History and Statement
of Purpose
In the creative process, the journey from dream to reality
begins with a small spark in the imagination of an artist who takes
steps to visualize the dream, ignite it to flame and create new life.
So began the Transparent Watercolor Society of America.
Early in the 1970's at an Ed Whitney workshop, Nora Stevens shared her
dream of forming a national transparent watercolor society in the Midwest
with Frank Webb and the journey took shape. In 1976 the spark ignited
and the Midwest Watercolor Society came to life as a non-for-profit
organization.
The first dues paying member and logo designer was Zoltan Szabo who
also held a position on the new governing board along with President,
Nora Stevens, Frank Webb, Cheng-Khee Chee, Irving Shapiro and Phil Austin.
From a membership of 185 artists the first year, TWSA moved into the
new millennium with well over 1000 members. In 1977 the First Annual
National Exhibition of Transparent Watercolors was held and through
the years has been juried by some of the most respected watercolor painters
of all time. In 2003 the President, Tom Francesconi, recommended confirming
national status and the Midwest Watercolor Society became the Transparent
Watercolor Society of America.
Photos from TWSA workshops:
CLICK HERE
for a gallery of transparent watercolor work from TWSA
From its inception, the purpose of TWSA has been to advance the stature
and foster appreciation of transparent watercolor as a major medium.
The membership includes dedicated artists from all over the United States
and Canada who share a passion for transparent watercolor and seek an
avenue for its expression.
Modern technology has produced many new "water-based media"
products, referring to any medium that is resoluble in water. There
are innumerable watercolor societies that now provide opportunities
to exhibit these new products while TWSA remains dedicated to its original
purpose. TWSA recognizes an important distinction between "transparent
watercolor" and "water-based mediums". With only a few
other existing societies, TWSA moves forward with its passion, to preserve
and promote the unique character of transparent watercolor as a major
medium, for now and for the future.
Contact information, website and membership
information:
www.Watercolors.org
29th Annual Exhibit:
June 10-August 21, 2005
Kankakee County Museum
801 South Eighth Avenue
Kankakee, Il 60901
815-932-5279
Past
Featured Societies :
April, 2005: Louisiana Watercolor
Society
March, 2005: California Community
College Media Arts Competition
January, 2005: Mystic Arts Center
October, 2004: Carlsbad 2004 ArtSplash
September 2004: Watercolor West
July, 2004: Morro Bay Art Association
June, 2004: Alabama Watercolor
Society
April, 2004, The Watercolor
Scoiety of Missouri
December, 2003 The Lakewood
Artists' Guild
July 2003, The Sausalito Art
Festival
June 2003, The Northern Arizona
Watercolor Society
May 2003, The Paso Robles Art
Society
April 2003, The Virginia Watercolor
Society
March 2003, The Canadian Society
of Painters in Water Colour
January 2003: The Experimental
Artists of Alabama
December 2002: The San Diego
Watercolor Society
November 2002: The Portrait Society
of America
September-October
2002: Colored
Pencil Society of America
August 2002: Citrus
Watercolor Society
July
2002: Pennsylvania
Watercolor Society
June 2002:
Taos National Society of Watercolor
May 2002:
Lodi Community Art Center
April 2002: Pastel Painters
of Maine
March 2002:Alaska Watercolor
Society
February 2002: Pastel Association
of Ontario
December 2001: South Carolina
Watercolor Society
November 2001: Central Ontario
Art Association
October 2001: Kentuckiana
Artists Pastel Society
September 2001:
San Gabriel Fine Arts Association
August 2001: Northern Arizona
Watercolor Society
