Hosted by Somerville Manning Gallery in Greenville, Delaware, the American Impressionist Society’s 24th Annual National Juried Exhibitionwill feature nearly 170 juried paintings by some of the most prestigious artists work in the genre today. These works were selected from more than 1,600 entries by a five Signature-member panel who rated the pieces in a blind jury process. An additional 25 paintings by AIS Masters, officers and founders will also be in the exhibition.
Dan Beck, Yellow Kimono, oil, 24 x 18"
“You will see an incredible range of subject matter in our show,” says AIS president Debra Joy Groesser. “From floral and still life, to animals, figures and portraits, to city scenes, landscapes, seascapes and more. We accept a wide variety of mediums too, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, pastel, casein and more. This adds another level of variety not seen in many other juried exhibitions of this caliber.”
Kevin Macpherson, A Splash of Sunshine, acrylic, 11 x 14"
Works are juried into the show based on technical merit and whether or not the piece qualifies as impressionistic. “It’s easier to define impressionism by what it isn’t than what it is,” explains Groesser. “It is not tightly rendered realism and it is not non-representational abstract. There is a wide range of work in between those two that qualifies as impressionism.”
AIS Master Quang Ho will serve as Judge of Awards and is responsible for presenting more than $75,000 in cash and prizes, including a $12,000 cash award for best of show, to the winning artists.
Debra Joy Groesser, March Rain, Times Square, oil on linen panel, 14 x 18"
Each year AIS presents their annual exhibitions in different locations throughout the United States. AIS executive director Liz Ahrens notes, “When selecting where to hold our exhibitions we search for galleries that embrace impressionism paired with interesting and inspiring scenery for our artists to paint. The Brandywine Valley is steeped in history, is home to distinguished museums, boasts thousands of acres of gardens and is easily accessible for many of our members.”
In addition to being the president of AIS, Groesser is also a Signature Master Member and will be exhibiting her piece March Rain, Times Square.Perhaps best known for her impressionistic landscapes, particularly those done in plein air, this piece was a bit of a departure from her usual subject matter. Painted in the studio from reference photos, it depicts a cold, drizzly day in New York City. “The lights of the city through the mist, the reflections, the few people scurrying to cross the streets...all contributed to the moody, mysterious feeling of the scene,” recalls Groesser. “I really enjoyed the challenge of capturing that mood, the reflections on the wet streets and the movement of the people in an impressionistic manner.”
Judy Stach, Coconuts, oil on canvas 24 x 18"
Still nothing inspires Groesser more than painting on location, “capturing the subtle nuances of color, light and atmosphere that can only be achieved by painting from nature.”
“As a member of the American Impressionist Society I have had the opportunity to travel and paint with amazing artists,” says Karen Philpott. In the spring of 2022, she received the honor of being accepted into the organization’s 6th annual Small Works Showcase in Taos, New Mexico. “That trip offered me the chance to paint the rugged and breathtaking landscape of the American Southwest,” she says. Those plein air pieces inspired the larger studio piece High Roads of Taosthat she will show in the exhibition. “Capturing the natural landscape is my favorite subject,” says Philpott. “Landscape painting allows me to capture a glimpse of our great country and share my deep love of nature. My goal is to capture in oils, the atmosphere, light and impression nature presents in every season.”
Jill Banks, Sweet Roses, oil on linen-lined panel, 20 x 16"
Each January for the last three years, Jill Banks has participated in a month-long challenge to paint from life and share her piece of the day on the day. Sweet Roses was one of the pieces that she completed in the last challenge. “In warmer months I spend most of my time capturing life on location, in plein air, with favorite subjects being humans in urban settings,” she says. “It’s much tougher for me to find that thrill and joy in painting in the quiet of home on gray winter days. Thanks to the demands of the January challenge, capturing Sweet Roses was a thrill and a joy. The colors were luscious and the yellow cottage roses looked ready to drop all those beautiful petals. To me, they bring happiness. My hope is that you feel the same.”
Karen Philpott, Forty Mile Town, oil on Belgian linen, 18 x 24"
Judy Stach’s paintings reflect an intimate understanding of life along the shore, with seascapes and landscapes coming alive with children at play, sailboats breezing by and gardeners lovingly tending flowers. Stach, admittedly, finds beauty everywhere—including in a bunch of underripe coconuts as seen in her show piece featured here. “God blesses artists every day,” she says. “His creations are perfect subjects.”
Karen Philpott, High Roads of Taos, oil on linen, 20 x 24"
AIS’ 24th Annual National Juried Exhibition will be celebrated with a week of surrounding events that kicks off August 1 with a five-day paint out in the picturesque Brandywine Valley. There are also workshops, opportunities to paint on site at area museums, panel discussions and studio tours leading up to the awards ceremony and reception on August 3 at the historic Somerville Manning Gallery. The show will remain on view through September 2. A printed exhibition catalog will be released in late July 2023. For details visit www.americanimpressionistsociety.org. —
American Impressionist Society’s 24th Annual National Juried Exhibition
When: August 3-September 2, 2023
Where: Somerville Manning Gallery, 101 Stone Block Row, Greenville, DE 19807
Information: (231) 881-7685, www.americanimpressionistsociety.org
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