Watercolor Society to open prestigious exhibit The San Diego Watercolor Society at Liberty Station will soon open the 30th International Exhibition, a juried show of 95 award-winning artists selected from a pool of 599 entries of watermedia paintings. The prestigious event opens Oct. 1 and will run through Oct. 31. A preview night is set to take place for artists and the public on Thursday, Sept. 30 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets for the preview are $25, and allow participants to view and purchase paintings in an uncrowded gallery while applauding the award recipients and enjoying wine and hors d’oeuvres. A “First Friday” reception is also slated for Friday, Oct. 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The San Diego Watercolor Society Gallery is located at the NTC Promenade, 2825 Dewey Road, Suite 105. Gallery hours are Sundays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (858) 277-7066 or (619) 876-4550, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.sdws.org. San Diego’s musical movers and shakers The 20th annual San Diego Music Awards took stage at Humphreys by the Bay on Sept. 12, showcasing the best of San Diego’s local talent pool. The event helped raise more than $23,000 to provide Taylor guitars to San Diego County elementary schools. Here is the list of winners: Best Tribute Band — 40 Oz. to Freedom (Ocean Beach) Best Club DJ — Gabe Vega Best Acoustic — Josh Damigo Best Electronic — Drew Andrews Best Jazz — Jaime Valle Best Jazz Album — Steph Johnson: Mysterious Feminine Best Blues — Tomcat Courtney Best Blues Album — Sue Palmer: After Hours Best World Music — The Devastators Best World Music Album — Skelpin: A Trip to Skye Best Americana — Eve Selis Best Americana Album — John Meeks: Old Blood Best Hip Hop — Deep Rooted Best Hip Hop Album — Vokab Kompany: The New Kong Best Pop — Dynamite Walls Best Pop Album — The Silent Comedy: Common Faults Best Alternative — Cuckoo Chaos Best Alternative Album — Rafter: Animal Feelings Best Rock — The Burning of Rome Best Rock Album – Transfer: Future Selves Best Hard Rock — Lord Howler Best Hard Rock Album — All Leather: When I Grow Up… Best Local Recording — White Apple Tree: Velvet Mustache Best New Artist — Little Hurricane Song of the Year — Crocodiles: Sleep Forever Album of the Year — Switchfoot: Hello Hurricane Artist of the Year — Slightly Stoopid (Ocean Beach) Lifetime Achievement Award — Iron Butterfly