Canadian
Society of Painters in Water Colour
History:
The Canadian Society of Painters
in Water Colour is a national organization of artists who are passionate
about painting in watercolour. It was founded in 1925 in Toronto by
a dozen artists including several from the famed Group of Seven. Since
then the Society has been encouraging and nurturing excellence of work
in the medium through exhibitions, symposiums, and scholarships. We
take pride in over 75 years of promoting tradition, education and experimentation.
The CSPWC currently has 250 elected members and 175 associate members.
Our Patron is Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson,
Governor General of Canada. The national office of the Society is in
Toronto, but six Regional Directors spearhead the organization of meetings,
exhibitions and workshops in their area.
THE DIPLOMA COLLECTION
– OUR NATIONAL WATERCOLOUR COLLECTION:
THE DIPLOMA COLLECTION was established in 1991 to document the art
of watercolour painting in Canada. Since then it has been a condition
of membership that new members donate a painting to this collection.
Artists already members were invited to submit a work as well. Now housed
at the Art Gallery of Peel in Brampton, Ontario, the collection contains
over 250 works.
OPEN WATER
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OPEN WATER, an annual juried exhibition
open to any artist.
The major event of our exhibition calendar each year is OPEN
WATER, an annual juried exhibition open to any artist.
SPWC Founding Member and President 1926-28
“I am constantly impressed by the ability of CSPWC members
to push the boundaries of the medium’s potential and especially
pleased by the recent decision taken by the Society to include
works by founding members of their organization.” David Somers,
Curator, Art Gallery of Peel
Over 2500 visitors viewed OPEN WATER 2002, the 77th annual
juried exhibition held at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia in
Halifax in November.
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Members of a large crowd study the paintings. Paul Greenhalgh,
President of Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, who opened
the exhibition said that “he had never seen a higher quality
exhibition of watercolour paintings.”
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Exhibition co-chairs Ron Hazell and Alice Reed with
CSPWC President Neville Clarke (right) at the opening.
SYMPOSIUMS
The CSPWC periodically organizes Watercolour Symposiums. These intensive
workshops last from a weekend to a week and take place in various parts
of the country. Recent symposiums have been held in Elliot Lake, Ontario
’93, Gananoque, Ontario ’95, Jasper, Alberta ’97, Ottawa,
Ontario ’98, Bowen Island, BC ’99, Elliot Lake, Ontario, 2001
and Halifax Nova Scotia, 2002.
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Michael Cleary from BC demonstrates how to beat the elements
on site in Jasper.
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Ann Balch & Class
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Margaret Roseman and class
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ROYAL COLLECTION PROJECT
In celebration of our 75th anniversary in 2000, we held a national competition
to add 15 paintings to the CSPWC Portfolio in the Collection of Her
Majesty the Queen at Windsor Castle. The Portfolio now contains 75 paintings,
one for each year of the Society’s life. The CSPWC is the only
society outside of the UK to be represented in the collection.
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: Linda Kemp discusses her painting (top) with HRH Charles, the
Prince of Wales at a gala reception at Canada House on Dec. 10,
2001.
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12 of the 15 artists made the trip to England for the handover
ceremony. They are pictured here with Neville Clarke, CSPWC President
(left) and Anthony J. Batten (third from right) who organized
the project.
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CSPWC GALLERY @ WALLACE STUDIOS
The CSPWC also programmes the CSPWC GALLERY @ WALLACE STUDIOS, 258 Wallace
Ave. in Toronto with a series of monthly exhibitions of work by members
and associates.
: Members at the Annual General Meeting, May 2002 in
the CSPWC Gallery @ Wallace Studios.
