This exhibit, opening March 31, 2018 and running through April 22, 2018 will once again be presented at Spinning Plate Gallery, 5821 Baum Blvd., Pittsburgh. The exhibit, open to all current Pittsburgh Watercolor Society members, showcases new works in watercolor and other water media. The opening reception from 5PM to 8:00PM is FREE and open to the public.

This exhibit features new works by PWS members completed within the past 3 years. All members were encouraged to enter this exhibit to create a comprehensive overview of the diversity and quality of the works created by our members. The juror for this exhibit, Kathleen Zimbicki, will select three pieces for special awards.

PWS member Kathleen Cochran Zimbicki (Midway, PA. 1934), gallery founder, artist, arts advocate, and teacher, has devoted half a century to creating and promoting art. Her formal training came from watercolorist Joseph Shepler and the important painter Henry Koerner, but her love is experimenting with subject, medium, and scale. She was the only living Pittsburgh watercolorist exhibited in the Southwest Allegheny Museum’s 1995 “American Masters of Watercolor: A 100 Year Survey.”

Kathleen has long been important to the Pittsburgh Arts scene. The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts selected her for their first Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. A PCA “Master Visual Artist,” many know her from her art gallery, Studio Z (1976 – 2003), named “Best Art Gallery” by the City Paper and by In Pittsburgh. As the gallery director and founder, she showed her own pieces and championed the work of established and emerging artists, nurturing their careers and holding frequent, vibrant openings that brought in the best and brightest. As a teacher she has attracted a following of beginner and advanced artists, from children to seniors.

In addition to the opening reception, the PWS General Membership meeting will be held at the gallery, Sunday, Sunday, April 8, 1-4 p.m. This meeting is open to the public and juror Kathleen Zimbicki will give a presentation and award winners will give brief talks on their work discussing such topics as inspiration, technique, subject matter and more. Additionally, there will be an Off the Walls” Closing Party: Sunday, April 22, 2 - 4 p.m.

In addition to having original art on display and for sale, there will be a Gift Gallery offering original and prints of members’ works including cards, matted and wrapped giclees, and related.
The Pittsburgh Watercolor Society was founded in 1945 to develop, encourage and maintain interest in watercolor painting. The original membership of 20 was one of the first groups to be affiliated with the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. The membership of the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society has grown to over 200 artists who enjoy this opportunity to explore and share their broad range of style and techniques.

The Pittsburgh Watercolor Society sponsors two main exhibits per year. "Waterworks" is a members-only show with awards selected by a regional noted juror. Members may choose one piece to exhibit. "Aqueous Open" is an international juried exhibition with entries open to artists from around the world. The show is selected by an internationally known artist/juror who travels to Pittsburgh to jury the show and teach a workshop.