About Us - Jacksonville Watercolor Society

1982-2024  In 2024, we celebrate 42 years of service to our members and active participation in the arts communities in the Jacksonville area (including Clay, St. Johns, Nassau, and Duval counties). Our members have grown over the years both in numbers and in artistic excellence which is recognized by awards locally and nationally.  

Board of Directors and Committee Chairs for the 2023 - 2024 term
:


The Board members are elected in April for a 12 month term. They serve from the last meeting of the season in May through the next May when new officers are installed. If a Board member leaves before the end of their term, the Board will fill the vacant position.  Board meetings are generally held from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm on the third Thursday of the month, August - through May. Location will be via zoom until further notice.  Meet the Board members in section below.

JWS History and Founding Members:

A brief history of how JWS started in 1982 is provided by Rosemond Parish, one of the founding members.   We are grateful to the founding/charter members listed for their time and interest in initiating the Jacksonville Watercolor Society.  

Past Presidents: 

JWS continued to develop and to serve the arts community under the past presidents listed, many of whom are still active in JWS or other art organizations. Thank you for your leadership and contributions to JWS. 

Board of Directors and Committee Chairs 2024-2025

Please contact one of board members if you have a question or suggestion or would like to volunteer and get more involved in one of our many activities.  Click on the image to send an email or call the phone number listed.

From time to time, roles change and we need new board members to join us, sometimes mid-term.  The Board and Janet Killackey, Recruiting & Nominations Chair,  are looking for additional members to join and/or assist the Board and committees. Descriptions of key positions are described in the Bylaws. Additional details can be provided by Janet or one of the Board members.

Some roles may be done from your home with a few hours per month and others allow you to meet and become involved with other members and visiting artists. It is a great opportunity to get involved, have fun and contribute to promotion of watercolor in the local community.

LuAnn Dunkinson

President
[email protected]
904-572-2828

Barbara Holt

VP Shows
[email protected]
904-874-4916

Tuni Weiss

Treasurer
[email protected]
904-540-4040


Jeannie Gabrynowicz

Secretary
[email protected]
904-504-7880

Rebecca Mentz

Co-VP Membership
[email protected]
904-294-0777

Heather Hill

Co-VP Membership
[email protected]
(614) 562-3343 

Geri Groenert

Co-VP Programs & 
Co-VP Workshops
[email protected]
904-940-7621

Danielle Helow

Co-VP Programs &
Co-VP Workshops  
[email protected]
904-614-3465

Karen Zelenkov

Co-VP Communications 
Newsletter Editor & Website
[email protected]
904-614-4399

Carol Doyle

Co-VP Communications
Publicity & Social Media
[email protected]
904-553-1172

Janet Killackey

Recruiting
[email protected]
904-992-7293

Richard Godke

Assistant Webmaster
[email protected]
904-693-3501  

This could be you!

Job title or function?

JWS History


Short History By Rosamond Parrish, Founder
In February 1982, with inspiration and counsel from legendary instructor Edgar Whitney, Rosamond Parrish called together a group of 26 watercolor painters at her house for the first meeting of the Jacksonville Watercolor Society. By October 1982, membership had grown to 100, demonstration meetings were held on the 4th Tuesday of the month and the first workshop was held. The first juried exhibition was in June 1983 at the Kent Campus Gallery of FCCJ (now FSCJ).

We had a great turnout for our 30 year anniversary celebration at the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach on May 22, 2012. Lots of photos of members & guests, charter members, board members, and artist of the year.

Toni Charneco was our historian for 20+ years and preserved JWS history in many albums. We enjoyed a slide show of highlights from the 1980's and 1990's and early 2000's.

We had another great turnout for our 40 year anniversary celebration at the Mandarin Garden Club on May 24, 2022.  Lots of fun and fellowship with a clothesline gallery, recognition of the past 40 years in exhibits and slide show, educational information, swap & shop, and refreshments.  We have recently scanned all the albums and updated the 40 year slide show with digital photos from JWS years after the albums.  We are updating the website with the slide show.  

Below is a list of the founding members when JWS was first chartered.

Founding - Charter Members

Barbara Black   
Margaret Carlson   
Helen Covington 
Don & Janice Delong 
Marvin Duncan   
Martha Finger 
Helen Goldman
Cheryl Hastings
Charlotte Jones 
Elsie Kramerick
Sarabob Londeree
Richard Lundgren
Peggy Mohler 
Marga Paris 
Jack Perry 
Charlotte Reid   
John Thorne 
Ohla Walther 
Becky Woodward

Eloise Bowen
Toni Charneco
Suzanne Crown
Mary Alice Doff
Carol Egner
Charlotte Forbus
Lucinda Halsema
Judith Horton
Margera Keeter
Janet Law
Oscar Lott
Anne McClain
Shirlee Negaard
Judy Parish
Vera Proctor
Marie Shell
G.L.Thornton
Joan Wellings

 Catherine Callahan
Clara Cochran
Mardie Crowe
J.E. & Evelyn Draper
Nancy Ellison
Robert Gallagher
Rebecca & Will Hardy
Marge Johnson
Debra Keller
Robert Le Blanc
Delores Lovett
Mary Ann Miller
Caroline Oberling
Rosamond Parrish
William Proctor
Dorothy & Bill Thomas
George Tobi
Ellis Williamson

Past Presidents

President                    Term

Becky Woodward                     1982-1983
Martha Finger                           1983-1985
Scotty Thornton                        1985-1986
Barbara Renfro                          1986-1987
Sandra Grafton                          1987-1988
Gloria Travassos                         1988-1989
Charlotte Reid                           1989-1990
Miles Batt 2                                1990-1992
Pat Lusk                                      1992-1993
Audrey McCullagh                   1993-1994
Florence Ashton Schadler     1994-1995
Janelle Watson                         1995-1996
Renee Winkler                          1996-1997

President                         Term

Kenneth Cooley                           1997-1998
Joseph Mikulas                            1998-1999
Leigh Murphy                               1999-2001
Wilma Gilstrap                              2001-2003
Stephanie Sipp                             2003-2004
Jennie Szaltis                                2004-2005
Francesca Tabor-Miolla              2005-2008
Terese Muller                                 2008-2010
Karen Zelenkov                             2010-2013
Fran Grandy                                   2013-2015
R.Tuni Weiss                                   2015-2019
Chris Olmoguez                            2019-2022
LuAnn Dunkinson                        2022-