BWS November Newsletter

Paint Bloomington! Artist, Deborah Rush “Portrait of Annalise”

November 14 — Membership Meeting

The Bloomington Watercolor Society will hold its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, November 14, at the First Christian Church, 205 E. Kirkwood Ave. Enter through the Washington Street door; the door code will be sent by email. Members are welcome to share the number with guests, and a phone number will be posted on the door as backup. For those choosing to attend via Zoom, the meeting room and password stay the same month to month. However, for security reasons, Zoom meeting details are not published on the Web. Instructions will be sent by email and members are welcome to share them with guests.

After a brief business meeting, BWS member, Penny Lulich will present the program.

“Finding Joy and Confidence with Watercolors: What I’ve Been Learning Along the Way.”

Paintings: Haystack Rock, Sand Dunes, Depot Bay, Oregon Coast

“I’ll be painting a scene from a photo I captured of Big Sur on the coast of California, while sharing some of my watercolor story, and the watercolor adventures I’ve had over the past seven years. I’ll chat about how I found joy and confidence after a very rocky beginning, and even during a time of lonely painting under the “stay at home” Covid conditions. I’ll share my favorites; paints and palettes, inspirational watercolor artists, books, and videos, and tools that have helped me along the way.

I don’t know how much of the painting I’ll finish during the BWS program at the November meeting, but my hope is to inspire by sharing my story with you.

Below you will find my drawing of the Big Sur scene, and the photo I took. I’ll list the paints, brushes, and paper I use. Bring your own along with you or paint from home if you like.

Paper: 140 lb coldpress

Brushes: Escoda Prado #20 (for covering large areas quickly), Princeton Aqua Elite # 12, Princeton Aqua Elite # 8 (Mostly, I like round brushes)

Paint and palette: I mostly use Daniel Smith paints, but occasionally I use M. Graham or Windsor Newton. Bring the paints you use and enjoy.

Palette: All the usual suspects; yellow ochre, burnt Sienna, cobalt blue, new gamboge, lemon yellow, ultramarine blue, Indigo, sap green, green gold, cobalt violet (or any purple color that you like), Alizarin Crimson, cad orange, cobalt turquoise, shadow violet, shadow green, cascade green. Any other color combinations that you like to use, that include both warm and cool tones.

Inside BWS

October Was Some Month!! BWS Has Lots of People to Thank!

We ended September on a bang! On September 29 and 30, BWS supported the Peden Farm Children’s Farm Festival by assisting young children in creating thumbprint animals. The Children’s Festival was a large event, with hundreds of elementary and pre-school children in attendance. BWS volunteers worked full or half-day shifts in groups of three or four. Sarah Ward coordinated the effort. And then came October…..

Paint Bloomington-Babette Ballenger

On October 8, The Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington, Upland Plein Air, Bloomington Watercolor Society, Artists for Climate Awareness, and Bloomington Portrait Group teamed up to provide a free all-day event. Patty Uffman reported that although the day was chilly those who attended enjoyed the day and the excitement it fostered. The sessions for both adults and children were well attended. Babette Ballinger thanks BWS members for their support in donations of supplies and volunteering their time.

Paint Historic Bloomington Show– Jeanne Dutton

This BWS Membership Show can be seen through November 23 at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage. The first reception was on October 7. Somewhere between 50 to 60 people attended. There is an on-line version of the show available via Smugmug. A second reception will be held on November 4. Members are reminded that works from the show will be shown again next year at the Monroe County History Center.

Special visitors to the Opening Reception were the daughters of George and Viola Taliaferro, featured in the painting shown here. Linda Harvey on the left and Renee Taliaferro on the right posing with artist Joanna Samorow-Merzer.

BWS Saturday Paint Out-Betty Wagoner

BWS had its final Saturday paint out on October 15 along with a pot luck at Peden Farm. Patty Uffman and Betty Wagoner provided two flavors of chili (Red-beef and White-chicken) while participants bought side dishes. Here is Betty’s report:

“It was a beautiful day although a bit nippy. We enjoyed the fields, farm barns and a variety of animals and birds. The Pedens were gracious hosts. For our lunch, they set up tables and
chairs in one of the barns and Mrs. Peden provided vases of cut flowers from her garden.
We enjoyed red chilli from Patty Uffman and white chilly from Betty Wagoner. Those attending: Babette Ballinger, Linda Branstetter, Jackie Frey, Kitty Garlock, Pennly Lulich, Andy Roberts, Patty Uffman, Betty
Wagoner.”

Top Row:Linda Bransletter, Kitty Garlock, Andy Roberts. Group Photo: Patty Uffman, Jacki Frye, Babette Ballinger, Linda Bransletter

Artists: Jane Matranga & Nancy Metz’s paintings at the Vault

Second Reception: “We Paint…Historic Bloomington!”

Mark your calendar! The 2nd reception for the BWS Annual Membership Show takes place during the Gallery Walk, Friday, November 4, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at The Vault at Gallery Mortgage (121 E. 6th Street). It’s a great show featuring 26 watercolor paintings by Bloomington Watercolor Society members. You don’t want to miss this beautiful – and educational – exhibit, created in collaboration with the Monroe County History Center.

While you’re there, please be sure to vote for your favorite piece of art. The People’s Choice award of $50 will be announced on November 28.

LUME field Trip: Monet and Friends

Wednesday, December 7^th, 2022

9:30 a.m. – 3:00 (ish)

Newfields – the Indianapolis Museum of Art

Bloomington Watercolor Society members are invited to jump on the bus and take a road trip to see this fabulous display at Newfields! Discounted ticket price is only $25 per person. Reservations begin November 1. Members, watch your email for all the details. Questions? Send an email to info@BloomingtonWatercolor.org.

“The moment you step out of the elevator into Floor 4 of the IMA Galleries, you are transported to 19th century Paris, when the face of European art changed forever. Your journey comes to life with a rich, dynamic display of light, color, and sound. Impressionist paintings, dance around you on an enormous scale, revealing the vivid detail and bold brushstrokes of some of the most famous artists of all time including Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Cézanne, and more—all set to a musical score that includes Europe’s most renowned composers.“

A Monet-Inspired Christmas Party at Meadowood!

Mark Your Calendar!!! Monday, December 12, 6 p.m.

This year our BWS Christmas Party will be at Meadowood. The event will feature a buffet dinner. While not mandatory, participants are invited to bring ‘a Monet-inspired painting’ (5″x7″ – Greeting Card Sized) for a “Bring One; Take One” Exchange. Your attendance is important, whether you engage in the “Bring One; Take One Exchange or not. Signing up to attend will begin at our November meeting and continue through December 1. Dinner choices and costs will be sent to you once these details have been finalized, but probably will be about the same as in other years.

A Historic Note

Linda Bransletter, BWS Historian, reports that in September of 2010, after the business meeting, Nancy Metz and her team took on a project of selling BWS greeting cards for $12 a packet to help raise funds for the BWS Scholarship Fund. Member were encouraged to buy and sell the card packets for distribution as Christmas, birthday, and hostess gifts.

BWS Name Badges

Andy Roberts is willing to order a BWS Name Badge for anyone who wants one. The badges are made of durable plastic with a magnetic backing (size 2.5″ x 2.5″). Attached is a mock-up. Andy sees wearing BWS name badges as a public relations effort; good advertising for for BWS when a member is volunteering or just out painting plein air. Andy estimates the cost of each badge to be between $8 and $9. If interested, contact Andy for ordering and for making payment.

Outside BWS

Viridian Moon Art Gallery has made a call for entries to its all media art show: “Let It Snow!” which will run from January 7 to February 25. Art work can be submitted online from now to December 28. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information go to the Viridian Moon website (www.viridianmoon.art). Questions: infor@viridianmoon.art.

The Indiana Watercolor Society is having a plein air paint out for it members and guests at Heritage Farms Alpacas & Events, 4175 North 1200 West, Flora, IN 46929 on Monday, November 21, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The Swope Art Museum ‘s 78th Annual Wabash Valley Show opens with a reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on November 4. On November 12 the Museum will hold a fund raiser entitled The Big Deal. One hundred and fifty works of art will be up for sale at $99 dollars each. Tickets for the event cost 25 dollars.

Member News

Joe Lee. If you haven’t seen it, do get a copy of the latest Bloom Magazine. Our own Joe Lee is the featured artist. Our sincere congratulations!!!

And for your information: Joe will be selling his clocks at the Bloomington City Holiday Market on Saturday, November 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Showers Common, 401 N. Morton Street).

Kathy Truelove Barton has a solo show of her watercolor paintings at Gallery B in BloomingFoods Near West from October through December. BloomingFoods is open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (316 W. 6th Street). A reception will be held November 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Kathy wrote to add this update:

“My web site is now secure and the address is as follows. Https://kathysartllc.Square.Site. All the works in the show are on the site but the colors are much richer in real life.

My grandson is getting married the week of the November reception so my administrative assistant will be covering for me that night. She is a middle-aged woman who has been working with me for four years and is quite capable.

Thank you all for your interest in my works and progress as a painter.”

Laura Brown. “I have some news. I am going to have a show up at Cancer Support Community Center on the corner of Landmark and West Third Street. The opening is November 11th. I have attached the details in the flyer for the show and my gallery bio. For clarification on the RSVP, if anyone is wondering, all it means is to please email Stephanie so they are aware and on the lookout for gallery visitors as they have a small staff and want to make sure all gallery visitors have staff that can assist them with questions or purchasing.

Jerome Harste. In addition to attending Claude Cookman’s Portrait Class (which has been absolutely wonderful!) at the Art Alliance of Bloomington Center in the Mall, I attended a three day workshop with Liam Stewart, a Scottish artist, in Indianapolis. One of the most interesting things I learned was how to lay down a two-toned wash using plain water to save the white for focal areas. His technique involves catching the wash after the sheen has gone and lightly brushing the painting using a dry hake brush to make sure the gradation between hues is seamless. Works wonderfully.

Andy Roberts sent in two pictures. The first is entitled ‘Apollo Spring’ painted at the West Baden Paint-Out sponsored by Indiana Heritage Arts. The second is from the BWS Paint-Out at Peden Farm. This one is called, quite appropriately, “Peden Farm Barn”.

.MarySue & Bill Schwab. Bill was accepted in the Richmond Art Museum art show which runs November through December. We both also have paintings hanging at the Brown County Art Gallery, in the Brown County State Park’s show