Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Award
I was so thrilled and overwhelmed to receive this award for my painting "Believe" at the SEAW selected exhibition and even more so to have it presented to me by the RI president, Rosa Sepple.
This is the article that appeared in their quarterly newsletter, "fRIends of the RI"
Earlier this year the RI Council agreed that an RI member would award a yearly SEAW ‘RI Award’ at the annual exhibition of the Society of East Anglian Watercolourists. This year RI President Rosa Sepple was one of the selected exhibition judges, invited to choose the very first SEAW ‘RI Award’. Artist, Stephie Butler was the chosen winner to take the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (RI) trophy and Rosa, who chose the painting ‘Believe’ said, “Although the standard of work was very high, I had no hesitation in giving Stephie the award. It was such a delightful portrait and beautiful use of water colours”.
After taking home the trophy the artist posted on social media, “I feel so proud tonight, I can’t tell you”. In 2014 she was Awarded Associate Membership of the ‘Society of Women Artists (SWA) and regularly exhibits at the Mall Galleries in London. Almost 200 images were sent in for digital selection and around half of them made it into the exhibition, which this year was held at The Babylon Gallery in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
The SEAW was founded in 2007 and its Members are drawn from the Counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Bedfordshire. Vandy Massey is Chairman and RI Members Lillias August and Julia Sorrell are Honorary Members. For further information visit www.eastanglianwatercolourists.co.uk