Edward Abrams, an artist and resident of San Diego, California, won the first-place award in the continuingly competitive April 2021 Member’s exhibition “Color Zone” held virtually in April 2021, on The San Diego Watercolor Society website, www.sdws.org. Abrams’s painting entitled “2020” was selected by prominent local artist and juror Richard Hawk for this honor, out of more than 270 entries. Hawk said of the painting, “This painting has echoes of Andrew Wyeth for me. Wonderful design and spot on values with deft paint handling. The narrative seems to be simultaneously profound and matter of fact. It is visually and emotionally satisfying, and produces a complete experience.”
Abrams has been a recent regular in the San Diego Watercolor Society member exhibitions, as well as a frequent award winner. Edward has always been an artist. As a young boy in Cleveland, he saw an exhibit of Henri Matisse and started art classes. He studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art and was there included in exhibitions, juried by prominent artists. As a matter of practicality, his first job was with American Greeting cards where they nurtured artists and encouraged them to do outside exhibits. When Edward moved to Los Angeles, he worked in advertising and became the Graphic Design chief of a major department store, winning many awards in the L.A. area and from the American Advertising Federation. When the work in advertising became too narrow for him, he moved out into broader work, freelancing so he could put his painting skills to work. and he did many award winning jobs for major publishers including Harcourt Brace, Westways, Atlantic Monthly, and Capitol Records, where he painted portraits of classical composers. Edward’s list of awards and accomplishments are too numerous to list. Spanning from the 1980’s to 2020 he has been recognized for his excellence as an artist and illustrator on an international level. More of his work can be found at http://www.abrams-art.com/artist.html
The Virtual Exhibit will run through Saturday April 24, 2021 on The San Diego Watercolor Society’s website at https://www.sdws.org/galleryart.php?cat=6964 where the paintings can be both viewed and purchased from the Online Store.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO WATERCOLOR SOCIETY
The San Diego Watercolor Society, a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1965, is dedicated to expanding the appreciation of and involvement in watermedia painting through education, exhibition and promotion. More information can be found at http://www.sdws.org
“2020” by
Edward Abrams
Watercolor, 11 x 16 in
Image courtesy of San Diego Watercolor Society