The juror was renowned international watercolor artist and author Lian Quan Zhen. I contacted him a few days ago to ask for his feedback on selecting my painting – I’ve learned not to be shy when it comes to life’s big events. I was delighted when he kindly replied to my query, saying “Your painting is the Best of the Show because you are not only mastering the techniques, but also making ordinary into beauty, as well as a unique personal style.” A fellow member of the Watercolor Society who was on the committee to assist while Mr. Zhen judged the artwork prior to the show opening told me that it was obvious to her that he quickly earmarked mine as the top prize winner in his process. In assigning prizes, he mentioned he was looking for those which illustrated ‘strong personality.’ I heard he also said that the caliber of the Exhibition is that of a national competition, which is a fine compliment for all of us Tennessee watercolor artists. He messaged me to “Keep up with your good work and you should enter paintings like this to national and international shows.”
The 36th-Year Biennial Exhibition is displayed prominently and beautifully in the galleries of the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center in Clarksville, Tennessee. The show continues there through July 27, 2018. Following the Main 2018 Exhibition, thirty juror-selected paintings (including mine) will travel across Tennessee to three gallery venues: August: West Tennessee Regional Art Center (WTRAC) in Humboldt TN, September: Sycamore Shoals Visitor Center Gallery in Elizabethton TN, and October: Association of Visual Arts (AVA) in Chattanooga TN. You can read more about my inspiration and techniques in creating “Eat Chicken” in this blog. If you have a chance to see the Tennessee Watercolor Exhibition in person, I highly recommend it. View all the award paintings from the Exhibition online, all the exhibited paintings alphabetically by artist, and photos from the exhibition opening weekend events.
Read below for more information about the juror, the Exhibition, and the Tennessee Watercolor Society. The award catalog can be ordered for $20 by contacting Pat Patrick, 245 Audobon Woods Rd, Clarksville TN 37043. My painting is on the cover!
But Wait, There’s More…
On the same weekend as the Exhibition opening, I had six original paintings exhibited in the Spring Show of the Art Guild of Tellico Village TN. The show included paintings, fiber art, wood carving, pottery, jewelry, mixed media, and other types of work, with 49 artists participating. It is the first time I participated, and I was enormously impressed by the professional presentation by this active art group. The Friday opening was a fun “Meet the Artists” event and I thank my friends for coming and supporting me. Over 900 people viewed the 3-day show. One of my paintings “Red Bug” sold at the show, which is always fantastic and helps support my habit. Another, “Grandpa’s Fiddle Break,” won the People’s Choice Award for Best Watercolor. Then I sold two of the paintings which had been in the show during the next week. Yahoo… I need more weeks like this!About the Exhibition Juror:
Lian Quan Zhen is a sought-after Chinese watercolor and painting artist and teacher in the US and abroad. He is an international published artist and one of the most popular authors of North Light Books. He started sketching and painting in his childhood and continued while practicing medicine as a family physician in Canton Provence, China. After immigrating to the US in 1985, he got a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California at Berkeley and Master of Architecture Degree from MIT. Zhen’s art teaching credentials include Berkeley where he taught watercolor outdoor sketching for eight years; watercolor and Chinese painting workshops nationwide in the US, Europe, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas,China, South Africa and Australia.
About the Exhibition:
The Biennial Exhibition is held on even years, and its opening venue rotates to different areas of the state. Members of the Tennessee Watercolor Society (which number over 250 currently) and non-member artists who reside in Tennessee are able to submit one or two paintings, adhering to the artists’ and paintings’ eligibility requirements – such as the specific media, painting surface, max and min dimensions, and other specifications. Any reference photos used for the painting must have been taken by the artist, no part of the painting can be done in an instructional workshop, the painting must have been done no more than 3 years earlier, and other requirements.
The initial entries are submitted digitally as high resolution jpg files. A renowned watercolor master is chosen – usually years in advance – to select the exhibition paintings from these digital files, most often numbering 50 or 60, depending on how many the host location can display in their gallery space. Artists are notified by email about being accepted or decline; no more than one painting per artist can be included. Until the 2014 Exhibition, an artist could have two accepted into a show, as mine were in 2010 and 2012. Bylaws changed this rule, which allowed more artists a chance to be included.
Accepted artists receive specific instructions about the matting, framing, and instructions for shipping or hand-delivering the accepted painting during the week prior to the show’s opening. Once the paintings have arrived been checked for adherence to all the Exhibition requirements, they are assembled at the show venue. The juror arrives to judge for awards, seeing the paintings in person for the first time. Most often the Watercolor Society has arranged for the juror to stay and present a watercolor workshop for the next 3 or 5 days, with members and non-members signing up for about two dozen sought-after slots to learn from the master.
On the Exhibition weekend, the Watercolor Society presents a slate of art-related activities, including vendor demos, silent auction, reserved dinners/luncheon, and other festivities. Award winners are finally announced at the Exhibition’s opening ceremonies and public reception, which is always an exciting time. Volunteers member of the Tennessee Watercolor Society from the hosting region put in tremendous effort with all aspects of the show .They are also the primary ones responsible for coordinating the prizes, soliciting the cash and merchandise from businesses and individuals. In 2018, twenty awards were presented from among the 60 accepted works of art, and the awards ranged from $250 to $2500 and totaled near $20,000. Among the awards are often “purchase prizes,” which means the donating party provides a cash prize (around $1200 in recent years) for which it receives ownership of the painting chosen to receive that award. In order to give exposure to the Exhibition throughout the state of Tennessee, the juror also selects about 30 paintings from those in the original show which travel to 3 or 4 other venues in other regions of the state in the months following the closing of the main show. It’s all very exciting, and the Biennial Exhibition presents a spectacular look at the amazing artistic watercolor talent in Tennessee.
About the Tennessee Watercolor Society
Tennessee Watercolor Society was formally organized in 1971, with the purpose of elevating the stature of watercolor and educating the public about watercolor’s significance as a creative permanent painting medium. Its purpose was further defined as encouraging the interest of painters in all water media by programs, competitive exhibitions and workshops.
TnWS is a statewide organizations, currently with over 250 members. The biennial juried exhibitions rotate around the state through 5 defined regions, and about half of the exhibition is juror-selected to hang in several locations around the state during the months after the hosting venue ends its showing. In alternate years, a juried online exhibition is held.
