Baltimore Watercolor Society
Script error: No such module "Draft topics".
Script error: No such module "AfC topic".
The Baltimore Watercolor Society, organized in 1885 and founded in 1888, is a nonprofit, volunteer membership organization devoted to the advancement of watercolor painting in the United States. [1] It is the third oldest art organization in the United States and the second oldest in Maryland (after the older Charcoal Club).
Membership Qualifications[edit]
Paintings are juried for the Signature Artist level of membership twice each year in March and October. Artists are also eligible for Signature membership if they have been accepted in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Exhibition three times. This type of membership in the society, generally, is signaled by "BWS" following the painter's name in promotional materials and biographies. Associate Membership by others is indicated as an "associate" status.
History[edit]
Baltimore Water Color Club was founded in 1885 by a small group of women "to encourage cultural interests in the development of professional quality, original works of art, executed in aqueous media." Its history is intertwined with the venerable institutions of Baltimore" the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Maryland Institute, and the Charcoal Club.[2] The first annual show, in 1887, was held at the Peabody Art Gallery in the cultural center of Baltimore.
The eight original charter members conducted their first meeting in the Arundel Apartment House at Charles Street and Mount Royal Boulevard. Today there are over 560 members. Many of the country's foremost watercolorists are proudly included in the past and present roster.
Except for a brief hiatus during World War II when the finds from the treasury were given to the Red Cross for a mobile kitchen, the group has continued its educational activities and exhibitions of paintings. In 1977 the group revised its bylaws and changed its official name to the Baltimore Watercolor Society, Inc.
While once confined to Baltimore, this non-profit organization now offers its members the opportunity to display their work in galleries stretching from the Eastern Shore to the mountains of Western Maryland as well as the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Each year they host the well- known Mid-Atlantic Regional Exhibition where over $8000 in awards are given to the winning entries. A juror of national reputation selects the paintings and conducts a workshop in conjunction with the exhibit. In addition, the Society hosts painting demonstrations. lectures, workshops, peer critiques, bus trips to major exhibitions, publishes a monthly newsletter, and provides the opportunity to paint on location with other artists.
For more than a century, the group has enjoyed a panorama of techniques and styles. The tradition of watercolor is long and cherished. The strength of the Society, however, lies in its continuing encouragement of public interest in aqueous media and the development of excellence in original works of art[3]
Chronological History[edit]
Chronological History of the Baltimore Watercolor Club/Baltimore Watercolor Society 1885-2010
1885: The Baltimore Watercolor Club was founded by a group of eight women painters who attended classes at the Maryland Institute of Art where they primarily copied the paintings of others. The women, who wanted to produce original, exciting watercolor paintings, went outdoors to paint landscapes. Meetings of the Club were held in member's homes.
1887: The first public exhibit by Club members was held at the Peabody Art Gallery.
1900 or 1905: Men were admitted to the Club.
1935: The Club was reorganized after a period of inactivity.
1940: An article in the Baltimore Sun reported that wishy-washy watercolors were becoming more vigorous with bold use of color and design. [4] There were approximately 90 Artist Members in the Club. Andrew Wyeth showed two paintings in the 1940 Annual Exhibit.
1942 or 1943: Club members voted to suspend activities for the duration of World War II and donated $500 to a Red Cross Club Mobile for servicemen abroad and invested $500 in war bonds.
1947: The Baltimore Watercolor Club was revived. It was incorporated by the State of Maryland. In 1947, Club dues were $5.00 for Artist Members and $1.00 for Associate Members; by 1975, dues had increased to $8.00 for Artist Members and $4.00 for Associate Members.
1948: A national watercolor exhibition was sponsored by the Club.
1952: The Club had 111 members.
1964: The Annual Exhibit was held at the Maryland Institute of Art, the site of many prior exhibits.
1967: The Annual Exhibit was held at the WCBM Art Gallery. There were approximately 200 Artist Members in the Club.
1977: The By-laws of the organization were revised and the name was changed to the Baltimore Watercolor Society.
1978 and 1979: The Annual Regional Exhibit was held in the Turner Auditorium of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
1984: The Baltimore Watercolor Society gained tax-exempt status.
1985: The BWS celebrated its Centennial Anniversary with an exhibit in the Courtyard Galleries in Baltimore City Hall in March, an exhibit at Towson State University in June, and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Exhibition in the Turner Auditorium. The Centennial Exhibit featured 71 painters including Millard Sheets, William B. Lawrence, Domenic DiStefano, Edgar Whitney, and Dong Kingman.
2008: A tag was added to the name: the Baltimore Watercolor Society: A Mid-Atlantic Organization of Watermedia Artists.
2009: The By-laws were revised.
2010: The Baltimore Watercolor Society celebrates its 125th Anniversary.
Mission[edit]
The Baltimore Watercolor Society’s (BWS) mission is to encourage, engage, and provide opportunities to explore water-based media, including educational programs to members, who love chasing fluid media and continue to grow their water-media skills. Water-media includes watercolor, gouache, acrylic, egg tempera, casein and ink. Associate members can be from anywhere, but Signature Artist members are restricted to the Mid-Atlantic Region, specifically Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Members are asked to share ideas such as new programs or new ways to deliver events to the membership and the public. Members are involved in continued evolution and growth, with the goal of keeping water-media in front of the public.
BWS offers numerous opportunities to learn through online and in-person demonstrations, classes, and presentations on a variety of art and water-media topics to encourage, inform, and share among members innovative and unusual water-media techniques.
The Society’s frequent exhibitions are presented free of charge for the education and enjoyment of the public at locations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and online to be enjoyed globally. Once each year, BWS announces a Call for Artists to all members and artists in the Mid-Atlantic region, to enter the annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Open Juried Exhibition.
Any artist may join as an Associate member and is encouraged to explore their artistic interest and expand their skills with the possibility to gain Signature Artist status. Highest ethical standards are promoted in the profession of art, and no race, creed or national origin is favored in the evaluation of an artist’s works for Signature Artist membership in the Society.
References[edit]
- ↑ Levey, Florence N. (1917). "American Art Annual Volume XIV". The American Federation of Arts. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ↑ Levey, Florence N. (1917). "American Art Annual Volume XIV". The American Federation of Arts. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ↑ Rasmussen, Frederick N. (2013-04-12). "128 years of nurturing Maryland's artists". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
- ↑ Emmart, A. D. (1937-12-12). "Art - Yearly Fixture is Cheerful". The Baltimore Sun.
External links[edit]
Coordinates: 40°45′58″N 73°58′51″W / 40.76611°N 73.98083°W
This article "Baltimore Watercolor Society" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Baltimore Watercolor Society. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
