Awards – Citrus Watercolor Society

Founders Day Award winners

We had over 20 entries for Founders Day and Show and Tell on September 13, 2024. The nice article in the Chronicle Newspaper on September 6th, written by Dori likely contributed to such a large turnout. It was all beautiful work. Several people brought items in for Show and Tell. There was a lot of engagement by the members and the table set ups encouraged conversation.
Barbara Kerr passed out some of Curt Bond’s paintings for review, Lionel Sanchez spoke about his painting and techniques, and Jeaninne Cole discussed her entries from Kim Shield’s workshop, and her own display of card sized paintings. Nearly all artists who participated addressed the group on their inspiration.
We were especially entertained by Theo’s presentation. Everyone was comfortable and really appeared to enjoy themselves. The environment is really a major change and huge improvement over our previous meeting location.

Marjorie Bannish, our Painting of the Month Coordinator, tallied the votes and made the awards.
Judi Miller – Founders Day Award for Coconuts
Yvonne Brunelle – 1st place for Goose and Duckling
Jeannine Cole Chesnul – 2nd place for Nightime Landscape
Judith Snow – 3rd place for Iris

The raffle of Kim Shields painting from the workshop raised $115. Gingi will send a thank you to Kim. Our lucky winner was Jan Clark, a guest.

Congratulations to all!

Spring Art Show at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park- March 2024

We had another successful show at the Homosassa wildlife park. Attendance was good and we had a great response from our participating members. Congratulations to our winning artists.

Fall Art Show at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park- Nov 2023

Photos of the Award winners at this year’s Fall Art Show, courtesy of Deb Newman and Dori Sullivan. Thank you!

Founders Award -2021

September 10, 2021 – Members’ Annual Show & Tell

Chuck Chesnul – Dora’s Flowers
1929 Model A Delivery Truck

Jeanneine Cole accepts the Award for her husband from President Darla Goldberg

Members’ Annual Show & Tell

CWS Founders’ Award Awaits a Winner

September 2021

Press Release by Norm Freyer

The program for the Citrus Watercolor Society (CWS) meeting on September 10th is entitled, “Show and Tell”. The reason that the CWS continues this program in September of each year, is to allow members of the society, old and new alike, get a chance to present their creations to their fellow artists. The meeting format allows some outstanding watercolor paintings to make their appearance. The works of our member artists are impressive, and they get better each year. It is also an opportunity for members to praise and to provide helpful critique on how to improve the work that one creates. I think that you will find that there is an appreciation for the time and effort that each artist has put into the creative piece of artwork. You will feel good about presenting your work to the CWS members. After a review of all the artwork is presented, the Society will present the CWS Founders cash award of $50 to the winning artist exhibiting at this meeting. So – Bring your latest masterpiece and show it off!

Do you find yourself asking, “Where did all this time go?” The life journey to date has been interesting, not without hiccups and disappointments, but all in all, a good life. This brings me to the loss of a CWS artist who left us this summer. Lou Friedman was a long-term member of the Citrus Watercolor Society, Lou served as the CWS Treasurer for a number of years. He possessed a great sense of humor and was an all-around good guy. He strove to be a better artist and was recognized with his paintings in the CWS “Painting of the Month” competition. Lou was also a member of the Art Center of Citrus County. The second loss, and at an age too young, was Florida artist Kim Minichiello. Kim has demonstrated at the CWS monthly meetings and was an internationally recognized, award-winning artist, whose career in art and design has spanned more than 30 years. Kim was a signature member of American Women Artists and the Georgia, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Florida Watercolor Societies. She was also the 2019 President of the Florida Watercolor Society. Even though we as artists find that our place on earth is limited, art on the other hand is immortal. The art of Dali, Picasso, Minichiello, Witt, Jowers, Kansky, Friedman and Krall will live on, perhaps not to the extent of those famous masters, but still there to be enjoyed by others in the future.

Beyond the Pandemic There is a Brightside

March 2021

Press Release by Norm Freyer

Are you tired of COVID-19 and all it has done to limit our activities as artists? Have you lost some of your desires that require you to open up your box of paints, review your selection of brushes, and your choice of paper? Do you still have the need to take that idea you have in mind and express it artistically? No? Have you lost the urge to get started? You are not alone. It is hard to establish the damage this virus has done to creativity in watercolor art. I have to admit that it has taken its toll on my dedication to creative watercolor painting.

A good part of this misery is what this virus has done to encroach on our regular activities. We miss our monthly Citrus Watercolor Society (CWS) meetings. We miss the monthly demonstrations by visiting artists. We miss the opportunity to interact with our artist friends. We miss the professional critiques of new artwork provided by our member artists. We miss the workshops presented by these talented visiting artists. We miss “Paining of the Month” competition. We miss the CWS Spring Show and Sale that has been cancelled. Let us hope that we can get back to normal soon.

So, let us take a look at the Brightside. We still have the CWS web site that is chock full of info regarding our art and member artists. Take some time and explore the contents of our website. In the Member Gallery you will find an online art show with paintings by twenty CWS members. Let us celebrate with Peg Lefebvre on her First Place Award in the Florida Watercolor Society 2021 Online Show, featuring her painting “New Red Sneakers”. And to Nancy Dias, whose painting “Fantasy Garden” was juried into the 2021 Central Florida Watercolor Society Show at the SOBO Gallery in Winter Garden, FL. Another winner was the CWS virtual workshop on Zoom with Kim Minichiello. This workshop was sold out with a waiting list! Coming in April, Susan Strawbridge has scheduled another virtual workshop live on Zoom with Jerome Chesley, FWS President in 2018. Watch for announcements.