The Art by the River event in Star, Idaho will be held September 19-20, 2026. If you are interested in participating, contact Chris to apply: chris.artbytheriver@gmail.com
Please note the correct dates for the show and reception: 50th Anniversary Founders Art Show is May 8 – July 5; the Celebration Reception is June 7th.
Below is an outline for the Celebration Reception and Founders Art Show. A graphic reminder of event details can be accessed here.
In April, IWS members and past supporters will receive an email invitation for the Celebration Reception on Sunday, June 7, at 4:00- 6:00 PM in the Aspen room at the Riverside Hotel. You will be asked to RSVP and send a $10 deposit for each guest to complete your registration. The deposits will be fully refunded when you check in at the Riverside event. Members can choose to destroy their check or donate the check to the IWS Foundation.
Light refreshments and a no host bar will be available during the reception. The event will be an opportunity to celebrate our organization, recognize supporters, take a trip down memory lane, and renew old friendships.
The Founder’s Art Show will feature artists who were early organizers, leaders, and mentors from across the state. Paintings will hang on the north wall of the ballroom. The Founder’s Show will be exhibited during the IWS Annual Show. The Founder’s Art Show will be an impressive and beautiful display.
The book we are producing will be available for your preview and purchase. It is a pictorial history of 50 years of annual award winners, notable events, illustrious artists, and treasured interviews of members’ voices. The book will be available for on-demand printing.
If you are planning to attend WFWS in Colorado in May, please email me, and I will send you the link to the discounted hotel rate. Hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn Denver Tech Center, 7675 East Union Ave, Denver, CO. To get the discounted rates, you must book before April 8.
Thanks,
Shelly Johnson, WFWS IWS Delegate
Shellyejohnson@yahoo.com
If you are a procrastinator like me, you might think you still have a lot of time. But No! The deadline is this coming Sunday, March 8, promptly at 9:00pm. MST
If you have questions, you can go onto ArtCall and read the prospectus. (https://iws2026annualjuriedexhibition.artcall.org/admin/). You can also contact either myself at (hazzy1900@gmail.com) or Garianne Erwin (donerwin2000@yahoo.com).
Our juror, JJ Jiang, will have the month of March to select the paintings that will be entered into the show. Notification will be sent via email on Sunday, March 29th by 9pm. Also you will then be able to go onto your page in Artcall and see if you have a GREEN Thumbs Up, or a RED Thumbs Down. If you entered 2 paintings, be sure to look for 2 emails from ArtCall. If you don’t see them, look in your SPAM folder.
In hopeful anticipation,
Carol HasBrouck Browning, Exhibition co-chair
P.S. I finally entered yesterday!
Please click on the link to open the 2026 Spring Newsletter issue. You can find this issue, along with past issues on the IWS website.
The annual IWS watercolor workshop, taught by JJ Jiang, will be held on June 3-5th at the Eagles Hill Church, Eagle, ID. If you are interested in attending, please read about the upcoming workshop and sign-up instructions. Click on this link for more information.
A friendly reminder: Submissions to the IWS Annual Juried Exhibition ends Sunday, March 8th at 9:00pm MST. Please refer to the Prospectus (PDF) for complete entry requirements, painting specifications, and standards, or go to ArtCall.org – IWS2026AnnualJuriedExhibition.artcall.org.
Hello IWS Members,
I’m reaching out with a favor to ask.
As we prepare for the 42nd Annual Capitol Rotunda Art Show, we could truly use your help spreading the word. This year is especially meaningful as the Idaho Watercolor Society celebrates 50 years! The Rotunda Show is one of our most visible and impactful public events and its success benefits our entire organization.
Please click here for a printable poster. If you’re willing, please consider printing a few copies and placing them anywhere in your community that you think people might notice them. Great possibilities include local art organizations, community centers, churches, libraries, coffee shops, gyms, recreation centers, workplaces, and neighborhood bulletin boards (anywhere people naturally gather).
You can also share the poster digitally (via email or on social media) with family and friends, and include an invitation to RSVP to our event online on Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/the-42nd-annual-capitol-rotund/1214835127154319/
Or if you aren’t on social media here’s our Boise Weekly shareable event listing:
https://www.idahopress.com/boiseweekly/local-events/?_evDiscoveryPath=/event/3500483-the-42nd-annual-capitol-rotunda-art-show-artists-reception
Even if you are not participating in the exhibition this year, your support matters. This show represents who we are as an organization (50 years strong) and helps ensure we continue to have a vibrant presence in Idaho’s arts community for years to come.
Thank you for considering how you might help amplify this event. Every small effort adds up.
Cheers,
Beth Trott, IWS Rotunda Art Show Coordinator
443.824.0624
bethtrott@gmail.com
www.theartofbethtrott.com
https://www.instagram.com/bethtrott/
Registration for Xi Guo’s workshop at WFWS51 in Denver, Colorado is now open. Since Xi lives in Florida and does most of her workshops on the East Coast, or Italy, this is a great opportunity to take her workshop in the West where it is easier for most to attend. If you are an IWS member, you can take Xi’s workshop for $400.00, otherwise it is $450.00 for non members. Workshop is May 5 to May 7, 2026. All the info is on the website, https://coloradowatercolorsociety.org/event-6571135
Currently, IWS does not have a northern representative to share exciting information with its members, so IWS is happy to share her accomplishments with everyone. Coeur d’Alene Press did a nice press release on Priscilla Patterson’s accepted work into the Cheyenne Days Western Spirit exhibition. https://cdapress.com/news/2026/jan/30/local-artist-to-show-works-in-cheyenne-days-western-spirit-art-exhibition/ Congratulations, Priscilla!
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