If you think of Georgia O’Keeffe and floral paintings when you hear the term “watercolor,” you might want to attend Northern Arizona Watercolor Society’s Watermedia Exhibition happening at Sedona Arts Center March 1-18. An artists’ reception takes place March 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. It’s a great opportunity to learn – and see – the various forms and subject matter of the medium. You might even see some 3D entries, says Marsha Owen, president of NAWS. “Our prospectus for the show used materials from the national and Arizona watercolor societies, and the criteria is really broad,” says Marsha. “Watercolor doesn’t mean little old ladies painting in England. It’s more innovative than people realize.”
The exhibition is NAWS’ only juried show, and it’s now in its 29th year. Expect to see approximately 60 paintings from 35 artists. Marsha says more than 800 people will attend the show during the nearly three weeks it hangs in SAC’s Special Exhibition Gallery. Subject matter runs the gamut from landscapes and florals to portraits and abstracts. Mediums include fluid inks, acrylics, watercolor sticks, crayons, pencils, collage and gels.
NAWS, a 501(c)3 organization, was officially founded in 1995, but members were meeting as part of the Arizona Watercolor Association as early as 1980. When enough people from northern Arizona were making the trek to Phoenix for monthly meetings, the group broke off to form a northern Arizona chapter. Today, 120 members from Flagstaff, Sedona, the Verde Valley, Williams and Lake Havasu meet monthly at the Sedona United Methodist Church. Meetings usually include demonstrations, and the organization hosts annual workshops. Marsha says an eagerness to share tricks of the trade is part of the medium.
“Watercolor has to be among the most sociable of the art forms,” says Marsha. “We are so encouraging amongst each other, and we are so cheered when someone gets results they are proud of. There’s such a camaraderie.”
MORE ART GALLERIES IN NORTHERN ARIZONA: Shows, exhibitions and happenings
