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The Aleph Report
Amazon's absolute reign is about to end
Feb 7, 2018 18 min read By: abarrera
It's not Software that's eating the world; it's Amazon.com. With their stellar 2017 earnings, they're obliterating every market they get into.
As much as I love Amazon, they're becoming increasingly problematic. Their hold on cloud computing, voice control and online retailing is complete.
This tight grip on vertical markets is creating a serious lack of competitiveness. Anyone that wants to go against them faces a nearly impossible task. Those that rely on the Amazon platform are subject to the unyielding grip of the retail titan. It's either sell through them or face oblivion.
As Amazon expands into other vertical markets, more industries will feel Bezos's wrath. Now it's the turn of groceries, logistics and in a very close future, pharma.
Google can't compete with Amazon. Neither can Apple. Amazon's domain seems to be unchallenged. Some are calling for an urgent review of antitrust regulation in the US. But we all know that's a patch. We need an Amazon challenger.
Apple vs Amazon vs Google vs Facebook stock performance
Is there such company? I am surprised to admit that there is. But you won't believe me. The most likely Amazon nemesis is called Walmart, and it's being spearheaded by one of the smartest minds in the retail space, Marc Lore.
The new new Walmart game
I'll give you a little more time to stop laughing. I had the same reaction. Am I serious? After looking at the research, I am. Walmart has taken a 360º change in digital strategy that, not only is working, but it's already putting pressure on Amazon. The emergence of a real incumbent is forcing Amazon's hand. The pressure is creating gaps that others are using to extricate themselves from Bezos's grasp.
Let's start at the beginning.
Despite Walmart's size, they've always neglected their ecommerce business. When you're the top corporation in the world and your market value is 485 billion dollars (35% more than the second largest), the lack of interest is understandable.
"The philosophy created problems on the web, though. Whenever the online price dropped below the in-store price, the merchants in Bentonville would balk. They were worried about siphoning away customers from their stores, which account for more than 97 percent of Wal-Mart's sales."
Can Wal-Mart's Expensive New E-Commerce Operation Compete With Amazon
Forbes 500 2017 List
During the years they've tried different strategies, with mixed results. Meanwhile, Amazon has kept growing at a 24% yearly average, while Walmart barely hits a 1.7%.
If both companies maintained the same growth multipliers, Amazon could overtake Walmart in six years. Let me repeat this, six years.
Still, it wasn't until 2015, when Doug McMillon took the Walmart CEO chair, that things started changing in the digital space. McMillon has a very different background from his predecessor, Mike Duke. He's not only 17 years younger but has also been at Walmart longer. He rose from the lower ranks, working on many of the strategic areas that make Walmart the retail juggernaut that is.
I bring this up because Doug McMillon is the person that has enabled the biggest strategic shift at Walmart in more than two decades. That takes, not only an exhaustive knowledge of the organization but incredible courage.
"I want us to sell VR before the customer is ready for it," he says. "I keep telling our folks, 'Buy a little and put it online, put it in 50 stores.' Don't tell me it won't sell unless you try it. You gotta catch the wave. And to catch the wave, you gotta be early."
Doug McMillon – Can Wal-Mart's Expensive New E-Commerce Operation Compete With Amazon
In 2016, he made one of the boldest moves the retail industry has seen, the acquisition of Jet.com. The company, one-year-old at the time, lacked positive income and a major market share in the online retail space.
Similar Web Analysis 2016
The operation raised eyebrows all over the industry. The reason wasn't the acquisition itself, but the price, 3.3 billion dollars.
After the acquisition, McMillon promoted Jet.com's co-founder and CEO, Marc Lore, to president and CEO of Walmart eCommerce US. And just like that, Walmart's CEO handed the keys of the Walmart.com kingdom to Amazon's most dangerous nemesis, Marc Lore.
"They were assigned perhaps the most urgent rescue mission in business today: Repurpose Wal-Mart's historically underachieving internet operation to compete in the age of Amazon. "Amazon has run away with it, and Wal-Mart has not executed well," says Scot Wingo, chairman of Channel Advisor Corp., which advises brands and merchants on how to sell online. "That's what Marc Lore has inherited."
Can Wal-Mart's Expensive New E-Commerce Operation Compete With Amazon?
Meet Marc Lore
Marc Lore – Inc. Magazine
Marc isn't a stranger to online retail or Amazon. In 2011, he sold his family online retailer company called Quidsi to Amazon for 545 million dollars. He spent two years at Amazon and left the giant as soon as his contract allowed him.
"And it was this really depressing sort of moment where we didn't even want to go out for a drink. It wasn't a celebration — it was sort of like mourning. That's what it felt like. And it was really weird. We were like, 'Why do we feel so bad right now?' Like, we just sold this company and made a lot of money, and we just didn't feel great."
Marc Lore, (Success!, How I did it BI Podcast)
The time before the acquisition became an all-out war between Amazon and Quidsi, between Bezos and Lore. In the end, Amazon flexed their financial muscle and beat Quidsi into submission.
After leaving Amazon, Marc took one year off. He was bitter and disappointed with the way Bezos handled Quidsi. In 2014, he came back and started working on an Amazon killer, Jet.com.
"There's this huge middle class of people that are going to be spending more and more dollars online, and for them, it's going to be all about price," Lore says.
Amazon Bought This Man's Company. Now He's Coming for Them
Two years later, he ascended to become Walmart.com's new US CEO. Armed with Jet.com, Walmart.com and a 485 billion dollar war-chest, he was ready for payback.
Walmart's online strategy
Walmart has deployed a wide range of strategic changes to aid them in their battle against Amazon.
The first ingredient to take on Amazon? Increase your inventory. Bezos's obsession has always been to become the everything store. The first thing you need for that is, well, everything.
Since Lore took over, Walmart.com increased their inventory four-fold, offering over 40 million products. Amazon though, has an inventory of north of 350 million products, nearly nine times more.
Lore knows he can't compete head to head with Bezos. That's why, while increasing the inventory is a priority, Walmart isn't adding just anything.
During the past year, the retailer went on a startup buying spree, acquiring Shoebuy (shoes), Modcloth (womenswear), Moosejaw (outdoor apparel) and Bonobos (menswear) to their marketplace.
Lore is betting on the vertical fashion angle, something he knows Amazon isn't good at. Deep down, the strategic move is brilliant. They focus on niche markets, taking good care of their clients while delivering a great experience. They can't compete on quantity, but they can do it in quality, both regarding customer service and product quality.
Price wars & logistics
The reason why Jet.com fits nicely with Walmart is that they are both driven by the same mission, give their customers the best deal.
"The Jet concept of sharing savings with customers is a very Sam Walton-like idea," says Richard Cook, co-manager of the Cook & Bynum Fund, which owns Wal-Mart stock. "You will help us lower costs, and we will share that savings with you."
To achieve that, Lore incorporated to Walmart.com two of his favorite tricks from Jet.com. The first one is to increase the customer's average order, so they can aggregate volume and lower the shipping costs. Lower costs mean better prices for the client and better margins for Walmart.
"Shipping one unit is ex-pen-sive," McMillon says, drawing out the word. "It costs five bucks to ship one item, seven bucks to ship seven. So when you aggregate volume on the supply side, the economics change in your favor."
Another way of lowering the price is taking advantage of Walmart's brick and mortar operations. With 4700 stores in the US alone, the retailer has a massive physical footprint. By levering the existing infrastructure, they can also save on shipping costs.
Do you want to save more on your groceries? Order online, but pick them up at your local Walmart. A classic Jet.com move.
Piggybacking on the current infrastructure is something Amazon can't do. For them to achieve this, they would need to build the physical stores, adding years and billions of dollars to their operation. Lore is intent on exploiting this advantage as much as possible.
"Every day, I become more and more convinced about the omnichannel advantage," Lore said, referring to a sales strategy that combines online and in-store shopping.
Wal-Mart Unveils 'Store No. 8' Tech Incubator in Silicon Valley
Segment targeting
They cornerstone of Walmart's new strategy is to segment their audience. Walmart's traditional target has been price-sensitive customers, those looking for the cheapest deal.
While Amazon started with those customers too, they've moved away from that. Their focus is now on their PrimeNow scheme, not on selling the cheapest products. The company now uses massive discounts as a way to pressure and cajole their partners or potential competitors. They can do price dumping if needed, but it's not the general strategy anymore.
Nevertheless, most people are still price-sensitive online. Walmart is combining their lower prices strategy, Jet.com's saving schemes, and a brilliant millennial targeting tactic.
Most millennials don't care much about getting the widest product selection range (29% – 32%). They want products catered to them and them only. They want to feel special. But at the lowest price.
Lore's recent startup acquisitions follow this formula. Smaller product range and saving options for a highly sophisticated audience. A segment Walmart never touched before.
Another example of the same strategy is the launch of the 'Uniquely J' brand. A grocery brand catered to millennials both regarding price and user experience.
Amazon is counteracting Walmart by buying Whole's Foods. The former had certain customer overlap with Walmart. After the acquisition, they slashed prices, in an attempt to poach Walmart's user base and focus on millennials. That's a price war Amazon won't win though. Worse, they devalued Whole's Foods prime segment, wealthy individuals.
Either way, it's a great bet. Amazon, while good at building horizontal businesses, is bad at personalization. Amazon never got the user experience right. Millennials and the newer generations are very sensitive to this. Walmart and Lore's team have a good chance of besting Bezos to that segment.
Another big advantage, often undervalued, is Jet.com's corporate culture. Marc didn't come alone. He brought most of his people with him. People that follow him and that work as a team.
On top of that, Lore is placing each acquired startup CEO as his deputy. Each one manages their company's vertical. Making use of the startup CEO's expertise and empowering them within the larger organization is a great move. Marc is aligning their acquisitions with the overall online Walmart strategy.
This might not seem like an advantage, but it is. It offsets the lack of technology Walmart has. The company is in need of innovation and fast. Nonetheless, acquiring startups without a smart process to assimilate both the technology and the talent, is a recipe for disaster.
Marc's own experience when Amazon acquired his previous company is the perfect example. You spend money, retain the talent for some years and then the churn rate spikes.
If Walmart wants to win this race, they have to bet on the long-term. That means investing in their culture and their people.
Market expansion
Historically, when it comes to international markets, Walmart hasn't fair too well. They've had a hard time in Europe and in Asia, to name a few.
This has changed drastically with McMillon. As I said before, the company's innovation capabilities are small compared to Amazon. Trying to enter fast-moving markets like China, while competing simultaneously with Alibaba, JD.com, and Amazon is insane.
"According to Nielsen, 11% of total retail sales in China come from e-commerce, compared to 8% in the US. And e-commerce sales in China are growing at a rate of 53% annually, compared to roughly 12% in the US."
Walmart's future in China increasingly depends on a single Chinese company
This is where McMillon has taken a brilliant path. Instead of investing in building local operations, he's started partnering and buying into the local incumbents. But not any incumbent, but those currently in an open war with the number one online retailer.
In China, Walmart is partnering with JD.com to take on Alibaba. Amazon was already cornered by both Chinese players. Walmart, instead of making the same mistake, is now betting on JD and Tencent, to disrupt Alibaba. Not only that, but JD is bringing the war to Amazon's US turf with help from Walmart too.
"Meanwhile, Walmart has steadily increased its stake in JD–from 5% in June 2016, to 10.8% in October, and then 12.1% this past February."
In Japan, Walmart just announced a similar move. They partnered with Rakuten to achieve a dual goal. On one side, they entrench themselves in Japan and help Rakuten defend their top retailer spot against Amazon Japan. With Walmart's products getting sold through the Rakuten partnership, the Japanese firm can counteract some of Amazon's Japan allure. At the same time, Walmart is importing the Kobo to the US to both, compete with the Kindle and to increase their online book's footprint.
"The move echoes deals that Rakuten has made to place Kobo e-readers in major bookstore chains around the world, such as WHSmith in the UK. Physical retail presence is a potential advantage for Kobo, which doesn't have the book selection or brand recognition of Kindle but is competitive in terms of hardware — the bigger-screened, water-resistant Aura One, for example, beat Amazon's similar new Kindle Oasis to market by more than a year."
Walmart and Rakuten take on Amazon with Kobo e-reader alliance
Marc Lore isn't deluded. He knows he won't be able to compete with Amazon in certain categories. However, putting pressure on key Amazon verticals like publishing gives authors, editors, and publishers another potential platform to operate in. This unclenches the grip Bezos has on particular markets. It allows for better deals for providers and a continuous eroding of Amazon's bottom line.
"There are certainly areas where we are playing defense, and we're behind and need to catch up," Marc Lore, chief executive officer of Wal-Mart's U.S. e-commerce business, said at the Bloomberg Breakaway Summit in New York Wednesday. "One example is the long-tail categories that we're going after with acquisitions."
Wal-Mart Web CEO Says He's Still Playing Catch-Up to Amazon
Last but not least, Walmart is taking on Amazon in India. They're replicating the same move from China. They're in talks to buy up to 20% of Flipkart, India's Amazon competitor. If you pair this with the recent Softbank investment in Flipkart, it's clear that there is a vested interest to vanquish Amazon from India.
McMillan's vision is clear. To compete with Amazon, they need to win the fast-moving international markets. To achieve that he's focusing on investing and supporting the local players with cash and resources.
Walmart's Open Innovation approach
Walmart isn't a technology company. Amazon though was born in the midst of the dot com. It's DNA has always been technological. Walmart, on the other hand, has been the quintessential brick and mortar.
As I've pointed out many times though, technology isn't a vertical industry anymore. For a while now, it's become a horizontal industry. One that touches every other industry.
In 2011, Walmart started getting serious with technology and bought, among other smaller companies, Kosmix, a semantic technology company from Silicon Valley.
Kosmix founders became the seed for what's now called Walmart Labs, the innovation heart of the company. The Labs team has produced some outstanding things but still pales in comparison to the Amazon's machinery.
One of the things Walmart Labs can't do is disruptive product innovation. They work in innovating internally, but for a while now, the company has lacked a true outside disruptive engine.
This all changed with the announcement of Store Nº 8, Walmart's startup incubator. More than an incubator, I would say, it's a startup studio. It's an independent entity that enables Walmart to capture innovations from outside the organization. It operates as a bridge, connecting both sides, the startup world, and Walmart Labs.
"The goal is to have a fast-moving, separate entity to spot emerging technologies that can be developed and used across Wal-Mart."
Wal-Mart's Tech Incubator Hires Co-Founder of Rent the Runway
So far they plan to spin out five ventures by 2019. To date, we know of four of them. The first one, called Code Eight, was unveiled not long ago. Their mission is to build a personal shopping service for "busy NYC moms." Once more, we can see the new strategy pouring over the incubator direction too. Code Eight is one of Lore's experiments in trying to develop new retail experiences for high-end customer segments.
Another of those ventures is Project Kepler, Walmart's attempt at the next generation grocery store. The startup looks very similar to Amazon Go. The fact that Amazon was first to it shows, once again, the innovation speed differential between both.
The incubator is also doubling down on VR technology. They just announced the acquisition of Spatialand, one of the reference VR companies in the world. Walmart has been eyeing VR for a while now. While some of their prototypes were just flashy toys, some of the uses they're exploring are bringing great results.
"He says the company uses Strivr in about 187 employee training centers, for three types of training: preparing for situations like Black Friday or emergencies where you can't set up a simulation in a store, learning customer service, and teaching operational stuff like how produce should be stacked and arranged."
Finally, a Useful Application for VR: Training Employees
Technology, Walmart's pending subject
Walmart is far from being a technology juggernaut, but it's doing a great job at catching up. One of the most impressive things is the kind of people they're luring into Store Nº8 projects.
One would think most engineers would balk away from the old-school brand. But it seems Store Nº8 is creating a certain gravitas. I don't doubt for a second that it's another of Lore's effects.
Marc has imprinted Walmart.com with a startup DNA. That's one of the hardest things for a mammoth corporation like Walmart.
Still, Walmart tends to lean on partnerships instead of owning their technology. For the time being this might be good enough, but eventually, it will fail. Controlling your technology stack is critical for the long-term survival of Walmart.
I want to believe these are just the first steps and that in the future we'll see Walmart Labs crack some unique products like Alexa or AWS. To achieve this though, technology needs to become even more prominent, and Walmart needs to think even further into the future.
Strategy lessons from Walmart
As improbable as it might look, Walmart is the toughest competitor Amazon has right now. Under the McMillon and Lore, the retail giant can bring real thunder to the market, breaking the Amazon yoke.
So far, their strategies, even though they're pretty recent, are paying back handsomely. The next three years will be critical for the fight, and Walmart needs to speed it up if they want to break Amazon.
There are some great strategic takeaways other businesses can use in their markets.
Hire visionaries and fighters. Pick someone that has the experience and the drive and let them do.
Break your core values. No company can change if they keep ascribing to old, nonoperative values. Fast-moving markets and technology requires flexible and reviewed values.
Don't go head to head against someone stronger than you. Make sure you identify the weak spots and focus on them, not on the stronger side.
Identify those things the competition can't do due to their current cost structure. Exploit it.
Invest in your corporate culture. If you want to compete, you need innovators. To retain talent, you need to deserve it. Poaching employees from the competition is easy when your corporate culture is better.
Invest in a technology organization. This one is pretty obvious, but hard to implement. Build a powerful technology stack and use it to deploy future products. Having a "tech" department isn't enough. The whole company has to be technology driven.
Your enemy's competitors are your friends. Find critical markets beyond your local one. Partner with the incumbent and negate those markets to your competitor.
Develop an open innovation approach. Most organizations get this wrong. Open Innovation isn't just about working with startups. It's about building the processes that allow inside and outside innovation to cooperate and deliver future products or services.
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abarrera
Alex is the founder of The Aleph Report, co-founder at Tech.eu, founder at Press42, serial entrepreneur and strategic consultant for both startups and Fortune 500 companies.
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This week Facebook bought the Boston-based Confirm.io for an undisclosed amount. Confirm.io runs ID authentication checks on any government issued ID. They...


For nearly three years, at risk youth in Saanich have been given the chance to avoid a criminal record and receive mentoring while completing community service at Commonwealth Place. This month marks a major evolution of that model – one that will now incorporate healthy activity and skills training at the rec centre as a part of the restorative justice process for kids.
When Saanich police refer youth to the John Howard Society of Victoria, an organization devoted to providing services to people in conflict with the law, they will be connected with a recreation programmer at Commonwealth Place.
Young people in trouble – though they can't have a criminal record – must complete 15 to 30 hours of maintenance work at the centre. While the do, they're also eligible to spend one-third of that time participating in recreation programs. Activities range from swimming and kayaking classes to job skills and first aid training.
Kim Fagerland, supervisor of the Saanich Community Justice Initiative, is an alternate measures counsellor for both adults and youth through John Howard. She attributes the success of community service participants to the role models at the centre who help the kids.
Whether facing bullying at school or a divorce at home, Fagerland says all of the youth she sees are dealing with underlying problems. A large portion of the participants are males raised by single mothers, she added.
"That's the frustration of my job," she said. "Where are the men to step up and support these boys? We need men to step up and take responsibility for them. … There's no good men in their lives and that's why I like to send them to Commonwealth," Fagerland said, lauding the mentorship of Bill Jamieson, building service supervisor and first contact youth make at the centre.
There are far more stories of success than there are failures, Jameison said.
Former participants have continued to volunteer beyond their obligations. At least one has secured employment as a result of his experience.
About 25 to 30 kids complete community service at the rec centre annually. Their participation in recreation programming, including a three-month Saanich Recreation Access Pass upon completion of the community service, is funded by Coast Capital Savings.


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Second Update of AML/CTF "Red Flags" document
The Anti-money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing, Example Red Flag Training Material, issued in May 2022 is a publication by a Joint Practice Group with GNECB and the Garda Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Irish accountancy bodies including Chartered Accountants Ireland .
A second update has been made to this document in September 2022.
The changes are mainly to provide an explanation of the use of the word "fungible "in case study 7, to ensure correct reference to "FIU Ireland" and "suspicious transaction reports" throughout the document and to reference a threshold for suspicion being reached (rather than breached). You can access the red flags updated document here and details are also included on our "red flags -know the signs" page on our AML hub which you can access here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Ukraine has an attractive feed in tariff for renewable energy and good wind conditions. The Government has developed a strategy to introduce 25 percent renewable energy by 2035, up from around 1 percent today. After a period of investments in primarily smaller wind- and solar projects, a number of large-scale renewable energy project are being constructed.
In April 2018, NBT acquired Syvashenergoprom LLC, a Ukrainian company operating a 3 MW wind farm and a 250-330 MW wind project under development. The company has been delivering energy under the green tariff since 2011. NBT has also entered into agreements to develop other wind power projects in Ukraine and will continue to look for opportunities as this market matures.
In May 2018 NBT opened an office in Kiev to support project development in Ukraine. After the acquisition of Syvashenergoprom, NBT is well positioned to help Ukraine achieve this target by developing wind projects in this exciting market.
The Lake Syvash Wind Farm is located in the Chaplynka district in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, along the northern shores of Lake Syvash. Currently, there are in total eighteen wind power turbines in operation, consisting of two 600 kW and sixteen 100 kW turbines. The company has leased 1,320 hectares of land on a 49-year lease and has secured a grid connection agreement with Ukrenergo, the Ukrainian transmission system operator. The Company has a license to generate renewable energy under the green feed-in-tariff regime of Ukraine, which is valid until 1 January 2030.


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/**
 * datetime.js: for date and time
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 * NSEG module: Node.js version of NSEG for Chinese word segmentation
 *
 * https://github.com/mountain/nseg/
 *
 * By Mingli Yuan <mingli.yuan+nseg@gmail.com> (http://onecorner.org/)
 *
 * MIT License
 *
 */

exports.accept = function (ch, undecided, next) {
    return -1;
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I'm just going to put this out there, although we're biased as we're a born and bred Toledo, Ohio based real estate agency, we all moved here for a reason – and that reason is that Toledo is arguably one of the best places to live in the United States. Just ask U.S. News & World Report, they ranked us in the top 100 Best Places to Live! You can't beat that, right? Besides that point, Toledo is a great place to live whether you're just starting out in your career or starting a family, there's something for everyone in this little slice of heaven. From the diverse and engaging culture to the food, to the best schools, Toledo has a lot to offer no matter your age. With a mix of small-town vibes and big city entertainment, consider Toledo as the next place you call "home".
The national average cost of living in the United States is 100. Comparatively, Ohio is 88, and Toledo is 77. That means when you move to Toledo, your cost of living is lower than most places in the United States. With the average home costing $67,400, Toledo is a great place to live if you're looking to get the biggest bang for your buck, especially when it comes to real estate.
There's something for everyone in Toledo. From our highly rated Toledo Zoo to free admission to the Toledo Museum of Art, you'll never run out of fun things to do for the whole family to enjoy. A big plus? The number one rated amusement park in the world, Cedar Point, is close by! If that isn't reason enough to consider Toledo your next home, then I don't know what is.
What's the worst part about your job? Did you say the commute? We'd have to agree. But get this, one of the best things about living Toledo is the lack of traffic! Yes, you heard that correctly, the average commute in Toledo is 5.3 minutes shorter than the national average. Not only does that mean time saved in the car, but ultimately saves money, too!
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Right now is the best time to start thinking about your move to Toledo. At The Degnan Group at Key Realty, we all agree it has a lot to offer for growing families. For the most professional and knowledgeable realtors in the area, contact us to see why Toledo is the best place to live in America.


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SDWS Workshop Instructor Profiles
SDWS recruits some of the most important artists to conduct its workshops. Making some of the greatest watermedia experts available to the San DIego art community is a key element of SDWS membership values.
Julie Anderson
Our Beginning Class instructors come from SDWS's education committee. In addition to teaching beginner classes, they volunteer their time to teach art classes to all ages - in schools, after school programs and senior centers. As well as being active members of SDWS, many of our instructors are credentialed school teachers who have recently retired or are in between teaching positions.
Drew Bandish
Drew Bandish is a local artist and teacher of popular art classes at the La Mesa Adult Enrichment Center, Foothills Adult Center in El Cajon and MiraCosta College's Community Services programs. He is frequently called upon to demonstrate, conduct workshops and serve as juror for art exhibitions throughout San Diego County. An award winning participant in our San Diego Watercolor Society shows, Drew is excited to share his approach to pattern sketching in watercolor in his upcoming January, 2015 workshop.
He earned his B.A. in Painting and Printmaking and an art teaching credential from San Diego State University. Since 1987, Drew has dedicated his teaching time to helping others find pleasure, confidence and skill in all art mediums. He is proud of the numerous success stories among his students ~ several of whom now regularly win awards in art shows they enter.
Drew was nominated Outstanding Instructor by students and staff, which resulted in his receiving the first annual Oasis Award in 2011 for exceptional achievement in teaching with Grossmont Adult Schools. Since then, three of his students have received the same award.
A lifetime learner himself, Drew appreciates that teaching, demon- strating techniques and preparing lessons has accelerated his own art skills and enhanced his visual perception and creativity.
https://sites.google.com/a/guhsd.net/drew-bandish-art-classes/home
Mary Ann Beckwith
MaryAnn Beckwith arrived on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula in 1970. She has been living on the beautiful, cold, snowy and remote shores of Lake Superior ever since, raising her family, teaching, and making her art. She was hired by Michigan Technological University to teach Painting, Design & Drawing classes, and during her career achieved the rank of Full Professor and was twice selected for the Distinguished Teaching Award. Developing the artistic skills of these gifted students was her passion during her tenure at MTU and she continues to support the endeavors of all students of art. She is the author of Creative Watercolor: a Step-by-Step Guide and Showcase. Her work has also been showcased in many articles in books and magazines. She is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, Watercolor USA, and, along with having signature status in many other societies, she is the Executive Director of the International Society of Experimental Artists. Along with her active and engaged role in the art community, Mary Ann creates and exhibits her art, juries shows, and teaches workshops across the country.
maryannbeckwith.org
Mary Alice Braukman
I make my home in St. Petersburg, Florida and spend some time in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina. I work in mixed water media, collage, and assemblages. After graduation from Florida State University I taught art in the public school system in Hillsborough County and in the early 1960's became an art consultant for the Cherry Creek School District in the Denver, Colorado area. In 1991 and '92 President of the Florida Watercolor Society and served on the Society's Executive Board until 1998. I was the Director of the Kanuga Watercolor Workshops for 17 years, held at the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina. I was invited to be the guest editor for the special issue: Experimental Approaches to Watermedia of the American Artist Magazine - Watercolor 2001 Winter.
mabraukman.com
A career manager for Visual Arts professionals, Iate has over 25 years experience in international marketing, promotion, and professional presentations. Besides managing her husband Bob Burridge's art career, Kate is also an author, lecturer and consultant to a long list of art associations and agencies in the United States. Kate developed "Art Marketing: The Business of Selling Your Art," an eight-week course that she and Robert Burridge taught at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California. She also authored "News Releases: Getting the Media to Work for You," published by Art Calendar Magazine. Kate and Bob have written for Art Calendar magazine, Fine Arts Magazine and the ISAP (International Society of Acrylic Painters) Newsletter.
She runs her own business as an Artists' Advisor.
Robert Burridge
Robert Burridge is a noted international award-winning Industrial Designer who, after twenty-five years in the corporate design world, has focused his life to painting everyday. Burridge attributes his success to his education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, his stint as an adjunct professor at Cooper Union School for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City, and in 1966, his Fluxus art performances with Yoko Ono, Nam June Paik, Jim McWilliams and Charlotte Moorman.
He is much sought after as juror, lecturer and workshop instructor. Also, Burridge is a featured artist-mentor for Master Workshops in France, Italy, Mexico, Bahamas, Cuba and Guatemala.
Robert is the Honorary President of the International Society of Acrylic Painters and Signature Member of both the ISAP and the Philadelphia Water Color Society. He is a recipient of their highest and most prestigious award, the Crest Medal for Achievement in the Arts.
Currently, his popular work hangs in the permanent collections of international embassies, corporate galleries, art colleges as well as television and entertainment personalities.
The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art curated fourteen of his abstract paintings for his first solo museum exhibition, which led to his second major solo exhibition of seven foot abstract charcoal drawings. The Elverhoj Museum also invited and exhibited Burridge's personal collection of his seminal paintings from past exhibitions of twenty years.
robertburridge.com
Janice Cipriani-Willis
Janice Cipriani-Willis is an accomplished watercolorist who began her art education by earning a B.A. in Fine Arts from California State University, Los Angeles. She continued her education by studying with nationally known artists, such as Don Andrews, Gerald Brommer, Frank Francese, and Frank Webb.
A lifetime of vacationing in the National Parks has inspired Janice to express the beauty of the world in watercolors. She sees the pieces of light that play over forms as a marvelous mosaic. "In my watercolors, I rearrange the light into an image of this world's beauty." Janice's current work has been inspired by watching people from different walks of life in situations that engender a range of human feelings. She focuses on the beauty and expressions seen in their faces.
Janice is a signature member of National Watercolor Society and Watercolor West. Original works and giclee reproductions are available and can be seen at the Brandon Art Gallery, Fallbrook, California, at the web site www.fallbrookbrandongallery.org/ and by appointment at her home studio at Dorland Mountain Arts Colony in Temecula.
Timothy Clark
Timothy J. Clark's watercolor and oil paintings are represented in permanent museum collections including the Smithsonian/National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC, The Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio, and Maine's Farnsworth Art Museum. The artist's sketchbook of drawings of Ground Zero, created at the still-smoldering site within days of the attack, were acquired for the collection of the Museum of the City of New York.
tclarkart.com
Kathleen Conover
Kathleen Conover is a full time artist, dividing her time between painting, teaching, gallery ownership (18 years), and exhibition judge She holds signature status in several national organizations including AWS, ISEA, NWS and TWSA. Kathleen has garnered numerous awards including the •AWS Silver Medal of Honor •AWS Paul Schwartz Memorial Award •TWSA Best of Show Skyledge Award •TWSA Winsor Newton Award •ISEA Best of Show Gracie Award •NWS Potomac Valley Watercolorists Award •Audubon Artists Aquamedia Award of Excellence •Adirondacks National Exhibition Dr. Donald and Helen Burness Memorial Award.
kathleenconover.com/
Pat Crowl
Frank Eber
Frank grew up in Europe and was mentored by Italian master painter Renato Casaro in 1994 and 95. In the '80s and '90s Frank worked as a professional illustrator for video cover sleeves and as a portrait artist by commission. Primarily a plein air painter, his love of travel has given him prime opportunities to paint: he lived for three years in
the south of France, and has painted on location in Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Germany. He is married and lives in Central California
Frank is an award-winning watercolor artist and Signature member of the American Watercolor Society (AWS), the National Watercolor Society (NWS), the Transparent Watercolor Society of America (TWSA) and Watercolor West (WW). He is a juried Artist member of the prestigious California Art Club. Frank conducts workshops and demonstrations locally and at the national and international level.
His painting After the Ride is included in the 147th Annual International Exhibition of the American
Watercolor Society in New York City, April 2-20, 2014.
website: www.frankeber.com blog: frankeber.wordpress.com
Karen Frey
Karen Frey earned a BFA (Drawing) from the California College of Arts. She has been teaching for thirty years, including workshops both nationally and internationally. Karen's work can be found in various museums and institutions including the Encaustic Art Institute, NM, the Springfield Art Museum, MO, the Neville Public Museum, WI; and hospitals such as Northwestern Memorial Hospital, IL, the Kaiser Permanente system, CA. Frey's work has been featured and reviewed by Northlight Books, Rockport Publishers, The Artists Magazine, Watercolor Magic, and the Watercolor Magazine.
Karen is a signature member of AWS, NWS, WW, CWA, and the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia.
www.karenfrey.com/karenfrey.com/
Carol Frye
Having painted landscapes and still life for many years in a variety of mediums, Ms Frye's work moves from realism to abstraction and miniatures to murals. She was born in Pennsylvania, and majored in art education. Marriage, motherhood, years of travel with her now retired military husband, and several personal challenges gave strength to the foundation of both her life and her art.
Strong paintings with vibrant strokes of color, bold calligraphy and brilliant foils invite the viewer to share her passion for the painting process. As a multimedia artist, most of her current works are both experimental and intuitive. She believes painting is really a spiritual process and each painting seems to flow and grow, layer upon layer quite naturally. Now a "Layerist" by nature, her work continues to build as her experience with various media and subject matter evolve. The computer has been added to her list of materials and she has begun to merge this powerful tool with her newer works. Some of her most recent works step toward the subdued, becoming deeper on many levels.
Since moving to Florida in 1994 Carol Frye has been active in the art community, giving demonstrations, teaching workshops and offering private classes in many media. A consistent award winner, her paintings have been included in Local, State, Regional, National and International Competitions. Her work has been published in several national art magazines, and books. Ms. Frye enjoys many professional memberships and has served on the boards a number of art organizations. She is a Past President of the Florida Watercolor Society. Her paintings can be seen locally, and in major art competitions throughout central Florida. She does a limited number of Outdoor Shows each year and has been represented by several galleries.
www.carolfrye.com/
Helen Shafer Garcia
Helen Shafer Garcia lives and works in North San Diego County, CA as an Artist, Illustrator, Arts Educator and Gardener. She has created corporate and magazine illustrations for over twenty years. Her illustrations have graced the cover brochures of numerous international resorts, such as the Westin Mission Hills Resort, Palm Desert, CA, Westin St. John Resort and Acapulco Diamante Resort in Mexico. Honors include four San Diego Press Club first place awards for Excellence in Illustration for her work in San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles magazine. Helen's artworks involve the process of transference- subtraction and addition of paint and exploratory mark making. She's currently working with watercolor, book arts, pastel and mixed media creating contemporary organic and iconographic images. Helen obtained her BA in Fine Arts from the California State University, Long Beach. www.helenshafergarcia.com
Native Californian Joe Garcia is an established landscape and wildlife artist who lives and paints near the small mountain town of Julian, California. The natural setting amidst oaks and pines, and the golden hills of Southern California provide endless inspiration and subjects for his art.
Today Joe continues to paint in oil or watercolor, and emphasizes composition, value and spontaneity in each medium. His paintings reflect his love of nature in landscapes, birds, mammals and a variety of other themes on location and in the studio. Whenever he travels his paints and camera are ready for capturing the visual moment. Garcia's original paintings and limited edition prints may be found in galleries and private collections throughout the United States and in Canada, New Zealand and Europe. www. joegarcia.com/
Catherine Gill
Catherine Gill has lived and worked in the Pacific Northwest for 30 years. She paints on location in watercolor, oil, and pastel, and is also a printmaker. Catherine teaches workshops in painting and printmaking out of her studio in Seattle, as well as throughout the United States, Europe, China and Australia. She conducts many community art projects for youth and adults. "Powerful Watercolor Landscapes" was published by F&W/Northlight Jan 2011. You can view Catherine's art at her website
www.catherinegill.com
Ken Goldman is an internationally known artist, author, teacher and art juror. His education includes the National Academy of Design, the Art Student's League and New York Studio School. Goldman has exhibited widely in various group shows and solo exhibitions in galleries and museums in Holland, Paris, Mexico, New York, Boston, Washington D.C. and San Diego. His work is included in the permanent collections of the San Diego Museum of Fine Art, the San Diego Museum of Natural History, the San Diego Watercolor Society, the San Diego Art Institute Museum of the Living Artist and the Hickory Museum of Fine Art in North Carolina. He is an instructor at the Athenaeum School of the Arts in La Jolla. His work has been featured in Southwest Art Magazine, International Artist Magazine, the Artist's Magazine and Watercolor Magic Magazine and Splash 12 & 13. Goldman is the author of seven instructional books. He is a Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society, San Diego Watercolor Society, Pastel Society of America '95-'06 and the National Acrylic Painters Association. He is an artist member of the California Art Club. www.goldmanfineart.com
Stephanie Goldman (with Ken Goldman)
Stephanie Goldman received her BA/MA from the University of Humanistic Studies in Del Mar, California and then began her professional art training with Artist Ken Goldman. Since then they have collaborated on many large-scale murals and commissions for public institutions and private residences. Stephanie also lived and studied in Europe where she furthered her artistic skills through study of Renaissance art and anthroposophic art therapy. She has since studied with noted landscape colorist Wolf Kahn and most recently with Nationally known figure and portrait painter Nelson Shanks at Studio Incamminati. The Riverside Art Museum exhibited a solo show from her most recent child portrait series titled "I Am A Child." Frontline Publishing Co, Ramprod.com and Eastmeetswestco.com have published reproductions of her drawings and paintings. Currently, Stephanie is an instructor at the Athenaeum School of the Arts in La Jolla teaching figure drawing, portraiture and color theory.
www.goldmanfineart.com
Stan Goudey
I started painting in grade and high school. I received formal training at Grossmont College, California and studied figure drawing and illustration at the Art Center of Design, Los Angeles. I was commissioned for illustrations for books and magazines, including Psychology Today and Oceans magazines. Personal Philosophy: Painting for me is about growth, spiritual as well as intellectual. It is about human emotions. The joys, fears, and sorrows of being human. For me it is not just about copying the observable world in all its detail or providing wall decoration only.
stangoudey.blogspot.com
Frederick Graff
Frederick C. Graff is one of the foremost watercolorists of today. He is among a select group of watercolorists who are signature members of all three major watercolor societies: American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, and Transparent Watercolor Society of America "Master Status". His continuous growth and development in his pursuit of watercolor has enabled him to be a leading artist/educator in the field of watercolor painting. w ww.fredgraff.com/
Jean Grastorf
Jean Grastorf, AWS, NWS, TWSA is a graduate of The Rochester Institute of Technology with further studies at the School of Ceramics at Alfred, NY. She is an elected member of numerous watercolor societies. She has served on the Board of Directors of the American Watercolor Society as well as the Jury of Submissions and Jury of Awards. Her work appears in watercolor books and magazines and she is the author of "Pouring Light, Layering Transparent Watercolor" which was released in November 2005 by North Light. She was the juror for the 2013 SDWS International Exhibition.
www.jeangrastorf.com
Rich Hawk
As a painter, Rich's expressive works depict the human figure in moments which capture the inner life of his subjects. Strong design and intensity of expression create the energy and excitement for which his work is known. With roots in the traditions of watermedia, he also paints extensively in oil. Rich's paintings are in a number of collections around the world, have won awards in many national and international exhibitions and been featured in The Artist's Magazine. www.hawkstudio.com
Susan Hewitt
Robbie Laird
Robbie Laird, an innovative painter, teacher, and juror., is a full time resident of Lake Almanor, California, and part time resident of Hilton Head Island, SC. Her paintings captivate the viewer with an exciting balance of flowing ambiguity and varying amounts of specific detail. Using large brushes and flowing paint, her work dances on the edge of abstraction in areas but pulls you back in others. She sometimes uses the unique qualities of flowing transparent pure watercolor to create mysterious rhythmic works, while in other pieces she incorporates a variety of other watermedia. In addition to painting, she has expressed her vision in: forged metal and wood sculpture as well as leaded glass design and residential architecture. The continuing source of inspiration for Laird's work is a lifetime interest in natural cycles, transitions and connections. Her paintings have received numerous awards in National and International exhibitions.
Laird is a signature member of National Watercolor Society, where in 2008 her painting was selected for the Loa Sprung Award (top award for Non Objective Painting). She is a signature member of Watercolor West, San Diego Watercolor Society, and is a full-juried member of the Society of Layerists in Multi-Media. She is affiliated with other art associations nationwide. She is a highly sought after instructor and was named one of 20 Great Teachers of the last twenty years, by American Artists' Magazine. Her paintings and articles have been in many publications, including Watercolor Magazine, American Artist, and International Artist Magazine. Her work is included in Splash IV, North Light Books, and Artistic Touch 3. Creative Catalyst Productions produced her video, "The Informed Intuitive Approach".
Laird has been in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Her paintings are popular in Hawaii where she shows with the Village Galleries on Maui. Her paintings have been collected extensively in the US and internationally.
A past president of the San Diego Watercolor Society, Laird has an extensive background with arts organizations and art education. After completing her Masters degree in Art Education, Laird became a Fine Arts curriculum consultant, giving workshops for teachers throughout California, the United States, and abroad. She is currently the Director of the Kanuga Watermedia Workshops held each spring in North Carolina. Her influence as an artist and educator continues to grow.
http://www.robbielairdartstudio.com/
Dale Laitinen
Dale Laitinen has been painting for over forty years with thirty five of those in watercolor. He is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, and Watercolor West. He is a graduate of Modesto Junior College and San Jose State University with a BA in Art with a painting concentration. He is a past juror of many National and regional exhibitions including Watercolor West, Kentucky Watercolor Society, Utah Watercolor Society, Watercolor Society of Oregon, Red River Watermedia Show, Magnum Opus and many others.
www.dalelaitinen.com
S kip Lawrence
William B. (Skip) Lawrence, received a B.F.A. degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art and M.A. degree from Towson University. His book, Painting Light and Shadow in Watercolor, was published in 1994. Skip is editor-and-chief of "The Palette Magazine". Skip was the juror for the 2014 SDWS International Exhibition.
Skip says "I love everything about painting. I love feeling the paint, seeing a rich color spread under my brush onto a surface and the play between colors coming together. I love watching my idea take form until a painting finally says "it" and I am surprised and delighted every time. I love sharing my art and knowing that someone is moved by it. I see no hierarchy among realism, abstraction, non-objective painting styles. I see only the relationship of colors, shapes, surface and line that either thrills or bores me. When these elements come together to communicate an artist's intention to the viewer, to connect with someone, it is nothing short of wonderful." www.skiplawrence.com
Jan Ledbetter
Jan Ledbetter is a professional artist, teacher, and juror, holds an MFA from Syracuse University, and has earned Signature Memberships in the renowned American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, San Diego Watercolor Society, and others. Her paintings have been juried into and won awards in many prestigious National and International Exhibitions and she was listed as one of the best Contemporary Watercolor Masters by Watercolor Artist Magazine (Feb. 2013).
www.janledbetter.com
Fealing Lin
Award-winning watercolorist, Fealing Lin of San Marino, California, was born in Taiwan and began her journey into artistic expression as a protégé of renowned professor Ching-Jung Chen in Taiwan. With a fluidity of colors, Ms. Lin combines impressionistic strokes and semi-abstract techniques to elicit life and movement in her portrait and landscape watercolors. Her paintings adorn the paper with both harmony and emotion. Although briefly diverted from her passion by a family tradition of medicine and dentistry, Fealing ultimately abandoned her tray of instruments and high-speed drills in favor of her palette and brushes. Now she is a teacher, demonstrator, judge, and active exhibitor. Said Professor William Blackshaw, President of the Royal Watercolor Society in England, "Fealing Lin paints poems that vibrate with light and color... long may she continue to delight the eye and move the spirit"
www.fealingwatercolor.com
J.M. Littleton
J. M. Littleton is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. She teaches for several colleges including Howard Community College where she was nominated the Faculty Instructor of the Year for 2014-15. In addition, she is on an "Excellence of Teaching " list for Maryland colleges. She founded, Littleton School of Art, in Towson, Maryland in 1994. She is an award winning artist and International Exhibitor as well as being a Signature Member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society. Her work has been featured in the American Watercolor Society in New York as well as the National Watercolor Society in California. She is sought out for workshops for her realistic style and transparent washes.
J. M. was hosted by the Hilton Head Art League in South Carolina for two summers.
www.littletonart.com/
Angus McEwan
Angus McEwan was born in 1963 in Dundee, Scotland. Angus studied at the Duncan of Jordanstone College Art in Dundee, graduating in Fine Art and a Post Graduate Diploma in the same discipline. He also has a Merit in a teaching Certificate- Post Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education, Scotland. Angus was elected to the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours (1995) and in 2012 the Royal Watercolour Society. In 2005 he was recognized as an Associate of the International Guild of Realism USA. He is also an associate member of the AWS and NWS in the USA. In 2016 he was elected member of the Royal Glasgow Institute (RGI).
Angus' work is in many private & public collections throughout the United Kingdom, Norway, Netherlands, Australia, Turkey, Italy, China, Russia and North America. He has had 21 solo exhibitions; numerous collective shows and has been recognized in many shows by winning 29 awards.
Website: AngusMcEwan.com
Facebook: Angus.McEwanArtist
Twitter: @AngusMcEwan
Jeannie McGuire
Jeannie's background is in graphic design and photography as well as fine art. She exhibits regional and international shows, winning numerous awards including the American Watercolor Society's 2011 Gold Medal of Honor and the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society's 2010 and 2011 Best of Show.
www.jeanniemcguire.com
Joan McKasson
is a nationally recognized watercolor painter, juror and an enthusiastic, inspirational instructor of creative watercolor and watermedia workshops. Her paintings find their base in the reaction to free-flowing pigments and the abstract patterns created in this approach. She has taught workshops throughout the U.S. and internationally.
McKasson's award winning paintings have been included in national and international exhibitions. She holds signature membership in the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society, San Diego Watercolor Society, Watercolor West, Western Federation of Watercolor Societies and is an elected member of the San Diego Artists Guild.
Her paintings have been featured in the following publications: Finding Your Visual Voice, The Best of Watercolor 2, Best of Flower Painting 2, The Artistic Touch 1, 2, 3 and 4, Basic Flower Painting, The New Spirit of Watercolor, the Artist's Magazine and the American Artist Magazine. McKasson's paintings are included in private and public collections throughout the United States and internationally.
www.joanmckasson.com
Mark Mehaffey
Nationally recognized artist Mark E. Mehaffey is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, the American Watercolor Society; DF, Transparent Watercolor Society of America; Signature Life member-Master Status, Watercolor West and the Rocky Mountain Watermedia Society, and Louisiana Watercolor Society Signature Life Member. Mehaffey has won major awards in juried exhibitions across the country including the Beverly Green Memorial Purchase Award from the National Watercolor Society, the Silver Medal of Honor and the Arches Paper Co Award from American Watercolor Society, the M. Grumbacher Gold Medal from Allied Artists of America, and the Skyledge Award from the Midwest Watercolor Society. Mehaffey's work has appeared in many publications; most recently in The Best of Watercolor, Splash 5-The Glory of Color, Splash 10-Passionate Brush Strokes, Splash 11, Places in Watercolor and as a featured artist in a step by step guide and showcase, Creative Watercolor, Rockport publisher. www.mehaffeygallery.com
Jim Millard
Award-winning artist and much sought after watermedia instructor, Jim's thorough understanding of what makes a good painting results from over 45 years as an art director, graphic designer, painter and teacher. Trained at Chouinard Art Institute and the Art Center College of Design, he has also studied with nationally-recognized teachers including Rex Brandt, Robert E. Wood, Frank Webb, Steve Quiller, Don Andrews, and Eric Wiengardt. Jim is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society and regularly exhibits and conducts workshops and demonstrations through the San Diego Watercolor Society and other local venues.
www.jamesmillard.fineartstudioonline.com
Judy Morris
Judy Morris earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in art education from Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. She taught art at South Medford High School for thirty years before retiring in 1996 to become a full time professional watercolorist. For over fifteen years Morris has been a popular juror and workshop teacher throughout the country and in Canada, Mexico, England, Switzerland, France, Italy and Japan. Her paintings have received more than fifty national and regional awards and have been included in exhibitions throughout the country, most recently those sponsored by the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, and the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. www.judymorris-art.com
Ted Nuttall
A graduate of Colorado Institute of Art, Ted is a figurative watercolorist whose painting expression was born out of his observation of people, his experience and travels as an illustrator for the United States Air Force, and a twenty-five year career in graphic design. His work, as a designer, illustrator, and fine artist has won numerous national and regional awards.
Ted's paintings continue to win awards in juried exhibitions throughout the country. His painting "Dreaming Wide Awake" was selected to hang in the 141st Annual Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society and was selected, as well, for the traveling exhibition.
www.tednuttall.com/
Nancy Oleksa
Nancy Oleksa earned her degree in Visual Communications from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh with a double major in Design and Photography. Her thirty year diverse art career spans working as a graphic designer and illustrator to working as an art instructor for colleges and school districts throughout Southern California where she continues to share her love of watercolor and passion for color and light.
www.nancyoleksa.com
Risë Parberry
Risë Parberry graduated from the University of Idaho with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a painting emphasis and received a secondary teaching certificate from Boise State University. During the twenty-five years that she and her husband Gary operated their grain farm in northern Idaho, Risë taught painting in oil and watercolor through the Washington State Community College Extended Learning program and at the Spokane Parks and Recreation Corbin Art Center as well as for various watercolor societies and other venues. She is a juried signature member of both the Northwest Watercolor Society and the San Diego Watercolor Society and has been included in many International Juried Exhibitions including the American Watercolor Society Annual Exhibition.
Julie Gilbert Pollard
Phoenix artist, Julie Gilbert Pollard, paints in oil and watercolor in a fluid, painterly manner. Her painting style, while representational, is colored with her own personal concept of reality. "The eye may see as a camera 'sees', but the mind's eye sees an altered, imagined image, what it wants and hopes to see. It's that illusive image, uniquely mine, along with a heightened sense of 'realness' that I try to express in my paintings. This world of ours is often a frightening and mysterious place, but it is filled with scenes and subjects that excite my eye and imagination! The magical allure of the natural world, and my reverence for it, compel me to attempt to capture its essence on canvas or paper."
www.juliegilbertpollard.com/
Stephen Quiller
Stephen Quiller is an internationally known painter who has written six books on water media and color and done many artist instructional videos. He is a Dolphin Fellow and signature member of the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, National Society for Painters in Acrylic and Casein, Rocky Mountain National Watermedia, and Watercolor West. He has received the (2011) Ralph Smith Memorial Award, (2009) Nicholas Reale Memorial Award, (2008) the Didi Deglin Award, Hal P. Moore Award, Winsor & Newton Award, Louis Kaep Award, and the Walter Greathouse Award from the American Watercolor Society as well as major awards from the National Watercolor Society and others. He has created twelve artist instructional videos and DVD's on color, composition and water media. He has painted professionally since 1972 and his works are enthusiastically collected. His paintings can be viewed at the Mission Gallery in Taos, New Mexico and during the summer months at the Quiller Gallery in Creede, Colorado.
www.quillergallery.com
Michael Reardon
Michael Reardon has been painting in watercolor for over twenty-five years, using the medium to record his observations, convey a sense of place and light, and communicate his impressions of the built, natural, and imagined worlds.
In 2005 he was the recipient of the prestigious Gabriel Prize from the Western European Architecture Foundation, which enabled him to spend three months painting in Paris. After receiving his architecture degree from UC Berkeley, he worked as an architectural illustrator for over thirty years. In 2004 he was awarded the Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize, the premier award in the field of architectural illustration.
He is sought after as an instructor, leading workshops around the country and internationally with a focus on the use of light and color.
His watercolors have been exhibited nationally and internationally. Recent exhibits include the annual Gold Medal Exhibit of the California Art Club. In 2011 he presented a solo show at the Thomas Reynolds Gallery in San Francisco.
He is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, Watercolor West, and the California Watercolor Association. In 2012 he received Best of Show at the Triton Museum of Art Statewide Exhibition of Watercolor. His watercolors have been featured in many magazines, including American Artist Watercolor, the Artist's Magazine, Southwest Art, Watercolor Artist, Plein Air. And L'Art de l'Aquarelle, an international magazine on watercolor. He is also the author of the forthcoming book from North Light Books, Painting Light and Color in the Modern Landscape.
http://www.mreardon.com/
Charles Reid
Charles Reid has long been considered a master of the medium of watercolor. His paintings are fresh and spontaneous, displaying his profound understanding of light and color and expert drawing ability. The viewer is immediately drawn into his rich compositions. His figures are beautifully rendered, in a simple, direct and natural, gestural manner that reveals his interest in painting the light as much as the person.
Reid was born in Cambridge, New York, and studied art at the University of Vermont and the Art Students League of New York. He has won numerous awards, including the Childe Hassam Purchase Prize at the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Academy of Design and the American Watercolor Society. In 1980 he was elected to the National Academy of Design. Public collections of his work include Smith College, Yellowstone Art Center, Brigham Young College, Roche Corporation, and the National Academy of Design. In addition to painting, Reid teaches workshops around the world. He has written eleven books on painting in watercolor and oil.
http://www.charlesreidart.com/
Steve Rogers AWS, NWS, TWSA - His paintings have won hundreds of awards in juried competitions including the National Watercolor Society Purchase Award -"Best of Show" in 2006 and four awards in the American Watercolor Society. Steve is a Signature Member of the American Watercolor Society and was an Ambassador/Director of AWS and is also a Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society and Transparent Watercolor Society of America. He was the National Invited Juror for the 2007 AWS Exhibition where he served on the Jury of Selection. He was the Chairman of the Jury of Awards for the 2010 AWS Exhibition and he is this year's Juror and sole Awards Judge for TWSA . Steve's work has been featured in the magazines Watercolor Magazine, Watercolor Magic, International Artistill'Art de l'Aquaelle, Pratique des Arts and the books Expressing the Visual Language of the Landscape, Secrets from the Contemporary Watercolor Masters - vol. 1 (in Chinese), The One Hour Watercolorist, and a Gallery of Marine Art, as well as two best - selling DVD's – 7 Secrets of Painting Reflections in Watercolor and The Secrets of Painting Light and Shadow in Watercolor. www.watercolorsbyrogers.com/
Barbara Roth
Barbara has been drawing since she opened her first box of crayons at age 3. From there she went on to study art at U.C.L.A. and obtained a teaching credential in Art Education. For many years she illustrated children's books and taught art to students ages 2-92. Currently she teaches watercolor, drawing and travel painting in Southern California as well as workshops throughout the U.S. and in Europe. www.barbararothart.com
Thomas Schaller
Following a 20-year career in New York City as an architect and architectural artist, Tom Schaller is now based in Los Angeles, California where he devotes himself full-time to artwork in the watercolor medium. He has long been considered one of the foremost architectural artists in the world. In the field, he has won every major award for his artwork - including being a two-time recipient of the Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize. He has authored two books: the best-selling, and AIA award of merit winner, Architecture in Watercolor, and The Art of Architectural Drawing. He is increasingly in demand internationally to conduct his watercolor workshop series, "The Architecture of Light". His artwork is collected and exhibited around the world. www.thomasschaller.com
Christopher Schink
California artist Christopher Schink is known throughout the United States for his bold, direct painting. Working in a semi-abstract style, he creates works "notable for the boldness and drama of their pictorial design." His paintings are included in many private and corporate collections. He has served as juror for over 40 state, regional, national, and international exhibitions. He is the author of Mastering Color and Design In Watercolor and Color And Light For The Watercolor Painter.
christopherschink.com
Nicholas Simmons
Nicholas Simmons was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and began painting in Sarasota, Florida. He studied under many well-known watercolorists, most notably Valfred Thëlin and Barbara Nechis. Mr. Simmons enjoyed immediate success as a watercolor artist soon after taking it up, but opted to pursue a music career as a professional guitarist. For many years he only painted occasional commissions, and did not return to visual art until 2004, when he began painting watercolor again and launched his website.
nicholassimmons.blogspot.com/
Mel Stabin
Mel Stabin is an internationally known teacher, author, and award-winning watercolorist. A graduate of Pratt Institute, Mel studied the art of watercolor with Edgar Whitney. For over thirty years Mel was an award-winning art director and creative director for major advertising agencies in New York City. He is a signature member of prestigious art societies including the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society of America, North East Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, and New Jersey Watercolor Society.
For over twenty-five years Mel has conducted watercolor workshops with groups on location throughout the country and abroad, and for numerous art societies. www. melstabin.com/
Robin St Louis
My goal is always to capture a feeling of warmth and sunlight in my paintings, and I prefer very saturated color and high contrast. I usually begin with a random wet-in-wet layer of several colors over the whole page, and build the painting on top of that. I think this first layer provides surprises, challenges and movement under the transparent painting of the subject.
My work has been featured in the following magazines: International Artist, Watermedia Focus, The Palette, Watercolor, Watercolor Artist and Watercolor Highlights. I am fortunate that my paintings have won awards in many national exhibitions, including the First Prize in the 2014 Watercolor West International Juried Exhibition. I am a Signature Member of Watercolor West, the National Watercolor Society, the Northwest Watercolor Society and the San Diego Watercolor Society. I am a past President of the Board of Watercolor West, and was a board member for twelve years.
http://www.robinstlouis.com/
Brenda Swenson is the artist author of two books, Keeping a Watercolor Sketchbook (Award of Excellence Finalist) and Steps to Success in Watercolor. Her paintings and sketches have been featured in Splash 11, 12 & 14, Artistic Touch 4, Creative Freedom, Watercolor Artist, Watercolor Magazine, Watercolor Highlights, Wheels of Time, Plein Air Magazine and numerous other publications. Brenda has achieved signature status in WW, NWWS, and SDWS. An active participant in the arts community she has served on the board of directors for the National Watercolor Society and Watercolor West. She is in demand to demonstrate and teach her painting, sketching and collage techniques to groups nationwide and abroad.
www.swensonsart.net
Carolyn Sullivan
Keiko Tanabe
Keiko Tanabe is an award-winning watercolor artist. Her paintings have been juried into many exhibitions across North America and in Asia and Europe. Her work has been purchased by private collectors from all around the world. www.ktanabefineart.com
Carol Thomason
Carol is a Signature Member of National Watercolor Society and San Diego Watercolor Society. She is an active art administrator having served as both President and Vice-President / Director of the International Exhibition for the San Diego Watercolor Society. With a BA in Art History at the University of California at Santa Babara, a teaching credential from California State University, San Luis Obispo and MA studies in Art History at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Carol Thomason has seen a wide range of art -- from cave paintings to contemporary. As a juror, she strives to be objective and open to the many artistic possibilities. As a workshop instructor, she shares her art thinking and painting process and encourages her students to be aware of their own unique style.
Suzanna Winton
For more than 20 years Suzanna Winton has captured the essence of the human soul through her watercolor portraits. She has been teaching for the last 15 years and often jury's Art Exhibitions as well. She is the recipient of over 30 awards and has been featured in many national and international publications. These publications include Splash 6, The Artist's Magazine, American Artist, Watercolor Magic, Watercolor Basics, Watercolor Artist's and Pratique De Arts (A French Watercolor Magazine). The staff of The Artist's Magazine lists her as "An artist on the rise and one of 20 artists who we believe are destined to be master painters of the future". Suzanna is a signature member of the Florida Watercolor Society, Southern Watercolor Society, and Watercolor West. Her work is in many Corporate and private collections. Suzanna has become nationally known for her informative watercolor portrait workshops and is the author of "Realistic Watercolor Portraits". She has several videos on portraiture.
www.suzannawintonwatercolors.com/
Jami Wright
Donna Zagotta
Active professionally for over 25 years, Donna Zagotta is an internationally recognized artist, teacher, juror, and writer. She has accumulated numerous awards and is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, Watercolor West, and Transparent Watercolor Society of America. Her work appears in numerous publications and she has been teaching classes and workshops since 1990.
Donna's paintings have evolved from an early emphasis on traditional watercolor techniques and traditionally influenced realism to an unconventional use of the watercolor medium and the exploration of the area that lies between realism and abstraction. Donna will jury the 2015 SDWS International Exhibition.
www.donnazagotta.com/