Spiva Center for the Arts major Watercolor USA Exhibit opens this weekend
Because of renovations at the Springfield Art Museum, the Watercolor USA national exhibit will be moved this year to the Joplin’s Spiva Center for the Arts located at 7th and Wall.
Exhibits Director Shaun Conroy told Newstalk KZRG:
“Well, we are having the opening reception for members on Friday night, but then on Saturday is just our regular hours, 10 to 5, you can come in and see this wonderful exhibit. It’s really stunning.”
For the first time since its founding in 1962, Watercolor USA—the preeminent national exhibition of water media painting—will be held outside of Springfield, Missouri.
With the Springfield Art Museum undergoing temporary closure for construction, Spiva will proudly host Watercolor USA from August 23 to October 11, 2025, at the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex in downtown Joplin.
This year’s exhibit was juried by Paul Jackson, a prolific artist and ambitious world traveler, who is one of today’s most versatile and visible contemporary watercolorists.
Honored by the American Watercolor Society with signature membership at the age of 30, Paul is also a Signature member of the National Watercolor Society and an Honor Member of the Missouri Watercolor Society.
Watercolor USA 2025 is generously supported by Arvest Bank and Davis CPA Group, LLC.
“As the Museum made plans for construction, we knew we had to find a way for Watercolor USA to continue,” said Nick Nelson, director of the Springfield Art Museum. “We’re pleased to announce that Spiva will be home to this national tradition in 2025.”