CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY (1974-2023) OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL WATERMEDIA EXHIBITION
The seeds of what was to become the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia (RMNW) Exhibition were sown in 1961 when a group of Golden area watercolor artists, led by Irma Wyhs, formed the Annual Golden Sidewalk Watercolor show. In the early years it was sponsored by the Golden Chamber of Commerce. In casual conversation, a group of watercolor artists said: “Wouldn’t it be fun to take the show indoors.” They began hosting an annual exhibit of award winners from the sidewalk show at the historical (1872) First Presbyterian Church in Golden, the place that would become Foothills Art Center (FAC) before FAC was a formal entity.
In 1967 the Sidewalk Watercolor Art Show held a committee meeting to discuss the possibility of an art gallery in Golden. Hal Shelton was the Acting Chairman of the Executive Committee. On April 19, 1968, the group of artists was incorporated as FAC and contracted with the owners of the First Presbyterian Church of Golden to purchase the church and manse. With the donation of materials by merchants and the time and effort of the artists and volunteers, a renovation project began. On July 13, 1968, only three months after incorporation, FAC hosted its first exhibit and open house. This exhibit included the winning art from the Golden Sidewalk Watercolor Show, which FAC was now co-sponsoring with the Golden Chamber of Commerce.
In March of 1973, the FAC Board of Directors had accumulated enough money to hire a director, Marion Metsopoulos. A group of well-known area watercolorists approached her with the idea of a national watercolor exhibit. With Marion’s unwavering support, these artists organized the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition. The opening page of the 1974 exhibition catalog states: “The first Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition is an outgrowth of the desire to encourage and promote the finest in watercolors. Presentation of the exhibition is the realization of one of the many dreams of the founders of FAC and its artists, volunteers and supporters.” It was the intention of the founding committee that using the word “watermedia” instead of “watercolor” in the show title would broaden the perception of traditional watercolor and encourage experimentation and exploration in all the water-based media including transparent watercolor, acrylic, casein, gouache, egg tempera, and mixed watermedia.
The first Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition was held from August 18 - September 22, 1974. The jurors were the nationally and internationally recognized watercolorists, Lee Weiss (1928-2018) and John Pellew (1903-1993). At the time of jurying RMNW, among other accomplishments, Lee Weiss’ work had been selected twice by the Smithsonian Institute to hang in the White House; John Pellew had authored 3 books on watercolor painting and was on the staff of the Famous Artists School. Due to the status of those first jurors and the $8,600 in award money donated by community businesses, art groups and individual sponsors, the exhibit was an immediate success. The show drew 683 entries from across the United States. RMNW became one of the four top watercolor exhibitions in the country, in league with the American Watercolor Society, based in New York, the National Watercolor Society out of California, and Watercolor USA in Missouri.
In 1980 the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society (RMNWS) was formed to honor those artists who had been accepted into this prestigious exhibit 4 times. By its 6th year, 1979, ~6,000 entries had been submitted and ~650 artists had been accepted. Of those artists, only 28 qualified for signature membership. The number of signature members has grown steadily over the years. After 50 years of RMNW, 318 artists have achieved this status. This includes the jurors who become honorary members. Although several of the early members are deceased, all are listed on pages 66-68 of the 2023 catalog. Each year, 2-4 new artists achieve this status. In 2011, these signature members began sponsoring one of the major awards in the RMNW. This continues today with the Signature Member Award consistently being >$1,000 and going to either the Best of Show or 1st Place awardee. Several of the original Golden
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Sidewalk Watercolor Show artists went on to become Signature Members of RMNW and several have remained connected with the exhibit. The latter include Stephen Quiller who was just 17 when he began exhibiting his work in the sidewalk show and has twice served as juror for RMNW and Brian Paulsen, whose work is included in this year’s exhibit.
In 2017, RMNW transitioned into a new era and a new home at the Center for the Arts Evergreen (CAE). After carefully nurturing RMNW for 43 years, FAC was ready for a change in exhibition priorities. In order to keep this landmark exhibition in the Front Range of Colorado, FAC offered RMNW to CAE. Fortuitously, this timing coincided with CAE expanding into a new art center with a gallery large enough to house RMNW. CAE was established 50 years ago as the Evergreen Arts Council. It was renamed CAE in 2008 and was then housed in the Miller House at Buchanan Recreation Center in Bergen Park. In 2015, CAE purchased the Bergen Park Church and began renovating it to become the new CAE art center. In 2017, the 44th RMNW was the inaugural exhibit in the new art center with the opening coinciding with the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new center. The juror was Stephen Quiller who had previously juried the 2009 RMNW show at Foothills Art Center, and whose art was in the first exhibit of RMNW 50 years ago!
Fifty years after it began, RMNW continues to be one of the most prestigious watermedia exhibits in the US. This reflects the continuous focus on recruiting prominent watermedia artists to jury the show. In the early years, jurying of the show was a 2-person collaboration, but in 1998, FAC transitioned to a one-person juror. Since 2007 the goal has been to alternate male and female jurors yearly to provide equal opportunities for all watermedia artists. Attention is also given to enlisting jurors whose own styles vary (e.g., abstract, landscape, portraiture, etc). This year CAE is delighted to have enlisted the husband/wife team of Ken and Stephanie Goldman as jurors for the 50th RMNW (https://goldmanfineart.com).
RMNW continues to be a prestigious exhibit, because getting into the show is highly competitive. Since coming to CAE, submissions have averaged ~500 submissions from ~200 artists yearly. Since CAE’s gallery can exhibit 50-60 pieces, only ~12% of submissions make it into the exhibit. Substantial cash awards and prominent jurors encourage artists from all over the USA to submit their work. Submissions are received from ~30 states yearly, and over the years, this includes all 50 states. Since cash awards are an impetus for prominent artists to submit their work, CAE has continued to offer awards ranging between $250-$2,500 and totaling > $10,000 yearly. This reflects the commitment of the CAE staff, board, RMNW Committee, and donors to the continued success of RMNW.
Watercolor, like jazz and bluegrass is considered a uniquely American art form. It was American artists such as Winslow Homer and John Marin who made it a respected medium in its own right. Now, more than 150 years later, watermedia is continuing to surprise and delight its patrons and fans. With gratitude to participating artists from all over the US and the generous support of our donors, CAE continues bringing the best in watermedia to Colorado. The 50th Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibit will be on display from September 21-October 28, 2023.
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AWARD SPONSOR WINNER ARTWORK
Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Signature Member Award Best of Show
Center for the Arts
Evergreen Board of Directors Award
1st Place
RMNW Signature Members
L. Michelle Recollection
Alexa Cowley, John Erlandson, Joe Glasmire, Sandie Godsman, Tom Goldberg, Cathy & Rick Jones, Eric & Nancy Maule, Lance Paulson, Tricia Rosenthal, Celia & John Sladek, Mary Steinbrecher, Ann Stumpf, and Kristin Witt
Olga & Alexsey Ivanov Amethyst Night
Alexa Interiors Award 2nd Place
Alexa Interiors
Randy Hale
The Landing
El Rancho Award 3rd Place
Patricia Rucker Best Abstract Award 4th Place
Huiting Wealth Management Award
5th Place
Colorado Watercolor Society Award
El Rancho
Cindy Brabec-King Ivory Towers
Patricia Rucker
Roberta Dyer
Between the Dark and the Daylight
Huiting Wealth Management
Colorado Watercolor Society
Woden Woods, Inc. Award Peter Eggers
Evergreen Physical Therapy Specialists Award
Rome Chelsi Award
Evergreen Physical Therapy Specialists
Rome Chelsi
Jerry Smith
Rocky Rhythm
Shanthi Kumar Heirlooms
Stacy Lund Levy Winter Warmth
Chris Krupinski Put a Different Spin on It
Robert Mejer
Lifeline
Cherry Creek Framing Award
John & Pandora Erlandson Award
Cherry Creek Framing
Sarah Dignan
Rikki Tikki Tavi à la Mucha
John & Pandora Erlandson
Kathy Crowther
Spring Lotus
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AWARD SPONSOR WINNER ARTWORK
Blick Art MaterialsMerchandise Award Blick Art Materials
Cheap Joe’s Art StuffMerchandise Award
Foothills Art ExplorerMerchandise Award
Guiry’s, Inc.Merchandise Award
M. Graham & Co.Merchandise Award
Golden Artist Colors, Inc.Merchandise Award
Honorable Mention
Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff
Foothills Art Center
Andrew Barker Of Bloom & Indigo
Guiry’s, Inc.
Soon Warren Fairy FutureSunflower
Beatrice Trautman
Joshua Tree Cholla Garden
Pat Moseuk Ancient Pathways
M. Graham & Co.
Gina Judy, MA
Sunny Sully at Attention
Honorable Mention
Golden Artist Colors
Lorraine Watry
Spanish Dancer
Purchase Award: The Miriam R. Levine Award for Creative Expression
Law Office of Richard A. Levine, PC
Liz Walker
Fledgling #1
Brian Paulsen
Small Town Parade
TBD TBD
THANK YOU TO OUR MERCHANDISE SPONSORS AND IN-KIND DONORS:
Blick Art Materials, Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff, Golden Artist Colors, Inc., M. Graham & Co., Guiry’s, Inc., and Foothills Art Center The Holly Berry (flowers for opening reception) and Friendship Bridge volunteers
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ANDREW BARKER
Boulder, CO
Of Bloom & Indigo is an exploration of the duality of ruggedness and beauty exemplified by the flora and fauna of the American West. The opuntia blossoms represent the feminine qualities of cyclical fertility and rebirth, while the bighorn sheep looms as a stabilizing, solid, masculine force. The birds (indigo buntings) counter the diagonal-based composition by circling in the opposite direction.
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Bloom
Of
& Indigo watercolor, ink
30” x 22”
Blick Art MaterialsMerchandise Award
JOE BECKNER
Lakewood, CO
The Cliffs of Utah
transparent watercolor
16” x 22”
I travel primarily to three states to discover what I’m going to paint. Thus, The Cliffs of Utah . I love Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Who wouldn’t appreciate the many vistas within those states?
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LINDA BLALOCK
Castle Rock, CO
I was attending a workshop at the Evergreen Center for the Arts last summer. Inspiration for this painting came while standing at a sink washing my own brushes. Multiple colors caught my eye as I looked up to scan the window shelf. There I saw a colorful array of brushes waiting to be cleaned. I grabbed my phone and snapped a few photos. When I saw the photos at home, I knew this is what I wanted to paint. It reminds me that inspiration can come from anywhere. All we have to do is notice. Brushwork watercolor
11” x 23.5”
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CINDY BRABEC-KING
Palisade, CO
Ivory Towers
watercolor
30” x 22”
Ivory Towers is a statement piece with many different facets. Climbing the stairs to the top of the white columns, murky shadows below, and contrast are all open for interpretation. The chain link fence dividing the two spaces (which was painted around using no white paint or resist) is the separation between the gray foreground and the hopeful background. The dumpster, with the red pole and sign, speaks a different outcome. However, interpreted, this was a subject matter full of opportunities.
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3RD PLACEEl Rancho Award
Structure of Steel
15” x 22”
Changing the formal structure of shapes into rigid linear constructions alters the mood of a scene, not to mention the contrast it provides to shadows. This geometric analysis of form holds the composition together. The composition is compressed within lines leading the eye to one point of interest. Values and gradations of brightly colored geometric forms float across the composition. Patterns of shapes evolve.
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watercolor
MARILYNNE BRADLEY
Webster Groves, MO
KATHY CROWTHER
Woodland Park, CO
Spring Lotus
gouache, ink
40” x 28”
Spring is a time to embrace new beginnings. The Great Blue Heron is looking up, giving thanks for small blessings and for eternal hope. The white Lotus represents enlightenment, purity, beauty and rebirth. The budding branches represent the cycle of life spilling over the mat to give the feeling of continual growth.
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John & Pandora Erlandson Award
RATINDRA DAS
Wheaton, IL
Chimayo
watercolor
24” x 18”
Chimayo (Santuario de Chimayo) is an unpretentious and simple church near Taos, New Mexico. I wanted to express that simplicity and the truth of the structure, which was built by hand by the indigenous people of the Pueblo tribe. It was challenging to design a painting where the subject was extremely symmetrical. In order to create dynamic shapes, I have attempted to recreate those shapes without losing the character of the subject. I used 100% heavyweight handmade Moulin du Larroque paper.
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This piece combines my love of narrative illustration with the Art Nouveau styling of Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939), which features elegant characters entwined with ornate, swirling decorations. This approach captures the movement and undulation of the mongoose and cobra in Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 story, freezing their battle in time.
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Rikki Tikki Tavi à la Mucha gouache 12” x 16”
SARAH DIGNAN Pine, CO
Cherry Creek Framing Award
ROBERTA DYER
San Diego, CA
Between the Dark and the Daylight mixed media
30” x 30”
I am constantly pulled by two loves—painting figures and painting abstracts. It makes me happy to work with the push and pull of these two disciplines. I want to explore how design and pattern interact to make a realistic subject more abstract and enhance the theme of the painting. For me, the process of painting involves adding, removing, and editing as I go. If something doesn’t work, I simply paint it out and go in a different direction. I don’t try to paint likenesses, that is a task for portrait artists. I use figures as shapes in a painting.
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4TH
-
Best Absrtact Award
PLACE
Patricia Rucker
ROSE EDIN
Westminster, CO
Tangled transparent watercolor
22” x 30”
While walking over a little bridge on the Ringling property in Florida, I looked down at this still life of old ceramic pots with a few straggling bougainvillea plants that were still blooming at the end of the summer. The sunlight through the trees seemed to illuminate the pots in just the right place. The challenge in painting the subject was to create the depth of the background colors while still maintaining the light of the intertwining plants. An experiment of using salt on each pot with the watercolor paint seemed to be just the right thing. It was a reminder of the salt-glazed pots we did in ceramic class!
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TONI ELKINS
Columbia, SC
Political Penguins
watercolor collage
10” x 9”
Political Penguins is a satire about politics today. It was created in disgust for the way our country has turned against each other. I am afraid we stand too divided to CONQUER anything. We need to make people aware of the division and try to join together for the greatness we’d like to achieve. Let’s PRAY we can accomplish this.
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My family loves to fly fish, so this subject matter is very close to my heart. Our son, who is my subject in the painting Ground Truth, happens to love fly fishing out west. It is his ‘happy place’. When I was commissioned to paint this painting accompanying a story by western writer, Tom Reed, I thought of this subject matter, as it is also our family’s story. I love to plein air paint accompanying my family’s fishing trips. Many times, while I’m quietly painting, an animal (or ten) will wander to the river oblivious of me being there, which I love. In the moment— observing and thinking about all the many creatures who share a place at the very same moment. In this painting, a graphic novel type of watercolor, I am sharing a slice of that moment for everyone at the river, sharing at the same time.
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Ground Truth watercolor 10” x 20”
LORI ESLICK North Muskegon, MI
ELLEN FOUNTAIN
Tucson, AZ
Las Tunas
watercolor
21.5” x 16.25”
My internal world and life experiences inspire me. Watercolor captured my heart long ago and it continues to challenge and reward me, whether working in transparent watercolor or taking a mixed media approach. Landscape and still life are my primary genres. I’m very fond of patterns and express this by using hand-cut and “found” stencils and stamps to apply pattern to my paintings.
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Spot of Gold
My large watercolors are preplanned, lengthy endeavors, but small works are usually invented and painted quickly using dry, white paper, pure hues, and spontaneous mixtures. I focus on edges, paint vertically, and intentionally preserve downward flow and abstract improvisations, creating a representational though not realistic subject. I exaggerate contrasts to heighten drama and express the dichotomy of chaos and order characterizing the landscapes I imagine.
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x 9.5”
transparent watercolor 7.5”
JEAN K. GILL
Oak Hill, VA
GOLDBLATT
Paths Untaken
watercolor
21” x 14”
II
I have seriously been having fun creating non-representational paintings filled with sweeping movement, organic and geometric shapes, color, calligraphic line marking, and spontaneous energy. My life experiences are the foundation for this expressive, intuitive image. We all have complex textures in our respective lives, filled with paradox, challenges, joys, and emotion.
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JANIS
Fort Collins, CO
DOUGLAS GREER
Morgan Hill, CA
Got Milk?
watercolor
18” x 24”
Black-tailed deer of all ages come into our yard almost every day, providing delightful subjects for painting. Deer can be graceful, shapely, curious, cute, elegant, and even colorful if the sunlight is generous.
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Hung Liu was a contemporary Chinese American artist—one of the first Chinese portrait artists to establish a successful career in the U.S. When starting this series, I invited Liu to participate. Liu gave me permission to create portraits of her. The background of this painting was inspired by a painting of Liu’s. With this portrait, I pay homage to this predecessor and great woman artist.
Immigrant Women Series
- Artist Hung Liu
watercolor on paper 24” x 18”
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YIDAN GUO
Pocatello, ID
PAMELA GILMORE HAKE
Elizabeth, CO
Reviving Marks
acrylic and acrylic ink
16” x 18”
Reviving Marks is a painting that I revisited. I applied “marks” to bring energy and expression to this painting. I applied fluid acrylic scribbles over a painting that wasn’t very exciting. I then used my fingers to create blended marks over the scribbles. The earth tones and energetic marks express the continual revival of the earth.
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RANDY HALE
Denver, CO
The Landing
30” x 15”
Watercolor is best served with splashy, spontaneous strokes. It yearns to be transparent and luminous. Fluidity is the hallmark of watercolor. But of equal importance is the dramatic use of light and shadow which provides definition, brings form to life, and creates understated rhythms between the real and imagined.
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watercolor
2ND PLACEAlexa Interiors Award
BRO HALFF
Koloa, HI
Two Trees, Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco
watercolor
16” x 12”
Two Trees, Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco portrays the dramatic yet gentle appeal of this iconic park. I sought to emphasize the verticality of two tall trees, and to contrast their straightforward shapes with the subtlety of garden greenery, a small bridge and stone lantern, and a pond. A helpful cloud behind the trees dramatizes their larger-than-life, straightforward watch over the park.
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Road trips bring me a sense of freedom, adventure, and inspiration. A trip along the original alignment of Route 66, the Mother Road, also reveals tremendous history and the desolate beauty of the Southwest. I came along this ’59 Mercury wagon and its bold styling in Hackberry, Arizona. This dynamic composition draws me in and entices me to head out on yet another trip on the Mother Road.
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Heading Out the Mother Road
27” x 21” ELLEN HEDFIELD
CA
watercolor
Redding,
A mixed watermedia painting of my neighbor’s early blooming magnolia tree swaying gently in the early morning breeze. The velvety looking dark background is many layers of straight watercolor applied one by one, the blossoms have added iridescent watercolor medium for a soft sparkle, and the branches have touches of gold acrylic for an Oriental feel.
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Waltz of the Magnolia mixed watermedia 30” x 22”
NORMA HERRING Leawood, KS
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.
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Summer Desert watercolor, gouache on gessoed paper 14” x 10”
ANNE HIGHTOWER-PATTERSON Leesville, SC
CAROL HUNSAKER
Evergreen, CO
Propensity
mixed media
11” x 14”
Hand-painted and stenciled papers are used in this collage, along with transparent plastic stamped with paint. I finished with crayon, pencil markings and stencil work.
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OLGA & ALEKSEY IVANOV
Evergreen, CO
Amethyst Night egg tempera
16” x 12”
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Romantic and surreal portrait of our model from Amsterdam, showing amethyst nights of Denver and the mountains.
1ST PLACECenter for the Arts Evergreen Board Award
CLAUDIA HAMLIN JONES
Colorado Springs, CO
Brilliant Leaves
watercolor
15” x 22”
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The photograph for this watercolor painting was taken at Brush Creek Hollow Reservoir near Penrose, Colorado. The fall leaves are from the cottonwood trees surrounding the lake. The subject matter of light, shadows, and brilliant color on fallen leaves has always fascinated me.
GINA JUDY, MA
Richmond, OH
Sunny Sully at Attention
watermedia (watercolor, fluid acrylic, water-soluble pencils)
28.75” x 21”
My daughter and her husband now live in the home that my grandfather built and where my mother and I both grew up. My car sits in the driveway behind where “granddog” Sully sits in strong sunlight. I work objectively in various two-dimensional media, primarily with watermedia and mixed-media, and enjoy the fresh, bold, confident mark and the flow of water to create an artisticimpression.
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Merchandise Award
M. Graham & Co.
DAVID KNOX
Fort Collins, CO
Hacienda
gouache
9” x 27”
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Inspired by a visit to Hacienda Martinez Museum near Taos, NM, this painting is a historical fiction of sorts. Construction on the hacienda began in 1804 and continued over many years. The Martinez family ranched (sheep primarily), held native slaves, and were located above the Rio Taos. I have attempted to illustrate part of life there. Gouache on 300#cp watercolor paper.
KAREN KNUTSON
Eden Prairie, MN
First Day of Fall
acrylic
14” x 21”
I love watercolor and acrylic. This painting is acrylic and has many layers. My process involves putting the wrong color down and then layering it with the correct color, so lifting off layers gets the effect that I want. I consider myself a bit of an archeologist and love developing good design in semi-abstract paintings. Rural scenes are close to my heart, since I was raised on a ranch in Montana.
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JOAN KRESEK
Denver, CO
Ah Oh Homer
acrylic
20” x 16”
In this painting, titled Ah Oh Homer , Homer Simpson finds himself in trouble once again, much to the chagrin of his wife, Marge. The vibrant and contrasting colors create a sense of energy, reflecting the animated nature of the iconic Simpsons’ universe, adding more action to the still life. Lighting is used to highlight the expressions on Marge and Homer’s faces and the spilled jam.
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CHRIS KRUPINSKI
Maineville, OH
Put
transparent watercolor
30” x 22”
A still life doesn’t always have to be so still.
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Different Spin on It
a
Evergreen Physical Therapy Specialists Award
SHANTHI KUMAR
Englewood, CO
Heirlooms
watercolor
28.5” x 19.5”
Heirlooms is the latest in my series of strawberries. I juxtaposed the red berries against a dark background and stark white fabric for maximum impact and chose to place the rim of the bowl a little above eye level to offer a different and interesting perspective. The crystal, cloth, wood, and brass knob showcase different textures and tie the painting together with reflected colors and shadows.
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Colorado Watercolor Society Award
CAROLYN LATANISION
Winchester, MA
Window Into History, Bethlehem Steel
One of the remaining windows of the original iron foundry, built with Pennsylvania fieldstone. Many of the walls have been left standing, including the blast furnaces, as a testament to our country’s history. The is also a National Museum of Industrial History on what was once a 4.5-mile site in Bethlehem, PA.
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watercolor 24.5” x 16.5”
LINDA LOESCHEN
Basalt, CO
I live on a small ranch at the base of Mt. Sopris. We have wood rail fencing around our pastures and the grasses and wildlife that abound around it attract my eye. It changes constantly with the seasons and light. I love to capture closeups of the shapes, textures, and colors that nature offers. It’s always a challenge and one that I love to take on. Close
Up
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acrylic 24” x 48”
Sunny Sonoma Morning depicts buildings at California’s Sonoma State Historic Park in California and was painted during a September plein air event when there was a brutal heat wave. Temperatures rose to 111˚. I set up early in the day and in the shade. My goal was to depict the light, glare, and heat radiating off the courtyard and buildings.
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Sunny Sonoma Morning watercolor on paper
11”
x 15”
CAROLYN LORD Livermore, CA
The temperature had been 70 degrees the day before I shot the references for this snow scene. I had been sure that spring had sprung, but overnight the temperature dropped and snow fell. Once the snow stopped, it became eerily serene, and the heat of the sun made it feel like a summer day. I wanted to record the strange feeling created as the sun went down and shadows created interesting shapes.
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Winter Warmth watercolor on paper
22” x 28”
STACY LUND LEVY Owings Mills, MD
Woden Woods, Inc.
Award
MARK MCDERMOTT
Anchorage, AK
Mountain Goat
watercolor
22” x 15”
This male Mountain Goat was lit by the winter sun in the Anchorage Zoo. I often go to the nearby zoo with my telephoto lens and look for painting subjects. Mountain goats are very fluffy in winter, which allowed me to zoom in and do a portrait with only his body in the background.
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ROBERT MEJER
Quincy, IL
Lifeline watercolor
30” x 22”
I am a Geometric Abstract Intimist. With watercolor, I try to push the realm of illusion—a collage space. I express various emotional situations using a layering process in order to create visual drama via opposites, that equates to the pulse of life! In my work I hope TO PRESENT (inside to out) rather than REPRESENT (outside to in).
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Rome Chelsi Award
My painting is inspired by my surroundings. Specific places fade as I abandon visual representation and convey mood and feeling. I use watercolor on wet paper, allowing the pigments to move as I create. The nature of this technique forces me to stop and embrace the beautiful and unexpected. The result is reminiscent of the calm I feel while painting and it exudes mystery and contemplation.
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Recollection
and acrylic
watercolor
36” x 24”
2023 BEST IN SHOWRMNW Signature Member Award
L. MICHELLE Boise, ID
PAT MOSEUK
Concord, CA
Ancient Pathways
acrylic
20” x 20”
What inspired me to paint this piece were my travels throughout Italy and seeing the old-world facades, the ancient ruins surrounding me; for example the Coliseum, the architecture, and the art history.
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Merchandise
Guiry’s, Inc.
Award
The Dragon Within
The concept behind this painting came to me on a walk. I was thinking about the signs of the Chinese New Year and suddenly realized that our French Bulldog, like me, was also born under the sign of the dragon. So, I became the head of the dragon and Quorra became the body of the dragon. Both dragons are based on images of how the dragon has been represented through the centuries. If you look closely, you will see our birth years, 1952 and 2012. 60 years between our births but these days we are close to the same age. The symbol on the front of my shirt is the Chinese character for dragon. I also included the flag of Ukraine in support of a free country that has been invaded by hostile forces trying to take land that no longer belongs to them. May the fierce qualities of the dragon help to defeat the oppressors.
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transparent watercolor 22” x 30”
R. MIKE NICHOLS Salinas, CO
JONATHAN NICKLOW
Self
with
This self portrait of the artist with COVID is a visual representation of the place I was at emotionally and physically during our contemporary plague. This work is done entirely with ink and ink washes on Stonehenge paper. I used India ink and finished the work with a salt resist for the texture of the background. This artwork began as a demonstration piece for my Drawing 1, Foundations course I teach at Metro State University and slowly evolved into the finished artwork.
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Portrait
COVID ink on stonehenge paper 24” x 18”
Evergreen, CO
BRIAN
Grand Forks, ND
Art for me is still a task, a challenge, a frustration, and a satisfaction when something is completed that emulates the effort put forth. Over the last 10 years, I have tried several changes. Miniaturing the imagery, using colored pencils, a ball point pen, and improvising without images regarding subject matter choices. I do not have a favorite artist…I try to view most quality art as influential and inspiring.
watercolor
9” x 13”
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Small Town Parade
PAULSEN
Honorable Mention
When I wandered down to the water one morning on Cape Cod, I was moved by the tangible silence. Even the birds seemed reluctant to disturb the tranquility. Landscape features emerged from the mist as illusions. I had discovered a haven from a frenetic world. I clicked my camera, knowing that when I was ready, I would try to capture the moment with watercolors.
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watercolor
NANCY READ
CO
Hush
14” x 21”
Broomfield,
Deer stick their muzzles into the most incredible places in order to eat! I would not want to risk getting pricked, stuck, or gouged. I used a very tight crop for this painting because I thought it made for a more interesting composition. A very limited palette was used to provide unity throughout the painting. In addition, the pinkish cast to the painting gives a more intimate feeling.
Sticky Wicket Dining
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watercolor wax batik
16” x 20”
LINDA RENAUD
Drake, CO
DIANE SHABINO
Wausau, WI
Great Star Hydrangea
LYWAM Garden
transparent watercolor
Great Star Hydrangea LYWAM Garden is a transparent watercolor on paper of this shrub’s flower. The spectacular white petals of the infertile flower almost appearing as wings taking flight are what initially attracted me to this subject, just as they are meant to attract pollinators that then fertilize the much smaller and more numerous fertile blossoms.
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21” x 14”
Evergreen, CO
This is version number two done at a painting session with a live model. The first version is realistic and took a long time to plan and execute. Having done that one, I felt free to do an intuitive expression of the pose with shape and calligraphic line. Pure joy was realized in painting spontaneously without drawing first. Each stroke was left unadulterated like a breath of fresh air.
11” x 15”
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Just So watercolor
ANN SIMPSON
JERRY SMITH
Crawfordsville,
Rocky Rhythm
acrylic
20” x 30”
Rocky Rhythm is the product of many trips to the coast of Maine. I have always been drawn to the rocky shoreline and the ebb and flow of the tides, particularly as it affects the harbor towns and villages. In recent years I have developed a series of acrylic paintings combining gathered images with a more abstract technique and presentation.
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5TH PLACEHuiting
IN
Wealth Management Award
E JANE STODDARD
East
NY
Wash Line, Tuscany
watercolor
16” x 21”
I took the photo reference for this painting on a trip to Italy. Clothes hanging to dry in narrow alleyways is a common sight all over the country. The ingenuity of people to find ways to suspend the clothes lines is interesting.
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Amherst,
ANNIE STRACK
Kennet Square, PA
Ever Decreasing Circles
watercolor
12” x 16”
I sometimes paint live on location and other times shoot photos from which to paint in my studio. I prefer to use non-staining paints which I can lift to create lighter values and carve out details. I work from lightest values to darkest values, and I paint details after the large blocks of color are finished. My koi series of paintings reflects my search for tranquility and beauty in subjects.
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58
SCHWINN was painted from a photograph of the window of a bike shop taken by the artist in El Segundo, which is a town very close to Los Angeles International Airport. El Segundo is also a stone’s throw from Loyola Marymount University, where I have been Professor of Art and Art History for 33 years.
SCHWINN watercolor on paper 30” x 22”
MICHAEL TANG
Los Angeles, CA
BEATRICE TRAUTMAN
Morrison, CO
Joshua Tree Cholla Garden
watercolor, gouache
20” x 14”
The organic patterns found in nature - stones in a stream bed, light in the clouds - have inspired me since childhood and form the fabric of my work.
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Foothills Art ExplorerMerchandise Award
Libertad y Posibilidades (Freedom and Possibilities)
Libertad y Posibilidades (Freedom & Possibilities) depicts stories within stories, heavy with intricate details, passion, and symbolism. However, the intention within this piece is simple. My aim is to empower individuals to engage their rights as sovereign beings. “Happiness is a choice.” This short phrase defines our divine abilities as cocreators on this planet, giving each of us the power to choose and maneuver through this labyrinth called life. “Happiness is a choice” is about taking action. “Happiness is a choice” is about gratitude for the people, things, and experiences around us, as well as gratitude for all the challenges that force us to broaden our perspective. I invite the viewer to be very intentional about fully bringing happiness into their heart, then thrust it out into the world to be felt and absorbed by others. This is my ongoing process and intention with every ounce of paint I caress upon the canvas.
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acrylic 48” x 36”
TERESA ANNE VOLGENAU Westminster, CO
I created this painting in response to a radio interview I heard featuring author Hannah Bourne-Taylor and her book Fledgling . The non-fiction book Fledgling is set in the rural grasslands of Ghana where the author rescued, hand-raised, and released a swift and a mannikin finch back into the wild. It tells the story of how immersing herself in the birds’ care gave her hope when, after following her husband to Ghana, she struggled to adapt to a new existence in an extreme environment without a purpose of her own. I didn’t try to paint a specific type of bird, but I tried to capture the shape and spirit of a bird. Since the bird held the author’s complete attention, I made it the main focal point of the piece. The woman’s arm is reaching for the beloved bird, while her family members linger in the background—concerned about her obsession with trying to save the bird from its predators in the wild.
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Fledgling #1 acrylic 13” x 19”
Honorable Mention
LIZ WALKER Beaverton, OR
SOON WARREN
Fort Worth, TX
Fairy Future - Sunflower
watercolor
30” x 22”
When I paint, my life becomes full; time flies; my mind is in Zen. Most of all, I am happy. Painting realism has always been my passion and blessing. Moreover, expanding and opening my eyes and heart for my artistic horizon to learn and absorb is always an ongoing process. When I create with various subject matter that touches my heart, I plunge myself into rich and brilliant colors and my intuitive composition within the picture plane. I want to create each subject matter with feelings of raw emotion with movement of brush strokes, shapes or colors within painting that flows into space, fierce or even calm and still.
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Merchandise Award
Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff
LORRAINE WATRY
Colorado Springs, CO
Spanish Dancer
transparent watercolor
15” x 22”
Spanish Dancer started with my interest in painting birds. I especially love to paint hummingbirds with their shiny feathers and big personalities. This painting was an exploration to show the motion of the hummingbird as it flies in to gather nectar from a flower. I photographed a rufous bird in motion and chose five stages of the flight. The blurry background adds to the feeling of movement.
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Merchandise Award
Golden Artist Colors, Inc.
WARREN ZIMMER
Evergreen, CO
I have stylized ‘The Mitten,’ a Monument Valley icon, to reflect the stark, hardedged nature of this ages-old Navajo park. The string of crows shows there is life in this hardscrabble place the Navajo people call ‘the heart of the earth.’
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Navajo acrylic 30” x 30”
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL WATERMEDIA SOCIETY
Center for the Arts Evergreen maintains the roster of the prestigious Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society membership. RMNWS includes Signature Members and Honorary Juror Members. Signature Members have been selected at least four times for the RMNW exhibition since its inception in 1974. These artists have earned the right to add RMNW after their signatures. All jurors become Honorary Members of the RMNWS, although many of them have earned Signature status as well.
Honorary Juror Members
2023 Ken & Stephanie Goldman
2022 Soon Y. Warren
2021 Steve Griggs
2020 Linda Daly Baker
2019 Sterling Edwards
2018 Mary Ann Beckwith
2017 Stephen Quiller
2016 Katherine Chang Liu
2015 Mark Mehaffey
2014 Linda Doll
2013 William “Skip” Lawrence
2012 Carol Barnes
2011 Cheng-Khee Chee
2010 Judy Morris
2009 Stephen Quiller
2008 Donna Watson
2007 Carla O’ Connor
2006 George James
2005 H.C. Dodd
2004 John Salminen
2003 Harold Grego, PhD
2002 Louise Cadillac
2001 Katherine Chang Liu
2000 Don Nice
1999 Burton Silverman
1998 Sondra Freckelton
1997 Pat San Soucie & Ellen Murray
1996 Rob Erdle & Dean Mitchell
1995 Elizabeth Yarosz & Glenn Bradshaw
1994 Mary Todd Beam & Charles Le Clair
1993 Janet Fish
1992 Alexander Guthrie & Kathleen Kuchar
1991 Warren Taylor & Nanci Blair Closson
1990 Marilyn Phillis & Marbury Hill Brown
1989 Rolland Golden & Edward Reep
1988 Irving Shapiro & Lee Wexler
1987 Jeanne Dobie & Alex Powers
1986 Al Brouillette & Fran Larsen
1985 Edmond Fitzgerald & E.J. Velardi, Jr.
1984 Katherine Chang Liu & Frank Webb
1983 Miles G. Batt, Sr. & Virginia Cobb
1982 Alexander Nepote & Larry Webster
1981 Sylvia Glass & Robert Vickrey
1980 Millard Sheets & Doris White
1979 Glenn Bradshaw & Serge Hollerbach
1978 Gerald Brommer & Ruth Wynn
1977 Claude Croney & Morris Shubin
1976 Chen Chi & Tom Hill
1975 Edward Betts & Charles Reid
1974 John C. Pellew & Lee Weiss
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Dona Abbott
Patricia Abraham
Kent Addison
Melissa Adkison
Gloria Miller Allen
Wilmer Anderson
Catherine Anderson
Sue Archer
Jan Archuleta
Ruth Armitage
Sara Aslakson
Denise Athanas
Anne Bagby
Nancy Baldrica
Nancy Barch
John Barnard
Carole Barnes
Andrew Barton
Miles G. Batt, Sr.
Penny Bunn Becker
*Joe Beckner
Sandra Beebe
Edith Bergstrom
Judi Betts
Robert Biancalana
Virginia Blackstock
Joseph Bohler
Marilyn Sears Bourbon
Jerry Bowman
Donna Boyd
SIGNATURE MEMBERSHIP
Lisa Nierenberg, Executive Director
Lisa Nierenberg, Executive Director
