Andrew Wyeth and the Modern American Watercolor and Reception
John C. and Sally S. Morley Family Foundation Lecture Hall, The Cleveland Museum of Art

Join CMA Prints and Drawings Curator Britany Salsbury for a talk on the role of watercolor in the career of American artist Andrew Wyeth. Beginning in the 1930s, Wyeth built a monumental reputation for his use of watercolor, depicting the people and places that surrounded him in rural Pennsylvania and Maine in expressive and evocative compositions. These works varied widely, from sketches to finished sheets, painterly landscapes to precisely rendered interior scenes. Wyeth began to experiment with watercolor at a time when interest in it exploded throughout the United States, leading to its promotion as a medium distinctively suited to depicting American experiences. This talk explores the themes of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s exhibition Spectacular Freedom: Andrew Wyeth and the Modern American Watercolor, surveying Wyeth’s watercolor practice during the 1930s to 60s alongside developments in the medium during his time and featuring never-before-seen works from the artist’s own collection. A reception will follow for Print Club members in the Banquet Room.
 

Storm Clouds, 1938. Andrew Wyeth (American, 1917–2009). Watercolor on paper; 45.7 x 55.9 cm. Wyeth Foundation for American Art Collection, 0113. © 2026 Wyeth Foundation for American Art / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York