The portal has just closed on entries for our forthcoming show. 157 paintings were submitted in total, 63% by our Members and 37% from non-members. A big thank you to all of our Members and Friends for submitting paintings to this very important event in our exhibition calendar.

Our three judges, Lillias August RI (our Patron), John Crossley RWS and Richard Sorrell RWS, NEAC, are currently viewing all of the entries online. Artists can log back into the OESS system from Wednesday January 19th to see if their work has been chosen to hang in the exhibition. Member artists who have any work selected can also submit 2 unframed works and up to 50 cards, details will be sent out on the 19th January.

Hand-in slots

Hand-in day for Members and non-Members is Tuesday 1st February and hanging will take place on Wednesday 2nd February. The exhibition opens to the public on Thursday 3rd February and the Private View will take place that evening from 5-7.30pm.

Awards

Our judges will also be selecting paintings for a variety of open awards including the RWS, RI and Sorrell Trophies and the Tindalls Rose Bowl (including a £50 Tindalls voucher). There is also a variety of art-related prizes donated by our sponsors: St Cuthberts Mill for an outstanding pure watercolour (watercolour paper); A J Ludlow for best use of warm or cool palettes (a selection of pure-pigment watercolour paints); Tindalls to acknowledge watercolour fluidity and effective use of light and dark (£30 and £20 Tindalls vouchers); Premium Brands for innovative use of colour and imaginative use of texture (a selection of Daniel Smith watercolour paints) and the Brush Award for a painting that displays brush expertise, chosen by Lillias August (an art-book prize in 2022). The SEAW also offers two awards, a Members Award (free SEAW membership for one year) and the Watercolour Award (£25 art voucher).

If you have not submitted artwork or had your work selected for this exhibition, please support our artist members and Friends by visiting the Handa gallery between Thursday 3rd February until Sunday 27th February (11-4pm). We can always do with extra help on hand-in and collection days too and with stewarding the exhibition.

AGM

Our Annual General Meeting takes place at 2pm on Sunday 27th February at the Handa Gallery, Wells Maltings. Please come and support this important event.

Friends news

Finally, the costs of producing the online material and supporting our Friends group has led the committee to discuss ways to offer a more cost effective subscription. As a result of these discussions, there will be three Friends newsletters published each year rather than the present four, and the yearly membership for SEAW Friends will increase from £15 to £20 pa. We are sure that our Friends will continue to consider this excellent value.

Best wishes and take care,

Mel Collins

Chair SEAW