Four AAG Members in SCWS National Exhibition

Four Anderson Artists Guild members are among 65 artists selected to the South Carolina Watermedia Society’s 2023 National Exhibition: Teresa Anderson, Dale Cochran, Al Morris, and Wesa Neely. The juror was JJ Jiang.

The show will open to the public with a reception on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 5:00 p.m. at the Pickens County Museum. It will close on Friday, Oct. 6.

For more information, visit https://scwatermedia.com/ or https://www.co.pickens.sc.us/departments/parks,_recreation,___tourism/museums/index.php.

Below are comments from our members on their pieces:

Wesa Neely’s Surf Searchers

“My grandchildren love the beach, and it’s always so wonderful to watch them be excited by our wonderful world! I used two different photos as references for this piece as I tried to capture that excitement and sense of wonder. The challenge was not to do portraits as such but to keep the painting fresh as new discoveries surely must be through their young eyes—that sense of wonder.

“The striking colors, stripes, and different poses helped to give the painting interest and direction. Deciding when to stop painting is something that is difficult for me, so that is a constant thought as I paint various aspects of the piece. This piece was done with watercolor on cold press paper. Thumbnails sketches were made in order to plan the layout and poses of the children.”

Teresa Anderson’s Mountain Lake Reflections

“Across the road set back in the foothills down a long drive, I saw the house surrounded by trees and everything reflected in the large pond. I had to paint!! Reflections are tricky for me as I want to give the impression yet make it ‘legible.’ It was fun and challenging to paint so many trees with enough variety to make it interesting. I loved the spot of orange red of the chimney, and it helped with the reflections.”

Al Morris’ CONRAIL

“I am constantly searching for the imperfect feature that adds something special that I can translate into a memorable painting. I found this rusty old locomotive diesel parked on a siding near Elberton Georgia. At first, I thought it was abandoned but later found out it was still being used in track repair maintenance operations.

“The name CONRAIL is short for the Consolidated Rail Corporation, a railroad created by the federal government in the northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. CSX and NS acquired most of the rolling stock after its breakup and repainted all the engines. To find one bearing the original paint scheme is extremely rare. My father was a railroad man for 40 years, so it was required that I know all this useless information.

“After taking numerous photographs, I decided on this scene. In painting I wanted to not have the background as focused as the train itself. I went into great detail on the engine as I knew it had to perfect or a railroad fan would point out any discrepancies. The blur in the background and the sharp focus of the train tend to make it look three dimensional.”

Dale Cochran’s Just Down the Road

“Growing up in a small rural town, you often heard the phrase ‘just down the road’ in reference to where someone lived or where you’ll find a landmark to make a turn. I no longer have immediate family in my hometown. I live close enough to still take a drive through my old stomping grounds from time to time. So much has changed, yet so much stays the same in my mind. The inspiration for this painting came from my childhood memories and photos that I have taken around my hometown. When asked, ‘Where is that place?’ l respond, ‘Oh, you know, it’s just down the road.’”