I'm pleased to share

I'm pleased to share that Juror Paul Jackson awarded my painting Hashtag Harmony the Kenneth M. Shuck Memorial Award (First Place) in the Watercolor USA 2025 Exhibition held at the Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, Missouri.  The reception held last night was well attended and I met some new artist friends and reconnected with longtime friends as well. One of the highlights for me is reading the juror's statement featured in the catalog.  It's not often that you feel your painting is truly understood, but this is one of those moments.  Paul wrote:  "A few works in particular stood out with extraordinary clarity:  L. S. Eldridge's "Hashtag Harmony" is a love letter to function - a symphony of utility frozen in time.  Tools are the instruments of creation and repair, and here they're given the reverence of stained glass. Each one was painted as if it had its own story, its own scars, its own rhythm.  The reflections, shadows and overlap aren't chaos - they're choreography.  A still life that's anything but still."   So beautifully written, thanks for that Paul.  Also, attended the WHS dinner afterwards where we saw a presentation about the WHS 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Robert Lee Mejer.  He was aware he would receive this honor in summer, but unfortunately passed away after a short illness.  It was quite touching to hear Carole Hennessy speak about him.  If you are in the area, make the short trip to Joplin to see Watercolor USA 2025, you will be rewarded by the quality and beauty of the paintings and sculptures by my fellow artists.  Back to my brushes.  

"Sometimes that lasting impression came from impeccable technique-but more often, it was the soul of the painting that lingered."  - Paul Jackson