On May 1st, 2020, the Whitewater Arts Alliance launched a virtual exhibition on the WAA website of work created by members of the Madison Watercolor Society (MWS). This virtual exhibition will be on display through May 31st, 2020. The show will be made available here: https://www.whitewaterarts.org/madison-watercolor-society-virtual-exhibition
A quote from MWS President, Elizabeth Sawyer Kelly: “Founded in 1983, the Madison Watercolor Society (MWS) promotes an interest in watercolor painting as well as the promotion of watercolor painting as a unique and lasting form of artistic expression. MWS provides a supportive environment that encourages the development and enhancement of each member’s technical skill and creative journey. Activities of MWS include monthly member critiques, networking and information sharing, workshops led by nationally recognized artists and regular group exhibitions. MWS’s dynamic strength is evidenced by the rich diversity of visual voices represented by the membership.
Membership in the MWS is obtained through a jurying process: prospective members must attend a minimum of three meetings prior to applying for membership and then, once the application is received, the prospective member must present a sample of their work to the jurying committee that makes the final membership decision. For more information about MWS and the art its members create, please visit our website at http://madisonwatercolorsociety.org/members.htm.
The May 2020 Whitewater Arts Alliance Virtual Show represents MWS’s first virtual show. We are excited to provide art to our community, as well as a wider community, through these virtual images. At this time when so many of our normal day-to-day activities have been disrupted by COVID-19 we are glad that we can provide these images as both “balm” and distraction. There is no question that the arts community and artists have been impacted by the coronavirus: we cannot gather for meetings; we cannot have Gallery Nights; we cannot market our art in our regular, normal way; and we know that it is a new challenge to make it possible for others to see what it is we do. But, in the midst of these challenges and hardships, there are also possibilities for growth and development: finding out how to reach a broader community that may find art is restorative, art brings peace, and art heals is a potential benefit to the trials we all face; learning and using technology new to us may well expand our abilities in all sorts of previously unrealized and unexpected ways; thinking of new ways to support our arts community and recognizing what our arts community does for the human soul may well be a hidden outcome to these dark and troubling days; and, finally, making new friends through the medium of technology will enrich our lives. MWS is grateful for the Whitewater Arts Alliance support of the arts and their committed support to make it possible for MWS to show their work in the midst of a pandemic. Thank you.”
Big thanks to our sponsor, First Citizens State Bank!
The mission of the Whitewater Arts Alliance is to promote the visual and performing arts through an alliance of artists, individuals, educational resources, and organizations to promote creativity and diversity that will serve to educate and enrich the lives of the residents of the Whitewater community and surrounding areas.
