For Immediate Release -
7/13/2010
41st Annual National Watercolor Exhibition Returns to the Presidio
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Presidio of San Francisco
(July 13, 2010) -- Oakland artist Karen Frey has won First Place in
the California Watercolor Association’s 2010 national competition.
Frey’s winning painting, BART will be showcased along with nearly 100
stunning portraits, landscapes and other works in Water+Color:
California Watercolor Association 41st Annual National
Exhibition. The free exhibit opens Wednesday, July 14 at the
Officers’ Club and runs through September 19.
Over 800 entries
were received for this year’s competition, some from as far away as
India. 100 were selected by the Watercolor Association to be displayed
in the exhibit. Last year’s exhibition drew more than 10,000 visitors to
the Officers’ Club.
“We attract people from all walks of life,”
says says Christine Dougherty, a vice-president of the California
Watercolor Association and co-chair of the 41st National
Exhibition. “All are people who just love to paint, many are artists,
teachers, students, graphic designers and architects, coming from a
broad spectrum of sources and styles.”
This year’s exhibition
again includes two plein air “paint outs.” Plein air is the act of
painting outdoors—an artist packing up his or her easels, brushes and
other equipment, trekking out to a scenic spot and braving the elements
to paint. It is a test of skill and fortitude sometimes referred to as
“guerilla painting.” Many artists prefer it to studio painting.
“It’s
painting what you see without the filter of a camera,” explains
Dougherty. “Subtle nuances of color are more readily apparent and there
is an added dimension in the subject, allowing the work more depth and
richness. Because the light can change suddenly, there is an exciting
sense of urgency for the artist. They’re forced to stay in the moment to
paint what is seen and felt in the fleeting present, regardless of the
weather conditions.”
The “paint outs” also offer the public a
unique opportunity to observe art as it’s being created. Each artist
will have three hours to complete their painting, after which a juror
will select the winners.
This year’s plein air “paint outs”
will be held Sunday, July 25 and Sunday, August 29 from 10 am to 3 pm.
Mixing
water with pigments and painting on special paper is a deceptively
simple formula for a rich and diverse art form that dates back to the
Renaissance in Europe and even further in China. Out of this long
tradition has grown a wide variety of styles, many of which are on
display in the exhibition.
Water+Color: California
Watercolor Association’s 41st Annual National Exhibition
runs from July 14 through September 19 at the Presidio Officers’
Club Exhibition Hall, 50 Moraga Avenue, San Francisco. It is open
Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free.
The
Presidio Trust was established by the United States Congress in
1996 to administer the Presidio of San Francisco, an urban national park
that is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is located
at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. The areas overseen by the Trust
include expansive open space and spectacular views, a 300-acre historic
forest, and rare and endangered plants and wildlife. The National Park
Service oversees the coastal areas of the Presidio. The park comprises
nearly 6 million square feet of buildings, including 469 historic
structures that contribute to the Presidio's status as a National
Historic Landmark District.