Our Mission
We promote watercolor and water media as an important and recognized medium in the arts community and provides support as well as educational opportunities to watercolor artists - whether beginners or professionals.
We offer a variety of educational opportunities including eight (8) monthly meetings with demonstrations and lectures by renowned national or prominent local artists. In the Fall and Spring, we host three-day water media workshops with nationally recognized artists.
We recognize and encourage artistic excellence through juried exhibitions in the Fall and Spring.
Click to - Read more about JWS, Board and Committees, and History
Upcoming Events in 2025
March 30 - Online entry for Member Non-Juried Show***
April 1 - Take-in/Delivery for Member Non-Juried Show
April 1 - May 30 - Member Non-Juried Show
April 22 - General meeting - Pablo Rivera
May 27 - General meeting - End of Year Gathering
June 7 - 1-Day Workshop - Linda Hawkins
(see more about these events below)
Access Calendar of Events for list of all upcoming events and meetings.
JWS General Meeting
Tuesday, Apr 22, 2025, 6pm to 8pm
Cypress Village, Egret Room
Guest Artist Demo: Pablo Rivera
"Expressive Portraits in Watercolor"
Join us for a demonstration by Pablo Rivera on "Expressive Portraits in Watercolor". Pablo is recognized for his excellence in watercolor portraits - he was recently commissioned to paint the portrait of Federal Judge Timothy Corrigan and Johnnie Mae Chappell, Jacksonville civil rights martyr. Pablo has won numerous awards for his watercolor portraits. He is an accomplished photographer, drawer, watercolorist and sculptor.
See more about Pablo on his website Pablo Rivera Art
Pablo's statement on his approach to portraits in watercolor:
"I prefer to work from a photograph as a reference for my paintings because I can have a moment in time, a decisive moment, a photographic idea developed by famous photojournalist Henri Cartier Bresson. I can capture an emotion or expression to work from. I am also a photographer and sculptor which I find extremely helpful in this way of painting. My process is like my sculpture process, I will build a background or shape then remove area as highlights then add washes to complete the portrait. I will not stick to “real” or generic colors but use colors that might talk about the subject’s personality or my conception of it. We have two big challenges, creating a likeness and saying something about it. For me painting a portrait in watercolor is a challenge, making it expressive is even more difficult."
Come early at 5:30 to socialize with fellow artists. Refreshments will be served.
Our general monthly meetings are at Cypress Village, 4600 Middleton Park Cir E, Jacksonville, FL 32224 in the Egret Room.
Shows & Workshops
2025 Members Non-juried Show
The Members’ Non-juried Show will be exhibited
from April 1 through May 30, 2025
at the Grace Gallery (2nd floor of the McCord Building) Riverside Park United Methodist Church,
819 Park Street, Jacksonville, 32204.
Take-Delivery at RPUMC April 1, 2025
This is a great opportunity for members to show and
sell their artwork. Plan to visit and see some beautiful paintings by talented artists.
Click here to see more about this show in Section and other shows.
1-Day Workshop
"TEXTURE" "You Can't Paint This" by Linda F. Hawkins
June 7, 2025
at Jacksonville Gem & Mineral Society
$125 Members & $150 Non-Members
In this one-day workshop students will discover how to make a charcoal pour to create interesting texture in their watercolor paintings that can’t be created with a brush. Linda will provide an 11” x 14” sheet of watercolor that has already been prepared for you. But participants will learn the process, create a full sheet to take home and use their own imagination to make beautiful textured filled artworks. Learn more about the workshop and what to expect.
For information about Linda's, work, and accomplishments see Linda's website.
2025 Fall Juried Show
Information Coming Soon.
Click here to see more about this show and other shows including paintings from past shows in the gallery.
2025 Student Show
JWS is proud to sponsor the third annual Student Show again this year. Pine Forest students from K through 5th grade participated through the school's art program. Awards will be announced for May presentation at the school. Click here to see more about the show and to view the 2023 and 2024 Student show gallery section.
Publications & Events
Newsletter
Read the latest newsletter by clicking on the image of the cover to the right.
Click to
See more about our communications for members, the latest trifold and calendar of events, past newsletters, and links to websites of interest to members.
Artist of the Year - 2024
Barbara Holt is the 2024 recipient of the Jacksonville Watercolor Society Artist of the Year. She has served as VP of Shows for JWS for 8 years and has introduced a student show to the Pine Forest Elementary School for the Arts. She volunteers at Westminster Wood Retirement Community as an outreach program for JWS teaching watercolor to the residents. Barbra is a well-trained, accomplished award-winning artist.
Click to See more about Barbara Holt, AOTY award, guidelines for nomination, and previous recipients.
Donations
JWS recently received a generous donation in the name of a long term member who passed away. Over years, we have received other donations as well as art materials and supplies that honor past and current members. We appreciate the generous support of JWS and its mission. To help with future donations, we have provided instructions and contacts on our membership page. Please go to the bottom of the membership page for more information on donations.