Splash of color lands at TPA
The Florida Watercolor Society celebrates its 50th anniversary with an exhibition of favorite paintings at the airport.
Tampa International Airport visitors may notice a new splash of color at a freshly installed Florida Watercolor Society exhibit, which is part of the organization's 50th anniversary celebration.
A collection of watercolors by Florida artists went on display in mid-December and will remain hanging in the airport gallery between the Main Terminal and Marriott hotel through the end of March.
“It’s exciting to think about the number of people who can see it,” said Florida Watercolor Society director of operations and past-president Kathy Durdin.
“This isn’t your grandmother’s watercolor. These are very serious artists who are doing very fun and exciting things with watercolor.”
Each of the 27 paintings was selected from past exhibitions and many were award winners.
“We only accept 100 paintings from all of the artists in the state of Florida,” said Durdin. “It’s a very prestigious exhibit.”
The watercolors span a wide variety of themes and painting techniques but many showcase Florida’s unique beauty.
“We have so much that says Florida but it’s not just a bunch of palm fronds," said Durdin.
From Suzanne Natzke’s “Safe!” which captures the anticipation and excitement of a Tampa Bay Rays game, to Roberta Oliver’s “School’s Out” which shows family fun on the water, the vivid colors of the Sunshine State are evident throughout.
“Some of these will make you smile. They’ll take your mind somewhere other than your troubles and the colors might even make you happy.”
The exhibit is open to the public through April 1 and is free, including the first hour of parking.
For more information, visit the website floridawatercolorsociety.org or contact Kathy Durdin at KathyDurdin@gmail.com.