robin lee makowski AWS, NWS, FWS-D, NMWS-MP, WFWS
fine artist | illustrator | author | instructor 

So What's Going On?

AWS - Many thanks to the judges for the 159th Annual American Watercolor Society International Exhibition!  My painting, 5 O'Clock Shadow, was accepted for the 2026 Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York City in April!  We went up for the Awards Dinner and had a great time with a bunch of FWS people who also were accepted, got Signature, and won awards,  Since this was my third acceptance, I earned that elusive, coveted AWS Signature Membership!  Woohoo!!!!  For a watercolorist, it's like receiving a PhD.  Three more very big initials behind my name!

​

WFWS - Thanks to the Colorado Watercolor Society for hosting the 2026 Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Show.  I found out last night I won third place for Claret Chorale!  Fabulous!  Many thanks to Judge & Juror, Xi Guo, for this honor!

​

FWS - The 2025 FWS Convention & Trade Show was an amazing success!  We had close to 400 registered for the festivities.  We had even more at the very prestigious Orlando Museum of Art for the Opening Reception of the 54th Annual Exhibition!  Happy Hour Squared, Happy Hour Series #54, was awarded FIRST PLACE - the coveted Guy Beattie Award - by judge & juror, Matthew Bird, and it was a show-stopper!  Plans are in the works for the 55th Annual Exhibition at the Herrig Center for the Arts, and our 2026 Convention & Trade Show at the Bradenton Convention Center.  It's a LOT of work to put all this stuff together!

​

NWS - Two Too Many, Happy Hour Series #51, was supposed to be my NWS entry last year, but I didn't finish it in time, so I entered it in NWS this year.  Turns out, second time was the charm and the panel of three Jurors of Selection deemed me worthy!  The day after Matthew Bird gave me that awesome award in FWS, I get a call from NWS, telling me that Carol Carter, the NWS judge of awards, ALSO awarded me a BIG combination cash & merchandise award: The Harriet & Arthur L. Kaye Memorial Award, Combined Cash Award, Michael Harding Watercolor Award, Jerry's Artarama Award, Silver Brush Award, and Royal Talens Award!  I'm over the MOON!!!!  Thanks to the 2025 NWS Jurors of Selection & especially to Carol Carter for this honor!!!! ​

​

​​TaWS - I was thrilled to receive word from Jennifer at the Tallahassee Watercolor Society that Happy Hour Campers, HH#52, won the Gold Award in the 2025 Brush Strokes Show at the Tallahassee City Hall!  Thanks so much to judge, Danielle Figueroa, and the TaWS board and volunteers who make these opportunities possible!  

​​​

Workshops & Judging - Speaking of which, I just added a page to the website outlining workshops I teach and judging credentials, if anyone is looking for those services.  Right now, I only teach in-person workshops within three hours drive in Florida, nothing online.  Not set up for it...yet.   ​

​​​

​ ​Updated May 10th, 2026