Now in its 53rd year, the Watercolor Wisconsin exhibition was started in 1966 to honor the depth and breadth of watercolor in the state of Wisconsin. While Watercolor Wisconsin has necessarily changed in certain ways over the years, the core dedication to exploring aqueous media on a paper surface has not been modified. Contemporary artists bring both traditional and experimental approaches to the established guidelines, resulting in a varied and dynamic exhibition even this many years later.
For the 2019 show, 262 works by 145 artists were submitted for consideration. Jurors, Lal Bahcecioglu, Manager of Exhibitions and Collections at the Elmhurst Art Museum in Elmhurst, Illinois, and Paula Kowalczyk, Associate Vice President, Regional Account Manager for Christie’s in Chicago, selected 106 pieces by 85 artists. Watercolor Wisconsin 2019 will be on display at the Racine Art Museum (RAM) through April 18, 2020.
Similar to previous years, RAM Executive Director and Curator of Collections Bruce W. Pepich will be able to use memorial purchase award funds to obtain works from this exhibition to add to RAM’s watercolor holdings. Thanks to generous donors over the years and the ability to use specified funds to acquire work, RAM can count over 150 watercolors by Watercolor Wisconsin participants as part of its venerable works on paper collection.
Here’s a peek at a few of the paintings selected for exhibition:
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