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Watercolor Society of Oregon
April 4, 2009
For Immediate Release:
Watercolor Society of Oregon
Coming to the North Coast
The Watercolor Society of Oregon’s Annual Aqueous Media exhibition will be presented at RiverSea Gallery in Astoria beginning Saturday, April 4th. The eighty watercolor paintings in the show have been chosen by the juror, John Salminen, an internationally respected watercolorist from Minnesota. The art show is in conjunction with the society’s 45th annual spring convention to be held in Seaside April 3rd – April 5th. This is the first WSO convention to be held in Clatsop County since 2002, and hundreds of their members will attend workshops and other events on the north coast, from Cannon Beach to Oysterville. The watercolor exhibition will be on display at RiverSea Gallery April 3rd – April 29th, with an opening reception held Saturday, April 4th, 3:30 – 6:00 pm.
Founded in 1966, the Watercolor Society of Oregon is a statewide organization of nearly 900 members. Its primary role is to provide exhibition and educational opportunities to both members and others interested in the creation of the visual arts. The society holds two conventions annually in different areas of Oregon, one in spring and one in the fall, and each is accompanied by a juried watercolor show.
The exhibition at RiverSea Gallery will be comprised of John Salminen’s 80 selections, chosen from 297 paintings submitted by WSO members. Just before the show opens, Salminen will privately select the 20 award winning paintings that will then travel the state to five additional destinations over a six-month period. During the opening reception Saturday, April 4th, WSO members and the viewing public will have the opportunity to cast a vote for a “People’s Choice Award”. The winner of this award will be announced during the reception. Of the 80 pieces included in this exhibition, two paintings were created by local painters, Jo Pomeroy Crockett and Sheila Parsons, both new members to the Watercolor Society of Oregon.
John Salminen, acting juror to the 45th Annual Spring Exhibition, is known for his realistic urban landscapes and also recognized for his abstract work. His accomplishments include signature membership to several of the most prestigious watercolor societies in the country, including the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, the Watercolor USA Honor Society and the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. Salminen has won more than 175 awards in national and international exhibitions, including many major awards from the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, the New England Watercolor Society, Watercolor USA and Watercolor West. He won the first place prize in the National Watercolor Society Exhibition 2005 and the American Watercolor Society Exhibition 2006. His work has been exhibited in the National Academy show in New York. He has served as a juror of selection for both the American Watercolor Society's and the National Watercolor Society's International Exhibitions and as awards judge for the American Watercolor Exhibition.
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