My work at the international watercolor exhibition in Gdańsk

In September 2026, my watercolor painting Winter mood participated in the international watercolor exhibition in Gdańsk, Poland. At the same time, I had the opportunity to participate for the first time in person in an international watercolor art symposium and exhibition organized abroad.

The event was organized by the European Confederation of Watercolour Societies (ECWS). The five days were filled with art, new experiences, inspiring encounters and an international art community.

20 works from 20 artists were selected for the exhibition from Finland. There were 57 applicants, and a total of 144 works were sent for evaluation. The Finnish works were selected in an anonymous jury by artist Jan Lappalainen. I am happy and surprised that my own work Winter mood was selected to participate in this prestigious international exhibition.

Exhibition opening in Gdańsk

The ECWS exhibition brought together watercolor artists from several European countries. There were over ten artists from Finland, and it was a pleasure to meet some Finnish colleagues I had not met before. At the opening ceremony, we celebrated the exhibition and watercolor art together, and we spent time in the same group during the event as well.

The exhibition was held in the magnificent Great Armoury Exhibition Hall of the Gdańsk Academy of Fine Arts. The historic surroundings created a wonderful setting for the art. The opening ceremony was held in a joyful and warm atmosphere, accompanied by a chorus of multilingual speeches.

It was great to see my painting as part of an international exhibition and to get to know other artists’ works at the same time. The experience was important to me and will definitely stay in my memory for a long time.

The exhibition was on display in Gdańsk from 10 to 30 September 2026.

More information about the event can be found at from here.

ECWS exhibition in the magnificent premises of the Great Armory, the local academy of fine arts.

Painting demos and new perspectives on watercolor

The symposium program included painting demos and workshops, which offered the opportunity to observe the work of Polish artists in particular and to learn about different ways of approaching watercolor painting.

In addition to several demos, I also participated in a workshop led by Vietnamese-Polish artist Minh Dam, where we painted a Vietnamese street scene. It was inspiring to try out a new subject under the guidance of a skilled teacher, even though I didn’t have enough time to finish the piece in the workshop.

The best thing about the international event was seeing how many different ways one can approach the same art form. The artists’ different techniques, expressions, and personal approaches gave me new ideas for my own work. Experiences like this remind me how much one can learn from others in art and how important it is to keep one’s own expression open to new influences.

Painting tour to Malbork Castle and gala dinner

The symposium program also included a trip to Malbork Castle. The huge medieval brick castle offered an impressive setting, which we explored not only on a guided tour but also by painting on site in the castle courtyard.

The symposium ended on Saturday, September 12th with a joint gala dinner, where we enjoyed good company and food in the magnificent Artus Court building in the old town of Gdansk.

Memories and inspiration to take home

Five days in Gdańsk gave me a lot of new food for thought and inspiration. It was great to meet other watercolor artists, see diverse art, and be part of an event where watercolor united people from different countries.

The beautiful old town of Gdańsk and its architecture also remained in my memory. After the symposium, my trip continued to Warsaw and Krakow, but the Gdańsk art event was the main reason for the trip.

» Check out my other watercolor paintings

Photos: ©Mervi Korhonen and Tomasz Majewski