Born 1954, in Rochester, NY, Robert O’Brien has been painting in the watercolor medium for over fifty years. Since moving to Vermont in 1977, he has focused his work on landscape and architectural studies. Vermont, with its distinct four season climate, provides the artist with a wealth of subject matter and ever changing light effects.
The artist finds beauty in the ordinary, subtle reminders of everyday life in rural New England. In his own words, he is driven “to capture the vanishing landscape in my paintings” before they disappear forever as a result of the steady hand of “progress”.
Since 1998, Robert O’Brien has traveled often to Southern France where he now has a home. The region’s sun-splashed landscape and timeless quality of light has added a new dimension to the artist’s paintings.
Medium and Subject
Watercolorist. A traditional painter of landscape, architectural studies and more. Studied with James Whatford, Tony Couch, and Marshall Joyce NA
Education
Fredonia State College
S.U.N.Y. at Buffalo B.A. 1977
Memberships
Academic Artists Association
American Watercolor Society
National Watercolor Society Master Signature
New England Watercolor Society
North East Watercolor Society
Vermont Watercolor Society
Awards and Exhibitions
2024- National Watercolor Society’s Signature Members Online Show
2024- 157th International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, New York NY
2024- Bronze Medal, New England Watercolor Society’s Juried Signature Members Exhibition, Boston MA
2023- Holbein Artist Materials Award: 47th North East Watercolor Society’s International Exhibition, Kent CT
2023- 103rd National Watercolor Society’s International Exhibition, San Pedro CA
2022- Image Resolutions Award: 20th North American Biennial Exhibition of the New England Watercolor Society, Plymouth MA
2022- Award of Excellence: Vermont Watercolor Society’s Juried Fall Exhibition, Waitsfield VT
2022- Central New York Watercolor Society Award, 41st Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge, NY
2022- Mary Bryan Memorial Award for Watercolor, 72nd National Exhibition of the Academic Artists Association, Vernon, CT
2022- 155th International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, New York, NY. My painting was selected for the Travel Exhibition.
2021- 1st Place Award: Fall Juried Exhibition of the Vermont Watercolor Society, Waitsfield, VT
2021- M. Graham & Co. Award: 45th International Exhibition of the North East Watercolor Society, Kent, CT
2021- Madge Macfarlane Memorial Award: 45th Juried Exhibition of the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Kenosha, WI
2021- Gold Medal: 2021 Juried Signature Members Exhibition of The New England Watercolor Society. Boston, MA
2020- Best In Show: Fall Juried Awards Exhibition of the Vermont Watercolor Society, Rutland, VT
2020- ATP Critique Group Award: 40th International Exhibition of the San Diego Watercolor Society online.
2020- Honor Award for Watercolor: 70th Academic Artists Nat’l Exhibition, Arts Center East online.
2020- The Guild of Boston Artists Award for Excellence in Realism: 2020 New England Watercolor Society’s Juried Signature Members Show, Boston, MA
2019- Award of Excellence: 43rd Int’l Exhibition of the North East Watercolor Society, Kent, CT
2019- 99th International Exhibition of the National Watercolor Society, San Pedro CA
2019- Mary Bryan Memorial for Watercolor: 69th Academic Artists Assoc. National Exhibition, Vernon, CT
2019- Ruth Wynn Memorial Award: 2019 New England Watercolor Society’s Regional Exhibition, Portsmouth, NH
2019- 152nd American Watercolor Society’s International Exhibition, New York, NY
2019- Marshall Joyce Memorial Award: 2019 New England Watercolor Society’s Juried Signature Member Show, Boston MA
2018 – Winsor and Newton; ColArt America’s Inc. Award: New England Watercolor Society’s 16th Biennial North American Open Show, Duxbury, MA
2018 – The Moosewalk Gallery Award: 2018 Juried Fall Exhibition of the Vermont Watercolor Society
2018 – The Garnet Award: 37th Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge, NY
2018 – Mary Bryan Memorial Award: 68th Academic Artists Annual Exhibition, Vernon, CT
2018 – 151st International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
2018 – Joseph Santoro Memorial Award: New England Watercolor Society’s Juried Signature Members Exhibition, Boston, MA
2017 – Combined Donors Award 1: 97th International Exhibition of the National Watercolor Society, San Pedro, CA
2017 – Gurdon and Mildred Evans Memorial Award: 36th Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge, NY
2017 – 150th Anniversary International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY. Selected for the Travel Exhibition.
2016 – The Moosewalk Gallery Award: Vermont Watercolor Society’s Juried Fall Exhibition, Lebanon, NH
2016 – The Image Resolutions Award: New England Watercolor Society’s 15th Biennial North American Open Show, Gloucester, MA
2016 – The Arthur E. Baker Jr. Award: 35th Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge, NY
2016 – Watercolor Honor Award: 66th Academic Artists Association National Exhibition, Vernon, CT
2016 – 149th International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
2016 – Silver Medal: New England Watercolor Society’s Juried Signature Members Exhibition, Boston, MA
2015 – Richard Ochs Watercolors Award: 39th Annual International Exhibition of the North East Watercolor Society, Kent, CT
2015 – Juror’s Award: Vermont Watercolor Society’s Juried Members Exhibition, Meriden, NH
2015 – Bradley C. Barnard Award: 34th Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge, NY
2015 – 148th International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, Salmagundi Club, New York, NY
2014 – Canson Excellence in Arts Award: North East Watercolor Society’s 38th Annual International Exhibition, Kent, CT
2014 – Cheap Joe’s Award: New England Watercolor Society’s 14th Biennial North American Open Show, Plymouth, MA
2014 – Juror’s Award: 2014 Vermont Watercolor Society’s Juried Members Exhibition, Grafton, VT
2014 – Old Forge Hardware Award: 33rd Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge, NY
2014 – 147th International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, New York, NY
2014 – Watercolor Honor Award: 64th Academic Artists Association National Exhibition, Vernon, CT
2014 – Silver Medal: New England Watercolor Society’s Juried Member Exhibition, Boston, MA
2013 – Best in Show: New England Watercolor Society’s Juried Regional Exhibition, Plymouth, MA
2013 – Best in Show: 2nd Green Mountain Watercolor Exhibition, Waitsfield VT
2013 – Academic Artists Award: 63rd Academic Artists Association National Exhibition, Vernon CT
2013 – Lolly Shaver Memorial Award for Best Floral: 81st Annual Hudson Valley Art Association Exhibition, Lyme CT
2013 – Honorable Mention: New England Watercolor Society’s Juried Signature Members Exhibition, Boston MA
2012 – Gold Medal: New England Watercolor Society’s Spring Juried Signature Members Exhibition, Boston, MA
2012 – 145th International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, New York, NY
2011 – John R. Alford Jr. Award of Excellence: 5th Annual Exhibition at Grafton, Grafton VT
2011 – Award of Excellence: 3rd Vermont Watercolor Society Juried Summer Exhibition, Grafton, VT
2011 – The Viginia Avery Award: New England Watercolor Society’s Spring Signature Members Show, Boston, MA
2011 – Honorable Mention: 61st Academic Artists National Exhibition, Springfield, MA
2010 – The North Shore Art Association Award: New England Watercolor Society’s Spring Signature Member’s show, Boston, MA
2009 – The Sharon A. Thomas Memorial Award for Transparent Watercolor: 33rd Annual North East Watercolor Society International Exhibition, Kent, Ct.
2009 – Philadelphia Watercolor Society Award: 89th Annual Exhibition of the National Watercolor Society, Brea, California
2009 – Watercolor Honor Award: 59th Academic Artists National Exhibition, Springfield, MA
2008 – The Bradley C. Barnard Award: 27th Adirondack National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge NY
2008 – Silver Medal: New England Watercolor Society’s Juried Winter Exhibition, Boston, MA
2007 – Watercolor West Award: 87th National Watercolor Society Exhibition, Brea, California
2007 – Honorable Mention: 57th Academic Artists National Exhibition, Springfield, MA
2006 – 86th National Watercolor Society Exhibition, Fullerton,California
2006 – 139th International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, Salmagundi Club, New York NY
2006 – Juror’s Choice Award: 56th Academic Artists National Exhibition, Springfield, MA
2006 – Silver Medal: New England Watercolor Society juried show at the Guild of Boston Artists, Boston, MA
2005 – Guerilla Painter Award: North East Watercolor Society 29th Annual Exhibition, Kent, CT
2005 – George Sponable Memorial Award: 24th Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors
2005 – Fran Scully Award: Academic Artists Association 55th Annual Exhibit, Springfield, MA
2004 – Watercolor Honor Award: 54th Annual Exhibition of the Academic Arts Association, Springfield MA
2003 – 136th International Exhibit of the American Watercolor Society, Salmagundi Club New York, NY. Selected for travel exhibition.
2003 – Guild of Boston Artist Award: New England Watercolor Society juried show, Boston MA.
2002 – Kent Day Coes Memorial Award: 71st Hudson Valley Art Association Annual Exhibition, NY.
2001 – 20th Annual Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge, NY. Selected For Travel Exhibit
2001 – American Watercolor Society 134th Annual International Exhibition, New York, NY
2001 – The Daler Rowney U.S.A. Award: 51st Annual Exhibition of the Academic Artists Association, Springfield, MA
2000 – 7th Annual Equinox Art Exhibition, Manchester, VT – Second Place Award
1996 – Watercolor Honor Award: Academic Artists 46th Annual Exhibition
1995 – Academic Artists 45th Annual Exhibition
Represented by
Artistree Gallery. So. Pomfret, VT
The Gallery at the VAULT, Springfield, VT
The Edgewater Gallery, Middlebury, VT
Vermont Artisans and Design Gallery, Brattleboro, VT
Publications
Featured in Watercolor Magazine Spring 2006 issue
Splash 9: The Best of Watercolor
Splash 10: The Best of Watercolor
Splash 11: The Best of Watercolor
1998, 1999, 2001, and 2006 – Fletcher Allen Health Care Calendar
Artists of New England, Vol. 1
Spring 2003 – American Artist Watercolor Magazine
Watercolor Magic Magazine, December 2007 issue
The 2008 Artists Calendar
Watercolor Artist Magazine, February 2011 issue
l’Art de l’Aquarelle – December 2011/February 2012
Splash 15: The Best of Watercolor
Concours mondial de l’aquarelle – World watercolor competition finalist
Watercolor Artist Magazine, February 2015 issue
The Art of Watercolour – 29th Edition – December 2017 – March 2018
Northern Woodlands Magazine – Summer 2018
Watercolor Artist Magazine, February 2019 issue
40th Anniversary Double Edition of The Artists Magazine Jan-Apr. 2024
Juror
2008: 58th Academic Artists Association National Exhibition, co-juror of awards
2008: Wyoming Watercolor Society Annual National Exhibition, Sheridan, WY
2010: Somers Annual Art Exhibit, Somers, CT
2010: 34th North East Watercolor Society International Exhibition, Kent CT, juror of awards
2011: Tolland Art Exhibit, Tolland, CT
2012: 50th National Exhibition of the Hawaii Watercolor Society, Honolulu, HI
2014: Alliance of Nebraska Art Clubs, juror of awards, McCook, NE
2014: 3rd Annual Green Mountain Watercolor Exhibition, juror of awards, Waitsfield, VT
2016: 74th New Jersey Watercolor Society Open Exhibition
2016: 40th International Exhibition of the North East Watercolor Society, Kent CT, juror of awards
2017: 67th Academic Artists Association National Exhibition, co-juror of selection and awards
2018: 151st International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society, New York, NY, co-juror of awards
2020: 39th Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, Old Forge, NY, juror of awards
