The
ancient city of TEOS which was founded as an ION colony around the year of 800
BC, includes the ruins of Hellenistic and Roman periods. That was a place of
the first artist community in the human history. In 2012, 2800 years after the
city of TEOS was founded, the Fire of Art was started again with the remarkable
efforts and contributions of the artists Atanur Dogan, Canip Taskiran, incredible help of Can Berktach and many
others, through International Watercolor Society.
It has started as a group of Art lovers on Facebook. The enthusiasts of watercolor had invited all who love watercolor media to the group including famous artists and everyone had accepted the invitation. The next step was hosting the virtual exhibition and organizing a contest that was also judged by a large group of renown artists. It was a pure enthusiasm without knowing anything about such a thing as organization of contest but it worked. Many artists working in watercolor media participated in the contest and the new born organization had had it`s first winners. All these gave a birth to an idea of bringing participated artists together as a celebration of the watercolor media friendship and comradeship. That is how the new society considered to hold a Watercolor Festival and to print a catalogue with the best painting works. So the International Watercolor Society was born.
Only one year past since the first event took place but those who met their friends the last year couldn`t wait for a new assembly. So in 2013 old friends came together again at Seferihisar , only 50 km away from the ancient center of Hellenistic Arts of Teos for the Mediterranean Watercolor Festival.
The experience of this event was just mind blowing! Artists from Europe, Asia, America and Africa met each other. The days of the festival were so full of activity that we just couldn`t find time for bathing and swimming. From the very morning we had exhibitions, master classes sometimes 2 or 3 at a time, exchanging artistic experience and getting to know one another in person. It was fantastic to meet those artists I met before only on the art magazines` pages or in the Internet. Some demonstrations were scheduled but many happened spontaneously when artists were just sitting and painting something that inspired them.
The organizing group did everything to make us feel at home. In the evening we had an orchestra concert with an official part. The winners of the 2012 contest received their Awards from the Mayor of Seferihisar and the President of the IWS. I think everyone was satisfied and happy.
The day after the ceremony the group of international artists was taken to the remains of the city of Teos, the ancient Art center which even now can surprise by the development of city life 2800 years ago.
Certainly on behalf of all guests of the festival I would like to say that it was an amazing experience and I will look forward meeting new painting friends again. I wish the committee of the IWS only the best in the development of the society and the festival. I am sure it will be one of the most important places of Watercolor in the world. It can unite the artists from East and West due to it`s place between the Europe and Asia that make it easier for the artists from all parts of the world to come together.
Chin Lung Huang, Javid Tabatabaii, Can Berktash, Zhou Tianya
Jonathan Kweguir Aggrey, Ong Kim Seng, Chin Lung Huang, Wan Wei
It has started as a group of Art lovers on Facebook. The enthusiasts of watercolor had invited all who love watercolor media to the group including famous artists and everyone had accepted the invitation. The next step was hosting the virtual exhibition and organizing a contest that was also judged by a large group of renown artists. It was a pure enthusiasm without knowing anything about such a thing as organization of contest but it worked. Many artists working in watercolor media participated in the contest and the new born organization had had it`s first winners. All these gave a birth to an idea of bringing participated artists together as a celebration of the watercolor media friendship and comradeship. That is how the new society considered to hold a Watercolor Festival and to print a catalogue with the best painting works. So the International Watercolor Society was born.
Portrait demo - K. Sterkhov ans Gerda Mertens
Chin Li, Canip Taskiran, Chinese and Taiwan guests, Liu Yi, Ong Kim Seng
Only one year past since the first event took place but those who met their friends the last year couldn`t wait for a new assembly. So in 2013 old friends came together again at Seferihisar , only 50 km away from the ancient center of Hellenistic Arts of Teos for the Mediterranean Watercolor Festival.
Turkish and Russian teams
Chinese, Turkish and Russian groups
The experience of this event was just mind blowing! Artists from Europe, Asia, America and Africa met each other. The days of the festival were so full of activity that we just couldn`t find time for bathing and swimming. From the very morning we had exhibitions, master classes sometimes 2 or 3 at a time, exchanging artistic experience and getting to know one another in person. It was fantastic to meet those artists I met before only on the art magazines` pages or in the Internet. Some demonstrations were scheduled but many happened spontaneously when artists were just sitting and painting something that inspired them.
Liu Yi, Chin Lung Huang, Ong Kim Seng, Feng Xingun, Anna Ivanova, Konstantin Sterkhov, Chi Zhengming
K. Sterkhov, Iain Stewart, N. Stewart, Can Berktash
The painting by Wang Wei - III place winner
The organizing group did everything to make us feel at home. In the evening we had an orchestra concert with an official part. The winners of the 2012 contest received their Awards from the Mayor of Seferihisar and the President of the IWS. I think everyone was satisfied and happy.
Liu Yi - II place in the contest
Liu Yunsheng - I place in the contest
Ong Kim Seng
Zhou Tianya
Life Time Achievement Award for Robert Wade, Australia
All awards winners
The day after the ceremony the group of international artists was taken to the remains of the city of Teos, the ancient Art center which even now can surprise by the development of city life 2800 years ago.
The ancient city of Teos
The theater of Teos
Certainly on behalf of all guests of the festival I would like to say that it was an amazing experience and I will look forward meeting new painting friends again. I wish the committee of the IWS only the best in the development of the society and the festival. I am sure it will be one of the most important places of Watercolor in the world. It can unite the artists from East and West due to it`s place between the Europe and Asia that make it easier for the artists from all parts of the world to come together.
