2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition

Quick Links

• Planning Your Visit
• Judge of Selection and Awards
• Announcing Paintings and Artists Invited to the 2024 Mid-Atlantic Exhibition
• Sponsors & Contributors

Planning Your Visit

The exhibition opens Friday, October 11, 2024

The exhibition is in two gallery buildings, the Kentlands Mansion (south) and the Arts Barn (north) separated by the quiet Kent Square Road. The gallery location does not lend itself to a simple set of driving directions, so it is recommended that you let your GPS do the work, using the following address:
320 Kent Square Road
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878

In general, Interstate-270 gets you to the Gaithersburg region from Washington, DC or Frederick, Maryland. Maryland 200 (toll) which continues to I-370 may be used from Columbia, Maryland. For some visiting from Virginia, the US-15 crossing into Maryland may be a better option than the I-495 crossing on the Capital Beltway.

There is plenty of on-street parking on the quiet streets around the gallery. Both gallery buildings as well as the path between the buildings are fully handicapped accessible.

The two facilities have different hours:
• Kentlands Mansion: Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4 pm.
• Arts Barn: Tuesday through Saturday, 1 to 5 pm and also for classes, activities and events.

So the overlap hours of Tues-Fri, 1-4pm are the simplest times to visit to see the entire exhibition. If a visitor would like to come at a time both buildings are not officially open, they may email artgalleries@gaithersburgmd.gov for an appointment and one of the gallery managers will be happy to meet them.

Both facilities will be open for the November 10 reception. The awards ceremony will be held in the auditorium on the second floor of the Arts Barn.

The gallery is a few blocks away from the Kentlands shopping area (along Kentlands Blvd off the Great Seneca Highway) with many good restaurant options, for those wishing to make a day of it.

The exhibition will remain open through Sunday, January 5, 2025.

Judge of Selection and Awards

We are excited to announce Russell Jewell (AWS, NWS, TWSA, ED.D) as the juror and workshop instructor for the BWS 2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition.

Russell is an internationally recognized plein air painter with signature memberships in the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society and The Transparent Watercolor Society of America. His work has traveled with the American Watercolor Society exhibition. Russell’s accomplishments include a doctorate in Art Education from the University of Georgia and a Fulbright Memorial fund scholarship to Japan. His most recent awards include: 2023 Best of Show at Edisto Island Plein Air, 2023 First Place at Quick Draw Mountain Maryland Plein Air, and 2023 Best Boat Painting at Gloucester Arts Festival. In October 2023 Jewell judged the Georgia Color Plein Air Competition sponsored by Olmsted Plein Air. Russell is represented by Wells Gallery at the Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, SC. His art and writing were published in a feature article, “Under the Sicilian Sun” in Plein Air Magazine, October/November 2023.

Additional information can be seen at: www.russelljewell.com.

Announcing Paintings and Artists Invited to the 2024 Mid-Atlantic Exhibition

Selection of the entries for the 2024 exhibition is now complete.  

Notes from our Juror

"I would like to thank the Baltimore Watercolor Society for the opportunity to judge its 2024 Regional Exhibition. There were nearly 400 entries from which to choose and the task was to discern a top 100 show. Judging such an elite show is very daunting. When taking on such a monumental task one has to ask oneself, “Why do artists do it?” Why do we feel it necessary to bare our souls to the viewing public and take a chance on one person’s opinion? I think the key word is “validation.” Art is communication, art is made to be seen and when art is seen it is seen in the context of every other work of art ever created.

"When I teach workshops, I often begin with an illustration of people floating on inner-tubes down a lazy river. This image, for me, represents a 'River of Art.' Some people are floating ahead of others and some are just getting their feet wet for the first time, but simply by the sole act of creating we are choosing to place ourselves in the river of art. Baltimore Watercolor Society entrusted me to uphold a methodic form of validation, one that navigates today’s artistic currents through experience and education. I commend each artist for your willingness to communicate your voice to the viewing public. I congratulate those who find yourselves in the top 100. At the same time, I want to embolden the artists that were not chosen to continue to visually speak your truth. Showing your work is a safe process. Stay in the river and keep your brushes wet. I look forward to the next phase of judging and visually coming in contact with the cream of the crop. The 2024 Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition will certainly prove to be a feast for the soul."

Russell Jewell (AWS, NWS, TWSA, ED.D)

The following 100 paintings and artists have been selected for the 2024 exhibition.