California Watercolor Association

51st National Exhibition

We are very pleased to present our National Exhibition to you in this gallery.

Frank Webb, our juror of selection, chose the 97 paintings presented here, and David Savellano, our juror of awards, chose the following 17 paintings for the awards listed. Each of them was kind enough to provide us with their thoughts about why they chose the awarded paintings. We hope that you will enjoy the work presented here as much as we enjoyed preparing it for you.

Dongfeng Li

Touch of Light Snow

$7000

Gold Award

Humankind is always attracted to humans. The artist has shown great skill in expressing the textures of this subject, both on the flesh and on the costumes. ~ Frank Webb

The artist is skillful in depicting the various textures of skin, clothing, jewelry, and ornaments. There are a wonderful array of color contrasts and a masterful use of neutral tones to help set off the complementary colors. ~ David Savellano

Lin Zhu

Art Teacher’s Magic Box

$9999

Silver Award

Art materials are surely related to art. I like the angles of the brushes that stabilize the helter skelter of the box full of tubes. ~ Frank Webb

This looks familiar to every painter. The illustrated equipment is waiting for someone to start the creative process. Even though the box is centered on the page, it was slightly rotated to create a pleasing composition. ~ David Savellano

Liz Walker

On Solid Ground 3

$3000

Bronze Award

Here bright colors look good against a neutral background. There is an interesting contrast between the busy pieces of color and the quiet areas of background. I admire the gradation of hue in the woman’s skirt.
~ Frank Webb

It is obvious that this artist has spent time discovering and developing her own style of painting. The figures are rooted to the earth using bold colors to define the figure shapes.
~ David Savellano

Chris Krupinski

Pears Cherries and Stripes

$5000

CWA Signature Members Award One

This is expertly painted with a solid understanding of reflected light, transparency, and shadows. It demonstrates a technically skillful, sophisticated and entertaining use of color, values and design. ~ David Savellano

Stacy Lund Levy

Afternoon In Miami

$2200

CWA Signature Members Award Two

The bird’s eye view, in conjunction with strong diagonals, and the critical placement of shadows creates this captivating scene. The strategic location of figures reinforces movement through the painting, while the umbrellas contribute to the feeling of an afternoon glow. ~ David Savellano

Woon Lam Ng

Kampong Glam Impression 2020

$5800

Past Presidents Award

Very entertaining; using vibrant colors and repetition of forms throughout the painting. The artist uses the scale of figures, windows and awnings to capture depth, while ignoring traditional linear perspective. ~ David Savellano

Thomas W. Schaller, MCWA

Back Street Venice

$3500

Dan Curry Memorial Award

This painting has a sophisticated use of dark and medium values and denotes a good understanding of values to create depth. The restrained nature of this painting shows confident brushwork that defines this signature style.
~ David Savellano

Marilyn Walsh

2020

$1500

Dick Cole Memorial Award
Golden Artist Colors, Inc. Award

This high key painting demonstrates that this artist is adept at exploiting subtle color changes creating a piercing look; with the use of a limited range of values. As a result, the captivating eyes of this woman seem to have a plethora of stories to tell. ~ David Savellano

Mark Smith, MCWA

Ketchikan

$2000

CWA Blick Art Materials Award

The artist has decided to “bend” the rules of perspective and create a whimsical street scene. This is technically difficult. An artist needs to know how to correctly draw linear perspective before they can confidently distort the view in a consistent and convincing manner. ~ David Savellano

Elaine Daily-Birnbaum, MCWA

Dream Fragments

$3600

Mijello Co. Ltd. Award

The use of lines and color is reminiscent of a quilted patchwork of fabric. The textures and the edges are rich and varied, while the darks create the illusion of layered depth. ~ David Savellano

Wenqing He

Kitchen in an artists studio

$1200

Arnold Grossman Memorial Award

It takes a keen artist eye to see a compelling design in an everyday scene. The sunlight depicted creates a striking design pattern at the right time and place using a limited color palette. ~ David Savellano

Sheila Cain, CWA

After School

$5000

Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff Award

The repetition of figures, hats, and legs creates a joyful rhythm. A warm dark background sets off the cool blue of the uniforms. You can almost hear the lively school girls’ afternoon chatter. ~ David Savellano

Son Do

Daily chore

$500

Mary Spivey Award for Excellence in Landscape Painting

This bucolic painting has confident brushstrokes and diagonal movement throughout the painting. The artist has demonstrated a superb ability to create a rich variety of greens and textures. ~ David Savellano

Randy Hale

Ranch Patterns

$1200

M. Graham & Co. Award

A pleasing variety and repetition of shapes, diagonals, and roof shapes are demonstrated in this painting. The lights and darks move your eye around the painting. ~ David Savellano

Iretta Hunter, MCWA

February Rose

$1500

Norbert Volk Award

Masterful handling of edges and shadows. There are transparent passages which are intrinsic to watercolor. Great use of a limited color palette and a high contrast background that helps to create this artist’s unique vision. ~ David Savellano

Marnie Becker

Thai Women

$4500

Watercolor West Reciprocal Award

Expressive figures and bold color contrasts dominate this painting. The artist has a distinctive style for the portrayal of shadows and light. There is a conversation in the painting which extends to the artist and the viewer. ~ David Savellano

Linda Cloonan

The Three Graces

$2500

Jade Fon Memorial Award

This composition was created with a warm color palette which is in harmony with the glow of the intimate conversations. The complex, closely related values are handled in a way that defines the shapes. In addition, the reflections have an interesting abstract quality. ~ David Savellano

Congratulations to the 17 award winning paintings. And now, please enjoy these following 80 paintings that were selected from many that were submitted for this year’s National Exhibition.

Inquiries about purchasing a painting can be sent to: nat@californiawatercolor.org

Patricia Abraham

Autumn Moonrise

$1500

Craig Anderson

The Guitar Man

$1225

Mary Axelson

Glass Confetti III

$3500

Rolando Barrero, CWA

Noyo Harbor Mendocino

$1500

Ronald Bean

Sonoma Coast

$300

Robin Becic

Closed for the Season

$1000

Arlynn Bloom, CWA

I’m Listening

$2000

Kathie Boissiere, CWA

Je t’aime

$2000

Beth Bourland

November Pomegranates

$525

Keming Chen

Blacksmith 2

$3000

Ginger Chen

John Walz

$3800

Lei Chi

Burano

$4000

Valerie Cohen, CWA

Escarpment

$3000

Kathy Collins

Behind the Dazzle

$2000

Kathleen Conover

Peace Offering Searching

$2800

Yuxin Cui

Desk series 1

$2000

Linda L. Curtis, CWA

Abstraction 20

$575

Robert Davidson, CWA

Cool as a Columbine

$2800

Sandy Delehanty, CWA

Calm Waters

$1550

Kathy Durdin

Memories of Home

$750

Herbert Estes

Martinez Cove

$2800

Margaret Fago, CWA

Lee’s Produce

$950

Guoping Fan

Back At The Dock

$1000

Patrick Fanning

Freestone Dairy

$1200

Patricia Flynn

Natural Elements

$675

Andy Forrest

42nd & Ulloa S.F.

$600

Marina Goldberg

Before the Prayer

$2000

Carlo Grunfeld

Yosemite in Autumn

$500

Helen Hayes

Information Overload

$2000

Kelly Hildner

Orange Daylily

$350

Ruth Ellen Hoag, CWA

West Village

$2300

Michael Holter

Cliff Notes

$800

William Hook, MCWA

Night Crossing

$1000

John Hopper

Renoir Enduring Arthritis

$1200

Carol Husslein

Rooftops and Chimney Pots

$1200

Jeff Ishikawa

Secrets

$1250

Glen Jarvis

Abbotts Lagoon

$300

Rekha Joshi

Flow

$500

Bev Jozwiak

Whistler’s Daughter

$1000

Susan Keith

Crabapple Reds

$800

Shirley R. Kleppe

Backstreet of Portofino

$10000

Jo Kopp

Goddess of Fertility

$500

Allen Lavee

Jhe 1

$1500

Jorge Leon

Springtime Halcyon

$3500

Bing Liu

With dream to travel

$14800

Carolyn Lord, MCWA

Tuesday at the Headlands

$1500

Lisbeth MacDonald

Foggy Rainy San Francisco

$1200

Maura Madden Donovan

The Smoker

$750

Heather Martin

Tomatoes and Basil

$900

Atanas Matsoureff

Going Home

$15000

Ruth Miller

Museum Shadows

$1200

Corky Normart, CWA

Milburn Sunset

$1750

Debbie Parmley

London Monday

$1300

Linda Pickwick

Petals and Porcelain

$2500

Joel Popadics

Oia Overlooking the Caldera

$1700

Maria Porter

Shepherding

$850

Trish Poupard

Huntington Cactus

$1500

Michael Reardon, MCWA

Issisa

$2250

Ronnie Rector, CWA

Notre Dame II St. Genevieve

$2000

John Salminen

Bethesda Arcade II

$5000

Wenling Shi

Birds Of Paradise

$500

Vita Sorrentino, CWA

Forest Remains 2

$1600

M. Stermer-Cox

Three Minute Egg 14 Blue Espresso Cup

$550

Yan Sun

Companion

$4500

Wu Ting

In the Corner

$1200

Joseph Tringali

Friends

$1000

Phyllis Tseng

In the distance

$1000

Salvador Valencia, MCWA

Crockett Neighborhood

$8000

Ann Walker, CWA

Old Havana at Dusk

$5000

Margaret Washington, CWA

Dreaming en Plein Air

$2500

Marilyn Wear, CWA

Yosemite Splendor

$1900

Cristine Weatherby, CWA

3 Little Boats Ireland

$2000

Lorraine Wells

Rocks

$450

Leslie Wilson, CWA

Rush Ranch 3

$1400

Kerry Woodward

The Old Hay Rake

$1000

Jianzhong Wu

Forward Sail

$1600

Yuemeng Wu

A Quiet Song In A Dream

$1000

Fan Wu

Teacher Lin

$1800

YaoShi Zhang

Song Of Fishing In The Spring

$1500

Yueqi Zhang

Homecoming

$3800

Thank you. We hope that you’ve enjoyed our National Exhibition in this very different year. We’ve all been made to find new ways to do all kinds of things this year. On that note, our President, Carol Husslein, had a really wonderful idea and our Director of Workshops, Joe Tringali, worked his technology magic to bring the exhibitors to greet you with their paintings. Please have a look at our CWA YouTube channel to meet them.

We hope to be able to see you all next year at a gallery reception where the paintings will be on the walls and we will all be on the floor to celebrate that very thing!

Thank you!

The CWA 51st
National
Exhibition
Committee

Director
Michael Friedland

Invaluable Assistant
Pat Lauer

Donors and Awards
Andrea Baron

Catalog Design
Patricia Rosa
Ruth Miller

Data Manager
Samantha McNally

National gallery web page design: Michael Friedland
Excellent web development: Adrienne Hefter

Thank you Adrienne!