GCWS SCHOLARSHIP
Green Country Watercolor Society Scholarship Award
In 2008 the GCWS expanded its commitment to education and encouraging the development of emerging artists by offering a scholarship award. The scholarship is for college students at the senior or junior level, who are pursuing a Fine Art degree and have a focus in water media. Selection of the recipient is based on the merit of their art work and academic excellence. The inaugural awarding of the scholarship was in May of 2009. This year the GCWS scholarship consisted of a monetary award of $500, presentation of the artist and samples of their work on the GCWS web site, an opportunity to speak at a GCWS meeting, and an opportunity to display a painting in conjunction with the annual GCWS juried exhibition.
New Feature: Friends of GCWS Scholarship Fund
Inspired by a generous donation by a non GCWS member, we have created a new addition to the scholarship program. Anyone who would like to support a student scholarship, is invited to make a donation to the GCWS program, even if you are not a GCWS member. All donations are tax deductible and 100% of the money will be awarded, in addition to the annual $500 scholarship award check, to the selected student. Additionally the names of all donors will be recognized in the scholarship application and presentation materials (unless the donor wishes to be anonymous). No amount is too small, or too large.
If you would like to donate, or to ask additional questions about the program, please contact the Scholarship Program coordinator, Dede Burgess at: decsspots@hotmail.com.
The GCWS is proud to announce the 2013 Scholarship award winner:
2013 Award Winner Paxton Maddox
Biography
Paxton’s style has been described as both fun and whimsical. Her work features intricate patterns, expressive line work, and bright colors as it portrays the world that she lives in. As a student participating in Oklahoma State University’s Studio Art program Paxton has had the opportunity to experiment with different techniques and materials and is constantly building her portfolio. While Paxton focuses mainly on watercolor and oil painting, she also enjoys creating three-dimensional work, primarily ceramics. Paxton Maddox was born in Guymon, Oklahoma where she lived until moving to Stillwater, Oklahoma for college. She is pursuing a BFA in Studio Art with a primary focus in watercolor and a secondary focus in oil painting.
Artist’s statement
The series of artwork that I am working on is inspired by the relationships in my life. Each piece is about what matters most in my life: my relationships and interactions with my family and friends. The paintings are meant to be “snapshots” of moments that happen between the figures in each relationship, whether those moments are good or bad. Whether the relationship depicted is between a parent and child, friends, siblings, lovers, or one’s self, my goal is to connect with the viewer through the universal experience of relationships. Because the figures are both generic and genderless viewers can easily make the figures in the paintings represent their own personal relationships. Different patterns on the figures symbolize each person in the relationship is unique. I use different patterns in these figures to differentiate; reflecting that it is important that each person in a relationship let their individuality shine. The long elastic, wrapping limbs of the figures are symbolic of the connections in each relationship. My vision for my paintings is to be displayed is in salon style, to reflect the picture wall that is found in so many family members’ homes. This idea came from the two large picture walls in both of my grandparents’ homes. The small size of the pieces is to imitate the size of photographs that might be displayed in a person’s home. My goal in doing this is to show all aspects of the different relationships. Whether it is two lovers embracing or a parent lecturing a child, the memories are important. My goal as the artist is for the viewers to look at my paintings and be able to reminisce about their personal relationships and the memories associated with those relationships.
The GCWS is proud to announce the 2012 Scholarship award winner:
2012 Award Winner Megan Curtis
In my work, I use religious iconography combined with personally symbolic and significant imagery to construct an image that collectively, feels familiar and recognizable. I look at the Bible and children’s fairytales for narrative symbols to express my conceptual concerns. Feminism, trauma, religion, sin, and loss of innocence are some of the stronger themes within my work. By comparing the Bible with fairytales, I am able to take innocence and subtly add darker themes while still holding onto the lightness of a child. Although each of my portraits is about a personal story, I feel that the narrative is not as important as the overall impression I hope my viewers can identify with.
Borrowing religious and fantastical themes allows me to depict a dramatic image which echoes pictorial language. In my current work, I use myself and my sister as the figures which are portrayed as both innocent and sensual at the same time. I want to examine the inherent corruption in the desire for purity. The figures that I use allow me to allude to the female figures from the bible and fairytales. Female stereotypes such as these allow me to explore male dominance within our culture. These stories are vestigial structures of a patriarchal society which we no longer live in. I design my images in this theatrical manner using myself as a model because these themes are personal to me.
These whimsical yet threatening images portray ideas that only exist in the mind, a fantasy is an escape from reality, but even within these fantasies there is violence and a sense of overwhelming dominance. The figures are surrounded by animals that have origins from these iconic narratives that represent a threatening presence in their instincts to survive while still being awe inspiring creatures you would find in a legend. I purposively choose to omit shadows from these creatures to emphasize that they are an illusion and metaphor for a harsh reality. In order to create the contradiction between whimsical fantasy and a harsh reality I juxtapose aggressive brush strokes which allude to violence with playful colors.
The GCWS is proud to announce the 2011 Scholarship award winner:
2011 Award Winner Lopeeta Tawde
Lopeeta continues to excel in her studies at OSU. This fall will be her final semester, and she will graduate in December. In the last year, Lopeeta has begun exploring increasingly larger compositions, and is having success with very wide compositions, many of them over 4 and 5 feet wide. She is also working on capturing the mood and lighting of night in landscapes. Here are two samples of her large format, impressionistic landscapes to enjoy. It’s going to be fun watching Lopeeta’s future endeavors.
