42nd Annual Capitol Rotunda Art Show Visitor’s Choice Award Winners

This year, we received over 1,200 public votes for our 42nd Annual Capitol Rotunda Art Show Visitor’s Choice Awards, the highest participation we’ve seen to date. Even more meaningful, every painting in the show received votes, reflecting how widely the work resonated with visitors!!  We’re happy to share the 2026 Visitor’s Choice Award winners:
1st Place ($200) “Ol’ Blue Eyes” by Carol HasBrouck Browning
2nd Place ($100) “The Poser” by Shelly Johnson
3rd Place (Blick Art Materials Merchandise Award) “South of Cascade” by Sharon Herther
4th Place (The Merri Artist Merchandise Award) “Henrietta the Hedgehog” by Tamara Burnett
Honorable Mentions
5th Place: “The Family That Digs Together” by Beth Trott
6th Place: “Catching Some Z’s XVIII” by Lauren Johnson

A special thank you to Blick Art Materials and The Merri Artist for supporting this year’s awards!!! And a sincere thank you to all participating artists. This show is entirely volunteer driven and truly a labor of love. It exists because IWS artists are willing to share their work with the broader community in such an open and accessible space.

IWS 2026 46th Annual Juried Membership Exhibition, Water’s Edge Gallery at the Riverside Hotel, Boise, ID, May 4 – June 29

The annual statewide exhibition will be juried by nationally renowned artist JJ Jiang. JJ Jiang will also lead the annual workshop, June 3-5.  Access workshop details from JJ Jiang. The Critique/Awards Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 – 8:15 pm.

IWS 50th Anniversary Founders Art Show and Reception

The Founder’s Art Show – May 8 – July 5 –  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 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. The Celebration Reception – June 7, 4:00 – 6:00pm will be held  in the Aspen Room at the Riverside Hotel, Boise, ID. Light refreshments and a no host bar will be available during the reception.

SHOWS and EXHIBITS

Southwest Members:

Carrie Cornils – I will have a display at the Art and roses festival on Sunday, June 7 from 10 to 4.  I will have a display at the Meridian fine arts festival on Saturday and Sunday, June 27 and 28th. Please stop by and say hello!

Gary Mccall – The Riverside Hotel, Waters Edge gallery has me up as the featured artist for June. The show, “a little more history of Garden City.” First Friday reception.

Mary Gardiner will be showing Lyrical With Yellow art exhibit at Garden Plaza at Valley View retirement home, 1130 N Allumbaugh St, Boise 83704. A reception Wednesday June 10, 5-7 pm. Mary would love to see you there.

Linda Aman- I am honored to share that my painting Crossroads received Judge’s Choice Award in the Professional Division at the Nampa Art Guild show, judged by Pam Grant. Linda is also pleased to announce her painting “Beyond the Rim of Light” has been accepted into the Idaho Watercolor Society Annual Juried Exhibition. The show is held at The Riverside Hotel 2900 W Chinden Blvd, Garden City. April 30th -June 27th. The Award ceremony will be June 2nd 6:30-8:15 open to the public.

Renee Galligher – Renee is pleased to announce her painting “Stolle Meadows I”, a poured watercolor, has been accepted into the Idaho Watercolor Society Annual Juried Exhibition. The show is being held at The Riverside Hotel 2900 W Chinden Blvd, Garden City. April 30th – June 27th. The Award ceremony will be June 2nd 6:30-8:15 open to the public. Renee is also pleased to announce her painting, “Rhubarb Beauty,” a poured watercolor, received Third Place in the Professional Division, in the Nampa Art Guild Annual Spring Show held at the Nampa Public Library April 27th – May 5th.

Anne Watson Sorensen invites you to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with BOSCO Artists sharing their vision of “The Pursuit of Happiness”. Come to the Meridian City Hall’s Initial Point Gallery (3rd floor) May 20th through Friday, July 31st, 2026.  A free opening reception will be held Tuesday, June 2, 2026 from 4:30-7:00.  The Exhibition is free and open 8-5:00 Mon-Friday, excluding holidays.  33 E Broadway Ave. I have 3 paintings in this group show.

Anne Watson Sorensen invites you to Sun Valley’s Friedman Memorial Airport now through October to view the new juried exhibition.  Family Circle 2 and Euphoria 3 were selected for this exciting show.  1616 Airport Circle, Hailey, ID .  Find Anne Watson Sorensen’s artwork and prints at the Redfish Gallery at the Sawtooth Interpretive Center from June 1 – Sep 1.  Portions are donated to the Jr Ranger program and furthering Sawtooth educational programs.  Just down from the Redfish Lake Lodge in the Sawtooth Mountains.

Anne Watson Sorensen is delighted to be included in the IWS Juried Exhibition and Founder’s Show at the Riverside Gallery now through July.  IWS was instrumental in my learning and growth as a beginning watercolor artist over 30 years ago! That great learning path began as a volunteer!  (Hint, hint). Riverside Hotel 2900 W Chinden Blvd.

Jessica L Bryant, IWS Distinguished Merit Member, has several exhibitions this month, including: Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Watercolor Honor Society, Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, Idaho Watercolor Society, and the Prix de West.

Karyn deKramer – Proud to be included in the IWS Founder’s Show at the Riverside Gallery group show ongoing through July 5th.

Ileana Cordova -I’m excited to share that my Call to Artists application was accepted to exhibit my watercolors at the Kuna Arts and History Center in 2026. My work will be featured alongside two other artists in a three-person showcase from April 24 to July 3, 2026.

Carrie Cornils will spend two weeks in Nice, France and Fermo, Italy painting in watercolors and pastels with Laura Pollak.

Shelly Johnson – Shelly is pleased to share that her painting, “Little Cedarwood Creek Falls”, was accepted into the Land That I Love Exhibition at Mark Arts in Wichita, Kansas. The exhibition opening reception is Friday, May 29 from 5 to 7 pm. The show closes Saturday, July 18. Shelly’s painting, “Galena Overlook”, was accepted into the IWS 2026 Annual Juried Membership Exhibition. The exhibition will be held at the Riverside Hotel in Garden City, Idaho. The show will open Monday, May 4 and show at the Riverside to Sunday, June 28. The awards reception with juror JJ Jiang is Tuesday, June 2 from 6:30 to 8:15 pm.

Eastern Members:

Gloria Miller Allen and Linda Aman will have a two woman show at the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho. Opening is July 24, and it will run through late September.  They will debut their book. CLEVER ENDEVORS at their exhibit. The book will sell for 35.00. Sold through Amazon. The book is educational, has full color images of their work; with mini essays, poetry, inspiring words, personal stories,, and bits of humor.

View the 2026 IWS Juried Membership Exhibition, juried by nationally renowned artist, JJ Jiang. Click any image to enlarge it and view in the slide show. 

Partners, Sponsors, & Donors

IWS would like to thank our partners, sponsors, and donors for the 2026 Juried Membership Exhibition

Partners: Roots Family History; The Riverside Hotel and Water’s Edge Gallery

Sponsors: Blick Art Materials; Jerry’s Artarama; M Graham and Co.

Donors: Catalyst Arts Collaboration; Cheap Joes Art Stuff ; The Merri Artist; Idaho Art Gallery; QOR Artist Watercolor; Holbein; Studio 77; Princeton Art Brush Co.; Strathmore