Hip Hop Bebop
watercolor, 12" x 12"
Chris Beck
BIG NEWS item #1: I got word back in early February that two of my paintings had been selected to hang in the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) annual open exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London between March 25 and April 11, 2015. The RI was founded in 1831 and this annual exhibition is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious in the world. There was a rigorous selection process: I first had to establish a tax number in the UK, then submit digital images, and finally, submit the actual framed paintings for a second round of jurying. I'm very appreciative of the help I received from an artist friend in England to frame and transport my works to the gallery for the jurying.
In addition to Hip Hop Bebop, I will have a second painting on exhibition – Waiting in the Wings.
Waiting in the Wings
watercolor, 12" x 12"
Chris Beck
BIG NEWS item #2: This past Friday, I learned that my painting "Arabesque" had received the First Place award in the Other Media category of the Richeson75 Small Works show. In addition to a generous award, I am particularly pleased with juror Molly Johnson's statement: "A vibrant and extremely well executed watercolor. The artist's dynamic design of background and colorful subjects are whimsical yet it is a sophisticated piece of work." She really understands what I'm trying to do. The show is at the Richeson School of Art and Gallery in Kaukauna, Wisconsin from February 23 to April 4, 2015.
Arabesque
watercolor, 9" x 10.5"
Chris Beck
In addition to "Arabesque" I have a second painting on exhibit in the Richeson show – a bit of fun featuring our old friend Ruddy Duck, mixed with type and spattering for textural interest.
Quack
watercolor & gouache, 9" x 9"
Chris Beck
