I recently received notice, from the (MPSGS) Miniature Painters, Sculptors, and Gravers Society of Washington, D.C.’s ’73rd Annual Exhibition of Fine Arts Miniatures’, that I was awarded the “The Manny Sullivan Memorial Award for Excellence”, second in show, for my watercolor painting “Bashful – Mute Swan”. This year’s miniature show consists of 712 artworks entered in the international exhibition that will be held at the Strathmore Mansion in North Bethesda, Maryland.
This came as a complete surprise to me, and I am very pleased and grateful. I haven’t been entering the exhibition for a very long time – only the past few years or so. I visited the exhibition the first year I was juried into the exhibit, attending the Patron’s Preview, which was very nice.
I haven’t been to too many traditional miniature society exhibitions, primarily because most of the large and respected societies in the United States are located on the coasts, such as Washington D.C. And Florida, and I can’t peel myself away from my easel for too long. ;)
The Miniature Painters, Sculptors, and Gravers Society is one of the oldest in the world, the oldest active society in the United States. The MPSGS society was founded in 1931 by Alyn Williams, Founder of the RMS, the Royal Miniature Society, in London, England. The organization is highly respected in the field of miniature arts.
I should also add, the MPSGS miniature art society was chosen to host the “Third World Exhibition” which was held at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. in July of 2004, which featured some of my artwork as well. 
This piece is one of my new miniature watercolor paintings – completed about a week and a half ago or so. It is 5×7 and of a great horned owl – titled “sentinel”. While painting this miniature, I noticed that haven’t painted too many owls in a while. I think I might paint a few more of them soon. :) 
