Scottsdale Public Art will host the “Arizona Watercolor Association Juried Exhibition” from Oct. 4 through Dec. 31 at Scottsdale Civic Center Library.

The exhibition includes 43 paintings, chosen from among more than 150 submissions by juror David R. Smith. 

Smith is a Michigan-based, internationally known and award-winning watercolor artist and instructor. He’s a member of both the American Watercolor Society and the National Watercolor Society.

Marion Droge, juror workshop chair for the Arizona Watercolor Association, stated in the release that Smith’s careful selection process resulted in a show of quality and talent.

“Being part of this show is a tribute to members whose work was accepted,” Droge, a Phoenix artist whose painting “All in the Same Boat” was among those selected for the exhibition, stated. “The community has the opportunity to see a wide variety of water media from many talented artists of Arizona.”

Smith will also be holding two workshops for the AWA in Phoenix the week of Oct. 5.

AWA was founded in 1960 by professional watercolor artists and instructors to advance the art of painting in water-soluble media and promote public awareness and interest through education and exhibitions. 

The group holds meetings for demonstrations, critiques and networking on the second Thursday of each month from September to November and January to June.

Wendy Raisanen, curator of collections and exhibitions for Scottsdale Public Art, stated that she is excited to exhibit the finest of Arizona’s watercolor artists from the AWA in this exhibition at the Civic Center Public Gallery, located inside the library.

“This is Scottsdale Public Art’s first time partnering with the AWA, and I'm thrilled to show the gorgeous work from artists across the state,” Raisanen stated in the release. “Watercolors are easy to start with, as most school kids know, but difficult to master.”

Betsy Aguirre, the AWA exhibition chair, coordinated the show with Raisanen and accepted all of the artist submissions. Aguirre also organizes the awards reception, among other duties. In the release, Droge described Aguirre’s work on the exhibition as “invaluable.”

In addition to the exhibition itself, there are a few events associated with the show including an opening reception from 10:00 a.m. to noon Oct. 15 at the gallery inside Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. 

For more information and to view all the artworks in a virtual exhibition, visit ScottsdalePublicArt.org/exhibitions. For more about the AWA, visit AZWatercolor.com.