About the Artist

Carla's work combines her love of architectural detail and attention to qualities of light that transform commonplace scenes. The result is a body of work that read like snapshots.....found scenes that become still lives, architectural subjects that capture the light and people going about their daily life their story unfolding before us.

 

Born and educated in Canada, Carla Gauthier has lived and worked in the U.S. and Europe, and now resides in Houston, Texas where she continues to paint and teach. While earning her BA in Fine Art and Art History and her Bachelor of Education, she continued to paint in watercolors and oil paints. An education in traditional drawing and printmaking provided her with a solid base in image making.

 

Carla is a signature member of the following organizaions: National Watercolor Society, the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolor, the Watercolor Art Society, Houston, the Transparent Watercolor Society, the Louisiana Watercolor Society and a Signature Member of Watercolor West. She has shown with these and other organizations in regional, national and international exhibitions, and has work in art collections in Canada, U.S. and Europe. More recently she has been a judge for regional art shows and watercolor exhibitions, and leading 3 - 5 day watercolor workshops on topics like Limiting your Palette, Architectural Details and Creating Atmosphere.

 

Her works are available through her website and often at

Upper Bay Frame and Gallery in League City, Texas (upperbayframe.com 281-333-9199)

PUBLICATIONS and PUBLICITY

 

Watercolor Live Demo Artist 2026

 

Art School Live with Eric Rhoads to publicize Watercolor Live 2026, November 2025

 

Artist's Magazine Splash 26: The Best of Watercolor published June 2025

 

Artist's Magazine Splash 25: The Best of Watercolor published June 2024

 

Artist's Magazine Splash 23:: The Best of Watercolor to be published as a magazine in June of 2022

 

 North Light Books' Splash 21 - Capturing Mood, to be published as a magazine in 2020

 

North Light Books'  Splash 20 - Creative Compositions, published 2019

 

North Light Books'  Splash 19 - The Illusion of Light, published in 2018

 

North Light Books' Splash 16 - Exploring Texture, published in 2015

 

Southwest Art, "Making a Splash" article, January 2013

 

North Light Books' Splash 14 - Light and Color: The Best of Watercolor, published in 2013

North Light Books' Splash 12 - Celebrating Artistic Vision, published in 2011

North Light Books' Splash 9 - Watercolor Secrets published in 2006

International Artist magazine, Issue 41, 2005

International Artist Publication How Did You Paint That? 100 Ways to Paint Still Life and Florals, Vol. II, 2005

Watercolor Magic magazine, Creative Challenge #9,  October 2005 issue

EXHIBITIONS

 

American Watercolor Society - 2025 

 

Watercolor Art Society - Houston, Juried Member's Show  2025 (3rd place awarded) 2024,2023 (Shirley Sterling Award), 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 (First Place Awarded), 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 (First Place Awarded), 2014, 2013 (Merchandise Award), 2012 (First Place awarded), 2011 (Merchandise Award), 2010 (First Place awarded), 2009 (Third Place awarded), 2008 (Honorable Mention), 2007, 2004 (2nd Place awarded), 2003 (Merchandise Award), 2002, 2001 (Honorable Mention)

 

Watercolor Art Society - Houston Juried International Show 2025, 2024, 2023 (Merit Award), 2022 (Honorable Mention Awarded),2021, 2020, 2019, 2018 (First Place awarded), 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 (Merchandise Award), 2012, 2011 (Honorable Mention), 2010 (Honorable Mention), 2009 (Merit Award), 2008 (Honorable Mention), 2007, 2006, 2005 (Honorable Mention), 2002, 2001

 

Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Kenosha Wisconsin 2025, 2023 (Madge Macfarlane Memorial Award), 2021, 2019

 

Women in Watercolor 2025 (finalist), 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021

 

Visions Adjoin, Collaborative Show between National Watercolor Society and Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, 2020

 

Watercolor West Annual Juried show - Brea, California, 2025, 2020, 2019,  and in Irving, California 2002 (Winsor Newton Prize awarded)

 

National Watercolor Society 2025, 2024, 2019, 2011 Annual Exhibition and subsequent NWS Traveling Exhibition for 2012

 

Society of Watercolor Artists Annual Juried Exhibition, 2024, 2022, 2021, 2020 (Juror's Award), 2019 (3rd Place Awarded)

 

Southwestern Watercolor Society's Annual Member Exhibition, 2024, 2023, 2020, 2019 (Merchandise Prize  awarded)

 

Southern Watercolor Society, Annual Juried Exhibition, 2024, 2023

 

Texas Watercolor Society Annual Exhibit 2020

 

Louisiana Watercolor Society's International Exhibition, New Orleans 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2005

 

Live Oak Art Center, Columbus, Texas, Watercolor Showcase Exhibition of 5 Watercolor Artists from Houston, July 2019

 

Solo Exhibition, Tommy's Restaurant and Gallery, September - November 2015

 

Group Show, Third Coast Gallery, Galveston, Texas, August 2015

 

Outstanding Watercolor, Bold Brush Painting Competition, November 2012

 

Oil and Water, 2 person show with Lindy Schillaci, Waterford Harbor Marina/Upper Bay Frame and Gallery, September 2009

 

Member's Show, American Women's Club, Brussels, Belgium, 2007

 

Texas and Neighbors 20th Annual five State Juried Competition, Irving Texas, 2005, 2019

 

Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake - Open Media Juried Show - Summer 2010 (Merit Award), Summer and Winter 2009, Summer 2008 (Juror's Choice Award), Summer and Winter 2004, 2003, 2002

 

Baltimore Watercolor Society Mid-Atlantic Regional Watercolor Exhibition 2005, 2004, 2003

 

Western Federation of Watercolor Societies - 29th annual Juried Exhibition, Dallas 2004

 

Open Water - Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour - Juried Show 2024, 2003, 2002, 2001 (Dorothy J. Corson prize awarded)

 

Wonder of Watercolors, Group Show at South Shore Harbor Resort, 2003

 

National Society of Artists Annual National Juried Show, 2003 (Best of Show and Ist Place Watercolor awarded), 2002

 

Watercolor Art Society - Houston, Watermedia 2003 Fundraiser show (1st Place awarded)

 

The Arts Alliance Center at Clear Lake, Group Watercolor Exhibition 2002

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Painting, for me, is an opportunity to make sense of an increasingly visual world. I get to enjoy the image making process, choosing the contrast, color and light that suit the subject at hand and the story being told. It is a pursuit which has its challenges and successes, but it is about the process, the small gains made along the way.