This exhibition is filled with “hidden gems” - paintings that, for one reason or another, were tucked away in portfolios over the years and never had their chance to shine. Many of them began as workshop demonstrations, created in front of an audience under the pressure of time. They weren’t meant to be masterpieces, but they carry their own brilliance. Quick studies, bold ideas, and flashes of inspiration that captured a moment with honesty and immediacy. Each of these paintings preserves two moments in time: the first when I experienced the subject, and the second when I reimagined it with brush and water - often in front of students as I demonstrated, explained, and encouraged them to see watercolor in a new light. Teaching has been one of the greatest joys of my career. There is nothing quite like watching the “stadium lights” turn on in someone’s eyes when they understand the magic for the first time. That spark, more than any award or recognition, has been my greatest reward. Bringing these works forward now feels like rediscovering them all over again. They carry the memory of the subject, the memory of their creation, and now a third memory: the joy of seeing them anew, with fresh eyes. In that way, this exhibition is a journey of rediscovery - of art, of teaching, of community. And just as these paintings are hidden gems, so too is Poplar Bluff, and the friendships I’ve found here.