Wilma Schaffert, BA, KWS
Kansas Watercolor Society Signature Member
Wilma Schaffert
Wilma is a full-time, professional artist exhibiting in many
one-person shows, including the Kansas Watercolor Society. She has won
over 100 regional and national awards. Wilma is one of only 200
signature members of the Kansas Watercolor Society, which is a
competitive, juried exhibition of paintings in aqueous media by
artists residing in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska,
New Mexico, and Texas.
Education
Chadron State College, Chadron, Nebraska BA, Major Art Composite with two and three dimensional; Western Nebraska Community College, Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Mid-Plains Community College, North Platte, Nebraska. Attended workshops conducted by internationally known artist Jack Hines, NWS; Jessica Zemisky, PSA; Guy Coheleach, Dan Smith, Christopher Schink, NWS, WCWS, FCA; Miles Batt, AWS, NWS; Tony Van Hasselt, AWS; Judi Betts, AWS; Reynold Brown, Charles Cross, Claude Croney, AWS; William B. Schimmel, Rose Edin, MWS; Patsy Smith, NWS, KWS, NWO; Tony Couch, AAS, WW, MWS; Don Dernovich, NWS, KWS; Peter Lowe's Success Seminar and other prestigious instructors.
Experience
Artist-In-Resident and Workshop Instructor Guadalupe Mountains
National Park 2007, Eagle Canyon Hideaway Instructor 2007, Adjunct Art
Faculty for Western Nebraska Community College, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
2001-2006, and Paintings featured in the Kansas Watercolor Society
Newsletter 2004-2005. Many one-person exhibits, exhibiting member of
Kansas Watercolor Society, of which she is a signature member.
Additionally, she has exhibited in Wind River Valley Artist Guild
Show, Noyes Art Gallery, One Person Show Ironbrush Tattoo and Art
Gallery, One Person Show Carnegie Art Center Show 2007, One Person
Show Thedford Art Gallery 2005-2006, Sand Painters Art Show, Kansas
Wildlife Art Series Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Saratoga
Platte Valley Festival of the Arts, Wyoming Two Shot Invitational Art
Show, Old West Museum Western Spirit Art Show and Sale, Fort Robinson
Western & Wildlife Art Show, Chadron State College Alumni Art Show,
Nebraskaland Days Governor's Invitational Art Show, McCook Community
College Six State Competitive 1992-1993, NPVAG Juried National Show,
1990 Illustrated "Faith, Fun and Fantasy", 1891-1988 Illustrated
United Methodist Church Of Alliance Cookbook, exhibited member of
Visions 1988-1990, exhibited member of NPVAG Five Show 1977-1978, Art
Show Judge, Art and Wildlife Slide/Public Speaker and private workshop
instructor.
Awards
Award winner in show of national Scope. Third Place Wind River Valley
Artists' Guild Miniature Art Show 2008, Juried honorable mention ANAC
State Award 2008, Artist-In-Resident Guadalupe Mountains National Park
2007, Top 25 Finalist Wyoming Ducks Unlimited Competition 2007, Two
paintings selected for runner-up awards in the Nebraska Statewide
Arboretum Botanical Print Competition January 2006. Juried in Cheyenne
Frontier Days Old West Museum's Annual Western Spirit Art Show and
Sale 2005, Nebraska Life article "Painting the Panhandle" March April
2004, Juried in Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum's Annual
Western Spirit Art Show and Sale 2004, Chadron State College Juried
Art Exhibition 2004, Nebraska Cattleman's magazine cover September
2003, Juried honorable mention ANAC State Award 2003, honorable
mention Nebraska Habitat Stamp Contest 2003, Nebraska Cattleman's
magazine cover March 2003, Juried in Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West
Museum's Annual Western Spirit Art Show and Sale 2003, Chadron State
College Juried Art Exhibition two paintings 2003, Top 40 Wyoming
Conservation Stamp Art Competition 2002, Finalist Kansas Wildlife Art
Series Fort State University 2001, CAC Regional Second Place 2001,
Finalist 2000 Kansas Wildlife Art Series Fort State University,
Exhibited at Morrill Hall University of Nebraska Lincoln Watercolor
"Desire Creates Power" on loan from Dr. Paul Johnsgard Professor of
Biological Sciences, Nebraska Arts Council Honors Show Governor's
Mansion 1999, Juried Certificate of Excellence ANAC State Award 1999,
CAC Regional honorable mention 1999, Juried Grow Nebraska 1999,
Nebraska Habitat Contest honorable mention 1998, CAC Regional third
place 1998, Top 40 1997 Wyoming Conservation Stamp Art Competition,
Grand Island Certificate of Merit Award 1997, CAC Regional honorable
mention 1997, Gwen MacKenzie Fellowship 1996, NPVAG Five State
Regional honorable mention 1996, CAC Regional Best of Show 1996, NPPD
1996 Calendar, two paintings; NPPD 1995 Calendar, Nebraska Habitat
Contest honorable mention 1995, CAC Regional third place 1994, Juried
Certificate of Excellence ANAC State Award 1993, second place
Seven-State Regional Art Competition 1993, Nebraskaland Merit Award
1993, Finalist Nebraska Habitat Contest 1993, Kansas Watercolor
Society 1993, Carnegie Arts Center Merchandise Award 1993, Illustrator
Faith Fun and Fantasy by Frances 1990, T.J. Majors Art Exhibit 1989,
Peru State College; NPVAG National Juried Certificate of Excellence
1980, 1983; NPVAG National Juried honorable mention 1984; ANAC Juried
State Award 1981, 1983, 1989 (400-500 entries); Nebraska State Fair
Award 1986; Dakota Artist Guild National Art Competition 1985; NPVAG
Five State Show Top General Award 1980, second place 1977; Willow Tree
Festival second place 1984; Grand National Mixed and Bag Contest Award
1978; Collectors Cachet Set Design for National Association of
Postmasters of the United States. Additional awards at local and
regional shows, AK-SAR-BEN Good Neighbor Award, Outstanding Young
Women of America.
Collections
Wilma's paintings hang in many galleries, public and private
collections throughout the United States and in Paris. Seven are in
the Scottish Rite Temple, commissioned by the Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite. Guadalupe Mountains National Park and First National
Bank have one.
Activities
Signature member of Kansas Watercolor Society. Additionally, she is a member of Wind River Valley Artist Guild, ANAC State, BBAS, Lions Club International and exhibitions with Ironbrush Gallery, Thedford Art Gallery, Mill Atelier Gallery, Noyes Art Gallery, Saratoga Platte Valley Festival of The Arts, Wyoming Ducks Unlimited, Wyoming Conservation Stamp Art Competition, Two Shot Goose Hunt Invitational Art Show, Dahl Arts Center, Fort Robinson Western & Wildlife Art Show, Chadron State College Alumni Art Show, Nebraskaland Days Governor's Invitational Art Show, Old West Museum Western Spirit Art Show and Sale, Elaine's Art Gallery, Carnegie Art Center, NPVAG, Cattlemen's Baron Art Show, Association of Nebraska Art Clubs, local and regional art shows.
Wilma's Thoughts
My work has been a lifelong journey of experiences and is an
expression of emotions I feel about my love of nature. Working in
nature is more than an occupation - it's an inspiration. Whether I am
sketching, painting, photographing, or simply observing, I am always
taken by the vibrant colors with which God has illuminated this world.
Mother nature is the greatest gift of all, and we need to protect it
for our future generations.
My recent work focuses on impressionistic scenes of my home state and camping adventures. Even though, I'm often told "One can identify my paintings from across the room, by the use of my color palette," my subject matter is varied. Growing up in Nebraska, wintertime was a special time for me; there was something inspiring after a blizzard when I could go outside and play in the snow. "I love the snow, and its reflected light which changes color constantly by the angle of the sun. It glows in the sunlight and is enchanting in the shadows." "I think a good painting makes your eyes dance around the composition, each brushstroke of light and dark making a rhythm, drawing you around the work. Even now, each painting is a new struggle, learning as you progress through each step. Some days every brushstroke works, and those days keep me coming back to work again and again. It's not about the painting. It's about the act of painting, the doing, the seeing, and the feeling that opens the door to something more. God has opened the door to painting for me. Painting is addicting, it gets in your soul and doesn't let go."