What are the letters following my signature on my paintings?

CWA and NWWS are initials I am very proud to add to the end of my signature. In the art world, achieving signature status is a much-valued accomplishment that indicates an artist has achieved an exceptional level of expertise in their chosen medium – in my case, watercolor. CWA stands for California Watercolor Association. The NWWS are the letters that represent Northwest Watercolor Society. Both of these watercolor groups are among the most prestigious art organizations in the United States, and the annual completions are open to international artists, as well as US artists.

I also have signature status with numerous regional art societies, but it would look like alphabet soup if I were to put all of them after my name! In brief, each organization requires that artists must have several paintings juried into annual competitions, work in some capacity as a volunteer, and also submit numerous images for a board of review to determine the overall quality of the body of work. It takes years and a dedication to the medium to acquire these letters!

California Watercolor Association
www.californiawatercolor.org

Northwest Watercolor Society
www.nwws.org