Soon Y. Warren

Soon Y. Warren

Soon Y. Warren began her career as a full time artist, author, and teacher in 1998. Her paintings are in the permanent collections of several museums: The R. W. Norton Gallery; The Springfield Museum of Art in Springfield, Missouri; and The National Watercolor Museum.

She's had many exhibitions and won numerous competitive awards. Soon Y. earned signature memberships in the National Watercolor Society (NWS), American Watercolor Society (AWS), Southern Watercolor Artist (SW), Texas Watercolor Society, Purple Sage Brush (TWS), Alabama Watercolor Society (WSA), and Society of Watercolor Artist (SWA).

Soon teaches workshops for oil painters, watercolor painters, in-door studio painters, and plein air painters. She welcomes inquiries for future events. Soon has taught workshops in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and states throughout the USA.

Soon's paintings are published in dozens of magazines and books. She won first place in the North Light Book catalogue cover competition in 2006. Watercolor Artist magazine featured her Best of Show painting from the National Watercolor Society's international juried exhibition on the cover of its Jan-Feb, 2009 issue. In 2013, The Artist's magazine published an eight page feature article about Soon, including a demonstration of how she paints, examples of her work, and an extensive biography. In 2014, one of Soon's koi pond paintings was the cover art for Splash 15 - Creative Solutions: The Best of Watercolor.

Soon published a watercolor painting technique book "Vibrant Flowers in Watercolor" with F&W Media, (North Light Books) in March 2006, and her second book and "Painting Vibrant Watercolor: Discover the Magic of Light, Color and Contrast" published as a second, paperback edition in 2011. Also, she participated in a book with 15 nationally recognized watercolor artists titled "Watercolor Secret" with one chapter, create drama with bold composition, published in 2009. In 2014 F+W Media published a Revised and Expanded paperback edition of her first book titled "Painting Vibrant Flowers in Watercolor".

Soon's publisher, North Light Books, released three instructional DVD's in 2013 in which Soon teaches watercolor tips; how to paint water; and how to paint glass. The titles are Top Vibrant Watercolor Techniques; Vibrant Watercolor Techniques - Painting Water; and Vibrant Watercolor Techniques - Painting Glass.

She is represented by Southwest Gallery in Dallas Texas, Your Private Collection Art Gallery in Granbury Texas.

Soon Y. has an Associates degree in commercial art from Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton, Virginia.

Awards and Honors

2009 Two paintings accepted in Splash 11

Inclusion in America Watercolor Society

Inclusion in Watercolor Society of Alabama

First place with Water-medium Category in Irving, Texas and Neighbors Regional Exhibition

Merit Award in Society of Watercolor Artists

Award in Texas Watercolor Society

Inclusion in Louisiana Watercolor Society International Exhibition

Inclusion in Transparent Watercolor Society of Artists

Inclusion in Southern Watercolor Society

2008 Award with National Watercolor Society (NWS) Purchased Award

Inclusion in Rocky Mountain National Water-media Exhibition

Best of Show and People's Choice Award in National juried show in Society of Watercolor Artists

Merchandise Award in Watercolor Society of Alabama 2007

Gold Award in Southern Watercolor Society

3rd Place in Water-medium Category in Irving, Texas and Neighbors Regional Exhibition

Honorable Mention in North Light Book magazine cover competition

Inclusion in Splash on Square National Exhibition with three paintings

The Friends Award in Mississippi Watercolor Society Grand National Watercolor Exhibition

Merchandise Award in National Water-media Oklahoma

Inclusion in Rio Brazos Art Festival, Granbury, Texas

Finalist of The Artists magazine

The Liz Koch Patron Purchase Award and The Darrell Ferguson Memorial Award in Kansas Watercolor Society

Best of Show in Wildlife Art Competition in Irving Art Association

2007 Inclusion in National Watercolor Society

Inclusion two paintings in Splash 10

Finalist of two paintings in Susan K. Black Foundation - Blossoms -The Art of Flowers

Inclusion in Southern Watercolor Society

Award of Excellence in Irving Art Association annual Texas and Neighbors Regional Exhibition

Inclusion in Society of Watercolor Artists

Honorable Mention in Splash on Square National Exhibition

Inclusion in Rio Brazos Art Festival, Granbury, Texas

2006 Second Place in The Artist's Magazine Competition in still life category with "Yellow Daisy", published in December Issue, 2006

Finalist in The Artist's Magazine Competition in still life category with oil painting "Tangerine with Art Deco", published in December Issue, 2006

Best of Show in Irving Art Association annual Texas and Neighbors Regional Exhibition

Inclusion in 2006 American Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition

Margaret Pace Willson Award and Silver Medallion in Texas Watercolor Society 2006 Juried Exhibition

Inclusion in Southern Watercolor Society 2006 Juried Exhibition

Merchandise Award in 2006 Society of Watercolor Artists Annual Juried Exhibition

Watercolor Magic Magazine Annual Competition, Jack Richeson Grand Prize Awards

First Place in Northlight book club cover competition: "Baby's Breath" to be published on cover of the March edition of the book club catalogue.

"Bougainvillea" selected by Art Supply Warehouse, ASW, to be published on the cover of their "New Year's Sale 2006" catalogue.

First Place in SWA membership show

Inclusion and People's Choice Award in Rio Brazos Art Festival, Granbury, Texas

2005 Honorable Mention with "Peacock" and finalist with "Baby's Breath" in The Artist Magazine annual competition to be published in the December, 2005 Issue

Inclusion in National Watercolor Society (NWS) annual competition

Inclusion in Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibition

4th Place in Watercolor Magic Magazine Competition, "Waiting" published in August, 2005 Issue

Merchandise Award in Texas Watercolor Society Annual Juried Exhibition and traveling show

First place for watercolor, Irving Art Association annual Texas and Neighbors Regional Exhibition

Alabama Watercolor Society Award from Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition

Inclusion in Kansas Watercolor Society Great 8 Exhibition

Honorable Mention in Splash on Square National Exhibition

First Place in Watermedia in Plano Art Association National Juried Exhibition

Inclusion in Louisiana Watercolor Society International Exhibition

Inclusion in Society of Watercolor Artists International Exhibition

2004 Two Paintings published in 2004, "The Best of Watercolor, Splash 8"

Best of Show in Rio Brazos Art Festival, Granbury, Texas

First Place in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, Member's Juried Exhibition

National Watercolor Society (NWS) Juried Exhibition and selected for the traveling show

Published with 2nd Place in North Light Books 2003 Cover Contest

Award of Distinction, Plano Art Association National Juried Exhibition

First place for watercolor, Irving Art Association annual Texas and Neighbors Regional Exhibition

Honorable mention, Texas Watercolor Society Annual juried Exhibition and traveling show

Merchandise Award from Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition

Inclusion in Louisiana Watercolor Society International Exhibition

2003 Best of Show in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, Member's Juried Exhibition

Michael Wilcox School of Color Merchandise Award in National Watercolor Society (NWS)

and selected for the traveling show

Inclusion in Irving Art Association's Texas and Neighbors multi-state Juried Exhibition

Bronze Award from Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition (SW)

Inclusion in Watermedia 2003, Challenge of Champions, Houston Watercolor Society

Merit Award and People's Choice Award in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, International juried Exhibition

Merit Award and People's Choice Award in Rio Brazos Art Festival, Granbury, Texas

2nd Place in Oil Medium in Lake Granbury Art Association, Granbury, Texas

2002 Best of Show in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, Member's Juried Exhibition

Published with Honorable Mention in North Light Books 2002 Cover Contest

Honorable Mention in Campfire USA, An Artist's Christmas 2002

Merchandise Award in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, International Juried Exhibition

2001 Merchandise award in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, Member's Juried Exhibition

Founder's Award in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, International Juried Exhibition

Inclusion in Irving Art Association's Texas and Neighbors multi-state Juried Exhibition

Inclusion in Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition

2000 Published with Honorable Mention in North Light Books 2000 Cover Contest

Third Place and People's Choice Award in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas,Member's Juried Exhibition

Inclusion in Irving Art Association's Texas and Neighbors multi-state Juried Exhibition

Inclusion in Southern Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition

Merchandise award in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, National Juried Exhibition

1999 Merchandise award in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, Member's Juried Exhibition

1998 Best of Show in Society of Watercolor Artists, Fort Worth, Texas, Member's Juried Exhibition