Award Winners Announced for 57th Annual Watercolor Wisconsin Competition

On December 10, 2023, Racine Art Museum’s (RAM’) Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts (Wustum) continued an important Racine tradition with the opening reception and award ceremony for Watercolor Wisconsin 2023. One of the museum’s most popular juried shows, this exhibition is a statewide competition organized annually since 1966. Featuring 96 works by 80 artists, Watercolor Wisconsin 2023 will be on display at Wustum, 2519 Northwestern Avenue in Racine, through April 13, 2024.

57 years of Watercolor Wisconsin exhibitions have established Wustum as a center for watercolor activity in the Midwest. This exhibition encourages artists to explore the creative possibilities of water-based materials—such as acrylic, ink, and watercolor—on paper, resulting in a diverse range of artworks that reflect each artist’s unique perspective and talent. Visitors can experience an exciting showcase that combines traditional and experimental techniques from contemporary Wisconsin artists, resulting in a varied and dynamic exhibition each year. RAM Executive Director and Curator of Collections Bruce W. Pepich,

Jurors for the 2023 competition, Allison Peters Quinn and Beth Shadur, selected the works on display as well as the awards recipients. Quinn is the Director of Exhibitions and Residency Programs at Hyde Park Art Center, a past holder of the International Curator Residency at Fire Station Artists’ Studios in Dublin, and a recipient of a Ramapo College Curatorial Prize. Shadur is an artist who serves on both the Board of Trustees of the Illinois State Museum and the Board of the National Watercolor Honor Society, along with acting as the Gallery Director at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights, IL.

Prizes awarded include Merit, Merchandise, and the distinguished Memorial Purchase Awards—each year, three to six works are awarded this distinction and are purchased for RAM’s collection, adding to the museum’s holdings of extraordinary Wisconsin artists and watercolor works that date back to the 1930s. This prestigious accolade also contributes significantly to an artist’s career advancement. Being a part of RAM’s internationally recognized collection is a symbol of professional achievement in the field, further solidifying the artist’s achievement.

RAM Executive Director and Curator of Collections Bruce W. Pepich believes that these Memorial Purchase Awards are meaningful in helping to keep the memory of so many alive while also preserving the history—and ensuring the future—of watercolor in Wisconsin.

“Most of these acquisitions are made thanks to memorial contributions friends and family members have made to the museum in honor of loved ones who have died. Whenever they are displayed, the exhibition label notes that these works are now in the collection in this person’s honor. These pieces are frequently exhibited at both of our campuses and lent to other museums for shows. This is a wonderful way for the museum to document the history of Wisconsin art and to honor people who have been valued members of our families and communities.”

Congratulations to the following award winners:

First Award
Christine B. Miller, Whitewater—Mags Hosts St. Ag’s “Loaves & Fishes” Social

Second Award
Lisa Englander, Racine—Vessel Series #15

Third Award
Harold E. Hansen, Hartford—Postcards I Never Sent

Cassandra A. Coley Memorial Purchase Award
Helen Klebesadel, Madison—High Summer Prairie I

Edwin C. Kalke Memorial Purchase Award
Dean Habegger, Kenosha—Tuesday Afternoon

Dr. Charles H. Patton Memorial Purchase Award
Richard Berns, Mount Pleasant—Robert of Washington Island

Awards of Merit
Richard Berns, Mount Pleasant—Robert of Washington Island
Dean Habegger, Kenosha—Tuesday Afternoon
Carlotta Miller, Kenosha—Harborside

A complete list of award winners is available on the RAM website, ramart.org.

Exhibitions at Racine Art Museum are made possible by: Platinum Sponsors—The Estate of Karen Johnson Boyd, David Charak, Judith and David Flegel Fund, Ron and Judith Isaacs, Nicholas and Nancy Kurten, Racine Community Foundation, Windgate Foundation; Diamond Sponsors—City of Racine’s Grow Racine Grant, Osborne and Scekic Family Foundation, Ruffo Family Foundation, Ruth Arts Foundation; Gold Sponsors—Anonymous, Tom and Irene Creecy, Richard and Patricia Ehlert, Trio Foundation of St. Louis, W.T. Walker Group, Inc., Wisconsin Arts Board; Silver Sponsors—Anonymous, Baird, Beta Diagnostic Labs, A.C. Buhler Family, Lucy G. Feller, Ben and Dawn Flegel, Jim Harris, Horizon Retail Construction, Inc., Lise Iwon, Johnson Financial Group, Dorothy MacVicar, Jan Serr and John Shannon, Visit Racine County; Bronze Sponsors—Ellen and Joseph Albrecht, Andis Foundation, Susan Boland, Virginia Buhler, Dave’s Wine Garage, Educators Credit Union, Express Employment Professionals, Bill and Debbie Keland, Susan Manalli, Jean and Alex Mandli, Jr., The Prairie School, Cathy Stanghellini, Twin Disc.

 

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.