Artist of the Year

This award is a once in a lifetime honor which is awarded to a member of JWS who has contributed their time and energy to keep the organization going and growing, as well as entering JWS juried shows and winning awards. This is not a monetary award. The candidates must be good artists who have donated their time to help the board by accepting a position on the board, chairing shows, chairing committees or other service to JWS.

The Artist of the Year Award consists of a special show of the artist's work, a plaque expressing the gratitude of JWS, and a unique lapel pin.

Section 1. In 2016, the Board of Directors reviewed the original guidelines and processes for AOTY which were in place from 1997 through 2003, updated and approved them for AOTY for 2016 and later years. Click here for guidelines and information form for potential AOTY candidates.

Section 2. The current Artist of the Year is featured.

Section 3. The Artist of the Year honor was awarded to 15 JWS members from 1997 to 2003 and 23 from 2008 to 2024. It was reinstated in 2008 to recognize outstanding service to JWS as well as outstanding art work. Additional information about honorees is available by clicking on the name below.

2. Congratulations to Rebecca (Becky) Mentz
Artist of the Year - 2025

Rebecca is a member of the Jacksonville Watercolor Society (JWS) and The St. Augustine Art Association (STAAA). She holds a Signature Membership in the Georgia Watercolor Society (GWS), the Florida Watercolor Society (FWS), the Southern Watercolor Society (SWS) and American Watercolor Society (AWS).

Becky served the Jacksonville Watercolor Society as the VP of Membership for 3 years and has volunteered to help with the Westminster Woods at Julington Creek watercolor class for over 6 years.

Loving to draw from an early age she continued her love of art with an undergraduate degree in Art from Agnes Scott College. Subsequently, she worked as a Draftsman and Graphic Artist first in the Biomedical Illustration Department at West Virginia University and then in the City of Charleston Planning Department. Following the years spent in Charleston, she attended graduate school receiving a Master of Architecture from North Carolina State University.

After practicing in architecture in Jacksonville, Florida for 30 years she fell back in love with watercolor during a cruise to Alaska. For the last several years, Rebecca has been earnestly painting, having easily switched out her computer and CAD for brushes, paint and water. She has been relearning and mastering color theory, pigment mixing and technique aided by talented local and nationally known watercolor artists Streetscapes are common subject matter as are people, animals, birds, landscape and still life. As Rebecca has tackled the medium, she has tried to illuminate what she observes, revealing and interpreting often the ordinary and overlooked.

She has an impressive portfolio of paintings, many of which have won awards. See her website for more about her and artwork: https://www.rhmentzart.com

3. Artist of the Year 1997 - 2003, 2008 - 2024

This page is still a work in process --with miscellaneous images in place of Show cards when available and links to information about each honoree.

The Artist of the Year honor was awarded to JWS members from 1997 to 2003 and from 2008 to 2025. It was reinstated in 2008 to recognize outstanding service to JWS as well as outstanding art work. Additional information about honorees is available by clicking on the image and/or name below.

2024

2023

2022

2021

2019

2018

Ted Head
Jennie Szaltis