Welcome to the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society's  The Face in the Mirror Online Exhibit!

This is our first exhibit of 2024! It is a members only exhibit.

To purchase a piece, To purchase a piece:

• click on the image
• click on the i  in the circle at the top right
• click on the link that says "to purchase"
• That will take you to page on this website 
• where you will click on "Add to Cart" 
• click on View Cart and check out. 

Payment can be made securely online using PayPal or by mailing a check. price does not include shipping. The artist will arrange for shipping and purchaser is responsible for shipping costs. Prices do not  include shipping.

These images are copyrighted by the artists.

Scroll down to see the exhibit!

Juror's Statement From Peggy Habets

This was one of the more fun jurying assignments but also difficult to narrow down to only three awards. The artists took the assignment and ran with it, ranging from traditional self-portraits to symbolism to abstracted mark making. No one seemed to take themselves too seriously, which was so refreshing, and I had a great time going through the images. In the end, I returned to my usual formula for selection. 

Round One: Which artworks made me smile, look twice, startle, or pause? I separated the less interesting from those with a unique point of view. If I could have stopped there, I would have but I still needed to whittle the selections down.

Round Two: Which remaining artworks have technical proficiency and a solid design, while still giving me a sense of the subject? I looked at the images full size and then as small thumbnails. The thumbnail size allows the paintings with the strongest design and impact to jump out.

I walked away, had lunch and returned with fresh eyes. Reviewed the images all over again. Do I still feel the choices for Round Two are valid? (Yes.) Which of the Round Two paintings do I keep thinking about and returning to? (Ahh, now we are getting somewhere.) Which ones are showing me the personality, mood, or temperament of the subject? (Important criteria in a self portrait.) 

Round Three: Here’s where I have to be a little heartless and just go with my gut. These are all strong paintings but only three can be selected from the remaining seven. In the end, I chose the three paintings that I found to be the most compelling and interesting to me. It’s here that my bias may come through but really, a juror is just someone who knows a little about what makes a good painting and then selects their favorites from those.

Third Place: 

Two Hundred Fifty Six, Ariane Sarno

This was actually the hardest award to decide on. I felt that the three awards together needed to represent the scope of the entries in terms of style, mood, and approach. Not only was this artwork technically proficient, it showed planning, effort, design, and bit of humor. The tight rendering and meticulous application of bright color contrasts nicely with the other two award winners.

Second Place:

At the End of the Day, I'm Still Me, Mary Ellen Raneri

This portrait is so direct that it not only made me squirm a little, it made me stop and stare. The pale skin tones with ruddy cheeks, the off-kilter neckline, and the unvarnished gaze made me feel as if this sitter has a lot to reveal. It feels like an homage to an Alice Neal or Vincent Van Gogh self-portrait.

First Place:

Reluctant Me, Eileen Sudzina

The first-place winner is oh so strong and checked all the boxes. Besides being well designed and having a strong impact from a distance, I can clearly see the artist’s hand in this. This is not a passive painting of two people observed; this moment was experienced and a bit vulnerable. The brushstrokes are confident and bold while the color palette is harmonious and subtle.