In early 1938, Mary S. Lawrence sent out letters to artists whom she hoped might be interested in organizing a society of watercolor artists. The first organizational meeting was held at the Montclair Museum on April 5, 1938. The group was formed by professional artists who hoped to make changes, because they felt that watercolor did not get the attention it deserved and there weren’t any exhibitions held exclusively for watercolor painting in New Jersey at that time. The New Jersey Watercolor Society was founded in 1938 by this group of devoted professional artists who wanted to to increase public interest in the wonderful medium of watercolor..

​

A Member Show was arranged for the fall of 1938 and the First Annual Open Exhibition was held at the Centre of The Arts in East Orange in February, 1939. World War II soon intervened and the actively growing group went into hibernation for the duration of the war. Since then a tradition of excellence has imbued each successive exhibition.

 

The 50th Anniversary of New Jersey Watercolor Society was celebrated in 1988 with a traveling show held at the site of its first organizational meeting, the Montclair Museum, as well as the Monmouth Museum and the Noyes Museum.