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The Essex WaterColor Club, having started at the Newark, NJ Kresge’s Department store in 1932, is about to complete it’s 83rd year of continuous operation. We can be proud that we are New Jersey’s oldest organization

devoted to the art of watercolor...with emphasis on the teaching aspect. Consider the number of members that this Club has attracted and encouraged to try their hand at painting over the years, a picture using, arguably, the most difficult medium to master. And we have consistently tried to provide the framework for accomplishing this with our demos,workshops, bus trips, exhibits and newsletters. I can remember going to a couple of demos many years ago at Livingston’s Northland facility, but was not a member nor was I doing any painting at the time.

Only after I retired in 2004 did I actually get started. After I had been with the club for about a year, I learned that there was a need for someone to manage the publicity for the club. Although I did not know anyone, I still felt this was some thing I thought I could do so I signed up.  After my first year, I was “volunteered” to manage the Club’s exhibit at the Overlook Hospital. And, with the help of Club members, the show was a success. Then I was again “volunteered” to run programs, which was very rewarding since I got to know many artists and organizations that I would otherwise not have known.

Somewhere in between, I started to run the annual bus trips to the AWS show. In one of my previous lives, I learned that to make the boss look good it was important to be surrounded by valuable people. And you see the high quality of our volunteers’ efforts every time you come to a demo or some other Club activity. My heartfelt thanks goes out to all of the cur - rent and past Board and Committee members that have consistently and reliably supported the activities of the Club and me.

 As you know, my tenure as President will end a few weeks after our April demo. Marian Jones, our current Treasurer will be retiring also...after 8 years!. Donna Read has graciously volunteered to take over as your Treasurer. Some of the other changes for next year are: Jane Ballinger will replace Pam Summers as our Programs manager. Pam will be sharing the Workshop duties, previously headed up by George Polazzi, with Noreen Brunini as well as Website management. Margaret Najjar will be assuming the duties of Librarian since Jane DiMaggio has decided to step down as well. And finally, Carol DeVisser will be helping to steer our Exhibits for the next season.

This has been a great ride for me personally. Our Club is strong and needs to remain so. This is the perfect time to step up and help since our 2015-2016 season will not start until September...providing a good deal of time to familiarize and train you on the tasks of the committees. This is your club and will only succeed if we have people willing to make the commitment to help. You need only to contact me to learn how you can help