I am honored and it is my pleasure to be part of this year’s International Exhibition, and it is great to view the selected paintings in the new WAS-H building and gallery.

The works in this show represent some of the best of what is being painted in contemporary water media today. It is a wide and varied show with approaches ranging from abstract to representational, loose to controlled, transparent to opaque, bright to neutral in color as well as subjects that are inspired by landscape, figure, still-life and abstract themes. I particularly respond to and look for works that have a very personal mark and vision and uniqueness of expression. This is something that cannot be taught and comes from within. It gets to the essence of what art truly is. Many of the works in this exhibit have these qualities.

I congratulate each painter that is in this show and also all of the people that have made the exhibit possible.

Stephen Quiller