The Fireflies
by Rose Brenner

Mission Vibrations
by Barbara Coffman

BWS Preview

Members Show

Mums
by Suzanne Thorin

In Defiance
by Glenda Thompson

We Paint … Past, Present, and for the Future

opens Aug. 3 at The Vault

The show’s title, We Paint … Past, Present, and for the Future, is a nod to the Bloomington Bicentennial without limiting each artist’s choice of subject matter.

Since the exhibit runs Aug. 3 through Sept. 27, it will be a part of Bloomington’s First Friday Gallery Walks on both Aug. 3 and Sept. 7. Hours for viewing at The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E. Sixth St., are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and First Fridays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Paintings must be delivered Wednesday, Aug. 1, between 10 a.m. and noon to The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E. Sixth St. Paintings should be created with aqua media on a two-dimensional substrate. Watercolor paintings may include other water-based mediums (collage, pastel, pen and ink, etc.) as long as their use does not exceed 50 percent of the work. For additional guidelines and show labels, see the show prospectus at www.bloomingtonwatercolor.org and follow the link Show Rules in the menu at the right.

To show work, individuals must have paid BWS dues for 2018. (See article below for dues details.)

It is strongly recommended that art be for sale; however, this is not a requirement. Any sale is subject to a 25 percent donation to a local charity of The Vault at Gallery Mortgage’s choosing. Currently, they are supporting Stepping Stones.

BWS Hospitality Chair Carla Hedges is coordinating refreshments for the Aug. 3 Gallery Walk reception. Contact Carla Hedges to tell her what you can bring.

Last call:

Dues are past due

If you haven’t yet paid 2018 BWS dues, now is the time. Single membership is $35, family membership is $50 (for two from same household), student membership is $15, and associate membership (nonresident) is $15. Mail your check to BWS, P.O. Box 5236, Bloomington, IN 47407-5236; or go to BWS website www.bloomingtonwatercolor.org, click on Join BWS and use PayPal. You can use a credit card if you do not have a PayPal account.

Family factory manufactures

Sumi-e ink sticks, slates

by Meri Reinhold

During her trip to China earlier this summer, BWS member Meri Reinhold toured a family factory where they make Sumi-e ink sticks (since the Tang Dynasty) and the slates for grinding them.

First, the blacking comes from soot: either pine tar or tuna oil. They collect the soot from either the top of the burner or the sides, with the top being the finest. The soot is then mixed with “animal glue”; I think this translated as gelatin from boiling hides and bones.

Next it is pounded over and over, folded and pounded some more with a little canola oil. Then it is kneaded by hand, divided buy weight and rolled into a sausage shape. It is put into a wooden mold, which is then placed into a press.

When it comes out, it has a pattern pressed into it on three sides. One side has a design indicating the quality of the ink stick. On the back are characters telling about the ingredients and qualities of that stick’s particular mix. The side imprint is the family’s name.

When moved from the press, the sticks cure for six months under humidity and temperature controls. Finally, the sticks are polished and the design is painted on. The highest quality sticks have gold-leafed designs.

We also watched the slate department where one fellow was creating a design and another was carving one. A finished slate is included with the photos.

Author’s note: I was corrected on my pronunciation of Sumi-e. It is not “sumee-ee.” It is “sumee-a” with a long “a” at the end.

2018-19 BWS Officers

Secretary Jill Olshavsky, Treasurer Patty Uffman, 2nd Vice President Charlotte Griffin, 1st Vice President Jane Matranga, and President Kitty Garlock

Check out these great summer

destinations with Upland and BWS plein air

*July 23 Harvest Moon Farm, hosted by Kristen Stamper

July 31 Mary Hartke property at Walnut Pike and Allendale Drive, hosted by Betty Wagoner

Aug. 7 Way Cross, hosted by Jacki Frey

Aug. 14 Lampkin’s Ridge, hosted by Jacki Frey

Kathy Barton’s painting from last year’s West Baden Paintout

*Aug. 17-18 West Baden Springs Paintout, register by calling the Brown County Art Gallery at 812-988-4609 or email indianaheritagearts@gmail.com before Aug. 16

Aug. 21 Bean Blossom Bridge, hosted by Lory Winford

Aug. 28 TBA, hosted by Katya Alexeeva

Sept. 4 Champs Barn, hosted by Sande Nitti

*Sept. 8 T.C. Steele Great Outdoor Paintout

Sept. 11 Karen & Justice St. Rain’s, hosted by Kitty Garlock

* Indicates Paintout is NOT on the typically scheduled Tuesday

Celebration of Life

James Yang

James Yang

A celebration of the life of James Yang will be held 2-4 p.m. Saturday, July 21, at Indiana University’s Mathers Museum, 416 N. Indiana Ave.

James, who died May 30 in Taiwan at age 81, was a former Bloomington Watercolor Society member. He imbibed deeply in both eastern and western cultures.

After earning a doctorate in American Literature from IU, he taught English in Taiwan for many years. He was a master of the Chinese arts of brush painting, calligraphy, paper folding, and the erhu, a traditional bowed instrument. In retirement, he and his wife, Jenny, returned to live in Bloomington, where he was an ambassador for Chinese culture, giving numerous presentations to a wide range of groups, including one on calligraphy to BWS. A tribute can be found at http://www.traditionalartsindiana.org/in-memorial-james-min-ching-yang/.

BWS painters at Garden Walk

Nancy Martin, whose garden was featured in the Garden Walk, holds a card painted by Penny Lulich.

Claude Cookman has an appreciative audience as he paints at the Monroe County History Center. The children’s parents are IU graduate students.

Member news

Bean Harvest by Robin Edmundson

Robin Edmundson‘s painting, “Bean Harvest,” took first place in the Landscape Division of the Lawrence County Art Association’s Midsummer Art Competition.

Alex’s Choice
by Claude Cookman

Claude Cookman has a painting accepted into the Watercolor Society of Indiana’s annual juried show. The exhibition runs Aug. 5 through Sept. 29 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Titled “Alex’s Choice,” the abstraction was inspired by Jeanne Dutton’s watercolor classes at the Waldron and Nita Engle’s books and videos. Claude created the base layer by mixing four batches of watercolor, pouring them on the paper and then tilting it to let them run together. “The process allows very little control,” Claude said. “Primarily the medium takes over and sometimes yields delightful surprises.” Some of the textures resulted from techniques that Jeanne taught. The title refers to the fact that Joyce and Claude’s younger son Alex chose this painting as a holiday gift a couple of years ago.

Bloomington Brews
by Candi Bailey

Kathy Barton, Anne-Karine Bley, and Kristen Stamper have a group exhibition at the Shawnee’s Summer Theater in Bloomfield, Ind. Their “Three Sisters Paint” show features watercolor, acrylic, and oil paintings from both plein air adventures and studio work. The show hangs in the theater lobby through July 24 and is open for viewing during box office hours noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday as well as during performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings and the Sunday matinee.

Lynne Gilliatt‘s art group will hang a studio show at Meadowwood in August. The reception is Aug. 10, 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Candi Bailey, Rose Brenner, Linda Meyer-Wright, and Susan Savastuk had work juried in to The Venue’s Art & Soul of Bloomington show that will hang until July 31.

Rose Brenner will have a show of her paintings at the Waldron Arts Center July 28 through Aug. 25. An opening reception will be Friday, Aug. 3, 5-8 p.m.

IMO

Social media users recognize IMO as an abbreviation for “In My Opinion,” and each month we close by giving you the chance to share your opinion on a specific question.

This month the question is from BWS leadership. They want to know what BWS means to you. What role (creative, social, educational) does it fulfill for you? How has BWS enriched your life? Why are you proud to be a BWS member?

Claude Cookman

I would like a redo on the last issue’s question about what inspires us, because members if BWS are my greatest inspiration. I’m a solitary person, and BWS is the first organization I’ve joined since leaving the Boy Scouts at age 14, but when I look over the shoulders of my artist friends at a BWS paintout, Upland plain air gathering or Portrait Group session, I know I’ve found my home. I am energized, instructed and inspired as I watch these artists put meaning in our motto: “We paint!”

Kathy Barton

BWS has enriched my life in many ways. I have met and made friends, attended workshops, received tips and comments on paintings in progress, been given opportunities to exhibit and show my work in the community. I would recommend the group to anyone who wants to expand their horizons.

Kitty Garlock

What started as and remains my biggest source for ideas and inspiration are the two groups sponsored by BWS: Upland Painters and the Portrait Group. They have introduced me not only to great sites and places I never knew were in Indiana, but they have also provided me with experiences and classes I never would have had. They have made me want to explore media materials on how to paint, be a better painter, to try new things, and to explore more deeply the world of art.

September question for IMO:

If you could offer only one piece of advice to a beginning watercolor artist, what would you say?

Send your 1- to 3-sentence response to Nancy Davis-Metz by Aug. 31, and look for your opinion to be published in the September issue. Please use IMO as your email’s subject line.