Visual Art League of Lewisville

March 7, 2006

12:28 am

Nel Dorn Byrd, AWS will be conducting a watercolor demonstration on March 7 at 7:00 pm in the VAL Gallery.

A native Texan and a resident of Plano, Texas, Nel Dorn Byrd began drawing as a child, first painted with oils, and for the past thirty five years has painted with the medium of watercolor. She studied art at Midland Institute of Fine Arts, Richland College, The University of Texas at Dallas, and with many outstanding watercolor instructors. She has painted in Switzerland along the trails where Sargent painted and she’s enjoyed numerous painting workshops in Greece, Italy, France and Mexico.

She has attained signature membership in several watercolor societies including: the American Watercolor Society, Rocky Mountain National, Texas Watercolor Society, Western Federation, and the Southwestern Watercolor Society. Nel has won major awards in juried exhibitions throughout the United States including the Quaintance Award from Rocky Mountain National, the Alan Chiara Memorial Award from the American Watercolor Society, Best of Show from Western Federation, and the Beverly Green Memorial Collection Purchase Award from the National Watercolor Society. And her paintings have been accepted in more than 150 juried competitions. Her work has been included in numerous publications and books, and most recently an article on her interior paintings was published in Watercolor, the summer issue, 2003.

Artist Statement

I find the medium of watercolor to be an exciting and challenging way to paint; it responds well to my personal style and I enjoy the quick, expressive interpretation it allows. The pursuit of watercolor continues to be a life-long growth process and I feel fortunate to be involved. There is constant inspiration from nature, a wonderful camaraderie with fellow artists, and the sheer joy of painting.