Below is a description for each of our named awards.
Current Awards:
Merit Awards highlight work with strong impact, whether for its creativity, technical skill or a combination of both.
The Excellence Award is given for well-executed work that demonstrates the artist's skill and a thoughtful approach.
This award is decided by tallying votes cast by show visitors.
Elsa Bouman was a frequent recipient of the Gay Jensen Innovation Award. She was widely known for her out-of-the-box thinking and was a generous teacher and mentor. Elsa is remembered fondly by several creative communities besides Northwest Collage Society, including Shoreline Arts Council and Lake Forest Fiber Arts Club. She lent her expertise to many artistic endeavors in the area, especially at Town Center and Third Place Commons in Lake Forest Park, WA, and was an enthusiastic participant in the biennial NWCS partnership with Cancer Lifeline. In her words, "Whether creating or teaching, art is my spiritual testimony and where I find my truest self." This award was established in her honor in 2026.
Retired Awards:
Peggy Tuttle was a founding member of a small but dedicated group of Northwest collagists who formed the North Coast Collage Society in 1984, as a regional affiliate of the Ohio-based National Collage Society. The name was changed later to the Northwest Collage Society. Peggy was the first treasurer of the new association and continued in that post until about 1990. She worked with rice papers, and developed delicate collages of Asian sensibilities. Peggy would be amazed and gratified at our current membership size and enthusiastic artists.
Eleanor Wolters Smith was on the original NWCS board when the group was founded in 1984. Eleanor was a transplanted New Yorker who drew fashion illustrations for Nordstrom in the 1950s–60s. She always encouraged the beginning artist enthusiastically. Eleanor used many Asian rice papers in her collages, creating artworks as elegant and colorful as she was.
The above retired awards were given for creative, well-executed work in each show and were the equivalent of the current Excellence Award. The Gay Jensen award, below, was given once a year, typically in the Fall exhibition.
Gay Jensen, a longtime member of the Northwest Collage Society, decided to support the NWCS with a generous monetary gift. Starting in 2014, for 10 years. Gay provided one annual award to the NWCS Juried Shows. The Gay Jensen Award was presented for extraordinary innovation in the world of collage. Grateful thanks from all the members of the Collage Society!
Interested in funding/establishing an award? We ask for a minimum of 2 years with a preference for 5. Please note that because of our 501(c)7 status, this contribution is not tax-deductible.
