Judge of Awards Statement

To the members of the Saint Louis Watercolor Society,

You are to be congratulated on such a large and fine group of paintings presented in Big Splash, for which I had the pleasure of being your juror. I truly enjoyed the many revealing and competent levels of facility with water based medium displayed on these walls, including very fine examples of painting that is imaginative, personal and inspiring----to be shared with the community.

Awarding prizes is such an interesting process, and one which need not be shrouded in mystery. It has not so much to do with “picture making” but really comes down to issues of competency (experience), composition, and craftsmanship (handling of medium and presentation.) An additional, welcome-element hopefully perceived is the presence of feeling in an artwork.

In selecting awards for Big Splash it seemed logical that each genre be represented, and so many deserving works I initially considered commendable remain on the walls unprized. In the end however the words of artist Robert Genn seem appropriate: art is at its best when the interaction simply takes place between the artist and the work itself----outside the world of criticism and inside the world of inner knowledge. Each work of art is its own beauty and reward.
Thank you for sharing that.

- David Coughtry

David Coughtry received his M.F.A. at the State University of New York at Albany, where he studied with Mark Greenwold and Roberta Bernstein. He has had many solo exhibitions and his works have been included in major traveling exhibitions, including New Response: Contemporary Painters of the Hudson River, and Rediscovering the Landscape of the Americas. In 1999-2000 he was awarded a Florida Individual Fellowship Grant for painting. As an Associate Professor at Principia he has helped design and lead art field and abroad programs in the western U.S and more recently through Turkey and Greece.

David currently has a show of his paintings at Principia College. He welcomes our membership to attend:

RIVER ARC:
Paintings from the Bluffs at Principia

June 24th to October 3rd
Principia College Marshall Brooks Library

Sponsored by Principia Alumni and Field Relations

Juror's Choice Award $250 Award of Excellence Margaret Schneider If Only . . .
$200 Winsor & Newton Award Shirley Nachtrieb Passion for Trees	$150 Artmart Award Sue "Chique" Brooks Puzzled
$100 Saint Louis Watercolor Society Award of Achievement Doris Schwartz Proud Beauty	$57 Artmart Award Gloria Goellner Sky Bow
$50 Saint Louis Watercolor Society Award of Merit Barbara Wagamon The Music Teacher	$50 Cheap Joe’s Art Supplies Award Barbara Tretter It's All About Love
$50 Saint Louis Watercolor Society Award of Merit Maggie Zografakis Orange Boat #3	$50 Dick Blick Art Materials Award Rosemary Miesner Moody River
$30-60 Creative Catalyst Productions Award Jeanne Thomas Sydda in the Sunshine	$30-60 Creative Catalyst Productions Award Diane Edgar Sunflowers
$30 Anonymous Donor Award Diane Brown Santa Fe Mission	$30 Royal Brush Manufacturing, Inc. Award Natalie Fleming Autumn Splendor
$30 Royal Brush Manufacturing, Inc. Award Linda Green/Metzler Birds in Paradise	$15 Anonymous Donor Award Janine Helton Red Head
Honorable Mention-Cheap Joe's Art Supplies Gift Sandy Baker Heading Home	Honorable Mention-Cheap Joe's Art Supplies Gift Mary Frances Smith Rock Collection
2009 Big Splash Winners