Immerse Yourself in the
WSO Convention
Lake Oswego, April 13-15, 2007

By Linda Terhark & Jack Miller, Co-Chairs

"Immerse Yourself." Dive into a pool of the best watercolor artists in Oregon. First, five renown artist/author presenters will revitalize your skills and creativity. Then kick around with hundreds of friends and fellow artists at the social functions, presentations and tours. Float among the eighty juried member paintings at the reception.

Most important, rub shoulders with our juror, George James. The man someone described as the watercolor artist of the 21st century. Wait until you see what he does with Yupo.

Relax after all this artistic exercise in a lovely suite or room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Jump in and join us at the WSO Convention in Lake Oswego.

The Weekend in Short Laps

We will dive right in and start the weekend with George James critiquing 20 slides of paintings members have already submitted when they registered for the convention. George will whet our appetites and get us ready to learn more about watercolor techniques throughout the weekend. He will meet WSO members right after the critique at the Meet and Greet, where participants will enjoy hors d'oeuvres and a no host bar. New members will each display a painting and will be introduced to the rest of the group.

First thing Saturday Judy Morris, AWS NWS, will share the "way" she creates her paintings. During her thirty year love affair with watercolor she has found what works and what doesn't work, for her. Judy's successful paintings are a result of a combination of gathering inspiration, planning a good design, choosing a color chord, and painting with techniques she has mastered.

After this presentation participants will choose to attend one to the following presentations: Arne Westerman's award winning nationally known artist and author of Paint Watercolors Filled With Life and Energy, will lecture and show slides of his own work and share secrets on what has worked and what didn't work in his paintings and why. At the same time Claudia Nice, author of dozens of books, Painting With Watercolor, Pen and Ink being one of the most popular, will demonstrate how she combines watercolor and pen to create realistic images.

If you would like to explore the beautiful Lake Oswego Area, you can go on the "Gallery Without Walls" walk, a tour that will allow you to stroll through the city viewing several of the 40 Sculptures that are stationed along the way. A docent will lead you on the interesting journey that will culminate in a boat ride on the lake, weather permitting. The tour will end at noon just the right time for you to have lunch at one of the many acclaimed restaurants in Lake Oswego.

Some of you will choose to get outside and paint at Foothills Park, in Lake Oswego on the Willamette River, with Garve Beckham. Garve, an informative teacher and popular plein-air painter, will demonstrate and guide you in your painting efforts. A covered area is available if weather demands.

Immerse yourself and don't waste a minute of artistic learning time. At lunch time buy a box lunch and attend the juror's critique to combine activities. Those 80 auditors that choose to learn and eat will have ordered their box lunch when they registered for the convention.

Saturday afternoon presents many choices. If you want to get out of the hotel you might choose to go on the Studio Tour. A van will take you to visit 4 artists' studios. Each artist will give a short presentation and answer questions about her studio. The artists are Tupper Malone, Susan Greenbaum, Linda Terhark, and Debbie Marble.

At the same time a group will head out to nearby Tryon Creek State Park to walk in the forest and learn how to improve your outdoor photographs. A professional photographer, John Sanders will be your guide and teacher. He will help you practice with your camera as you walk.

Back at the hotel Vickie Nelson, well known freelance artist for multiple greeting card companies, will demonstrate with her partner Bev Jozwiak. They will present their ideas featuring still life subjects.

The studio tour, Tryon Creek State Park Photo Safari, and the Vickie Nelson and Bev Jozwiak demo will be over in time for you to attend Susan Bourdet's Demo and Lecture at the Crowne Plaza. Susan, author of Painting the Allure of Nature, will demonstrate how she achieves her award winning paintings. Her paintings have been described as realistically detailed birds, animals and other subjects found in nature, with soft impressionistic backgrounds.

After Susan's talk there is a short break before it is time to get onto the shuttle bus that will drive you to the Oregon Society of Artists building in Southwest Portland, where the Artist's Reception will be held. Buy a $4.00 ticket for the shuttle at the same time you register. Let the bus drive and you won't have to worry about driving in downtown traffic or about where you are going to park. Parking is limited at OSA.

The Artist's Reception will be a time for socializing with other members, and enjoying wine and appetizers. It is a time to view the 80 paintings that make up the juried selection for Spring '07 and to find out the top 20 award winning paintings that will make up the traveling WSO show for the next 6 months.

The shuttle will take you back to the Crowne Plaza just in time to enjoy the excellent dinner the hotel chef has prepared for you. The highlight of the evening will be George James talking about the 20 award winning paintings he has selected from the 80 paintings in the Convention Exhibition. It will be an entertaining presentation to end a very full, rewarding day.

Sunday morning you will attend the general meeting and learn how our organization works. If you get there on time you will receive a raffle ticket that will allow you to be in the drawing for prizes, which will take place at the end of the meeting.

The grand finale of the convention will take place after the general meeting, when George James will lecture and demonstrate. For those members who will not be able to take his workshop, this presentation will serve as an overall introduction to his watercolor technique using yupo. This informative talk will be unique and inspiring. Don't miss it.

The Gallery at the Oregon Society of Artists will be open from 1:00 to 4:00 on Sunday afternoon if you would like to view the entire WSO Spring Exhibition again. A perfect ending to an immersing weekend.