25 September, 2025 0 comments Leave a comment

My painting pictured here, Superior Solace, varnished watercolour on 11 x 14 inch panel, was selected this summer as one of 75 Finalists in the annual Richeson75 Landscape, Seascape, and Architecture International Art Competition. 

This watercolour artwork captures the misty day my husband and I explored the massive flat rock beach at Marathon, ON, on the Canadian shore of Lake Superior. The vastness of this landscape dwarfs its human visitors. Imagine the millions of years it took for the lake to sculpt these smooth, sloping shores.

I sent hearty congratulations to all the Richeson75 Finalists, who reside in Canada, USA, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, England, France, Turkey, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Russia. The collection of 75 winning paintings are featured in a permanent online exhibit that opened July 15. View the winning paintings here.

This summer I also learned that all three of the paintings I entered in the 6th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition were accepted into the exhibit, and all three paintings won awards.

This year, there were 1730 entries from women artists in 56 countries, and only 276 paintings were accepted into the online show. To have all three of my entries accepted and win awards is truly remarkable, and I am most grateful to the panel of nine international judges who selected my works for these honours.

My piece The Windy Shore, varnished watercolour on 20 x 16 inch panel, was awarded the Streamline Publishing Merchandise Award in the Landscape and Water Category. My prize was a subscription to Plein Air Magazine. 

The Windy Shore was inspired during my stay at a lodge on a cluster of tiny islands in Georgian Bay. While kayaking there, I was treated to my first up-close views of the iconic rock of that region of Ontario. The patterns in these smooth rock slabs and the windswept trees are an artist's dream to paint.

My painting Sunbathing Swallowtails, varnished watercolour on 18 x 24 inch panel, was awarded Honorable Mention in the Animal & Wildlife Category from Women in Watercolor.

What a privilege it was to sit on a sandy beach beside a lake in northern Ontario, watching the antics of these male Tiger Swallowtail butterflies, while we ate a picnic lunch. I will never forget the experience. I painted these charming insects back in my studio.

We Are All Connected, varnished watercolour on 24 x 24 inch panel, shown above with me in my studio the day I finished the painting, was awarded Honorable Mention in the Still Life & Floral Category from Women in Watercolor.

This painting is inspired by my collection of smooth striped stones, gathered during our travels across Canada. The circle is symbolic of unity and the stripes represent the traits we share that connect us together, even though we are unique as individuals.

You can view all the winning paintings in the 6th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition here.

In August I was thrilled to learn that We Are All Connected also was juried into the Society of Canadian Artists 57th International Exhibition. Out of 631 entries from professional artists all across Canada, 114 were accepted. The online show opened August 27 and runs till September 30. See all 114 accepted artworks here.

After many decades spent navigating through this roller coaster artist's life of mine, I still feel as thrilled as a little kid when good things like this happen. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to visit and paint the places I adore, and then share my paintings with people all over the world. I often think to myself "Pinch me, somebody!".

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