On December 14, 2014, Racine Art Museum's Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts continued a longstanding Racine tradition with the opening of Watercolor Wisconsin 2014. As one of the museum's most popular annual shows, this exhibition brings together the works of artists from throughout the state. Featuring 114 pieces by 100 artists from communities in all corners of Wisconsin, this year's show will be on view at RAM's Wustum Museum through April 25, 2015.

 

Doug DeVinny, Racine, Begats: Gone Tomorrow, 2014 Watercolor and collage, Photography: Jon Bolton, Racine

Organized by the museum since 1966, Watercolor Wisconsin exhibitions have established RAM's Wustum Museum as a center for watercolor activity in the Midwest. Encouraged to experiment and explore all the possibilities of painting on paper, the artists in the show have created works as diverse as their own imaginations. Online entry has continued to expand the diversity of cities represented. Watercolor Wisconsin 2014 includes artists from as near as downtown Racine, and as far as Marinette.

 

Of 262 pieces submitted by 166 artists, approximately one-half of the pieces were chosen for this year's show. Three new works from this year's competition have been purchased for the Racine Art Museum's permanent collection, adding to RAM's holdings of extraordinary Wisconsin artists.

 

Congratulations to:

 

First Award

Doug DeVinny, Begats: Gone Tomorrow

 

Second Award

Harold E. Hansen

Home of the Coldstream Guards, Scotland

 

Third Award

Virgi Driscoll, Acts of War Series #6

 

For Complete List of Winners

 

Exhibiting Artists by Wisconsin Community: Burlington: Sandra Nowicki; Cedarburg: Patrick Doughman, Bruce Hustad, Tom Kubala, Sandra Pape; Delavan: Sandra Willard; East Troy: Sandra Kessel; Elkhorn: Kay Meyer; Fontana: Susie Williams; Fort Atkinson: Bethann Moran; Fox Point: Barbara Friedman, Patricia Neibor; Germantown: Mary Boettcher; Glendale: Kathleen Bergstrom, Roselie Rentz; Grafton: Jean Crane; Greenville: Deborah Vandenbloomer; Hartford: Harold E. Hansen; Hartland: Barbara Sorenson Rambadt; Kenosha: Dennis Bayuzick, James Block, Muriel Cunningham, Don Hinrichs, Diane Levesque, Bob Marcella, Carlotta Miller, Helen Napier, Jami Rutherford, Amy Misurelli Sorensen, John Terhardt, Greg Uttech, Rebecca Venn; Lake Mills: Amy Arntson; Lake Tomahawk: Joanne Nock Olsen; Madison: Carrie Hunkel, Elizabeth Ivers, Helen Klebesadel; Marinette: Ernie Pleger; Mequon: Jan Effinger, Kathleen Nelson, Betty J. Rubner, Diane Schlitz, Lois Buley Wirth; Milwaukee: Ann Baer, Shari Brzinski, Joyce Eesley, Suzanne Haislmaier; Steve Horvath, Joel Jaecks, Madeline Martin, Gene Mihleisen, Judith Gahn Murphy, JoAnna Poehlmann, George Ronsholdt, Pat Zandron; Mount Pleasant: Robert W. Andersen, Richard Berns, Eileen Black, Karen Chartrand; Muskego: Jan Wood; Nashotah: Alice Rossman; North Prairie: Charlene Southworth; Oconomowoc: Virgi Driscoll, Marilu McCartney; Oshkosh: Huey aka William Greider, Joye Moon; Racine: Regina Baker, Jerrold Belland, Russell Bohn, Mary Ann Bresnahan, Karen Brittain, Karen Broman, Doug DeVinny, Deedee Dumont, Lisa Englander, Pat Gilbert, Nancy Greenebaum, Edwin C. Kalke, Barbara Kukla, Laura Lehman, Mary E. Nelson, Thom Petersen, Kate Peterson, Don Ricchio, Phil Saxon, Susan M. Sorenson, Sue Wolff; Salem: Harry Wirth; Sturtevant: Janet Mrazek; Theresa: Nancy Lamers; Thiensville: William Davis; Waterford: Norman Abplanalp, Edith Kubicek; Wausau: Diane Shabino; Wauwatosa: Carolyn Simpson, Chris Sommerfelt; Whitefish Bay: Ney Fraser, Anne E. Miotke; Whitewater: Christine B. Miller, Linda Tump; Williams Bay: Lynne Railsback

 Experts from outside the state jury each annual competition, selecting the works to be included, as well as the awards. Victor Armendariz and Aron Packer chose the 114 pieces by 100 Wisconsin artists that are represented in Watercolor Wisconsin 2014. Armendariz has been Assistant Director at Ann Nathan Gallery in Chicago, Illinois since 1997. He has represented the gallery in speaking engagements and exhibitions across the country, including SOFA (Sculpture Objects Functional Art) in Chicago, New York City, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. Packer is Partner/Director of Packer Schopf Gallery in Chicago, Illinois. He has been a gallery director for over two decades. With an original interest in folk art, Packer has curated and juried hundreds of exhibitions throughout his career. His recent focus is on contemporary art, that is "little obscure, idiosyncratic, and the road not obviously taken."

 

This exhibition is made possible by: Platinum Sponsors - Karen Johnson Boyd and William B. Boyd, SC Johnson, Windgate Charitable Foundation; Diamond Sponsor - Sam and Gene Johnson Fund; Gold Sponsors - Herzfeld Foundation, Johnson Bank, Racine Community Foundation, Racine United Arts Fund, W.T. Walker Group, Inc.; Silver Sponsors - Elwood Corporation, Helen Bader Foundation, Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation, Runzheimer Foundation, Inc., Wisconsin Arts Board; Bronze Sponsors - CNH Industrial, EC Styberg Foundation, Educators Credit Union, The Garvey Group, In Sink Erator, Miracle on Canal Street, Modine Manufacturing Foundation, The Norbell Foundation, Orkney Springs Retreat, Polyform Products, Inc., Real Racine, Ruud Family Foundation.