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Margie Samuels is our January featured artist of the month, and we are so happy to have her as a long time member and board member of the Essex Water Color Club! Here is her watercolor journey as shared by Margie in her own words:

"I live in West Caldwell.  Surprisingly, I have lived in the Caldwells since I am two years old!  I am lucky to have a studio that is part of my house.  I teach classes and workshops from this studio, and now I have a good set up for Zoom workshops as well.

I’ve always loved to draw and paint…..when I went off to college, I tried other majors but always came back to Fine Arts.  I did my undergraduate education at Brandeis University where I had amazing art professors, including Elaine DeKooning and Peter Grippe (my mentor).  The interesting thing about Peter Grippe is that his mentor was Hans Hofmann!  I wrote a blog post about “My Mentor’s Mentor” (https://www.margiesamuelswatercolor.com/blog/2015/8/11/my-mentors-mentor.

Although my mentor was an Abstract Expressionist, I have wandered into watercolors.  I do a lot of landscapes and plein air workshops.  But I also love to paint flowers and abstracts (there is a piece of my mentor still inside).

I have been painting in watercolors for 42 years!  My daughter Becca was just two years old and she was terribly allergic.  She was also asthmatic.  I had been doing oil paintings and pastels, and I looked down on my sweet little one’s face and I knew I had to find a way to do some art without making her feel bad.  Watercolors are easy, mostly non-toxic and don’t use liquids like turpentine that would aggravate her breathing.  I bought some watercolors and tried to play with them.  Then I bought a book to see what was I doing wrong.  Ultimately, I took a few classes to help me find me way.

I mostly paint with watercolors, but I really do paint with water media.  That is, I also use acrylics and inks…..anything I can dilute with water.  I will paint on all sorts of papers and canvasses.  I love to try different surfaces.  

As for what watercolor means to me, it is reflected in my philosophy below.  I really do love to teach painting.  I love to introduce people to the world of possibilities with watercolors.  This summer will be my 18^th year teaching at the Landgrove Inn in Landgrove, Vermont; this year's  workshop (July 14-17, 2025), is a four-day workshop that includes both plein air and studio painting.  Mostly, I want my painters to come home with a pile of finished paintings and an inner motivation to continue on their own.  In the last year, I’ve also joined the teaching faculty of French Escapade.  Last June I taught in the French Alps.  In June, 2026, I’ll be teaching in Costa Brava, Spain, for them. This information will be on my website in another month or so.

My Philosophy

I have been an art teacher for many years now….instructing adults, teens and children in various forms of art.  Mostly, I teach beginner and intermediate levels of watercolor.  Many of my students come to me totally new to the process of painting; often they are anxious and afraid. Will the class be too hard? Will everyone else create “better” pictures? Will they be able to follow the instructions? These are common concerns for first level painters.  I address these worries by keeping my classes small, and the studio environment calm and supportive.  Also, I begin at the beginning with the basics, moving step by step through the process of how to hold the brush, mix the paint, choose colors, set up a painting, etc.  But the most important thing that I can teach is the sheer joy of creativity….  If my students leave my classes with a smile on their faces, then I have a smile too. 

I believe that beginner and intermediate watercolor projects do not have to be juvenile, simplistic compositions.  I value the unique experiences and opportunities that test each of my students, regardless of their painting level.  There is almost nothing that I haven’t adapted for these classes.  Consequently, my students paint all types of landscapes, including those with complicated skies, buildings with perspective or multiple figures.  We tackle still life and abstracts, floral compositions and collages.  On occasion I arrange for a nude model to pose for us; my beginner and intermediate painters have produced wonderful watercolor figure works. 

I offer more than just a pretty landscape to paint.  We start each session with painting techniques, and often delve into rules of composition, principles of design and color theory.  I give out supporting reading materials to my classes, and I make reference notebooks for my workshops. I want my students to be able to apply what they’ve learned to any future painting opportunity.

My goal is to make every class and workshop that I teach both exciting and challenging, whether it is a beginner class or an advanced class.  I want all of my students to feel both artistically pushed and excited by the projects we paint ….and my hope is that they are proud of each of their paintings."

Website: https://www.margiesamuelswatercolor.com/about

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/margiesamuelsstudio/

Instagram Page:  margiesamuelswatercolors

We are pleased to present our September 2025 featured artist of the month, the talented Rosemarie CampbelI, currently living in Cranford, NJ.

Rosemarie earned her BFA from Brooklyn College and has taken numerous studio art courses at the Art Students League in New York City, as well as at the Visual Arts Center of NJ and the Rahway Art Center in NJ. Drawing has been a passion of hers for as long as she can remember.

In her own words, Rosmarie says: "I’m especially drawn to painting portraits and pets, with the aim of portraying the essence or spirit of my subjects. I also have a desire to capture the light within a scene.I have been painting in watercolor for the past 13 years.

In the past, I’ve worked with oil, charcoal, and pastel. Currently, I primarily use watercolor and gouache.

Watercolor painting, to me, represents the freedom to let go. It’s about surrendering control and trusting the flow. What draws me to watercolor is its transparency and its unique ability to capture light. I appreciate the challenge of its unforgiving nature and am always amazed by the vibrant, unexpected effects it can create on its own."

If you're interested in commissions, feel free to contact Rosemarie via email: [email protected]

We are pleased to present our December Featured Artist, Nancy Robinson.  Her work is dynamic and detailed, and is worthy of a second look.  Nancy tells of her artistic and watercolor journey, which started in her youth:

"Having lived in New Jersey for most of my life we recently moved from Basking Ridge to  Spring Lake New Jersey . My  focus of inspiration has changed from the mountains and streams to the beaches, ocean and lake. 
I painted often growing up, and studied fine arts at St Elizabeth’s University and have  continued throughout  the years studying with numerous notable artists in classes or workshops. I enjoy plein air workshops and studying different styles that are not typically mine. It is so true you can never stop learning . 
My first true watercolor inspiration was studying weekly with Carol Hubbard AWS . With three small children at home, it was such a wonderful getaway to study this magical medium. 
I paint realistically and subject matter varies, mostly architectural  and landscape scenes. I am inspired by places we travel to and of course the ocean which is literally steps away. It is usually the play of light and shadow rather than the actual subject that first catches my eye.
I paint in both watercolor and oil. In my studio you will always see a watercolor on the drafting table at the same time as an oil in progress on the easel, two very different processes, however both embody all the same characteristics of design.
Watercolor to me is freedom, spontaneity, creativity and simply JOY!"

Website.   www.robinsonoriginals.com

We are pleased to announce Medy Bozkurtian as our February featured artist!  Her paintings are unique, colorful and lively, reflecting a mastery of the watercolor medium. Medy's paintings reflect her skill with a wide source of subject matter.  

Medy has lived in East Hanover for the past 25 years.  She studied oil painting at the Art Students’ League in NYC. She then went on to study watercolor painting with Carl Burger, Alvaro Castagnet, Edwin Havas, Joel Popadics, and acrylic painting with Robert Burridge, as well as many others. She has been painting watercolors for the past 20 years and occasionally goes back to painting with oils.  Over the past 10 years she has been working with acrylics.  Clearly Medy has mastered all 3 mediums!

In addition, music is an integral part of the creative process for her.  She studied classical piano at a very early age in her native Bulgaria, and at the Julliard School of Music as well. 

Medy’s favorite subjects to paint are people and places around the world.  She believes that “watercolor is an exciting medium that creates spontaneous and beautiful paintings”.  Medy was also past president of the Essex Water Color Club. You can visit her website at https://www.medystudio.com, and see her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest as well for more information. 

We are pleased to present our very talented artist of the month, Carol Martancik.  Carol is from Bloomfield at the present time, but has also lived in Germany, New York City, Montclair, Philadelphia and Boonton, NJ. She was once a jewelry artist who picked up her first paintbrush in 2012 and began studying at the Montclair Art Museum. 

In her own words, here is what watercolor painting means to Carol: "Watercolor saved my life.  After my husband of 35 years died in 2011, I was a mess.  I stepped down from my job as Associate Chancellor for Administration at Rutgers University in Newark, retired and tried a lot of different things to keep myself together: I became a real estate agent and started kayaking, hiking, tried pastels, etc.  After the first waterpainting class with Sharon Pitts, I was hooked and it helped me focus and let go of grief.  I am grateful for it."

Carol is partial to painting nature subjects and at the moment especially over saturated colors.        

We are pleased to present our May, 2025 featured artist, the accomplished painter Audrey Bartner, who lives in New Jersey. Here is the story of her watercolor journey in her own words:

"After I retired from a retailing career I went to an art show in the park and met Muriel Rapport.  I loved her style and asked if she gave lessons. She did - and I went on  to take classes at the NJ School for visual arts, the Montclair Museum and took workshops with different artists . My favorite subject is flowers - but I have expanded my love of painting to taking pictures when I travel and every place I go becomes a painting in my mind.  Now every subject is exciting! I’ve been painting for about 20 years.  During Covid I took a pastel painting class on line, and now I do both! Watercolor painting is my way of sharing the beauty that is all around us and I love it when others are moved by my work.  I’m delighted when others share my enthusiasm."

You can view more of her paintings on her website: [email protected]. 

We are pleased to present our October 2025 featured artist of the month, James Powles.  James has been a member of the EWCC since 1993, and president of the club for the past 6 years, and we want to spotlight his excellent artwork this month!

James lives in North Jersey, and has formal art education both as an undergraduate in fine art studio, as well as a master's degree in art education.  He has been painting in watercolor for over 40 years, and uses other mediums such as colored pencils and pen and ink. 

In James' own words, he says "I do not have one specific favorite subject matter to paint.  I get bored just painting one type of subject, so I have learned to paint landscapes, portraits, animals, architecture, flowers, still life, almost everything. I enjoy the challenge that traditional watercolor offers to the artist. What I mean by traditional watercolor is that the artist does not use white paint, the white that you see is the white of the paper. This process of painting watercolor gives a luminosity and spontaneity that cannot be achieved in other mediums".  

Our February artist, Jennifer, grew up in Miami, Florida, and has lived in Beverly Hills, NYC, Wisconsin, Ohio, Texas, South Carolina, Hawaii, and for the past 16 years, Chatham, NJ where her daughter and grandchildren live.  Jennifer is a former actress, and believes that  "life is energy and ever-changing".   She began painting watercolors 30 years ago with encouragement and frequent reminders ("Are you painting?") from her mother-in-law, who was the only painting teacher Jennifer has ever had. Jennifer says "Light and shadow are my favorite subjects, and architecture and scenery offer me endless opportunities to explore them".  She works from both life and photographs.  You can tell from her paintings how much she enjoys her subject matter, and has fun creating these dynamic paintings!

We are pleased to present Jane Getty as our July 2026 featured artist.  Jane lives in Wayne County, and has a degree in Art Education.  She has taken many different watercolor workshops over the past 30 years.  Her work reflects her careful and detail oriented approach to the medium. 

Jane grew up in Aruba, and her "first love is the sea".  She is captivated by the colors of the Caribbean, but she enjoys painting landscapes and portraits as well.  You can see in her paintings that she is skilled in conveying many different subjects in watercolor beautifully. 

In her own words Jane says "Recently I had the pleasure of working with Elvis Tromp, a very accomplished artist in Aruba.  He introduced me to acrylics and to using a pallet knife.  When done correctly, producing a finished work is incredibly quick and satisfying."  

When asked what watercolor painting means to her, Jane responded "I love creating with watercolors!   I was first introduced to the medium in college.  It fascinated me then and it still does.  I enjoy the challenges of capturing the colors in the sea and all of my surroundings."