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The New York Watercolor Club (NYWC) was founded in New York City in 1890 as the New York Water Color Club, that accepted men and women artists as members and officers. It merged with the American Watercolor Society in 1941.
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History
The New York Water Color Club was founded in 1890 and held its first exhibition that year. Childe Hassam was the organization's first president. NYWC was organized in response to refusal by the American Watercolor Society (AWS) to accept women members and to organize an annual exhibition in the fall. In comparison to AWS, it held jury-selected exhibitions which meant stricter standards for the content included in its shows. The club had male and female members and officers, whereas the American Watercolor Society did not accept women as members of their organization until 1897.
Its headquarters and site of its annual exhibition was in the American Fine Arts Building at 215 West 57th Street. The club was represented in the Fine Arts Federation of New York and with other art and architectural organizations on the board of the National Academy Association. In 1918, the club had 175 members and exhibited 581 works by 301 artists in its annual exhibition. Of the 581 works of art, 501 of were watercolors.
The club combined exhibition venues with the American Water Color Society between 1922 and 1931. The two organizations merged, having created a new constitution, and was named the American Watercolor Society in January 1941. The effort was led by Roy Henry Brown, president of the American Watercolor Society.
Its records are archived at the Smithsonian Archives of American Art.
Members
Influential members within the organization were: