Member Benefits...
Associate Membership
Open to any artist or patron of the arts, regardless of residency.
Associate Artist membership entitles you to:
- Inexpensive dues (currently $30/year – subject to change)
- Discounted submissions to NEWS biennial shows (National or Regional on alternate years)
Note: artist must live in New England, or have a gallery presence in NE, to take part in the Regional Open Juried Show - Advance notice of workshops and special programs
- Discounted tuition for workshops
- Free listing on the NEWS website
- Inclusion in the New England-wide (and beyond) communications network – share your accomplishments and learn about those of others
- Opportunity to serve on the board and help shape NEWS policy (New England residents only)
- You may enter multiple shows at the NEWS Gallery in Plymouth
Signature Membership
Signature Membership is open to any artist residing in New England, who has been accepted into four (4) New England Watercolor Society juried Open Shows – The New England Regional Open Show or The North American Open Show-held on alternate years. One of the qualifying shows must be a NEWS North American Open Show. Acceptance in a NEWS Gallery exhibition does not count as qualifying acceptance.
In addition to this, winning 3 Awards of Merit in a NEWS Gallery show, which includes both NEWS Signature and Associate Members, will count as one (1) regional show in the above requirements. This can only be used one time, and is retroactive to the beginning of the gallery shows in 2021. In this case, an artist would still have to be accepted into at least one (1) North American Open Show, and two (2) additional Open Shows to achieve Signature Member Status.
There are currently three NEWS Gallery shows annually where this could apply. These are the All Members Shows.
Signature membership entitles you to:
- Appending 'NEWS' to your signature
- Inexpensive dues (currently $75/year – subject to change)
- Discounted submissions to NEWS biennial shows (National or Regional on alternate years)
- Opportunity to submit work to the annual Signature Members’ Show and occasional other Signature member only shows
- Advance notice of workshops and special programs
- Discounted tuition for workshops
- Free listing on the NEWS website with a free link to your website
- Inclusion in the New England-wide (and beyond) communications network – share your accomplishments and learn about those of others
- Inclusion in the exclusive membership of this prestigious 100-plus-year-old organization along with artists like
F. Childe Hassam, Thomas Allen, Charles Copeland, John Singer Sargent and Andrew Wyeth - Opportunity to serve on the board and help shape NEWS policy
- You may enter multiple shows at the NEWS Gallery in Plymouth, MA
Discretionary Awards & Honorary Life Membership
To recognize or honor outstanding contributions to the mission of New England Watercolor Society, the Board has established two Discretionary Awards and an Honorary Life Membership. These Awards and Honorary Life Memberships are granted at the sole discretion of the New England Watercolor Society Board of Directors. Nominations for recipients may come from the Board, Signature Members and Associate Members. These awards are intended to recognize extraordinary contributions, and as such, are granted only after thorough and cautious consideration and vetting. Awards and Memberships may not necessarily be granted every year.
Honorary Life Member
Recipients are outstanding watercolor artists who are not necessarily NEWS Signature members. This award is similar to a college Honorary Degree.
Criteria:
- Recipients exemplify the highest ideals of the New England Watercolor Society's mission to promote artistic creativity and excellence in water media. Honorary Life Memberships recognize those who have made profound and enduring contributions to the genre of watercolor through outstanding artistic creativity and related increase in public awareness of watercolor.
- Priority consideration will be given to achievements of national or international significance.
- There should be an emphasis on New England artists (residing in New England and/or represented by a gallery or studio in New England) who have made a substantial imprint on the national or international art world, and/or a resident of some other region who has had a particularly important impact in the New England art community or who has drawn particular inspiration from the New England landscape, geographical or cultural.
- Recipients must be persons of great integrity, as the choices we make reflect our values as an institution.
- Receipt of the Honorary Life Membership should have meaning to the individual being recognized.
Recognition and Benefits:
- Presentation at Annual Meeting.
- Certificate.
- Permanent listing on the NEWS website for Honorary Life Membership Recipients.
- Permanent listing in the History Books.
- No obligation to pay annual membership dues.
Honorary Life Members:
| Steve Hamlin | Huntington, MA | 2022 | |
Lifetime Achievement Award
Recipients are NEWS Signature Member Artists who have made exceptional contributions to the organization and the genre of watercolor.
Criteria:
- Contributed to NEWS over many years through exceptional service in a number of the following areas:
- Served as a member of the NEWS Board.
- Served as an officer on the NEWS Board.
- Continued to support and consult/advise with the NEWS Board after retiring from the NEWS Board.
- Served as Chair or Lead Organizer for NEWS Shows, Workshops and other Events.
- Established and maintained public relations for good rapport between NEWS and other regional and national art associations.
- Created goodwill among NEWS members and the community.
- Maintained consistent excellence in painting through:
- Participation in NEWS Exhibitions.
- Participation in other regional and national exhibitions.
- Receipt of awards and citations.
- Contributed to the education of NEWS Members and the general public about the art of watercolor painting through:
- Demonstrations.
- Workshops.
- Lectures.
- Teaching.
- Publication of work in educational art journals, periodicals and books.
| Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Sabin | Concord, MA | 2022 | |
Award of Distinction
Recipients are artists who have supported NEWS and our mission in exceptional ways.
Recipients have made outstanding contributions to NEWS through actions such as:
- Volunteering exceptional service to NEWS over many years, including assuming leadership roles on the board of directors.
- Continuing to support the NEWS board in various capacities, including organizational leadership and program development.
- Taking the lead in efforts to support the objectives of NEWS.
- Fostering the financial stability of NEWS by promoting investments, fiscally responsible decisions, award endowments, and major fundraising programs.
- Serving as a chair or lead organizer for NEWS shows, workshops, and other events.
- Establishing and maintaining public relations for good rapport between NEWS and other regional and national art associations and the community at large.
Recognition and Benefits:
- Presentation at Annual Meeting.
- Certificate.
- Permanent listing on the NEWS website Award of Distinction Recipients.
- Permanent listing in the History Books.
| Award of Distinction Recipients | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Joan Griswold | Ogunquit, ME | 2022 | |
