The 2024 North East Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibition is on view in Orange Hall Gallery January 18 through March 15.  Never to disappoint, the excellent quality of the 74 works as well as how they are framed and displayed visually convey the standard set by the organization. The versatility of this transparent and semi-transparent medium is demonstrated by the still lifes, genre paintings, land and seascapes, in styles from photo-realistic to semi-abstracts with variations of loose to detailed techniques.

The reception at which awards will be presented will take place on Saturday, February 3 (snowdate Sunday, February 4) from 1 to 4:15pm. Pianist Geoff Hamburg will start off the afternoon event at 1pm by playing classical and contemporary music including a few pieces composed by himself. Then, at 1:15pm a break will be taken for the presentation of awards by Janet Campbell, president of NEWS and Tom Hedderich, exhibit chair. Following awards reception attendees will be free to view the artworks and enjoy the refreshments.

Promptly, at 2:30pm, award-winning watercolorist and exhibit juror/judge, Hema Gupta, will give an hour-long demonstration, Painting a Street Scene En Plein Air.

As she paints, she will explain her “goal of capturing the mood and essence of a place or person in a manner that evokes an emotional response from the viewer.” Her plein air paintings show a loose, free, very transparent use of the medium. In addition to her live painting, she will reference the 37 paintings of which 16 are plein air in her solo show, Watercolor Expressions: My Explorations in Landscapes and Portraits, on the wall of Orange Hall Gallery Fringe.

Please note: the reception and demonstration and exhibits are free and open to the public. Free parking is available in lot #1 which is adjacent to Orange Hall and located at the corner of Wawayanda and Grandview Avenues, (GPS: 24 Grandview Ave.) on the Middletown campus of SUNY Orange. Questions may be addressed to Cultural Affairs at cultural@sunyorange.edu.  

Art credit: Temple Beth El by K. Kuhne, House at the Edge of the Woods by K. Hyden, Essex by C. Semolic, Bison by E.J. Trayer

The Winners of the The 2024 North East Watercolor Society Members’ Exhibition:

Best in Show   Pumpkin Peak  by Alonzo Clarke

Elaine M. Garvin Memorial Award  Today’s Blooms  by Christine Verga Maday

Excellence   Trastevere  by Cindi Handy

Excellence   Rainy Morning on the Marsh   by Leslie Waxtel

Excellence    Picnic for One  by Lana Privitera

Honorable Mention   Lil' Rusty  by  Ciro Attardo

Honorable Mention   Sunny Riverwalk Serenade   by Gina T. Judy