American Cancer Society, Relay for Life, and United
Way, he has come forward to support artists who
have suffered from the ravages of disasters, such
as Hurricane Katrina and Sandy, fires, floods, and
tornadoes. Joe’s charity also donates art supplies
to children’s hospitals and cancer centers, summer
camps, burn centers, orphanages, and foster homes.
His Brushes for Vincent Program gives art materials
to thousands of children in crisis. For his generosity of
heart and spirit, NWS is honored to count Joe Miller
among our NWS Arts and Humanity Award honorees.

NWS Masters Award, $4,550
Chinmaya Panda
Ain’t I Beautiful?

Blick Art Materials &
Utrecht Art Supplies
Purchase Award $1,500.
Carol Ann Schrader
Fugitive Colors

Stan Green: Beverly Green Memorial
Purchase Award $1,500.
Wen-Cong Wang
Afternoon in Verona

Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff
Purchase Award $ 1,500.
Lisa Jefferson
Romanesco

NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
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The Vanguard Award $3,000.
(Non-Objective;
First-Time Entry)
Isabella Pizzano
carpe diem 

2015 NWS Annual International Exhibition Opening

NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
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2015 NWS Award Presentation Ceremony

New Signature Members Present at the Opening
NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
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2015 NWS Annual International Exhibition
penny Hill, director of annual exhibition
Attending Artists with their paintings

Marie Anne Alexandre

Ruth Armitage

Ferenc Besze

Barbara Borgwardt

Nancy Caldwell

Ken Call

Carol Creel

Robert Dozal

Misuk Goltz

Carole Hillsbery

Susan Hinton

Lisa Jefferson

Barbara Kempe

Stan Kurth

Cheryle Lowe

Madge MacFarlane

Dan Petersen

Isabella Pizzano

Charles Rouse

Jeannie Vodden

Liz Walker

Maureen McProud Wheeler

Vladislav Yeliseyev

NWS Board
Anne Abgott
Julie Anderson
Elena Balekha
Nell Bartlett
Miles G. Batt Sr
Dan Burt
Angela Chang
Marvin Chew
Chung-Wei Chien
Janice Cipriani-Willis

Additional Exhibited Artists Listed

Elaine K. Daily-Birnbaum
Ratindra Das
L. S. Eldridge
Sharon Feingold
Paula Fiebich
Pasqualino Fracasso
Carol Frye
Frederick C. Graff
Glenda S. Haas
Lane Lawrence Hall

Cathy Hegman
Hsiao Hui Huang
Mary Margaret Jansen
Ardythe Jolliff
Amit Kapoor
Teresa Kirk
Pat Kochan
Mike Kowalski
Chris Krupinski
Doug Lew

NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
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Yi Liu
Kerk Hwang Lok
Jinnie May
Jeannie McGuire
Dean Mitchell
Susan Avis Murphy
Chinmaya Panda
Derek Robertson
Abby Rudisill
John Salminen

Carol Ann Schrader
Jerry Smith
Carol Stevens
Tan Suz Chiang
Zhou Tianya
Wen-Cong Wang
Frank Webb
Dianne Widom
Donna Zagotta 

Workshops and Live Demonstrations Recently Held at NWS
Soon y. warren, nws, aws, twsa Judy Betts NWS, AWs, and Geoffrey Mc Cormack, NWS, AWS, CWA

Soon Y. Warren Workshop

Judy Betts demonstration

“Painting Cut Crystal with Watercolor”

“ Watercolor – Let’s Think About It “

Geoffrey McCormack demonstration
“Supplies for Art aren’t always ‘Art Supplies’”

NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
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Realizing the NWS Dream
by mike bailey, nWS

A

few years ago,
there were limits
to what a national
art organization
could do to attract
people to serve the
association. That is to
say that unless there
was help living close
by, the society had
to cast its line locally
for help. When a big
exhibition was planned, many hands were required to
do the planning and the execution . . .all locally. NWS
depended on snail mail, the printed word and the
physical presence of many helping hands. That meant
that we had to have plenty of local folks to help us!

might offer!! We could hold board meetings without
anyone having to travel in order to attend! In the
Los Angeles area, that could mean eliminating large
numbers of commute hours. For some, it meant saving
a three-hour drive to and from the meeting!!

This wasn’t just NWS that had this constraint — it
applied to every art society — even the big ones!

None of us could see the future or how close it really
was at that time, but what has been realized in a
matter of just a few short years, even months, is just
plain miraculous!

As the leader of the society at the time, I shared a
dream with the board; to be able to use technology
to connect with people all around the nation to
contribute to NWS. At the time, I was flying to Los
Angeles from the Bay Area to conduct board meetings
and to collect the counsel of those members in
attendance.
One day, it came up that it might be possible to
utilize computers to hold board meetings — as in
tele-conferencing. Just imagine what possibilities that

I can remember looking into the eyes of Linda Doll as
we talked about the possibilities the computer offered.
Her eyes danced with excitement as we could both
sense amazing changes and an incredible reach across
the USA to tap into resources literally anywhere!
Linda became president after my term, and she
pressed forward to put the computer generation to
work for NWS. Not only were board meetings held
online, but she was able to solicit board members
from around the country! The strings that tied NWS
locally were broken!!

None of us imagined we could select jurors from,
literally, any place in the world, and hold the jurying
via teleconferencing, which is precisely what we did
for our 2015 International Exhibition! David Poxon,
Juror and an extraordinary painter from the UK, sat in
his house in England and joined in the jurying review
of all the paintings submitted from around the world!!

volunteer with NWS
We welcome all members.
Come be a part of a great growing organization and work with fellow artists either online or in person.
No matter where you live, if you have a little time or talent you are willing to share.
Please email Ken Goldman
nwspresident@gmail.com

or call (619) 436-7806 for more information.

NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
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China Small Image Exchange Exhibit Update
By linda Doll, past President, Chair of China Exhibition

Z

hou Tianya, CAA, NWS, invited the National Watercolor Society (NWS) to collaborate in hosting
a small image exchange exhibition. The small image exhibit will be held in conjunction with
the 2015 Shenzhen International Biennial Exhibition, exhibited in the Shenzhen Art Museum from
December 7, 2015, to January 10, 2016, and curated by Zhou Tianya. In 2016, following the exhibition
in Shenzhen, the small paintings from both countries will travel to San Pedro, CA, where they will be
shown in the NWS Gallery from July 30, 2016, to August 28, 2016.
More than 400 entries were submitted by NWS members, and Zhou Tianya chose 100 paintings from
those entries. NWS has shipped them to China to be with the 100 Chinese paintings in this collaborative exhibition. I selected the 100 Chinese paintings from a large number of entries.
Awards were selected jointly and will be announced in December in Shenzhen, China.

NEWSLETTER Guidelines
We are proud that our members achieve so many accolades;
but, we are limited in what can be included.

We print the following for Signature and Associate members:

NEW NWS Signature MEMBERS 2015
Nancy Caldwell
L.S. Eldridge
Lisa Jefferson
Ardythe Joliff
Barbara Kempe
Cheryle Lowe

CA
AR
NV
MD
CA
IN

Susan Avis Murphy
Jerry Smith
Liz Walker
Vladislav Yeliseyev

MO
IN
OR
FL

NEW NWS ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
March 2, 2014 to July 1, 2015

Laura Andreini
Sandy Applegate
Kathy Bethurum
Lin Bo
Elaine Callahan
Maureen Patricia Carr
Leslie Cheney-Parr
Dodie Davis
Gail Delger
Cheryl Devoto
Penny Duncklee
Joneile Emery
Oscar Fairley
Terry Freemark
Susan Poole Gibson
Pam Grant
Wendy Hale
Karen Hamm
Heidi Hanssen
Mary Margaret Jansen

WV
CO
WA
China
GA
IL
OR
CA
TX
TX
NM
OR
DC
PA
AR
ID
MA
AL
OH
OR

Michael George Jerista PA
Mollie Jones
TX
Ken Karlic
MD
Lois Kearney
PA
Sandy Kinnamon
OH
Marlyse Linder
CA
Trish McKinney
OH
Audrey Montgomery SC
Hugh Mossman
ID
John W Murray
CT
Peter Nowell
CA
Elizabeth Oberman
NJ
Sandy O’Connor
WA
Amy Schade
PA
Patricia Sharpe
TN
Helen A. Shaw
NC
Barbara Wade
NC
Mary Walker
FL
Xiaochang Zhang
CA
Anita Zymolka-Amrhein WA

•


•
•


•

Awards (only from National or International exhibits open to
all artists. No “members only” shows.) Indicate the award[s]
you received.
Recent publications that include your work
Special honors (i.e., Signature membership to national art
groups; serving as Juror; having work added to permanent
collections, etc.)
Inclusion in invitational, solo or two-artist exhibitions

We do not print:
•
•

•

Your workshops or websites
Your inclusion into exhibits (unless you get an award and it is
in an exhibit open nationally to all artists)
Items over 6 months old
Submitted material will be edited if it does not conform
to the above criteria OR in order to fit space available.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Indicate your member status (Signature or Associate)
• Accolades: Format your submission in the 3rd person
Use the Accolades section in this newsletter as a guide.
Be specific about titles and dates.
• Articles will be reviewed for content and relevancy.
NWS reserves the right to accept or reject articles and edit the
contents to fit.
• In Memoriam: NWS will publish one submitted photo,
space permitting.
• Call for Entries: Submitted and applicable to NWS will be posted on our
website.

• We require a personal summary of your

achievements. A monthly newsletter will not be
gleaned for content.
Deadlines:

Spring: March 1; Summer: July 1; Winter: November 1.

Online preferred | NWSnewsletter@gmail.com

(Indicate “NWS Newsletter” in subject line, or it may be missed.)

Mail-in | NWS Newsletter Editor, 915 South Pacific Avenue,
San Pedro CA 90731-3201

NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
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In Memorium
Morris A. Meyer III
October 14, 1936 - September 28, 2015
Born in Lebanon, PA, Morris Meye Morris Meyer passed away on September 28, 2015, in Columbus OH.
He was a member of the National Watercolor Society, as well as several other honored watercolor societies. He was a professional engineer for several years. Later in life, he decided to start painting watercolors again, carrying a camera with him nearly everywhere. He was enraptured by nature scenes, and the
architecture of buildings. A humble man, Morris almost didn’t attend the NWS Signature ceremony. A
man who did not verbalize his feelings , his watercolors were one of the only ways he expressed his emotions. His paintings
were intense, reflective, and often emotional. Being in the National Watercolor Society brought him a great sense of pride and
honor.

william E. Pajaud
August 3, 1925 - June 16, 2015
William Etienne Pajaud was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, At an early age, he discovered his artistic
ability after being hospitalized for a bone infection and learning to draw from his hospital roommate, a
cartoonist who made him promise to draw every day. It is a promise that Bill kept throughout his entire
life. Bill graduated from Xavier University in 1946 with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Upon graduation,
Bill moved to Chicago and worked as a sign artist and freelance designer. In 1949, he relocated to Los
Angeles and was the first black student admitted to Chouinard (now CalArts) where he earned a degree in advertising and
design. In 1957, Bill began his career at Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company as the art director. During his tenure, he
used his influence to establish one of the largest corporate-owned black art collections in the nation. Being an artist himself, he
leveraged his relationships to compile the collection on a very limited budget. In 1987, Bill retired as the vice president of public
relations and advertising. Bill and his artwork will also be missed by other members of the art world.

nicholas Simmons
Died September 19, 2015 Age 47
Nick Simmons’ paintings have been featured in a variety of publications including L’Art de l’Aquarelle,
Watercolor Artist, Watercolor, and a number of books. He was sponsored by Da Vinci Paints, and Escoda
Artist Brushes. His Signature Series of Escoda brushes were introduced in 2012.
Awards include top prize at the 2007 National Watercolor Society for his painting Fresh Sushi, as well as
gold medals in other societies. In 2012 he was the first recipient of the National Watercolor Society’s
special Masters Award. His work is known for its large scale and a feel that has the look of being painted
quickly with its drips and spatters. Nick exhibited internationally in many solo shows and was one of six members of North
America Watercolor Artists (NAWA). He was the sole judge representing the United States Shanghai Shujilaliao International
Watercolor Biennial — the world’s largest watercolor exhibition — in 2010 and 2012, and judged numerous other major exhibitions. Nicholas Simmons’ work earned him a worldwide reputation as one of the most exciting artists in contemporary watercolor. Nick was represented by TillerWilliam Fine Arts, the gallery that will continue to sell his original paintings, with 100% of
all proceeds going to support his wife Olga and young daughter Larissa. Contact: Marcello@TillerWilliam.com or
call 949.933.5944.

NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
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Hanna Adler, WW, SDWS, received the Art in the
Mountains Workshop Award in the Northwest Watercolor
Society’s 75th Diamond Anniversary Exhibition In July.
Ally Benbrook earned Signature status with five watercolor
societies: WW, PWCS, MSWS, WSA, and RRWS.
Miles G. Batt, Sr., NWS, was awarded Distinguished
Lifetime Achievement Award from Watercolor USA Honor
Society in ceremonies in Springfield, MO, June, 2015,
and received a Cash Award at the Annual Exhibition of
Southern Watercolor Society.
Julia Chu had three watercolors published in the USA
CHERRY BLOSSOM in both the Art Tour International
Magazine (ATIM)’s Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art
2015 and ATIM summer 2015 Issue. ATIM gave her ATIM’s
MASTERS AWARD 2015.
Jeanne Dobie, AWS, NWS, TWSA, WHS, PWS, PWCS,
FWS, was Juror of Selection and Awards for the Garden
State Watercolor Society, New Jersey, 46th Annual
Exhibition, at the R and R Greenway Land Trust, Johnson
Education Center, Princeton, NJ. August 12- September 25,
2015.
Lynn Ferris, NWS, had her Capturing the Light series
featured in a solo exhibition at the Monongalia Arts Center
in Morgantown, WV, June 5-27, 2015
Pat Fortunato, TWSA, has three paintings featured in the
September issue of the French art magazine, Pratique des
Arts, located in Naintre, France.
Leslie Frontz, NWS, AWS, SWA, SW, had a watercolor book
The Watercolor Course You’ve Always Wanted, published
by Watson-Guptill in August of 2015.
Catherine Hillis won Best in Show at Piedmont Plein Air
2015 in High Point, NC, in September. She’ll be the Juror
of Selection for 2016 Piedmont Plein Air, and serve as the
awards juror for 2017. She was selected to paint in seven
plein air competitions this year, winning an Honorable
Mention in Curacao.

Sandi Hanlon-Breuer, FWS, achieved Signature
Membership in Watercolor West this year with Water
Horses (Paris Fountains II) and the Best of Show Award
at the A.E. Backus Museum’s Best of the Best Show with
Gator Reflections.
Jan Ledbetter, NWS, AWS, has received Signature
Membership status in Rocky Mountain National
Watermedia Society. One of her paintings of the Maya
Women of Chichicastenango, in this year’s RMNW,
exhibition, received the Randy Hale’s Look-to-the-West
Award. Currently she has a showing of 31 paintings of her
Maya Women of Chichicastenango at Prince George Art and
Frame Gallery, Williamsburg, VA.
Kim Minichiello GWS, received Signature Membership in
the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society at this years PWS
International Exhibition with her painting, Paris Passy Gate.
Robin Purcell won the Award of Excellence for Watercolor
at the 16th Annual Exhibition of the American Impressionist
Society with After the Fire VIII.
Steve Rogers, NWS, was featured in an article, Painting
Plein Air with the Great Masters, in the magazines The
Art of Watercolor and l’Art de l’ Aquerelle. His painting
Reflections of Aegalli was the cover art for l’Art de
l’Aquerelle, which is the original French version of the
magazine.
Frank Spino, NWS, received the Guy Beattie Award, second
place, at the 44th Annual Florida Watercolor Society
Exhibition. Circles & Squares with Zhujiajiao, China - Water
City. He received the Second Place Award at the 10th
Annual 100% Pure Florida Juried Exhibition Melbourne, FL.
Circles & Squares II received the Honorable Mention at the
36th Annual Pennsylvania Watercolor Society International
Exhibition.
Sabina Turner, NWS, won the Third Place award in the
2015 Watercolor West International Transparent Watercolor
Exhibition with Nefertiti Of The Tribes.

Next Newsletter deadline: March 1, 2015
NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY • 2015
11 

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915 South Pacific Avenue
San Pedro, CA 90731-3201
Gallery Hours: Thursdays through Sundays
11 am to 3 pm
Additional Hours: First Thursday,
Call for Holiday Hours.

Available for Purchase: The
2015 95th Annual Catalog
Contact us to buy this or
past editions

www.nationalwatercolorsociety.wildapricot.org/store