LITTLE ROCK — Works by three artists from the Three Rivers Edition coverage area are included in the 2017 Mid-Southern Watercolorists Juried Exhibition currently on display at the Arkansas Arts Center. The local artists are Sandra Marson of Jacksonville, Charlotte Rierson of Fairfield Bay and Luanne Stone of Gepp, in Fulton County.
Rierson and Stone received awards Feb. 17 during the opening reception for the 47th annual show, which will continue through April 16 in the Sam Strauss Sr. Gallery at the Arts Center.
Rierson received the Lyda Merkle Memorial Award of $250 for her painting Enchanted City. The award is donated by Sarah and Bob Merkle of El Dorado.
“I am a signature artist and past president of MSW,” said Rierson, who was out of town and unable to attend the opening reception. “It is always so special to be juried into the annual MSW exhibition. This was my first time to receive an award in this highly prestigious exhibition, and I was so thrilled.”
Rierson said her “art spirit journey” led her from teaching the dance arts to expressing her deepest thoughts and emotions through painting.
“I paint with a passion, using loose, evocative brushwork techniques,” she said.
“The inspiration for this painting was a trip out west,” Rierson said. “I was awed by the majestic mountains and canyons. When looking at the canyons with the spirit of the wind blowing and the glow of the sun, I was inspired to paint my interpretation of Bryce Canyon with a mystic village waiting to come alive in the distance. I want my viewers to feel this same sensation.
“My art beckons viewers to learn more about my art.”
Stone received the Doris Williamson Mapes Memorial Award for her painting Grandma’s Silver. The $250 award was presented by Mapes’ daughter, Kay Mapes Caffey.
“I am very honored to win the Doris Williamson Mapes Memorial Award,” Stone said. “She was a founder of MSW and a dedicated artist her whole life.”
Stone also achieved Mid-Southern Watercolorists signature membership this year. This means her work has been accepted in three juried annual MSW exhibitions.
“I find painting reflections on shiny metal to be very engaging,” Stone said as she discussed her painting. “The patterns and designs that show up on the silver are fascinating. There are areas where I need to be precise with the design and areas where I can be very free with the paint. When it is finished, you still just see Grandma’s old pot and cup, but when you look closer, there is art.”
Stone said she has loved to paint since she was a child.
“But I put it aside for years to work and raise a family,” she said. “When I retired, I thought I would try watercolor since I had always loved watercolor landscapes. I quickly found there are many more subjects to paint and so much to learn about this medium. It always fascinates me.”
Stone won the Silver Award in the 2015 MSW show.
Marson is a signature member of the Mid-Southern Watercolorists and edits the organization’s monthly newsletter. She is also a member of the North Central Arkansas Artist League, the Arkansas League of Artists and the Arkansas Arts Council’s Artist Registry.
Marson’s work in the 2017 Mid-Southern Watercolorists Exhibition is titled Symphony in Hues.
“It is a colorful abstract designed to create an emotional response — not a realistic concept but rather a feeling,” she said. “It is a visual ‘symphony’ that is ‘music to the eyes.’”
Marson said she has always been interested in art, but it was not until after her retirement nine years ago that she began art as a second career.
This is the third year in a three-year partnership between the Mid-Southern Watercolorists and the Arkansas Arts Center.
“This is our premier event, and we are pleased to be back here at the Arts Center,” said George Wittenberg of Little Rock, president. “This event defines the MSW mission of enriching the stature and encouraging the recognition of water media.” Michael Holter of Plano, Texas, served as the guest juror for the exhibit. He viewed 137 paintings by 70 artists before selecting the 29 works of art for this year’s show.
Holter is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, the Southwestern Watercolor Society and the Society of Watercolor Artists. He is also a member of the American Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society, the Outdoor Painters Society, the Portrait Society of America and the American Impressionist Society.
The Arkansas Arts Center is at 509 E. Ninth St. in Little Rock. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday; the museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays. There is no admission charge.
For more information on the exhibit, call the Arkansas Arts Center at (501) 372-4000 or visit the website arkarts.com.
For more information on the Mid-Southern Watercolorists, visit the website www.midsouthernwatercolorists.com. Information is also available on Facebook: Mid-SouthernWatercolorists.