We talk about water a lot in this magazine. We need it to help our plants grow. We’re careful in our gardening practices so we can keep our waterways clean.
The many ways that water is used will be demonstrated in a watercolor exhibit by Dan Meyer and Jane Stoddard at Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village, 3755 Tonawanda Creek Rd., Amherst. A preview showing will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26.
The watercolors are available for purchase.
The display and sale will be part of Water/Ways, an exhibition from Museum on Main Street of the Smithsonian Institute, to be held at Heritage Village from Saturday, Oct. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 17.
Water/Ways will explore water’s vast impact on humans. In addition to biological and environmental significance in our lives, water has also permeated American culture.
With compelling text, imagery, interactive displays and videos, Water/Ways reveals the central nature of water in our lives.
Watercolor exhibit
For the watercolor exhibit, Meyer said that he chose pieces that show the many ways that water is used. A lake freighter shows how we use water for shipping goods. A stream visited by a black bear shows how people use water in natural spaces for recreation. For an otter who is shedding water droplets, water is its home.
Meyer’s images depict still water, flowing water and water whipped by storms. His style is impressionistic.
Meyer lives in Amherst. He is a founding member of the Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society and an instructor in watercolor and drawing.
Stoddard describes her style as photo realistic, which is very unusual for watercolor. She uses a wide range of values, from light to shadow.
“The thing I like to do best is find boats with a lot of reflections,” she said.
Stoddard is a member of 18 professional watercolor societies, including being a master in the Transparent Watercolor Society, a member of the National Watercolor Society and a member of the Niagara Frontier Watercolor Society. She was recently made a member of the International Guild of Realism.
She won three awards in national watercolor shows in the past month and teaches detailed watercolor. She is self-taught.
Stoddard was a member of the Board of Trustees at Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village and is now on the advisory board. She lives in East Amherst.
