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The Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild got its start in 1966, when a group of ten charter members got together calling themselves the "Puddle Pushers". These ten charter members, Edith Berryman, Kay Bonfoey*, Helene Byrd, Molly Hale, Pat Hopper, Patricia Cooper Hughes*, Blanche Judd, Ida Landry, Mertice St. Claire and Bette Vogt*, met weekly each spring to paint, after classes with the late Gerry Peirce.
When the group was asked to form a chapter of the Southwestern Watercolor Society, mentor Gerry Peirce said they were ready for such a step.
Becoming disenchanted with the Southwestern Watercolor Society after five years association, we voted to withdraw from that organization in the spring of 1971, and form our own group. Thus the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild was born. We were growing – we had 80 members. Today our membership is well over 400!
Our workshops have always been one of the most important services of the Guild, and our members have had the opportunity to study with many of our country's most well-known watercolorists.
The desire to show in cities outside Arizona prompted SAWG to be a leader in helping to establish the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies, now comprising nine groups from California, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and Texas. The annual exhibition of the Federation is held in rotating localities in these states.
Donna Kohlhoff is the current historian for SAWG.
The painting shown here is by Louise Wyant, and is called New Mexico Pulsation. It is watercolor with blue glue lines, and was shown in the '95 Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibit in Houston, Texas. Framed, it measures 24" x 31".
Louise was a long time member of the Guild, as well as its historian. She is deceased, but her dedicated support of and service to SAWG are remembered annually through the Louise Wyant Memorial Award at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Fiesta Sonora exhibit which she co-chaired for many years.* Life members
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