The Gentlemen of Watercolor

The Gentlemen of Watercolor:

The walls of the Lascaux caves in France contain over 600 paintings of animals that people feared and hunted over 20,000 years ago. The creators of these ancient images mixed ground pigments into paint using water, saliva, urine, or animal fats. That’s right. The first known paintings were watercolors, technically defined as pigment suspended in a water-based solution. Watercolor was also used by the ancient Egyptians, who painted images on papyrus. It emerged in China roughly 4000 years ago in the form of traditional brush paintings. Not until the so called ‘Golden Age of Watercolor’ in mid-18thcentury England did watercolor painting appear in the form that most of us know it today. Some of the greatest artists of all time painted in watercolor, including Albrecht Durer, Andrew Wyeth, John Constable, John Singer Sargent, Thomas Moran, and Winslow Homer.

For those who love the history of painting and appreciate the value of experienced painters, Art for All Spaces proudly presents The Gentlemen of Watercolor, featuring works by three of the most skilled and sought-after watercolorists in Central Florida: Ken Austin, Chauncey Nelson, and Glen Ward. Collectively, these artists boast over 150 years of painting experience. Exhibited works include vibrant abstracts, landscapes, and unexpected compositions created over the last three decades. Austin, Nelson, and Ward are masters of traditional techniques as well as mavericks, forging their singular styles and fearlessly tackling unconventional forms and subjects. These gentlemen are respected teachers, mentors, and leaders in our community. Come travel through time with The Gentlemen of Watercolor, opening Thursday, May 18, 2023, at the CityArts Factory in Orlando, 6:00-9:00 pm. The artists will be present for a special gallery talk on May 20th, 2023, from 1-2 pm.

Art for All Spaces wishes to thank the following sponsors for their generous support of The Gentlemen of Watercolor exhibit: the Central Florida Watercolor Society Friends of the Gentlemen, Vicki Green, Christine Redlin, Marie Millholen, Linda Brant, Thomas A. and Ethel L. Brant, and the Gallery at Mills.