Photo by Wanda Jackson. Susan Murphy’s “The Retired Toolmaker” won second place in the juried exhibit.

Published on: Wednesday, December 21, 2011

By Wanda Jackson

A visit to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission offers a chance to see a juried art exhibit by the Baltimore Watercolor Society.

The exhibit is on display through Dec.30 at WSSC’s Art Gallery in Laurel and features 27 abstract and representational watercolor works on paper.

A nationally-recognized juror selected the works, ranging from $200 to $3,000, from entries by BWS members.

Each work communicates a feeling, thought or idea in a new and meaningful way, according to the exhibit’s juror, David Daniels.

“I specifically look for art that asks questions rather than makes a statement,” he said. “Each of the paintings made me stop, observe and reflect.”

Daniels, a Silver Spring resident, is a teacher and an accomplished watercolorist. He is listed in Who’s Who in American Art and has been featured in American Artist Magazine. His works can be found in two publications by Rockport Publishers: “The Best of Watercolor Composition” and “Floral Inspirations.”

Daniels selected three BWS juried exhibit winners. Karen Norman’s “Clementines” won first place. Susan Murphy’s “The Retired Toolmaker” took second place, and Carolyn Councell’s “Early Autumn” placed third.

Daniels also awarded three honorable mentions to Al Bishop for “Great Fall Rock Formation,” Kay Sandler for “Red Berries” and Janet Epstein for “The Awakening.”

For Bishop, the exhibit is an opportunity for BWS members to showcase their works in a new environment.

“The importance of exhibiting at WSSC is definitely exposure,” Bishop said. “This just expands on the idea of going to as many different places as we can to see what works the best for us.”

Established in 1885, BWS is the third oldest art organization in the United States devoted entirely to watercolor painting. In 1885, a small group of women founded the Baltimore Water Color Club “to encourage cultural interests in the development of professional quality, original works of art, executed in aqueous media.” Today, its membership boasts nearly 500 diverse members mostly in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area.

For additional information about the WSSC Art Gallery, contact Debbie Donnelly at 301-206-7123 or Amy Wilson at 301-206-8953. To contact the Baltimore Watercolor Society, visit www.baltimorewatercolorsociety.org.