San Diego Watercolour Society

The SDWS International Exhibition has been a highlight in my art year since 2023, when my first submission attempt was successful. I attended the opening in person and was given a heartwarming welcome by a fabulous group of talented kindred spirits - AND my painting sold on opening night. It was stimulation overload to say the least! This year I was again honoured to be included and journeyed down for the opening. I was more familiar with the schedule of events this time, so I was able to reconnect with a few friends and explore Old Town and the coast in good company. Two highlights of my trip were a visit to Balboa Park + gardens and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASD) in La Jolla.

SDWS invites a new juror each year to select 100 or so paintings from around 800+ worldwide submissions and they offer significant prizes. Eligible criteria includes the use of acrylic and mixed media, which allows for greater diversity. The juror for this year was watercolourist Kathleen Conover. who put together a beautiful, high calibre exhibition. Her love and appreciation of transparent watercolour reflected strongly in her choices - it was truly inspiring and an honour that LUNA, Portrait of a Barn Owl was included.

SDWS also hosts a number of online and in person workshops and classes throughout the year. I’ve been invited to teach a workshop Wild birds in the Spirit of Abstract Realism via Zoom in July 2026 - I will keep you posted as this will be open to members and non-members.

Watercolour

On my way home, I made a detour to visit a long time friend on her small ranch nestled in the hills of Mendocino County. Phaedra and I worked together as background artists on the animated film Anastasia (amongst others) through the late 1990’s in Phoenix, Arizona. In those days, our early friendship sprouted from our Greek first names and a shared love for art, painting and swing dancing after work. After my last visit in 2023, I acquired one of her late father’s gorgeous watercolours, The Lagoon, South Carolina (see below). I chose this painting from his catalogue of available works, for the mystery and intrigue he captures; glimpsing architecture through forest vegetation. I’ve experimented with this idea myself over the years - adding small geometric details or pattern to a painting otherwise dominated by organic complexity, has great power. It reminds me of the view of my own home through the trees in Coho Park and of another painting, Rosedale, by one of my favourite contemporary painters, Peter Doig.

Montgomery Redwoods

A short drive from Phaedra’s place in any direction, leads to a number of Redwood groves, preserved + protected by California’s Save the Redwoods League . I discovered a real gem in Montgomery Woods and spent several hours there wandering in the cool silence and majesty of these ancient giants. A fire had swept through in 2008, giving the groves an added layer of drama. The 2 mile circular trail was in the process of being moved and elevated to help protect the sensitive root systems. I spoke with the trail supervisor, who set me on a treasure hunt to find the 367’ Redwood, a behemoth organism once thought to be the tallest Redwood in the world and a mezmerising patch of albino growth sprouting from the base of another tree nearby. I stopped to make a couple of drawings, which were more about absorbing the moment, of noticing and marveling rather than making anything to publish!