Proudly Presents The
12th Annual Signature American International Watermedia Exhibition
World of Watercolor & Beyond
February 13th through April 11th, 2021
Juror for Selections and Awards
Katherine Chang Liu, NWS
Curated by Mary Perhacs, Executive Director
Director's Statement
The gallery is open to the public with a limit of 20 visitors at one time. Covid-19 safety practices are in place - social distancing, temperature checks, and masks are required by all visitors.
We are very grateful to our Artists and Show Sponsors for their commitment and we thank you all for your support over the past 25 years and look forward to welcoming you safely to the show.
Gratefully,
Mary Perhacs, Executive Director
Thank you to our Show Sponsors
Linda P. Heald
Beverly & Charles Rikel
Diane & Paul Goldring Garrett
Robin & Robert Erickson
Marjorie & Jim Claborn
Meline Giannini
Christa Mueller
Steve & Colleen Aichle | Deena & Ken Altman | Brian Darwin & Michael Griffiths | Karen & Jim Hall | Pacific Western Bank | Vince Ross & Cheryl Pizzo | Ed & Carol Thomason
California Watercolor.Com | Tina & Glenn Smith | Jill & Jeff Cole | John & Debbie Crawford | Roseanne Dean | Jim & Julie Hardesty | Bob & Lesley Ibaven | Sue & Tony Jackson | Ki Johnson | Mijello Co., Ltd. | Monday Plein Air Painters | Anonymous | Norm & Marlene Rantanen | Charles & Helen Tillotson
Barb & Chah Chabazian | Dr. Karen Dubrule | Dave & Marsha Maynard | Lydia Rossi | Gordon Tinker | Sandy VanderLans
Chuck & Mary Jo Bacik | Carol Lindemulder
Participating Artists
Award Winners
| Award Title | Award Donor | Artist | Painting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best of Show -$2,500 Cash Award | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Stephanie Goldman | Ode to Dirac-Between Ecstasy and Fear |
| First Place - $2,000 Cash Award | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Xiaochang Zhang | Father |
| Second Place - $1,500 Cash Award | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Christine Alfery | What Lies Beneath |
| Third Place - $1,000 Cash Award | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Angela Chang | Untitled |
| $600 Cash Award -The Erickson Family Award | Courtesy of Robin & Robert Erickson | John Bierley | Morning Effect, Avebury |
| $500 Cash Award for Realism | Courtesy of Diane & Paul Goldring Garrett | Dean Mitchell | Urban Density |
| $500 Cash Award - The Giannini Award | Courtesy of Meline Giannini | Susan Hanssen | Into the Ether |
| $500 Cash Award for Abstract | Courtesy of Ed & Carol Thomason | Robert Mejer | Variant, The Dance Around |
| $500 Cash Award - The Deena & Ken Altman Award | Courtesy of Deena & Ken Altman | Ron Thurston | Archie and Sidney |
| $500 Cash Award #1 | Courtesy of Steve & Colleen Aichle | John Salminen | Aerial Bridge, Duluth |
| $500 Cash Award #2 | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Yuri Ozaki | Self Portrait |
| $500 Cash Award #3 | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Elaine Daily-Birnbaum | The Shapes Things Take |
| $500 Cash Award #4 | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Thomas Schaller | Imaginary City |
| $250 Cash Award for Plein Air | Courtesy of Monday Plein Air Painters | Peter Jablokow | Bridges at Sunset |
| $250 Cash Award | Courtesy of Roseanne Dean | Charles Rouse | Ariba |
| $250 Cash Award | Courtesy of Norm & Marlene Rantanen | Margy West | What's Up |
| $250 Cash Award #1 | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Ted Nuttall | After the Rain |
| $250 Cash Award #2 | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Anni Matsick | Dreamscape with Wading Pool |
| $250 Cash Award #3 | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Carla O'Connor | Duality |
| $250 Cash Award #4 | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Grace Haverty | Wabash Station |
| $250 Cash Award #5 | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Tuva Stephens | The Movement of Life |
| $250 Cash Award #6 | Courtesy of Show Sponsors | Susanna Spann | Jammin' with J.J. |
| $400 Merchandise Award | Courtesy of Mijello Co., Ltd. | r. mike nichols | Family |
| $200 Merchandise Award + $50 Cash | Courtesy of CaliforniaWatercolor.com & Show Sponsors | Stephen Zhang | Roots |
| $200 Merchandise Award + $50 Cash | Courtesy of CaliforniaWatercolor.com & Show Sponsors | Margaret Godfrey | Teach Me, Rural America |
| Honorable Mention #1 | Richard Glassman | Hooded Woman, Red | |
| Honorable Mention #2 | Lou Jordan | Lilies of the Field | |
| Honorable Mention #3 | John James | Feeling Grey |
2021 Juror Statement
Katherine Chang Liu | California | NWS
It is with great pleasure that I served as the juror for the 12th Signature American Watermedia International Exhibition. I would like to thank the Executive Director Mary Perhacs of the Fallbrook Art Center for this honor and privilege.
I don’t have a checklist running through my mind during the viewing process, but the paintings with conviction and originality do jump out. It is never a problem using photographs as resources but it makes a difference in a painting if some efforts were made to transform a common view to a personal statement. And when composing abstractions, an insight to the artist’s own visual identity would give the image strength and character.
Ultimately a juror’s function is to honor the artists who made these efforts to ex-press something that is authentic in concept, and has authority in delivery.
There is a quote by Chuck Close on my studio wall. "Ask yourself an interesting enough question and your attempt to find a tailor-made solution to that question will push you to a place where, pretty soon, you’ll find yourself all by your lonesome — which I think is a more interesting place to be."
I wish to thank all the artists who took part in this exhibit, and to congratulate the ones whose entry was chosen for awards. I like to also share my belief, that the best way to measure our own work is by placing our work next to each other, and see if there is some discern-able growth from year to year. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the show. Respectfully, Katherine Chang Liu, NWS
Show Juror
Katherine Chang Liu | California
Harvest Table
mixed watermedia with collage on panel | 30 x 30 in.
$7,800.00
Second Place - $1,500 Cash Award
Christine Alfery | Wisconsin
What Lies Beneath
watercolor and acrylic | 40 x 30
$1,800.00
$600 Cash Award -The Erickson Family Award
John Bierley | Pennsylvania
Morning Effect, Avebury
watercolor | 16 x 32
$6,000.00
Thomas Bucci | District of Columbia
Milkweed, Brandywine Valley
transparent watercolor on paper | 10.5 x 14.5
$1,500.00
Third Place - $1,000 Cash Award
Angela Chang | California
Untitled
watercolor on gessoed paper | 22 x 22
$2,000.00
$500 Cash Award #3
Elaine Daily-Birnbaum | Wisconsin
The Shapes Things Take
watermedia | 22 x 22
$3,600.00
$200 Merchandise Award + $50 Cash
Margaret Godfrey | Oregon
Teach Me, Rural America
watermedia | 21 x 29
$1,800.00
Best of Show - $2,500 Cash Award
Stephanie Goldman | California
Ode to Dirac-Between Ecstacy and Fear
watercolor | 30 x 22
$5,900.00
$500 Cash Award - The Giannini Award
Susan Hanssen | Florida
Into the Ether
acrylic on monoprint | 23 x 18
$1,650.00
$250 Cash Award for Plein Air
Peter Jablokow | Illinois
Bridges at Sunset
watercolor | 15 x 22
$1,700.00
$250 Cash Award #2
Anni Matsick | Pennsylvania
Dreamscape With Wading Pool
watercolor | 11.5 x 14.5
$2,600.00
$500 Cash Award for Abstract
Robert Lee Mejer | Illinois
Variant: The Dance Around
watercolor | 30 x 22
$1,800.00
Kathleen Mooney | Michigan
Pottery Collection
watercolor, tempera, watermedia on paper | 12 x 12
$1,250.00