The 2026 Western Federation of Watercolor Societies(WFWS) 51st Exhibition is open to all members of the following regional societies, Arizona Watercolor Association (AWA), Colorado Watercolor Society (CWS), Idaho Watercolor Society (IWS), New Mexico Watercolor Society (NMWS), San Diego Watercolor Society (SDWS), Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild (SAWG), Southwestern Watercolor Society (SWS), Utah Watercolor Society (UWS), Watercolor Society of Oregon (WSO), and West Texas Watercolor Society (WTWS)

 Artists must be members in good standing and have paid all dues to their society before entering the 2026 Western Federation of Watercolor Societies 51st Exhibition. This exhibition is hosted by the Colorado Watercolor Society and will be on display at the Curtis Center for the Arts, 2349 E Orchard Road, Greenwood Village, CO.

• May 5–7, 2026 – Xi Guo Workshop at Curtis Center
• May 8, 2026 | 6–9 PM – Awards Dinner, Hilton Garden Inn, Denver Tech Center
• May 9, 2026 – Exhibit Opening Reception

For questions or help please contact the co chairs

Beatrice Trautman:  303-888-6828 

Andrew Ferdig:  303-319-0040

Juror WFWS 51: Xi Guo

Xi Guo, Signature member of American Watercolor Society and National Watercolor Society, was born in Shanghai, China. After completing graduate school at Savannah College of Art and Design, majoring in photography, Xi moved to St. Augustine, Florida. 

Xi started painting with watercolor about twelve years ago and soon became an international award-winning artist. Xi’s paintings have been exhibited in China, France, England, Taiwan, Italy, Hong Kong, South Korea, Vietnam and Greece. Her articles and paintings have been featured in the International Artist Magazine, the Art of Watercolor Magazine and Watercolor Artists Magazine. Her paintings were included in the art book, The Best of Watercolor- Splash 16, 20 and 21, published by North Light Books. 

In 2015, Xi won a cash prize at the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours’ 203rd Open Exhibition, and a major award from Shenzhen International Watercolor Biennial in China. Xi’s paintings have been accepted by American Watercolor Society’s international exhibition six times since 2016 and received the Anne Williams Glushien Memorial Award in 2021. Moreover, Xi won merchandise awards and cash prices at the National Watercolor Society’s International Exhibition in 2016, 2017 and 2020. In 2018, Xi received third place at the Biennial International Prize “Marche d’Acqua”Fabriano Waterclour in Italy. Xi was also the Best in Show winner at the Florida Watercolor Society’s Exhibition in 2019 and 2022. In 2021, Xi received the Best Watercolor Award at the 15th International ARC Salon competition. Additionally, Xi earned the TWSA Members Award (Third place) twice at the Transparent Watercolor society of America’s  annual exhibition in 2021 and 2022. Most recently, Xi received the AWS Gold Medal of Honor (courtesy of Clara and Ida Wells Stroud) in the 157th Annual International Exhibition.