Nell Bartlett, an artist and resident of La Mesa, California, has again won a third-place award, this time in the continuingly competitive February 2022 San Diego Watercolor Society (SDWS) Member’s exhibition “Simple Pleasures”, an in-gallery show of the SDWS at 2825 Dewey Road in Liberty Station, San Diego, CA. Bartlett’s painting entitled “The Way In” was selected by prominent local artist and juror Thomas Franco for this honor, out of over 200 entries. Franco said of the painting, “This is an abstraction, and as such it has to meet the basic execution level of all paintings, with good bones, and with design. You have to get to the level where there is not a story, just good vibrations, design, color, pattern, and boundaries, all of which are exciting. It all works.”
Nell Bartlett studied business in college, raised a family, worked as a Real Estate Broker for 25 years and dabbled in painting as a hobby, taking classes when she could. Her love of art changed when she enrolled in a watercolor workshop, in England, and learned to paint villages, churches, landscapes; all in wonderful transparent watercolor. Nell lived in France and England for a few years, painting the countryside and continued studies with artists in both countries. When she took a workshop in Abstract/Non-representational art, she found a new way to communicate through color and words. She paints in mixed media, primarily water based, and loves using mark makers such as crayon, pastels, pencils, water, alcohol, and fabric. Nell is a long time member of the San Diego Watercolor Society, where she is currently President, and her work can be seen at many monthly exhibits. She also shows at the Kate Ashton Gallery on 30th Street and various exhibitions throughout the city on a fairly regular basis. She is a member of and has exhibited in the National Watercolor Society, Watercolor West, The International Society of Acrylic Paintings and the Western Federation of Watercolor Painting. Her work can be seen at www.nellbartlett.com. The SDWS Gallery Exhibit will run through Sunday February 27, 2022 at the SDWS gallery at 2528 Dewey Road in Liberty Station. Paintings can be viewed and purchased from the gallery as well as on the SDWS website at https://www.sdws.org/galleryart.php?cat=6992
