Fostorian 2nd in state watercolor competition

FOSTORIA — Jennifer Sowders of rural Fostoria earned second place and Dennis Zimmerman of Findlay claimed third in the 2025 Watercolor Ohio competition.The juried exhibition, which took place in the fall in Springfield, included 64 paintings from 219 entries submitted by 136 artists. Sowders' "Life's Work" and Zimmerman's "Old News" are among the 32 works in the Ohio Watercolor Society's travel show, which is now available for viewing at Findlay's Marathon Center for the Performing Arts through March 28.A reception with some artists in attendance is scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Feb. 22, in the Marathon Center's Fisher/Wall Art Gallery. It will take place in tandem with the 7:30 p.m., mainstage performance of "Mark Twain Tonight!"Other works included in the travel include those created by Findlay's Janealla Killebrew and Toledo's Martin Chauppies.First place went to "West Side Market Meat Man," painted by Nancy Notarianni of the Middleburg Heights/Berea area.Of "Life's Work," Sowders wrote in an email: "I came up with the concept for the piece when I was a little depressed. I was having a moment where I was feeling like I was 'bleeding out,' with not much to show for it (artistically speaking). The next day, I got a commissioned to paint the famed 'Abby Road' Beatles album cover) as a 9-by-14-foot mural in a private home."The next two weeks, I found myself in a very satisfying 'high' and then upon returning to my drawing board, I said to myself, 'You can't do this painting. It's too depressing!' And then perspective came. To 'bleed out' would indicate waste. ... I'm not wasting my time. It's my life's work!' Suddenly, it had profound meaning and I felt like the story needed to be shared because it's not always easy to be an artist."At the show's opening at the Springfield Museum of Art, I had a person come up to me and start telling me their struggles as a craftsman, without even knowing my specific story with the painting. So, I know it resonates loud and clear amongst artists."Both Sowders and Zimmerman painted on a unique plastic surface called Yupo.Paul Jackson, a juror for Watercolor Ohio, was quoted as saying on website www.ohiowatercolorsociety.org: "I was especially intrigued by the diversity of surfaces explored — most notably, two of the top-five award winning pieces were painted on Yupo. That alone is rare. But even more rare is seeing the surface used so effectively, with the kind of control and intentionality that elevates difficulty into something seamless. When handled well, Yupo brings a unique vibrancy to watercolor, and those artists earned every accolade."Watercolor 2026 is scheduled for Sept. 26 through Oct. 30 at Lourdes University in Sylvania. The deadline for entries is April 3 at website www.ohiowatercolorsociety.org.