JAYSON YEOH, Malaysia

Born in 1963 in the Malaysian state of Kedah, Jayson Yeoh is a self-taught watercolor artist. His passion and love for art started at young age. His artistic and self-exploration journey was bittersweet and full of ups and downs. However, his persistency and perseverance brought him to what and who he is currently.

Reminiscing the past, he was once in a dilemma of choosing his own life career – to be an art educator or an artist. After due diligence and consideration, he decided to choose the former due to life’s demands and expectations.

Therefore, YS Art Centre was formally established by him in 1991. Being in the industry for two decades, he had received the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Education Bureau of Shanghai , Hangzhou and Beijing, China and many other institutions for his excellence in teaching art.

Although he had been active in the art education industry for many years, his enthusiasm and passion for artistic endeavours were still burning in his heart. In recent years, he gradually eased himself from the hectic schedule of teaching and took time out to paint or do outdoor landscaping and sharpen his skills. Shifting from being an educator to an artist, he still felt that being an artist or painter is still his forte. Besides that, he also enjoys travelling and painting as such activities allow him to understand better the culture and customs of the locals.

His artworks have been selected for numerous exhibitions and competitions in both local and international juried exhibitions. In 1994, he won the Honorable Mention Award in the National Youth Open Watercolour Competition organised by the Malaysia Teo Chew Association. In 2006, his work was selected for the National ‘Enchanting Colourful’ Watercolor Open.  His artwork ‘Serenity’ won him the Second Place Founders Award in the 2013 International Watermedia ‘Legacy’ Exhibition in The Pikes Peak Watercolor Society, USA. Among his best achievements include ‘The Wittnauer Watch Award’ -87th Annual Open Juried Exhibition by The Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolor 2012 and the ‘Award of Distinction’ by the Missouri International Annual Open Juried Exhibition 2013.

In 2014, another of his artworks won the Artist Merit Award at the International Annual Open Exhibition by the Missouri Watercolor Society, USA and he has recently been awarded with the Signature Status by the MOWS.

He is currently a member of the Contemporary Malaysian Watercolorists Association (CMWA) , Singapore Watercolour Society (SWS) and the Penang Watercolour Society (PWCS).

Jayson Yeoh has actively participated in numerous exhibitions all over the world. He was one of  invited guest of honor in ‘The 3rd GNWP China , Shanghai Exhibition’ and ‘The World Watermedia Exposition’ ,Thailand 2014.  

His works are in the collections of Citi Bank Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Roland Folger (President & CEO of Mercedes- Benz) and Mr.Lim It Leang (The Art  Brush Studio-Langkawi).

Despite his list of achievements, he never rests on his laurels and constantly strives to pursue greater heights and achievements in the art of watercolour painting.

Sound of harmony, 38x56 cm, watercolor

DENISE ATHANAS AWS, NWS, WHS, AAA

My interest in the arts goes back to my school and college years. I started painting when many years ago I moved to Syracuse, NY. There started a love affair with painting that has become more intense as time goes on.

I am a frequent participant of seminars and workshops presented by internationally recognized artists some of whom I regard as mentors and have become a source of inspiration to me. Finally and most importantly, I keep painting, constantly experimenting and exploring new venues, materials, surfaces, ideas and techniques. I strive to have the viewer of my art see “me” in my work as when I was growing up in Ethiopia and Greece as in my school years in the Sudan and Great Britain and here in the US as a wife and a mother. These  experiences, I believe are reflected in my work - the bold strokes, smooth curves, sharp angles complemented with bright strong colors.

In addition to the American Watercolor Society (AWS) and National Watercolor Society (NWS) I have earned signature status in Watercolor-USA Honor Society(WHS), Watercolor Society of Alabama(WSA), Georgia Watercolor Society (GWS), International Society of Experimental Artists (ISEA-NF), International Society of Acrylic Painters (ISAP), San Diego Watercolor Society (SDWS), Missouri Watercolor Society (MOWS), Philadelphia Watercolor Society(PWCS), Pennsylvania Watercolor Society (PWS), Pittsburgh Watercolor Society(PWS), Texas Watercolor Society (TWS-PS), Western Federation of Watercolor Societies (WFWS), Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society (RMNWS), California Watercolor Association (CWA),  Southern Watercolor Society (SW), Illinois Watercolor Society(IWS), South Carolina Watermedia Society(SCWS), Western Colorado Watercolor Society (WCWS) and Mississippi Watercolor Society(MSWS). I am also an elected member of the National Association of Women Artists(NAWA) and Allied Artists  of America (AAA).

Cirque du Soleil, watercolor

BENI GASSENBAUER, Israel

Beni Gassenbauer was born in France in 1949 and settled in Jerusalem in 1976.

His vocational training was developed by attending the workshops and lessons of leading Israeli art teachers (Marek Yanai, Bezalel Academy of Art; Nahada Gafni; Tami Bezaleli; Derek Stein).

Beni always preferred watercolor because this medium enables him to depict the deep dark shadow and the harsh mediterraneen sun, to show the contrasts of colors, space and details. 

His subjects are always painted from reality, accentuating its poetical side and transmitting to the audience Beni’s deep feelings of quietness and peace.

Beni exhibits in several well known galleries in Israel, Switzerland, Canada. He has presented numerous exhibitions in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, New York, Lausanne, Paris and Strasbourg.

He has also been invited to present his works at international watercolor exhibitions in Thailand (Bangkok), China (Suzhou and Quingdao), France (Aiguillon), Slovenia (Castra 2015).

Dryness

watercolor

AMIT KAPOOR, India

Mr. Amit kapoor is a leading master of watercolor medium in India. He has been recognized with top international honors for his paintings and his art graces the walls of many private and corporate collectors. He is in constant demand for solo exhibitions, workshops and instruction. His art captures the very soul of his subjects with passion. His exceptional drawing skills and extra ordinary abilities In art makes him proficient in any medium. His subjects include lot of compositional works where lovely play of light and shadow and prespectives are the main traits  He is also the co founder and Principal of Anitoons The School Of Art And Animation. He is guest lecturer in many prestigious Art colleges like College of Art, Delhi,  Apeejay Institute of Design, Jamia Millia Islamia (Mass Communication department), Meerabai  Institute of technology . He was also in the jury Panel of Jamia Millia Islamia (Mass Communication department), in the jury panel of Jaipur Animation Film Festival (JAFF). He  has been interviewed by several influential media and magazines and he has high reputation for professional production and inspired leadership. Recently in 2013  he also launched his first book in watercolor medium “Amit kapoor LANDSCAPES IN WATERCOLOR“. He is the only Indian Watercolor Artist to represent India in World Watermedia Exposition Thailand in 2014.

Born at New Delhi in 1975

Passed BFA Applied Art, College of Art, New Delhi in 1998

Passed MA Painting, Jiwaji University, Gwalior in 2004

-              Founder of Watercolour Society of India (WSI)

-              Head of International Watercolor Society India. (IWS-INDIA)

-           Founder & Principal of Anitoons The School of Art & Animation, a division of Amarnath Educational Trust.

-             In the jury panel of Jaipur Animation Film Festival (JAFF), 2010

-             In the jury Panel of Jamia Millia Islamia (Mass Communication PG Animation Department),

2005-06

-          Assit. Prof.  at College of Art, Delhi (Visiting) since 2002.

-          Visiting Lecturer at Jamia Millia Islamia (Mass Communication Post Graduation Department), 2005-06

-          Visiting Lecturer at Meerabai  Institute of technology, Delhi University, 2010

-          Visiting Lecturer at Apeejay Institute of Design, 2003-04

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENT :

1.            International Art Contest, Position 2nd , 2013

2.            Saint-Petersburg Society of Watercolor Artists, ART-BRIDGE-WATERCOLOR-2013 International Competition, Position 2nd, 2013

3.            Selected in the Second round of World Watercolour Competition 2014 organized by The Art of Watercolour Magazine. (Ranking Top 294 Watercolor Artist of World)

4.            Selected in the III International Biennial of New Techniques in Watercolor Caudete 2014, SPAIN among the 50 artist from all over the world.

5.            Special Award in Watercolor Painting conducted by New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) at AIFACS, New Delhi.

6.            “Bharat Gaurav Award” by India International Friendship Society, 2014.

7.            Won AIFACS Award in Watercolor Category  in 2015.

8.            Won Cash Award in Castra 2015, Slovenia in 2015

9.            Watercolors Selected for 2015 The World Watercolor Triennale, Korea. Hosted by Korea Watercolor Association.

10.          One of the Juror of International Watercolor Society (IWS) Contest, Turkey in 2015.

11.          Representing India as a IWS Community Leader in In Arte Fabriano, Italy, 2015.

Streets of India

watercolor, 38x56cm

KATHLEEN CONOVER, USA

Kathleen Conover earned her Bachelor of Art Degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, and her Master of Arts Degree from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan.

As a signature member of many art associations, including the American Watercolor Society-Dolphin Fellow (AWS-DF), National Watercolor Society (NWS), Watercolor Honor Society (WHS), International Society of Experimental Artists-Nautilus Fellow (ISEA-NF) and Transparent Watercolor Society-Master status (TWSA), Kathleen Conover is often invited to jury national and international exhibitions.

Her paintings have won over 100 awards in juried competitions including:  Silver Medal of Honor in AWS, Mary Bryan Memorial Medal of Honor in AWS,  Potomic Valley  Watermedia Award in NWS, Best of Show Skyledge Award in TWSA, Best of Show Gracie Award in ISEA, Judges Award in Watercolor USA, and Best of Show Award in the California Watercolor Society. Her paintings are included in corporate, university, museum and private collections throughout the world.

Kathleen Conover's innovative watermedia work has been featured in many magazines and books. The most recent inclusions are: Watercolor Artist Magazine (FW Media, Jan./Feb. 2012), Watercolor Magazine (Interweave Publishers, Fall 2011), and Splash 11; New Directions (North Light Books, 2010),  Art Revolution: Alternative Approaches for Fine Artists (North Light Books, 2009).

Keeping peace

watercolor, 56x38cm

WOON LAM NG, Singapore

Assistant Professor at School of Art Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University

Master of Fine Art (MFA) in Painting from New York Academy of Art

Signature member of National Watercolor Society (NWS), USA

Dolphin Fellow & Signature member of American Watercolor Society (AWS), USA

Member of Singapore Watercolour Society and Singapore Art Society

Winner of various national and international juried art show awards including AWS Bronze Medal of Honor in American Watercolor Society (AWS) 142nd & 147^th Annual International Juried Exhibition 2009 & 2014 repectively.

Articles and artworks are selected and published in The Artist’s Magazine, WatercolorMagic (now known as Watercolor Artist), International Artist Magazine, Nanyang Arts Magazine and French watercolor magazine (L’Art de L’Aquarelle).

Color Morning at Campbell Street, Little India, Singapore

watercolor, 28x38cm

Poster based on a watercolor painted by Woon Lam Ng (Singapore)

Poster based on a watercolor painted by Beni Gassenbauer (Israel)

Poster based on a watercolor painted by Kathleen Conover (USA)

WATERCOLOR SALON

The Watercolor Salon of Thessaloniki will present watercolor paintings by selected and invited internationally acclaimed watercolor painters from all over the world.

The exhibition will take place in November 2015 in the prestigious Piraeus Bank Conference Center Gallery in Thessaloniki, Greece.

The paintings of the artists will be presented in this blog.