Normally gatherings are epitomized like in March to a standing room only crowd of around 50, but the seats felt a bit lonely as the Illinois Watercolor Society welcomed Catherine Nash. Once the president of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America board, she has since retired to more comforting practices in art. Those of you who missed today's presentation can walk with her as she commentates a tour through the member show gallery on the 22nd. Her apron has Cheap Joe'

On a beautiful day a week ago, I drove out into the middle of the state to the Next Picture Show Gallery in Dixon for the Illinois Watercolor Society's annual National Show. Just the previous Wednesday, I hurried to drop off my submission, "Tago vos," at the gallery past its due date. The facilitator was very willing to give it a space. It was their 32nd national show, with one Taiwanese applicant (not accepted) who gives prudence to the group's influence gaining strength in

"Tago vos" was selected by show judge Mark Mehaffey for inclusion into the Illinois Watercolor Society 32nd National Exhibition 2016. After 55 years of painting he achieved signature member status in a dozen societies, been added to international permanent collections, and published several instructional books. He will demonstrate his techniques at the beginning of the day's presentations starting at 1 pm. Previous submissions of this piece to group shows has been unsuccessfu