Our June Get-Together
June 13, 6 p.m.
Zoom and/or in-church Presentation. If you are vaccinated you can attend in person at the First Christian Church’s Great Hall, 205 E. Kirkwood Avenue. Free parking is available in the IU Poplars Garage, opposite the Runcible Spoon on Sixth Street. Pay parking is available on the street and in the Fourth Street Garage across from the former Waldron Building. To attend via Zoom, look for a link in an email from Joanna Samorow-Merzer or from Carol Rhodes.
AGENDA
First off: The installation of new officers by Joanna Samorow-Merzer. No Business Meeting is planned.
Following installation, Cassidy Young will introduce the 2022 BWS Scholarship Winner Jesse Kogge over Zoom. The presentation will be broadcast both in the church and to home viewers. This meeting’s presentation will be an opportunity for our members to virtually meet Jesse and to hear all about him, his art, his goals, and his future plans.
For in-person activities, bring your summer-inspired painting such as flowers, people at play, a summer event or vacation location, along with a small refreshment offering to share. Before and after the formal meeting we will be able to casually talk in the church about how our art and inspiration may have developed during the absence of face-to-face meetings.
Inside BWS
Election Results
by Joanna Samorow-Merzer
BWS President, 2021-2022
On May 9th, the BWS election took place. With the majority of votes in favor, the quorum was met and the proposed slate of officers was accepted. The work of the new Executive Board will begin as of July 1st, 2022, and will last through June 30th, 2023. Here are the newly elected Executive Officers:
President: Carol Rhodes
1st VP: Katya Alexeeva
2nd VP: Andy Roberts
Secretary: Charlotte Griffin
Treasurer: Barbara Coffman
Congratulations to the new Executive Board!
Dues Are Due!!
FRIENDLY REMINDER: Annual dues should be paid by the end of June. As things stand, our current BWS year ends in June, and our new year runs from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023. Please check our website for the cost of different levels of membership and information regarding payment options. You may also contact Carol Rhodes, Treasurer, or Patty Uffman, 2nd Vice President, for more information. (After July 1 contact Barbara Coffman, Treasurer, or Andy Roberts, 2nd Vice President.)
BWS Membership Show!
by Jeanne Dutton
Greetings, fellow artists! It’s going to be a fun summer as we prepare for our 2022 Membership Show in October and November.
The theme this time around is “We Paint…Historic Bloomington!” Events and activities are scheduled and there’s something for EVERYONE!
Most of you will remember the “We Paint…Cemeteries!” project and exhibit a few years back. That was a collaborative project with the Monroe County Historic Center. So is this one! We’re still working out the finer details, but save these dates and we’ll see you then
1. Garden Walk June 11-12Two of the homes on the walk are historic homes.
2. Docent Tour of the Monroe County Historic Center (MCHC) – FREE EVENT. Wednesday, June 15, 11:00 a.m. MCHC is providing a docent tour with Andrea Hadsell, MCHC Education Manager. Learn about our county’s history and famous Bloomingtonians, take photos of exhibits, and enjoy the morning! Maximum participation is 20 artists. Registration starts now! To save your space, email to me at info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org
3. Architectural Drawing Class — Saturday, July 23, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Education Room, MCHC. Steve Dawson, well known artist and BWS friend, will instruct the class and provide a book for you to take home. STAY TUNED for REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS and FEE INFORMATION. (It won’t be a big fee, I promise!) Maximum participation is 20 students. After the class, and weather permitting, Steve will invite students to join him outside on the lawn to practice their skills. (Thank you, Steve!)
4. Downtown Paint Out — Saturday, August 6, 9:00 – 1:00 p.m., MCHC Education Room. MCHC will be the headquarters for the paint out for cooling off, use of rest rooms, and painting indoors, if desired. So many wonderful old buildings, including MCHC, churches, the courthouse, Princess Theatre, etc. How about the soon-to-be-shortened Johnson Creamery smokestack?! Paint plein air or bring your photos and paint inside.
5. Opening Reception for We Paint…Historic Bloomington! — Friday Gallery Walk, October 7, 5:00 – 8:00, The Vault at Gallery Mortgage.
6. Second Reception — Friday Gallery Walk, November 4, 5:00 – 8:00. The Vault at Gallery Mortgage.
7. A SECOND EXHIBIT — Summer 2023. As a special opportunity for BWS, MCHC will host an exhibit of our paintings. More details to come on this event as we get closer.
Bloomington Garden Walk
by Charlotte Griffin
BWS has been invited to participate with the Bloomington Garden Club in the Bloomington Garden Walk by having artists painting in each of 6 locations. The dates and times are listed below:
Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sunday, June 12, 12 noon to 4 p.m.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
BWS considers this a Plein Air paint out. However, BWS creates a signup sheet and the artist who signs up commits to be at the garden, rain or shine, for the time slot. The artist should bring their gear (including an umbrella possibly) and set up in the garden so that they do not hinder the walking traffic (there can be over 800 people walking the gardens over the two days).
There are 5 gardens plus the Hilltop Garden and Nature Center community/university garden. There will be a flower arrangement display at Hilltop Garden for those who would like to paint Still Life.
If you would like to participate, contact me with the garden location (address) and time that you would like to paint; I will get back to you as to whether the slot is yours. (See next article, Using the Garden Walk to Get a Jump on Our Membership Show for garden descriptions.)
Here’s an Idea: Using the Garden Walk
to Get a Jump on Our Membership Show
by Betty Wagoner
The BWS Fall Member Show is going to be “We Paint… Historic Bloomington” and here is an opportunity. Two of the houses on the Garden Walk qualify as “Historic” because they are in Bloomington proper and were built before 1940.
If you would like to sign up to be the artist in one of these gardens and perhaps capture part of the house in your picture of the garden, here is your chance.
Attached are descriptions of the various gardens that will be painted. Slots are available at #3 and #4 and at Hilltop, but contact Charlotte Griffin for current information.
503 S Eagleston, built 1928.
905 S Madison St., built 1925.
1. Doug McKinney & Peter Burkholder — 2501 Cedarwood Circle.
This garden features 10 varieties of redbuds, 22 varieties of perennial hibiscus, many irises and an uncountable number of daylilies. There is something always in bloom throughout the growing season.
2. Jack Baker & Barbara Bulla-Baker — 905 S. Madison St .
Right onto The Stands Dr. Left on Rogers Rd., which turns into Winslow, to Rogers St. Right on Rogers. Right on W Dodds St. Right on Madison. Garden is on the left.
This garden is a continuing work of sinuous informal beds, formal boxwood partitioned beds, and “secret garden” seating areas. Self-curated, the garden expresses the owners’ love of texture, color and scent.
3. Victoria and Bill Witte — 1300 E. Maxwell Ln.
Right on Dodds, cross S. Walnut St. Left on Henderson. Right on E Maxwell. Garden on corner of Maxwell and Highland.
The addition of an owner-designed deer fence allowed for the renovation of an older gardens and the opportunity for new gardens around the house and patio. The flowering shrubs provide a habitat for butterflies, bees and birds.
4. Maurice Garnier — 925 E. University.
North on Highland. Left on University. Garden is on the right.
Here is an outstanding example of a naturalistic, all season, meadow-style garden. The garden is a tapestry of native plants and spring bulbs, designed for continuous bloom and long-term, low-cost maintenance.
5. Richard and Conna Oran — 503 S. Eagleson (formerly Jordan) .
East on University. Left on Eagleson. Garden is at the corner of Eagleson and Hunter.
This garden was re-designed to accommodate the loss of large trees. All the area in this small city lot has been filled with an interesting array of shrubs and assorted perennials (many native), as well as vegetables and herbs.
6. Hilltop Garden and Nature Center — 2367 E. 10th St.
North on Eagleson. Right on 10th to Hilltop Garden on the left, just before the 45/46 Bypass.
The flower show theme, Flags and Flowers, presents delightful flower arrangements coordinated with national flags. Also at Hilltop, tour IU’s unique Shakespeare Garden containing only plants mentioned in his writings, plus the refreshing Shade Gardens.
A Follow-Up Report:
Wiley House Museum Paint Out
by Betty Wagoner
Sandwiched between storms and rain, six BWS members attended a
paint-out at the Wylie House Museum in Bloomington. We painted in the
Museum, on the Museum grounds, and in the Education Center (the barn).
We were greeted warmly by the Museum staff and student trainees. All
enjoyed coffee, donuts, and cookies while painting at this pleasant and
beautiful site. Painters include: Barbara Coffman, Kathy Barton,
Andy Roberts, Marcie LeMasters, Jennifer Wyrick and Betty Wagoner.
Marcie and Jennifer are new BWS members.
A Little History
by Linda Bransletter, BWS Historian
I found BWS had a paint out at Bunham Woods Nursery in August 2006. The Herald Times wrote an article titled ” Making Art Outside”. This showed a photo of BWS artist Carol Rhodes painting at the nursery. Also Paul Sharp had completed a sketch to help him remember the shapes and shadows as the day progressed. Elizabeth Carey was another painter at the BWS paint out. Her painting focused on the butterflies and insects among the flowers.
Beyond BWS
The Watercolor Society of Indiana’s Juried Exhibit is scheduled to run from August 5 to September 24 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Final selection of work is pending but several BWS members have entered paintings for inclusion in this show.
The Watercolor Society of Indiana is also hosting a four-day workshop with Ken Call on “Portraits” to be held from July 5 – 8 at the Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 Meridian St., Indianapolis.
The Hoosier Art Salon’s 98th Annual Exhibition and Awards will by held at the Indiana State Museum from August 26 to October 26. Apply online from May 2 to June 10 at juriedartservices.com.
The Brown County Art Guild is putting on a fundraiser called “Art in the Garden” on July 25, 5 – 8 p.m.,in Nashville. Tickets for their annual raffle are also on sale.
Hancock County Arts 2022 Will Vawter Juried Art Show will be held from June 4 to July 16.
The Wabash Valley Artists Society juried show will be at The Arts Federation in Lafayette, September 2 – 30. See the organizations website for a prospectus and further information. The Wabash Valley Artists Society also has several upcoming paint-outs of interest:
June 4, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Wyatt LeGrand Plein Art Workshop, 102 S 10th Street, Lafayette.
June 18, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., The Farm at Prophetstown, 5545 Swisher Rd., West Lafayette.
July 2, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Delphi Canal Days, 1030 N. Washington St., Delphi, Ind.
July 14, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. , Jerie Art Home for Bastille Day, 3635 Goodall Court, West Lafayette.
July 30, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Yea Creek Orchard — Sunflower Festival, 5618 S. 200 E, Lafayette.
Guido Frick Workshop
Upland Plein Air and the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington are offering a Guido Frick plein air workshop, “Adding Power and Emotion to Your Painting,” June 3 – 5. The class size is 6 to 10, and the experience is geared for intermediate and advanced painters. The cost is $550. For additional information and to reserve your place, contact Babette Ballengers. Visit https://www.guidofrickfineart.com to learn more about the instructor.
Viridian Moon Gallery plans to launch a fundraising campaign in support of this Ukrainian non-profit organization: https://shelter-plus.com/support/eng. Artists have designated a percentage of their sales during this time period to go to the organization.
Indiana Heritage Arts will sponsor the West Baden Paint Out on August 12 and 13 at West Baden Springs Hotel. Artists can paint the beautiful West Baden Springs Hotel and gardens and then sell their art in the hotel lobby on Saturday afternoon. There is no registration fee, but interested artists should call the Brown County Art Gallery at 812-988-4609.
Membership News
Andy Roberts. Here are two watercolor paintings I started last fall during Upland Paint Outs that I recently finished in my studio. The first one is a pen and ink with watercolor of a gate and stone fence at the Marshall Township Park’s “Avoca Fish Hatchery” in Lawrence County. The second one is the Tulip Trestle viewed from the observation deck.
Jerome Harste. I’ve been teaching a Zoom class on how teachers might use art to support students in becoming critically literate. We have been studying several artists including Jacob Lawrence and William R. Johnson. Adopting their techniques and following these artists’ lead, I have decided to do a series of painting on Education. Here is my first attempt called, “Teaching Critical Race Theory.” The elaborated title, which I am somehow going to affix to the painting, is: “In 2022 Texas banned the teaching of Critical Race Theory, an educational movement inviting all teachers and all students to explore the systematic causes of racism in our society for purposes of doing something to stop it. Many are questioning the constitutionality of such a law.“
MarySue Schwab. We are painting in Arizona. This is a watercolor from Walnut Canyon, Arizona.
Bill worked on this drawing of Walnut Canyon for a painting. The rim is 7,000 ft. And there are 240 steps to decend into the canyon where there are cliff dwellings. Quite a hike up!
Susan Savastuk. I currently have art work at The Dimension Mill on Madison and Rogers. I also won a second place award for my 2022 Echo Hero Art submission, entitled ”Compostables”. I did a painting demonstration of my Covid Mask Pointillism process for the Bloomington 50+ Expo held at Switch Yard Park.
Bess Lee. I have been influenced by a group of artists who call themselves, “Artist for Climate Awareness.” They go be to thinking about all the animals that I really love. Here are two of my most recent paintings. My plan is to continue to paint imagines that pertain to this theme.
Calendar
June 3-5 — Upland Plein Air Workshop with Guido Frick.
June 4 — Wyatt LeGrand Plein Art Workshop, Lafayette.
June 4-July 16 — Hancock Valley’s Will Vader Art Show.
June 10 — Last day to enter a painting in the Hoosier Salon’s Juried 2022 Exhibit.
June 11-12 — The Bloomington Garden Walk
June 13 — Monthly BWS Meeting, 6 p.m.
June 15 — Docent Tour, Monroe County Historical Center, 11 a.m.
June 18, — Wabash Valley Paint Out, The Farm at Prophetstown, West Lafayette.
July 2 — Wabash Valley Paint Out, Canal Days, Delphi.
July 5-8 — WSI’s 4-day Workshop with Ken Call, Indianapolis.
July 14 — Wabash Valley Paint Out, Bastille Day, West Lafayette.
July 23 — Architectural Drawing Class, Monroe County Historical Center, 10:30 a.m.
July 25 — Brown County Art Guild Fundraiser, Nashville.
July 30 — Wabash Valley Paint Out, Sunflower Festival, Lafayette.
August 5-September 24 — WSI’s Juried School, Indianapolis Museum of Art.
August 6 — BWS’s Downtown Paint Out, meet at the Monroe County Historical Center.
August 12-13 — Indiana Heritage Arts Paint Out at West Baden.
August 26-October 6 — Hoosier Salon Juried Show, Indiana History Museum, Indianapolis.
September 2 — Wabash Valley Art Show, Lafayette.
