The Australian Watercolour Institute (AWI) is a non-profit membership organization devoted to the advancement of

watercolour painting Watercolor (American English) or watercolour (British English; see spelling differences), also ''aquarelle'' (; from Italian diminutive of Latin ''aqua'' "water"), is a painting method”Watercolor may be as old as art itself, going back to t ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It was founded in 1923 by six painters in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, and was modeled after the

Royal Watercolour Society The Royal Watercolour Society is a British institution of painters working in watercolours. The Society is a centre of excellence for water-based media on paper, which allows for a diverse and interesting range of approaches to the medium of wa ...

and the

American Watercolor Society The American Watercolor Society, founded in 1866, is a nonprofit membership organization devoted to the advancement of watercolor painting in the United States. Qualifications AWS judges the work of a painter before granting admission to the soc ...

History

The AWI's first exhibition occurred in 1924. A students' exhibition began in 1930. Until 1974, the AWI met in a variety of places and the annual exhibitions were held in different galleries. In that year, it received a grant enabling the AWI to rent space in a building on Sydney's Sussex Street. A reciprocal exhibition with the American Watercolor Society occurred in 1975, and in 1977, an AWI exhibition toured New Zealand. The international presence expanded to include Mexico City, Mexico; Spain; Vancouver, Canada; Hong Kong; and Korea (4th Asian Grand Watercolour Festival, Busan Biennale). The founding members were J. Bennett,

Alfred James Daplyn Alfred James Daplyn (1844 – 19 July 1926) was an English-born Australian artist. Born in London, Daplyn studied there at the Slade School of Fine Art, the National Academy in New York City, under Jean-Léon Gérôme at École nationale supér ...

Albert Henry Fullwood Albert Henry Fullwood (15 March 1863 – 1 October 1930) was an Australian artist who made a significant contribution to art in Australia. He painted with Heidelberg School artists around Melbourne and moved with Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton ...

Benjamin Edwin Minns Benjamin Edwin Minns (17 November 1863 – 21 February 1937) was an Australian artist, recognised as one of Australia's foremost watercolourists. Minns was born in Dungog, New South Wales, Australia and had lessons in painting and drawing at I ...

Martin Stainforth Martin Frank Stainforth (14 August 1866 – 22 April 1957) was a British-born artist best known for his portraits of Thoroughbred racehorses he painted in England and while living in Australia and the United States. Biography Born at Martle ...

and Charles Ephraim Smith Tindall. Invited foundation members included

Albert Collins Albert Gene Drewery, known as Albert Collins and the Ice Man (October 1, 1932 – November 24, 1993),Skeely, Richard. "Albert Collins: Biography" Allmusic.com. was an American electric blues guitarist and singer with a distinctive guitar style. ...

, John Eldershaw,

Hans Heysen Sir Hans Heysen (8 October 18772 July 1968) was a German-born Australian artist. He became a household name for his watercolours of monumental Australian gum trees. He is one of Australia's best known landscape painters. Heysen also produced ...

Norman Lindsay Norman Alfred William Lindsay (22 February 1879 – 21 November 1969) was an Australian artist, etcher, sculptor, writer, art critic, novelist, cartoonist and amateur boxer. One of the most prolific and popular Australian artists of his genera ...

Sydney Long Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountains ...

Arthur Streeton Sir Arthur Ernest Streeton (8 April 1867 – 1 September 1943) was an Australian landscape painter and a leading member of the Heidelberg School, also known as Australian Impressionism. Early life Streeton was born in Mt Moriac, Victoria, sou ...

, John D Moore,

J. W. Tristram John William Tristram (7 October 1870 – 19 August 1938) was an Australian artist who painted primarily in watercolour. He commonly signed his paintings "J. W. Tristram". Biography Born at Gillingham, Kent, England, Tristram was the first of ...

and

Blamire Young William Blamire Young (9 August 1862 – 14 January 1935), commonly known as Blamire Young, was an English/Australian artist who painted primarily in watercolour. Biography Early life Young was born at Londesborough, Yorkshire, the second son ...

. Past presidents include George Duncan and Hal Missingham. Other notable members include Ronald Steuart, winner of the 1958

Wynne Prize The Wynne Prize is an Australian landscape painting or figure sculpture art prize. As one of Australia's longest-running art prizes, it was established in 1897 from the bequest of Richard Wynne. Now held concurrently with the Sir John Sulman Prize ...

, and Robert Wade, winner of the 1986 "Advance Australia Medal" for outstanding contribution to Australian watercolour. While membership was by invitation, it was not a requirement for exhibiting at the annual exhibition, such as the example of Heysen. Jean Isherwood's first exhibited work with the AWI in 1934 was a small painting, but thereafter, she became a frequent exhibitor in major art exhibitions. In 2006, ten percent of the membership were recipients of honours awarded by the Australian state ( Australia Honours).

Publications

AWI published its first book, ''Australian Watercolour Institute: 75th anniversary 1923-1998'' on the occasion of its 75th anniversary in 1998. Its second book, ''The Australian Watercolour Institute: A Gallery of Australia's Finest Watercolours'', was published in 2006. The 2006 edition reproduces over 150 contemporary Australian watercolour works, as well as forty historical ones, and includes essays that document Australia's watercolouring history.

References

External links

Official WebsiteRedbubble Trends
Australian artist groups and collectives Arts organizations established in 1923 Arts organisations based in Australia Organisations based in Sydney Watercolor societies 1923 establishments in Australia

History

Publications

References

Further reading

External links