To me, "watercolor is a moving, living, spontaneous media that lets me make a statement in shorthand style at one sitting". If I see something that interests me, I might enhance it to make a subject more entertaining. I don't need to be entirely accurate or architecturally correct. My paintings are a response to what I see.

Born and raised in upstate New York, Bruce Handford is a watercolor landscape painter who favors eastern coastal, rural and cityscapes. Bruce resides in northern Virginia with his wife Peggy.

Although mostly self-taught, he has studied with many nationally known artists. He is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, the Northeast Watercolor Society and Watercolor West. He is also an elected member of The Washington Society of Landscape Painters. His award-winning artwork has been shown in international, national, and regional exhibitions, and many of his paintings are included in corporate and private collections across the country. He is currently conducting workshops and giving demos along the East Coast. He was featured in the Fall 2007 issue of the American Artist Watercolor magazine article entitled "The Art of Storytelling". He was also previewed in the June 2006 issue of the American Art Collector magazine for his classic transparent watercolor style. Cynthia McBride, owner of the McBride Gallery in Annapolis, MD, says …"Bruce Handford paints in a style that reflects the best traditions of American watercolorists. His paintings have a purity and energy created with fresh colorful washes and emboldened by his strong free-form drawing technique that gives structure to his work. The exaggerated architectural shapes almost give human personalities to buildings, while the minimalist figures in his paintings give a sense of scale and life to each scene."

Selected Juried Exhibitions and Awards:

• 2009 Transparent Watercolor Society National Exhibition, awarded Winslow Homer Special Merit Award
• 2009 National Watercolor Society 89th Annual Exhibition, awarded Signature Membership, selected for Traveling Exhibition
• 2009 Watercolor West National Exhibition, awarded Signature Membership
• 2009 Northeast Watercolor Society Annual International Exhibition
• 2008 North East Watercolor Society Annual International Exhibition, awarded St. Cuthbert's Mill Award
• 2008 Watercolor West National Exhibition
• 2007 North East Watercolor Society Annual International Exhibition, awarded St. Cuthbert's Mill Award
• 2007 Transparent Watercolor Society National Exhibition
• 2006 Transparent Watercolor Society National Exhibition, awarded Signature Membership
• 2006 North East Watercolor Society Annual International Exhibition
• 2005 Annual Pruyn House Exhibition, Best in Show
• 2005 Watercolor West National Exhibition Purchase Award
• 2005 North East Watercolor Society Annual International Exhibition
• 2004 Colonie Art League Holiday Exhibition, Best in Show
• 2004 Transparent Watercolor Society of America National Exhibition Award Winner
• 2004 Juried Art League Annual Pruyn House Exhibition
• 2004 Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors
• 2004 NorthEast Watercolor Society International Exhibition, awarded Signature Membership
• 2003 Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors
• 2003 Annual Pruyn House Exhibition, Members Choice Award
• 2003 North East Watercolor Society International Exhibition
• 2003 Eastern States Regional Exhibition, Double Award Winner
• 2002 Midwest Watercolor Society National Exhibition of Transparent Watercolor
• 2002 North East Watercolor Society International Exhibition
• 2002 Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors, selected for Traveling Exhibition

Bruce Handford has been represented by the Berkley Gallery, Warrenton, VA since 2003 and the McBride Gallery, Annapolis, MD since 2004. His paintings have been exhibited in both group and solo shows. Selected images can be seen at www.mcbridegallery.com and www.berkleygallery.com.

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