Festival Hall in Greensboro will host the Georgia Watercolor Society (GWS) Member Exhibition from Sept. 16 through Oct. 26, featuring approximately 80 watercolors by artists throughout Georgia and the Southeast. Located in the heart of Greensboro’s historic downtown, Festival Hall is rich in history and offers a versatile setting for any event.
GWS accepts all kinds of water media: gouache, acrylic, tempera, acrylic ink, casein, and watercolor. The artists will compete for awards totaling $3,000. Many of the framed watercolors will be for sale.
“This will mark the first time this annual exhibition has been displayed in this area,” Greensboro resident and exhibition co-chair Steve Kippels said.
A painting demonstration, opening reception, and awards ceremony will be held Sept. 28. Jurist Anne Hightower-Patterson will demonstrate her painting style from 10 a.m. to noon, followed by the opening reception and announcement of the awards. All events are open to the public.
Hightower-Patterson, of Newberry, Tenn., is a quintessential American watercolor artist with more than 60 years in the arts. She is a signature member of both the American Watercolor Society and the Transparent Watercolor Society.
As a celebrated artist, Hightower-Patterson has been the subject of multiple articles and books, including a recent feature in Fine Arts Connoisseur Magazine’s American Masters Series.
Hightower-Patterson also will conduct a three-day work- shop to help artists tackle a sharp-focused still life that “blends realism with a painterly flair.” The workshop is open to advanced beginners and intermediate artists.
“You can explore the art of painting fine china and sunlit shadows in a beautiful style. This workshop is not about photo-realism; it’s about achieving artistic realism,” Hightower-Patterson said. “You’ll learn techniques for transferring photographic images onto paper realistically to capture the nuances of light and shadow effectively.”
For more information, visit the Georgia Watercolor Society’s website at georgiawatercolorsociety.com. Interested artists do not have to be GWS members to take the workshop, GWS President Viviane Van Giesen added.
The Georgia Watercolor Society has been supporting this art form since 1975. It promotes the art of water media painting as a rich and vibrant medium in Georgia. It provides education, demonstrations, workshops, outreach programs, and juried competitions for its nearly 400 members.
Visit the GWS website to see fine art exhibited at previous shows, learn about upcoming exhibitions, and to join the orga- nization. Artists of any level, as well as non-artists who want to support the arts, are welcome to join.
Festival Hall will hold open gallery hours Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 16 to Oct. 26. Additional hours will be available 4-8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21, with extended hours to 6 p.m. on Thursdays, Sept. 26, and Oct. 17.