In preparation for the upcoming Florida Watercolor Society’s (FWS) 2017 Annual State Convention & Trade Show, The Rickie Report shares the details and opportunities to have your work critiqued, get great deals on art supplies and see artist demonstrations. The events take place in Coral Springs, September 14 – 17th. In conjunction with the Convention, the 2017 Florida Watercolor Society will hold its 46th Annual Opening Awards Reception/Art Exhibit on September 15th. Special thanks to Lois Perdue, who interviewed Iain Stewart, one of the workshop presenters. Get your calendars out and make your reservations! The Trade Show is free and open to the public on Friday, September 15th and Saturday, September 16th. Other instructors include watercolor artists Bev Jozwiak AWS, NWS and Sue Archer Allen AWS, NWS.
2017 Florida Watercolor Society Convention & Trade Show 2017
September 14th-17th
Ft. Lauderdale Marriott Hotel-Coral Springs
11775 Heron Bay Blvd, Coral Springs, FL 33321
954-753-5598
46th Annual Exhibition
Opening Awards Reception/ Art Exhibit:
Friday, September 15th
\
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Coral Springs Museum of Art
2855 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs, FL 33065
954-340-5000
Exhibit dates: Sept. 9th – Nov. 18th
Detailed information about the Convention and Trade Show as well as opportunities to register for critiques follows this interview of Iain Stewart by Lois Perdue
Iain Stewart
Iain Stewart by Lois Perdue
Iain Stewart shares, “Painting my reality is with lines and light.” It is not only about how the light influences his paintings, but to the award-winning watercolor artist and architectural illustrator, it’s about the lines, too. Born in Glasgow, Scotland and raised in North Carolina and later, Alabama since the age of six, Stewart holds numerous international awards, is a signature member of the National and American Watercolor Societies and holds a degree in architecture. For the first time, Stewart, has been invited to be one of three artists who will be teaching a four-day workshop at this year’s Florida Watercolor Society (FWS) Convention & Trade Show. “I get a great deal of satisfaction teaching workshops,” he said. “I can communicate my ideas both vocally and visually in a manner that will, hopefully, remain with the artists and be repeatable by them.”
“6th Street Train” by Iain Stewart
Now 46-years-old, Stewart was fortunate to have had a head start in the field of art. He grew up familiar with renderings and architectural drawings as his father, Muir Stewart, was a Professor of Architecture at Auburn University until he retired in 1987. In addition, the senior Stewart has been a watercolorist his entire life and still continues an active career as an architectural illustrator and artist. “There is friendly competition between us,” said Stewart. Stewart, who will also hold one-on-one critiques during the convention weekend, said he learned some valuable lessons about critiquing art by example.
“My father has an uncanny ability to give scathing critiques, but they are correct,” he said. “What I do then is, if it’s fixable, I fix it, or I just start all over again” he said. “We now critique each others’ work which can become quite interesting at times.” Stewart says, however, his own critiques are gently delivered, also productive and intended to help students learn. “For myself, I like to use my ruined efforts to start the ‘barbeque’,” he said. “Successful paintings teach us very little. It’s the hand to the hot stove, the sting of the bee–the ruined painting that makes you look inward and seek out where you went wrong. I ask my students to create a written step-by-step process for a ruined painting—to go back and do a plan, find a point of reference of where and why they did it. Then their task is to go back and rework it and try to avoid making the same mistake twice.”
“Gothenburg” by Iain Stewart
Stewart, who has been published numerous times, most recently in Plein Air Magazine, (April/ May Issue) teaches both studio and plein air workshops on a regular basis throughout the United States and Europe. Other publications in which Stewart has been featured include Watercolor Artist, The Art of Watercolour, Southern Living, Cottage Living, Better Homes & Gardens, The Robb Report and the French publication Pratique des Arts. He also has a three-DVD set available through northlightshop.com. Always a watercolorist, Stewart enjoys the process of protecting light from the beginning. He admits his real struggle is to capture the initial vision. “You have to see the works’ glow from the start,” he said. Stewart added that he is most often motivated by capturing a definitive lighting condition and how it influences shape and value rather than faithfully representing the subject as witnessed. “The lion’s share of my work is accomplished alla prima,” said Stewart. “Watercolor is uniquely suited for the task of capturing light and must be preserved from the first brush strokes and protected throughout the painting process.”
Watercolor by Iain Stewart
Stewart maintains a studio in Opelika, Alabama for his duo career as a fine art watercolorist alongside his 20-year career as an architectural illustrator with an international clientele. Stewart says he is hired to create scenes that showcase the designer’s intentions in the best way possible. Clients have ranged from the Georgia State Capital to the Dublin Zoo. Once a year he heads to his alma mater, Auburn University, where he is an adjunct professor, to teach a course called “Architecture in Watercolor”. “The course I teach is reviving and combining the use of watercolor presentation in the age of computer- dominated presentation techniques,” Stewart said.
Stewart does agree that his style has changed over the years and says it was gradual. “I moved away from the tightness of my rendering style to a more expressive way of painting”, he said. “My work changes yearly and I noticed this when I began to focus more on my sketchbooks to bring the liveliness I experience when working in them to my studio work. It is less about accuracy and more about the feeling of being in a certain place. I have moved in a more painterly direction and continue to embrace the changes when they come. If I painted the same way year after year my personal work would become dull very quickly to me. In architectural illustration it’s all about the line work. When I paint for myself I never let a line tell me where to put my brush.”
“North Queens Ferry” by Iain Stewart
Stewart says he ruins more paintings when working on something new as his style changes but there is a benefit in that. “That means I am on to something new and to follow it as far as it will take me. You would be surprised at how many people think that once you begin receiving awards, jurying, and getting into major publications that you somehow stop creating works that are not up to your idea of what constitutes a good painting,” he said. To achieve the uniquely dramatic, sometimes moody strokes in his award-winning paintings, Stewart says he often uses imagined atmospheric and lighting conditions in his work and paints from both life and imagination. “Watercolors are not only a translation of what I see, but more importantly, an expression of how I choose to view the world,” he shares. As for his workshop teaching style, he believes that some students struggle, but Stewart takes delight in this. “It is those times when they see the larger picture and have one of those “ah ha moments” and not just see the technical side of the demonstration,” he said. “A light comes into their eyes and smiles appear on their faces and that is priceless to me,” he said. “It’s the moment of understanding and it’s a wonderful thing to see and be part of.”
Iain Stewart’s 4-Day Workshop is Mon., Sept 11-Thur., Sept. 14; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
&
Sue Archer Allen’s 1-Day Workshop is Thurs., Sept. 14; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Both workshops have spaces.
Please visit FWS’s website to see about availability.
(Bev Jozwiak’s 4-day Workshop on Mon. Sept. 11 – Thurs., Sept 14 is filled.)
2017 Florida Watercolor Society State-wide
Convention & Trade Show
September 14th-17th
PLUS
BEST DEALS ON ART SUPPLIES AT THIS TRADE SHOW
Friday, September 15th
Saturday, September 16th
9 am – 4 pm
Ft. Lauderdale Marriott Hotel-Coral Springs
11775 Heron Bay Blvd, Coral Springs, FL 33321
954-753-5598
Free & Open to the public
“Exhibitors come from all over the United States as well as Europe,” said Rita Szopinski, president of FWS. “It’s a very popular event and a chance for the experienced artist as well as the beginner artist to be introduced to new and exciting products being promoted by the various vendors.” And, the “price is right” at FWS’s trade show. “Vendors offer “discounted” pricing to attendees so it is a great opportunity to stock up on art materials,” said Szopinski. “As you get excited about the demos and the products the workshop instructors are using, you can run to the trade show and purchase many of the items from one of the many booths. As you wander through the booths you will find a demo here and there as an added bonus. Visit the FWS website for updates on the trade show and demos.” Many product experts will be introducing new products, holding demonstrations and answering artists’ questions throughout the weekend of Florida Watercolor Society’s 46th annual state convention.
46th Annual Awards Reception/ Art Exhibit
Friday, September 15th, 5:30 – 7:30pm
Coral Springs Museum of Art
2855 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs, 33065
This year’s Opening Reception promises to be chic and will not only applaud the exceptional talents of FWS artists but will also celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Coral Springs Museum of Art. Guests will enjoy music, fine wine and server-passed hors d’oeuvres. Ticket prices are $15 per person. You can purchase your Reception ticket online when you register for the Convention, or when you check in at the hotel. Deadline to purchase tickets is Thursday, September 14th.
One-on-One Critique: Iain Stewart
Friday, September 15th
Artists who select this opportunity will be asked to submit 10 images either by e-mail or from their website in advance to the artist of their choosing, and will be scheduled for a 30 minute session. This is your chance to obtain valuable feedback so necessary to improve your painting, and increase your chances of being accepted in or receiving awards in national exhibitions. Charge is $50 per session. Scheduling will be mutually convenient.
Digital Critique by Bev Jozwiak
Friday, September 15th
Bev Jozwiak will be leading a critique of art images that have been submitted to the digital director at fws.show.entry@gmail.com specifically for this critique. All artists, members or non members, are welcome to submit up to 2 images by deadline date of September 14, 2017. Each image is $6 which can be paid in online checkout. Images should be cropped and sized according to standard submission rules of 300 DPI and longest edge 1800 pixels. You may have your images prepared for you by the digital director for $5/image, payable at checkout. The critiques will take place on Friday, September 15th.
Exhibit Review With Iain Stewart
Saturday, September 16th
There is a $6 attendance fee to participate in the Iain Stewart review of the 2017 Annual Exhibition on Saturday, Sept 16th, as space is limited. Please pay the attendance fee with your convention registration. This is your chance to hear first hand how Iain chose this year’s images and learn what a juror may be seeking in judging such a large and competitive show.
One on One Critique: Sue Archer Allen
Saturday, September 16th
Artists who select this opportunity will be asked to submit 10 images either by e-mail or from their website in advance to the artist of their choosing, and will be scheduled for a 30 minute session. This is your chance to obtain valuable feedback so necessary to improve your painting, and increase your chances of being accepted in or receiving awards in national exhibitions. Charge is $50 per session. Scheduling will be mutually convenient, but all critiques will be held on September 16th.
For more information about membership, monthly meetings well as availability of workshops please visit:
For media information about the FWS Convention contact Lois Perdue at 954.812.1860 or email her at : runner12@bellsouth.net
For coverage of your events, to place an advertisement, or speak to Rickie about appearing in The Rickie Report, contact:
Rickie Leiter, Publisher
17019 SW Sapri Way Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
