Watercolor is an art medium that embraces many styles, from loose and transparent to defined and semi-opaque and of varying sizes.

Artist Lynn D. Pratt is a trained architect having finished third in her class at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA and earning a BArch, cum laude. Pratt had enjoyed working in the watercolor medium for many years, but never had the time to seriously focus on it. However, eventually, she had that opportunity when the role of motherhood took up so much time she changed careers. She decided to delve into watercolor. Interestingly, she carried the preciseness of her architectural training along when fine-tuning her approach to watercolor. The high quality of her work in photo-realistic style has led to her becoming a signature member in both the North East Watercolor Society and the Vermont Watercolor Society.

Her solo show on the long wall of Orange Hall Gallery Fringe - It’s All in the Details: Dynamic Watercolor - visually demonstrates the architect in the watercolorist. The preciseness in the paintings is striking. Her erfectionist nature is evident in the details as she highlights one section of a larger area or an object and usually enlarges it with extreme definition. Some of her subjects have been fruit and door hinges, paper money and billiard balls. The timeframe of the show is now through March 18, 2019.

On Sunday, March 3, she will give an art demonstration entitled Bringing the Third Dimension to Life. The demo will begin at 2:30pm during the dual reception for her solo show and the large North East Watercolor Society Members’ Show.

In addition, on Wednesday, March 6 she will offer a more in depth opportunity to learn her process. Starting at 5pm, she will give a master class Painting Texture with Watercolor. Attendees of the class will be able to try her technique as part of the class is hands-on. Supplies for the class will be provided. However, participants can bring their own brushes and paints.

The exhibit, reception, demonstration, and master class are all in Orange Hall Gallery and free and open to the public. Registration is not necessary; just come and learn and take your own small painting home.

Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 9am-8pm and Friday 9am-6pm. The gallery is also open Sunday, March 3 from 1 to 4:15pm.

Orange Hall is located at the corner of Wawayanda and Grandview Avenues, on the Middletown campus of SUNY Orange. Questions may be addressed to Cultural Affairs at (845)341-4891 or cultural@sunyorange.edu

Photos top to bottom: Lynn D. Pratt; Farmer's Pride - watercolor; Money Laundering - watercolor by Lynn D. Pratt.