Watercolor society to unveil annual exhibit

By M. Patricia Titus
Staff Reporter

Local artists will convene for a summer exhibit again on Friday, May 26, when the Bethany Beach Watercolor Society holds its 11th annual summer exhibit at the South Coastal Library.

The exhibit will run from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. And the BBWS will hold a two-day opening on Friday, May 26, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, May 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The show will continue in the library until Labor Day.

Artist and BBWS member Jeanne Mueller noted there is a twist to the 2006 show.

“This year we are doing things a bit differently,” she said. “We are going to have all the members categorize their work into different categories, and have a judge come and select the best from each category and then the Best in Show. The person who wins Best in Show will do our invitation next year.”

The judge this year is Valerie Watson, whom Mueller described as a well-known artist from the suburban Maryland and Washington, D.C. area. Her paintings have been exhibited at the U.S. embassy in Cuba, as well as other venues in the U.S. and abroad, Mueller said.

“She is also an excellent instructor,” Mueller added. “We feel fortunate to have her judge our show.”

The judging will take place on Friday morning, before the opening reception, so everyone who attends the show will be able to see the winners.

The eight categories in this year’s show are: figurative, streetscapes/city scenes, landscapes, “At the Shore,” still-life, non-objective/abstract, nature studies and architectural-historical buildings. Winners in each will vie for that coveted Best in Show title and the honor of designing the group’s invitation for next year’s show.