Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours

Since its foundation in 1831, the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours has promoted the essentially English art of watercolour

RI Logo jpg

The continuous high standard of work has enabled us to follow traditions of inclusivity that the RI was founded on.

Chris Myers - President

The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours, with its origins in the Old Water Colour Society of the 18th century, was formed to exhibit the best of progressive watercolours and to show non-members’ works alongside that of members, a policy still followed today.

The RI continues to show a range of styles and techniques, from traditional uses of the medium to the more experimental and innovative paintings now produced by members of the RI and non-member artists alike. These include many young painters who are encouraged to submit their work using water-soluble media.

Call for Entries

Artists are invited to submit work for exhibition alongside members of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours at the annual RI Exhibition.

Several prizes and awards are available to win.

Prizes & Awards

The Winsor & Newton Award

Winners

2023: Julie Green, High Summer: Dappled Shade

2022: Sheila Vaughan, Girl Holding up the Sky

2021: Teresa Lawler

2020: George Butler, Delhi Market

2019: Tianya Zhou RI, Tibetan Ama 

2018: Mark Elsmore, Multi-Storey

The Winsor & Newton Product Prize

Winners

2023: Nick Gear, Undercurrent (Lines of Thought)

2022: Nicholas Middleton, Deep Level Tube Station Entrance (IV)

2021: Rika Newcombe, Green Stylus No.1

2020: Day Bowman, Storage Facility 2

2019: Felipe Chavez, Building a Stalker

2018: Julie Green, Tangled Tide

The RI Young Artist Award

New for 2024

The President's Choice Award

Winners

2023: Jenny Ross, Dreams of Earth

2022: Zi Ling RI

2021: Jack Haslam, Someone Everyone

2020: Lucy Pulvers, Self-Portrait 1

The Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award

Winners

2023: Karen Mai, Fruitful Thinking

2022: Richard Cross, Memorial

2021: Derek Robertson, There's No Place

2020: Claire Sparkes RI, The Seed That Loki Planted

2019: David Gleeson, The Vanishing Museum: Kelvingrove

2018: Anne Lynch, Waiting for the Guests; Geoffrey Wynne RI, Written in Dusk, Resurrection

2017: Matthew Ph

2016: Julian Bray, Aunty Grace WW2 Nurse

2015: Deborah Walker RI, Detail

2014: David Poxon RI, The Day is Done

2013: Thomas Allen, Love Eavesdropping on Past to Inform Indecision while Lives Lived and Lost

The Baohong Artists' Watercolour Paper Prizes

Winners

2023: Steven Allan Griffiths RI, The Knowledge of Silence; Darrell Warner, Crucifixion

2022: Martin Caulkin RI, The Gate of One Hundred Sorrows; David Walker, Disengaged

2021: Ian Sidaway RI, The Bow River; Sarah Granville, Plot 66

2020: Lillias August RI, Tied Up in Knots; Juliette Losq, Aisle

2019: Harry Price RI, Medieval Fishpond, Baddesley Clinton; Juliette Losq, Corpus

The Cass Art Prize

Winners

2023: Sue Bridge, Summer, Land, Sea

2022: Catherine MacDiarmid

2021: Carol Ryder, Gold Stripe 2021

2020: Martha Zmpounou, Christian

2019: Zi Ling, Bridge

2018: Sarah Wimperis, One Hundred to One from The Shard

2017: Nigel Priddey, North Hill, Malvern

2016: Bob Rudd RI, Trebarwith, North Cornwall

The Chaoshan Watercolour Award

Winners

2023: Harsh Agrawal, En Route

2022: Paul Talbot-Greaves, Winter up on the Moor Edge

2021: Louise Saward, Scarborough Beach

2020: Tianya Zhou RI, Prayers

2019: Pauline Fazakerley RI, The Old Booking Hall

The Debra Manifold RI Memorial Award

Winners

2023: Brian Robinson

2022: Teresa Lawler RI, Distant City - Sheltering Cove

2021: Delia Cardnell RI, Horizon

2020: Lisa Graa Jensen RI, Deep Midwinter

2019: Gary Denny, Celt

2018: Tianya Zhou, Tibetan Old Amah 

2017: Claire Sparkes, Threads

2016: Naomi Tydeman RI, Lavender Sky; Naomi Tydeman RI, Moon Showers

2015: Richard Plincke RI, Come Helen, Come Bring Me My Soul Again

2014: Jean Robinson RI, Low Tide, Summer

2013: Anne McCormack RI, Piano Bar

Presented by the Linda Blackstone Gallery

The Dry Red Press Award

Winners

2023: Sian Thomas, To The Point

2022: Tracy Reeves, Forest Cyclists

2021: Adam De Ville, Eighty Two Rounds, One Knock Out

2020: Desmond Clark, Kid in a Sweetshop 

2019: Julia Trickey, The Last Rose

2018: Mike Bernard RI, The Angel + Crown

2017: Lillias August RI, Four Palette Knives

2016: Janet Skea RI, Naughty Puss!

2015: Lisa Graa Jensen RI, Hide & Seek

The Escoda Barcelona Award

Winners

2023: Samuel Dominiquez

2022: Mark Elsmore RI, Playlist

2021: Roger Dellar RI PS ROI, Hanging Out the Washing

2020: Brendan Smith, Sunset, Ventnor

2019: Lillias August RI, Empty Nests

2018: Clare Maria Wood, Windstorm III

2017: Robin Hazlewood RI, That Line of Turquoise Blue, Evening, Camber

2016: Ann Kilvington, Evening Light, Paddy’s Gole SG

2015: Deborah Walker RI, Detail

2014: Simon Hodges, Symonds Yat

The Frank Herring Easel Award

Winners

2023: Gary Cook RI, Antarctica: Cold but Warm

2022: Varsha Bhatia RI, West Door, York Minster

2021: Kimberley Walker, Out of the Blue

2020: Alex Chilvers, London Fields Lido

2019: Yellon Ran Huang, The City You and I Live In - 2A

2018: Zi Ling, King Lear

2017: Mark Elsmore, Walkway, King's Cross

2016: Geoffrey Wynne RI, Greek Sketches Syros

2015: Christopher Forsey RI, Puss in Souk

2014: David A Parfitt RI, Sat on the Path

2013: Paul Banning RI RSMA

The James Fletcher-Watson RI Award

Winners

2023: David A Parfitt RI, Blue Summer

2022: Andy Lee, Ventimiglia Old Town

2021: Brian Smith RI, Ernie's Beach

2020: David Howell PPRSMA, The Ghats at Udaipur

2019: Geoffrey Wynne RI, Revolution in the Academy

2018: Martin Caulkin RI, Tumbledown Monastic

2017: Julian Bray, Welbeck Terrace

The John Purcell Paper Prize

Winners

2023: Marco Fazzini, Rolling Down

2022: Mark Elsmore RI, Fabrication Yard

2021: Iman Howard, Inside

2020: Faye Bridgwater, 140 Monochrome Studies of Sussex

2019: John Wiltshire, Us and You with a Ring of Salt

2018: Diana Boanas, Wedding Glow

2017: Richard Thorn, Autumn Chiaroscuro

2016: Brian Robinson, One Careful Owner

2015: Filipe Miguel das Dores, Mario Night

2014: Robert Cunnew, The Stade, Hastings

The Megan Fitzoliver Brush Award

Winners

2023: David A Parfitt RI, Dancing Leaves

2022: Colin Allbrook RI RSMA, Amongst the Weeds

2021: Ann Blockley RI, Gorse

2020: Deborah Walker RI RSMA, Be Still

2019: Lillias August RI, Empty Nests

2018: Harry Price RI, Below the Falls

2017: Paul Banning RI RSMA, Winter Light, Queens View, Ewshot

The Michael Harding Award

Winners

2023: Brian Smith RI, Rendezvous

The Richard Plincke RI Prize for Colour

Winners

2023: Ian Cook RI, Figure 5

2022: Jean Robinson RI, Water's Edge

2021: Zi Ling RI, Dancer No.87

2020: Paul Murray, Winter Memorials 

2019: Delia Cardnell RI, Evening Light

The Schmincke Prize

Winners

2023: Nuria Riera, Cabinet

2022: Steven Allan Griffiths RI, The Ghost of Before

2021: Brendan Smith, London Sunrise

2020: Emma Hollaway, Found Paintings 2.1

2019: Paul Murray, Hillside Thaw

2018: Keith Hornblower, Bangkok Building Site

2017: Martin Caulkin RI, One Samuel Sixteen, Verse Seven

2016: Richard Thorn, Noon in the Olive Grove (Portugal)

2015: Varsha Bhatia, Entrance, Natural History Museum

2014: Sarah Wood, Croscosmia with Raindrops

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