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The winning artists in the 12th Annual Watermedia Showcase competition showcase the power of watercolor to touch our hearts and stir our senses.
Whether expressed in a realistic or impressionist style, whether the subject is derived from nature or the human world — the eight winning paintings in the 12th Annual Watermedia Showcase competition represent the power of watermedia to both touch our hearts and stir our senses. Scroll on to enjoy an excerpt of our special coverage of this annual celebration of talent and innovation. Then check out the Spring 2021 issue of Watercolor Artist magazine; in it, you’ll learn even more about each artist’s artwork, outlook, and process!
Best of Show: Stephen Zhang
Together (watercolor on paper, 60×48)
Stephen Zhang’s winning portrait of an Afghan refugee family depicts a story of relationships in a masterful composition that captures figures “in the moment.”
“This painting was inspired by a cooking session for a corporate catering job when the sisters and other refugee women were preparing dishes from their home countries,” he says. “While the adults were cooking, the children were at play.”
Zhang’s painting captures the joy of these familial and intergenerational relationships. “A painting should have a soul and a story. My intent was to capture the feeling of closeness and connection among these women. And to portray the unique humanity of each person.”
See more of Stephen Zhang’s work at stephenzhangart.com and on his Instagram page, @stephenzhangart.
Second Place: Alisa Shea
The Common Thread (watercolor on paper, 25×16)
Alisa Shea’s winning still life evokes warm childhood memories along with a sense of calm that, for the artist, can only be achieved through photorealistic painting.
“The reference photos sat on my phone for years before I gained enough courage to use them,” she says. “I found the spools super-intimidating. But with each successive painting, my confidence has grown and eventually I decided to take the plunge.”
Confessing that she’s obsessed with intricate detail, Shea adds that she enjoys the calm that comes from painting photorealistically. “I’m compelled to create art because the process serves as a soothing mental balm,” she says.
See more of Alisha Shea’s work at alisashea.com and on her Instagram page, @alisa_shea.
Third Place: Jian Wu
Tomorrow (watercolor and acrylic on paper, 21×15)
Jian Wu‘s winning portrait combines the flowing nature of watercolor with a sculptor’s understanding of form in a portrayal of disquietude that resonates on many levels.
“This elderly Tibetan woman’s weathered face told a unique life story that could be artistically passed on via colors, brushstrokes and palette-knife scratches,“ says Wu. “It seemed to me that she was trying to look into what’s lying ahead, with clouds of uncertainty reflected in her eyes. I was touched and wanted to capture her emotion in a painting that explores her untold story.”
This portrait was an opportunity for the artist to experiment with the way color works in that medium. “Art is a borderless wonderland,” he adds. “Every unturned stone we come across is a discrete door leading to a new world. I’m on my way and will keep moving forward.”
See more of Jian Wu’s work at jwstudio.net.
Honorable Mention: Thomas W Schaller
Close to Home (watercolor on paper, 22×15)
Thomas W Schaller has been training himself to look at the everyday world in a new way — “to find potential painting subjects where I may not have seen them before,” like in Close to Home.
“Because my life of travel has been put on hold for the time being, I’ve become more attuned to the world around me,” Schaller says of the inspiration behind this landscape. “I’ve been trying to look at commonplace and everyday places with new eyes. This scene is taken from an alley right around the corner from where I live. I walk down this small street with my dog almost every day and had never really thought about trying to paint it until this year.”
“Painting in watercolor is always full of surprises! Most of my paintings are studies in contrasts. In this particular work, however, I was able to push the juxtaposition of the stated and the implied.”
See more of Thomas W Schaller’s work at thomasschaller.com and on his Instagram page, @thomaswschaller.
Honorable Mention: Christine Misencik-Bunn
Selfie (watercolor on paper, 28×20)
Christine Misencik-Bunn says when she looks at her painting Selfie, “It feels like me. I can look at this and know who I am and where I’ve been. I can see my whole life in this portrait.”
Her inspiration? “I was looking at myself in the bathroom mirror. I was tired. And stressed. I could clearly see it in my face. As I began to meticulously follow every wrinkle that I have begrudgingly earned over my 75 years, I started thinking about how I might look a year from now — or five years from now. I wanted to capture ‘today’ — to capture the lines of my life journey thus far. So, I grabbed my phone and took several selfies.”
“The more I paint and the older I get, the more I just try to capture moments in time. Capturing other people’s stories is what excites me most. Being able to express emotion through paint, including my own in Selfie, is invaluable life’s work to me.”
See more of Christine Misencik-Bunn’s work at chrismisencikbunn.com and on her Instagram page, @christinemisencikbunn.
Honorable Mention: Pam Wenger
Morning Routine (watercolor on paper, 14×19)
Pam Wenger loves when she comes across a photo reference that can tell a story — one that can truly resonate with people. “I’ve heard from so many friends and social media contacts who say that Morning Routine has touched them in some way.”
“The photo was taken in a little town near Barcelona on the last day of a trip I took with several of my painting friends. We were having breakfast when we noticed this gentleman poring over the newspaper while his dog rested quietly on the floor behind him. It was obvious that this was a regular part of their daily routine, and I just knew that we were witnessing something special.”
“When I begin planning a figurative painting, I always think about what it is I’m trying to convey. For Morning Routine, it was clear to me that I needed to communicate the man’s intense engagement with his newspaper. I loved that he was leaning into the paper and — at that precise moment — uninterested in his pastry and coffee.”
See more of Pam Wenger’s work at pamwenger.com and on her Instagram page, @pwenger32.
Honorary Mention: Francis Marte
Thyme for Tomato Sauce (watercolor on paper, 16×16)
When speaking about the inspiration behind Thyme for Tomato Sauce, Francis Marte says that he “gravitates to scenes of high contrast, with an interplay of light and shadows and a display of various textures. This simple and relatable scene on the kitchen counter offered all of that. I also wanted a subject that would showcase my skills in detailing and layering in watercolor.”
“I like that the painting describes a very relatable scene — simple yet dramatic. I’m also happy that I was able to achieve that by painting the textures and colors successfully.”
Thyme for Tomato Sauce has inspired Marte to focus more of his work on still life, “specifically still life arrangements with a limited palette. With this painting, I learned that when I simplify and spend more time editing, the message comes across more clearly.”
See more of Francis Marte’s work on his Instagram page, @francismartewatercolours and on Facebook here.
Honorable Mention: Cheng Hsien Hsieh
Market in the Afternoon (watercolor on paper)
Cheng Hsien Hsieh visits the market depicted in Market in the Afternoon frequently, observing the light changing from morning to evening. “The shadows dance with the light, long and short, bright and dark, reflecting the concept of yin and yang. The shapes and lines vary according to the light, which touches me and makes me want to paint it.”
“The scene portrays people busily shopping and visiting in the marketplace and careless motorcycle riders on the road. It’s a chaotic yet vigorous scene, hectic but full of energy. It’s all about the common life of ordinary people in Taiwan, my hometown, my compatriots — a place where my heart belongs.”
“Deeply attached to the subject, I let myself absorb the vibe, quietly observing everything and constructing a picture in my mind.”
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Make sure to check out the Spring 2021 issue of Watercolor Artist magazine to learn even more about each these artists’ artwork, outlook, and process.
