Monday 19 June 2017

WOW women award prize to watercolor artist from Toccoa

An artist in Toccoa won the Award of Excellence prize from the Women of Watercolor for a piece of watercolor art on exhibit at the Member’s Exhibition art show at the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation.

The award and a $75 gift was made to Gail Watson, a native Virginian, who has lived in Stephens County with her husband for the past 32 years.

The Women of Watercolor, who operate under the acronym WOW, are a group of seven local women who meet each week at OCAF to paint. Four WOW members had artwork on display at the Georgia Watercolor Society’s Members Exhibition held last fall in Norcross.

The winning piece by Watson was a painting of pigeons perched on a lamp and wall called “Busy Bodies.” The painting, along with numerous others by OCAF members, remains up through July 7.

WOW member Susan Hicks was in charge of a committee to select a winner for the Award of Excellence.

“Three of us ranked our top five choices independently then compared our selections. We then walked through the exhibit, discussed the composition, color, values and if the painting engaged the viewer. We ranked our top choice. You were the winner,” Hicks had informed Watson in an email.

“I was excited because there are a lot of really good watercolors in that group and at OCAF,” Watson said about the award.

Watson’s painting is a traditional watercolor she said was inspired by a scene she photographed on one of her trips to Italy. She used kosher salt to gain texture on the rocks and the ironwork, she said.

Watson said she has been involved in art for many years, but has emphasized it during the last 15 years when she began entering shows.

She joined the Currahee Artists Guild, the Georgia Watercolor Society, the North Georgia Arts Guild and OCAF.

“It’s a good way to get your art out there and you meet a lot of different groups and artists,” Watson said.

She also teaches classes in watercolor, including Batik, a technique using hot wax and rice paper.

People familiar with Watson know that birds are a frequent subject for her art.

She and her husband live on 10 acres, where she sets out feeders to attract birds of many species with a wide variety of colors and personalities.

“I’m a bird lover,” the artist said.
Resource : http://onlineathens.com/oconee/features/2017-06-19/wow-women-award-prize-watercolor-artist-toccoa

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