Our Summer Members Show “Anchors Aweigh” features a variety of marine scenes, from boats and docks to crashing waves and calm seas. With all of these depictions of water on display, today we are looking at how our watercolor artist members interpreted the exhibition’s nautical theme.
Gary Tucker, Along the Seine, watercolor, 25 x 25”
Gary Tucker’s Parisian seascape Along the Seine shows how the commercial waterway is a sought-out destination for sailors and passerby. The third-prize winner in “Anchors Aweigh,” this painting allures with its light, composition, and simple brushstrokes. With these subtle gestures, Gary creates a serene atmosphere in which people walk, converse, and take in the charming view of the city’s architecture.
Bill Lane, Ketch Up Y’awl, watercolor, 23 x 24”
Unlike the calm atmosphere in Gary Tucker’s Along the Seine, Bill Lane’s Ketch Up Y’awl is a riveting depiction of sailing races. The painting’s title and its spelling emphasize the painting’s playful yet competitive energy as the sailors fiercely navigate the waters. As the boat in the forefront takes a hard turn in close proximity to another sailboat, Bill’s seascape painting bursts with thrilling excitement.
Chris Gill, Deep Swell, watercolor and gouache, 43 x 37”
Using two kinds of water media—gouache and watercolor—Chris Gill created this abstract painting, Deep Swell. Without using a brush, Chris splashed, dripped, and poured paint to create the painting’s various textures and colors. The painting’s fluidity mimics movements of water, and its crystal-like speckles could even suggest the sparkling sand or rocks below.
Ginny Zanger, CA, Harbor at Low Tide, watercolor, 22 x 28”
Copley Artist Ginny Zanger’s Harbor at Low Tide is another example of how watercolors can be used to create breathtaking abstract works. In this loose interpretation of a low tide, Ginny’s painting shows how water affects the appearance of a land mass. Here, the water ebbs in flows to create small river valleys, and its movement across the sand creates rich striations of color, including red, greens, and golds.
Carolyn Latanision, CM, On the Fence, watercolor, 29 x 22”
In contrast to the abstract works on view, Carolyn Latanision’s painting of a buoy strung onto a fence is striking in its realism. Looking closely, fine details can be found in the twisted ropes, the shadows, and the wooded fence. The piece even features subtle patches of glitter that are particularly noticeable in the shadows, which gives the painting an added shimmer.
All of these watercolor paintings are on view in the Summer Members Show, “Anchors Aweigh,” which is on display through August 19th in the Upper Gallery.
Banner Image: Gary Tucker, Along the Seine, watercolor, 25 x 25”