FSWS ONLINE SPRING EXHIBITION 2021
Juror Statement
"It was an honor and my pleasure to have the opportunity to judge these beautiful watercolors. As is the case in many shows and exhibitions that I have had the privilege to judge, I would have liked to have more awards to give out! It was a difficult job! All of the work was very impressive!
I certainly understand the difficulty this medium presents! My early illustration career years were spent using watercolor and water based mediums….the most difficult of all the mediums in my opinion! My hat is off to all the award winners and also to all those works that got into this fine show, but didn’t garnish an award….Bravo to all!"
-Hodges Soileau, OPA
Biography
Hodges had a successful illustration career which lasted more than twenty five years. His art graced the covers of more than three hundred books. He worked for most of the major publishing houses in New York, Field and Stream Magazine and notably Scholastic (Babysitters Club series) and, Harlequin (Romance Covers). Hodges was a twenty three year member of the
prestigious Society of Illustrators in New York. During this time, he received many citations of merit for work exhibited in annual shows. He was selected to do the painting for the twenty ninth calls for entries, and chaired the 35th Annual Exhibition.
After years of executing ideas and concepts of others, he presently paints subjects that are of personal interest. He was a finalist in the 2001 and 2002 Artists Magazine Competition. He received an award of excellence in the 2004 Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition. He received an award of excellence in the 2006 Oil Painters of America National Exhibition, and received a 2007 Certificate of excellence award in the International Portrait Competition hosted by the Portrait Society of America. Hodges was awarded Signature membership status by Oil Painters of America in December 2008. He also won first place in the category, Portraits of Women, in the Members showcase of the Portrait Society of America 2009. 2011 and 2012, he was awarded first place in Members showcase Portrait Society of America. He is also a member of The Portrait Society of America.
His work hangs in private collections as well as the United States Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard permanent collections. The permanent collection of Golf Digest Magazine includes several of his paintings. Hodges and his wife, Marilyn, now reside in Venice, Florida.