The Georgia Watercolor Society (GWS) was founded in March 1975 to promote and develop the art of watercolor painting in the State of Georgia. Originally headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, the society's primary focus is the planning and execution of two juried watermedia exhibitions per year. The national exhibitions, held each spring, are open to all watercolor artists. The member's exhibitions, held in the fall, are open only to GWS members in good standing.

The first Georgia Watercolor Society National Exhibition opened in the Galleria at the Atlanta Memorial Arts Center on February 3, 1979. The next national exhibition was in 1981 and GWS has since held a national exhibition every year. Early in the organization's history (before 1982), as the National Exhibitions grew in popularity, a second annual show was developed, limited only to members of GWS. The member's exhibitions are held each year in the fall. The national and member's exhibitions are juried by a different well-known watercolor artist every year. The visiting artist also provides a companion painting workshop near the location of the exhibition

GWS board elections are held annually, with executive changes occurring in the spring after the close of the annual national exhibition. Generally a new president is elected each term, with other officers sometimes maintaining positions for multiple years of service.

The GWS founding officers included: President Wyndell L Taylor, First Vice President Sam Spence, Second Vice President Joe Adams, Recording Secretary Nell Johnson, Corresponding Secretary Shirley Redding, Treasurer Allison Christie, and Membership Chairman Eugenia Simmons.