A Message from the President

I buy most of my books on-line, often from Fishpond, which offers free shipping. Consequently emails advertising titles they think Ill be interested in arrive in my in-box with monotonous regularity. One such title was Paint Yourself Calm: Colourful, Creative Mindfulness through Watercolour by Jean Haines: Meditative, peaceful and calming, watercolour painting offers a sense of control and self-worth to everyone, with no judgement or goal beyond the joy of painting itself. This book shows you how to calm and enhance your outlook through the movement of brush on paper. Master artist Jean Haines leads you on a journey through paint, showing you how to wipe away
your worries with the soothing, gentle strokes of watercolour paint.

That doesnt sound like watercolour painting as I know it - maybe Im doing it all wrong. I console myself with the thought that at least Im in good company. The great John Singer Sargent described painting a watercolour as making the best of an emergency. People who watched him paint watercolours described an accompaniment of sighs, expletives, windy sizzling sounds from his lips and intermittent cries of Demons, demons! Edward Seago invariably used oils when painting in front of others. With oils I can be totally relaxed, he told a friend, but with watercolours Im as taut as a bow-string. John Yardley said, I suppose like most other painters while Im at it my mood varies between exaltation and depression. For most of us, watercolour painting is a nerve-wracking business. Perhaps we all need to read Jean Haines book.

Because of a change in the Academys exhibition schedule Splash 2017 will now take place in October. Last year the duration of the exhibition was 16 days instead of the usual 9 and this year it will again be 16 days. This gives your paintings almost double the exposure. We hope that youre already working on some masterpieces for the show.

John Toft
President, Watercolour New Zealand Inc.