By Billye Turner for Cascade A&E

Sunriver Lodge Betty Gray Gallery presents the Watercolor Society of Oregon’s Transparent Watercolor Exhibition  and Fall Convention October 7–9 with some 200 members and guests in attendance.  The juried watercolors of 80 artists will be on display at the reception in their honor on Saturday, October 8, 5–6:30pm in the upper and lower galleries.

Transparent watercolor, the most restrictive of the WSO recognized mediums, refers to media that can be reactivated solely by water.  Juror Ted Nuttall, an authority on this medium, will present 20 awards to artists selected for the show from the 188 submitting artists with 318 entries.  Awards include Best of Show, 2nd–6th place, seven Awards of Achievement and seven Awards of Distinction. Participants will choose a People’s Choice award during the artists’ reception.         

Eight Central Oregon participants will contend for these awards – from Sisters, Winnie Givot; Bend, Cindy Briggs, Annie Ferder, Steve Rothert; Sunriver, Helen Brown, Elizabeth Haberman, Chris Keylock Williams, former WSO president and Fossil, Hyon Fielding.   Brown from Sunriver, co-chair of the convention with Mary Burgess, worked for over two years to bring the exhibition to the area.  

Nuttall, exhibition juror, is well known for his figurative paintings that grew from his career as an illustrator for the US Air Force.  Widely recognized as a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society and Transparent Watercolor Society of America (among others), he is a frequent award winner.   

His awards include the prestigious Edgar A. Whitney Memorial Award from the AWS and the coveted Skyledge Award (Best of Show) from the Transparent WSA along with many others.  American Artist magazine featured the artist in 2008, choosing his painting Waiting as the cover.  The cover of Splash 11 will also feature his art.  Former students affirm that Nuttall seeks not acclaim but “to teach and encourage artists to reach their own potential.”  

In addition to the exhibition and award presentation, other activities include Saturday demos and discussion led by local WSO artists Cindy Briggs with Winnie Givot and Denise Rich, Annie Ferder, Jacqueline Newbold and Judy Hoiness.   Chris Keylock Williams and Susan Spears lead Paint Outs, instruction and painting outside at Sunriver Resort locations.  Participants may also observe some seven past WSO presidents painting in and around Sunriver Lodge as well as other sessions led by artists from throughout Oregon.

Throughout the weekend, a painting station will be available for WSO members to create Artist Trading Cards to swap at the Artist Trading Post.   Juror Nuttall offers two critique sessions on Saturday as well as discussion on his award selection at the Saturday evening members banquet at Sunriver’s Great Hall.  Nuttall also conducts a 5-day workshop at Sunriver following the convention.

The public is invited to view the exhibition’s 80 watercolors as well as those winning the 20 noted awards from October 8–November 7 in the upper and lower levels of the Sunriver Lodge Betty Gray Gallery, open during Lodge hours.

Billye Turner, art consultant, coordinates the Sunriver show schedule including the WSO exhibition.  For additional information contact Helen Brown, convention co-chair, at 541-593-7728 or Turner at 541-382-9398.