“May is the most beautiful month of the year, a month alive with warm color. The flowers and trees are in full bloom, and even the sun joins this rhapsody be emitting warmer rays.”
— Lillian Berliner, And The Month Was May: A Memoir
— Painting, JCHarste

MEETING

Jeanne Dutton to Demonstrate Journal Making, May 13

Bloomington Watercolor Society will meet Monday, May 13, at the First Christian Church, 205 E. Kirkwood Ave. The business meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the upper room as work is being completed in the room we usually meet in. Enter through the Washington Street door; the door code will be sent by email. The meeting will not be on Zoom.

Following the meeting, Jeanne Dutton will demonstrate how to create artist journals via different ways of folding watercolor paper. 

Making a sketchbook out of a single piece of paper is a handy trick to have up your sleeve! These versatile sketchbooks can be made in a variety of sizes and used for drawing exercises, specific projects, special gifts, or even to accompany you on a plein air outing!  

Easy to pack, take one on your summer vacation.  Make them with the grandkids and create special memories.  Remember, these journals aren’t fine art, they’re FUN art!

 Jeanne says, “I love to pick a theme, gather quotations related to the theme, then get creative with my illustrations!  The folds create pockets which can be filled with bookmarks, tiny paintings, or other ephemera.”

Jeanne will also bring several samples to, hopefully, inspire you!

Supplies to bring:
A full or half sheet of 140# watercolor paper, plus a few smaller sizes.
Scissors
A bone folder for pressing creases
Ideas for your theme
Quotations related to that theme  
Bring whatever medium you want to start your journal with – pencil, pens, watercolor pens, etc.

Photo by Jeanne Dutton

INSIDE BWS

Presidential Notes of Thanks

Thank you to MarySue Schwaab, BWS Signature member, who presented the April program, “Using Color and White Space Effectively,” and discussed layering, using transparent watercolors.

Here’s a sample from the audience.

And kudos to Daniel Goebbert for sharing his Eclipse inspired painting at the meeting.

A Note of Urgency

Laura Brown, BWS Vice President, wrote to say:

“As I mentioned at one of the meetings, BWS activities are made possible by artists like YOU!  There are a couple spots where we are in need of volunteers to make things possible this year.   The hats to wear are very different from one another, so please read the entire email so you don’t miss what might be a perfect fit for you!  

First off, every year for awhile now we have been taking a bus up to the Newfields Museum of Art in Indianapolis to see the LUME exhibit, a 360 walkthrough immersive art experience which has focused on great artists of the past.   From the Impressionists to Van Gogh, this year’s exhibit is Salvador Dali! However, we still don’t have a trip coordinator to help make arrangements with the museum, verify our transportation, send reminder emails, and overall ensure a fun experience for our members.   Without a coordinator, we will not be able to arrange this trip this year, something we all surely wouldn’t want to miss out on. Note, Dali Alive! closes on June 20.

Secondly, if you’re someone that would prefer to work behind the scenes, we have the perfect spot for you! We are in need of someone to edit Brushstrokes, our monthly online newsletter. It is the homebase for all our organization’s news, recaps, and upcoming events.    Right from home, you could be the one that helps build a solid record of BWS events and a go-to spot for members and the public alike.

If you are willing to step up to the plate, please for either of these please contact info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org

Paint Out at May Creek Farm

Announcing the first BWS paint-out of the season!

Please join BWS and Upland artists at the May Creek Farm for a morning of plein air painting on May 18 from 10 am to 1 pm.  The beautiful rural farm offers a large grassy area surrounded by forest and a large pond with a babbling brook and outbuildings.  In short, plenty of scenes to paint! 

Directions:  Head south on Rockport Road from S Rogers Street for about 8 miles. Look for a tall address sign on the left and the BWS sign.  Park on the gravel parking lot and please be sure not to block someone’s driveway.

A shelter house and a large porch offer protection from the sun or the rain!   A coffee pot and refrigerator are also available.  

Transportation from the parking area is available for those with mobility challenges.

Hosts Betty Wagoner and Sara Steffey McQueen will be there to welcome you.Questions?  Email info@BloomingtonWatercolor.org or call 812 420-0695.

Cancer Support Community Center

Jeanne Dutton, Barbara Coffman, & Linda Branstetter will be the featured artists at the South Center Indiana Community Cancer Support Center through May and June. The Exhibit is entitled, “Flowers, Fields, and Felines.” The opening reception will be May 10 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Historical Tidbit

Linda Branstetter, BWS Historian, sent in this little bit of history from June 2, 2014.  Troy Kilgore, Tricia Wente, and Jerome Harste were three Bloomington artists among 15 Indiana artists chosen for the Hoosier Salon Annual Exhibition that was on display through August of 2014 at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Historical Center in Indianapolis.  This was Harste’s first time being a part of the exhibit.  

Hoosier Salon has exhibited art from many of Indiana’s most notable painters, sculptors, cartoonists, and mixed media artists including Hoosier group artists, members of Brown County Art Colony, and other artists with ties to Indiana.

OUTSIDE BWS

Artists for Climate Awareness: Workshop, May 11

MarySue Schwab wrote to say, “Sign up for my watercolor workshop on May 11th at Ivy Tech Community College, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Painting Pollinators, Birds, Butterflies and Bees. I’ll share some thing I’ve learned about bird anatomy, choosing the best reference photo, and various watercolor techniques.”

This workshop on pollinators is sponsored by Artists for Climate Awareness.

“We’ll delve into the world of pollinators through watercolor. This special event aligns with World Migratory Bird Day, spotlighting the vital role of birds and insects as pollinators. Our artistic journey will revolve around the intricate beauty of pollinators. From butterflies to bees, dragonflies to hummingbirds, we invite participants to capture the essence of these vital creatures through the graceful strokes of watercolor. You can bring your own photo references or subjects will be provided.

Autumn Brunelle, full-time naturalist for Monroe County Parks and Recreation (and annual Bugfest coordinator), will provide education about pollinators as well as information about the Indiana Master Naturalist Program and the Monroe County Parks and Recreation’s environmental programs.”

To learn more and register, go to https://artistsforclimateawareness.org/event/celebrating-pollinators-in-watercolor/.

Watercolor Society of Indiana: Two Announcements!!

Membership Show: The Watercolor Society of Indiana’s Annual Members’ Show will be at Gallery Forty-Two at 42 East Washington St., Indianapolis, from June 14th through July 26th. There is a public reception on June 14th from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm.

Call to Artists for Entries: The Watercolor Society of Indiana Annual Juried Exhibition is accepting entries from members until 5:00 p.m. on May 24th. This Exhibition will be at the Indianapolis Museum of Art from August 2nd through September 28th. More information and a prospectus is available on the WSI website at https://www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org/ where you can also see information about upcoming classes, demonstrations and regional exhibitions.

Hoosier Art Salon: Call to Artists for Entries

Celebrating 100 Years, the Hoosier Art Salon’s Annual Exhibition will take place at the Indiana State Museum from August 26 until October 22. Apply online from May 6 to June 16 at juriedartservices.com. For complete rules visit hoosierartsalon.org.

$100,000 in Artist’s Awards and Commissions are hoping to be distributed!!

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

Gene Harrawood. His is something I’m working on:

Here are some I finished.

Tim Lewis. I was accepted to be represented by a new gallery. Gallery 02 is located at 1115 Broadway in Fort Wayne and will hold a grand opening celebration from 5 until 8 p.m. on May 4th. I will have six watercolors available and on display at the opening including “Snowed In” and “Ghosts Of Fenns.”

“Snowed In” – 22” x 15” watercolor, Tim Lewis, Artist

“Ghosts Of Fenns” – 16” x 12” watercolor, Tim Lewis, Artist

Carolyn Roger Richard. For the month of May, I will be a Featured Artist at the Hoosier Artist Gallery, a cooperative gallery in Nashville, Indiana.  Also featured is Anabel Hopkins of Nashville.  There will be an Art Walk on Friday, May 4th from 4 to 7 p.m. All are invited to attend. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day at 45 S. Jefferson St., Nashville, IN, directly behind the Brown County Art Guild.

One of the paintings being shown by Carolyn Roger Richards at the Hoosier Art Gallery

Zain Mackey. I’ve been having fun working with shapes and color mixing with abstracts. This painting “Ova Over Texas,” along with some older work is headed to the Boomerang Gallery, a pop-up art gallery at Boomerang Hall on Madison Street in Bloomington.

“Ova Over Texas,” Zain Mackey, Artist.

Patrica Uffman. This could be considered an homage to Linda Meyer-Wright. In one of her classes she told us that we could incorporate discarded items into our work; in fact, we could scape paint off our pallet to create something. That is what I did — scrape bits of hardened acrylic paint from my pallet to make this scene that I call “Paint Blob Panic.” It is 8” x 10” on canvas board.

“Paint Blob Panic,” Patricia Uffman, Artist.

Andy Roberts. I painted this En Plein Air as I love the house and many others in the Prospect Hill neighborhood. My Aunt Jennie actually lived in this house when I was a small child so hence the attraction also. Now that the weather is getting nice I hope to be more productive.

Andy Roberts, Artist.

Jerome Harste. One of the lessons the lions taught me during my last safari in South Africa is the secret to a long life. I’m calling this playful personification, “The Secret to Longevity: Marrying Well.”

Jerry also writes, “As many of you know I am a strong advocate of expanding society’s notions of literacy beyond reading and writing. To that end, when I teach courses (even those that deal with teaching reading and writing more effectively), I often ask students to recreate an artistic response to what they have learned rather than just asking them to write or talk about how they have grown. Below is a response from Elizabeth Pace, one of my students, that I thought was particularly powerful:”

Elizabeth Pace, Artist

“For this week’s art response, I felt that a butterfly would be a perfect representation of how my views on literacy have transformed over this course. Throughout this course, I have had to rethink what fundamental literacy means to me. Prior to starting this degree, I was very much a believer of a more phonics-based approach, especially in supporting students that had difficulties reading and writing. This has become what I now consider a “black and white” approach to literacy. Since then, my view of literacy has drastically changed to become one where fundamental literacy is the building blocks of who people identify themselves as and how they contribute to society, which has also become much more “bright and colourful”, as represented on the right side of the butterfly. Viewing literacy from a social perspective has improved my own practice, by stepping outside of the black and white, embracing more color, and finding new ways to engage, teach, and learn with students.” 

Kathleen Barton. Here is one of the paintings I entered into my group show at Viridian Moon last spring.  It is already framed and still available for purchase. More of my paintings can be viewed at:
Https://www. Kathysartllc.Square.site

Additional security has been added to this site. Enjoy viewing.

Kathleen goes on to say, “I have been told by some people I have been influenced by Matisse. Below is a gesture painting I created following a drawing session by Claude Cookman in March. II try to maintain some naïveté;  and I find some similarities to Matisse’s presentation on the paper or canvas of spatial placement .

Kathleen Barton, Artist

MarySue Schwab. There is still time to sign up for my workshop on May 11th on “Polinators” (Artistists for Climate Awareness entry above). I also wanted to let you know that my paintings of seascapes has been accepted for the Light, Space, & Time Art Competition entitled “Seascapes.” Light, Space & Time hosts an online art competition featuring artist from around the world.

“Before the Storm,” Aritist MarySue Schwab

“The Great Pacific,” Artist, MarySue Schwab

CALENDAR

May 1 to May 24 — Submit Entries to WSI’s Annual Exhibition, Indianapolis

May 6 to June 16 — Submit Entries to Hoosier Art Salon Annual Exhibition

May 10 — Open Reception for Dutton-Coffman-Branstetter Exhibit at Cancer Support Center

May 11 — Artists for Climate Awareness Workshop, 9-4, Ivy Tech Community College, Bloomington

May 13 — BWS May Meeting & Program, First Christian Church, Bloomington

May 18 — Paint-Out, May Creek Farm, Bloomington

Painting by Penny Lulich

Our February 12th Meeting

Bloomington Watercolor Society will meet Monday, February 12th, at the First Christian Church, 205 E. Kirkwood Ave. The business meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Enter through the Washington Street door; the door code will be sent by email. The meeting will not be on Zoom.

February’s Feature Program

Painting Winter Scenes. This month’s program leader, Penny Lulich says, “I love painting snow scenes, so come and paint with me as we explore snow with mountains and pine trees, and maybe a skier or two.  We’ll explore color, shadows, and even flick some paint! I find I enjoy myself more if I have my favorite things.”

So bring your usual watercolor supplies, plus a few small sheets of paper for practicing drawing trees and tree lines, a wax resist crayon, and some salt. Penny will show how to splatter snowflakes using white gouache, so you may want to bring an apron, too.

For Your Information here is Penny’s palette. (Stars ** represent most often used.)
Permanent yellow light
** Yellow ochre
** Sap green
Green gold
Cobalt green
** Cobalt turquoise light
Pyrrol scarlet
Transparent pyrrol orange
Alizarin Crimsom
** Opera, pink
Ultramarine deep
** Indigo
** Cobalt blue
Shadow violet
** Transparent brown oxide
Quin deep gold
** Quin purple
** Burnt sienna
New Gamboge

Penny recommends a number 10 round brush, and a three-quarter inch angle shader. It’s helpful to have a sword liner or an equivalent for the tiniest tree branches.

Penny will have a drawing for a couple of art giveaways.

Inside BWS

“WE PAINT…Peter, Paul and Mary”

February 2 – March 29, 2024

A BWS Exhibition Benefitting Teachers Warehouse!

Inspired by the varied styles and eras of Peter Max, Paul Klee, and Mary Cassat, the artist members of the Bloomington Watercolor Society have created a wonderfully varied exhibit full of psychedelic color, cubism, and domestic scenes.  

Showing at The Vault at Gallery Portage (121 E 6th Street). Normal Gallery Hours:  9am – 5pm Monday – Friday, except for days of receptions for which Gallery Hours are. 9am – 8pm.

And Breaking News from President Jeanne Dutton:

The show is up, the opening reception over, and now to announce the winners!

Three judges each choose their top three using certain criteria, including adherence to the theme, materials used, composition, and presentation, etc.  Comparing notes, they then team up to choose the top two.

Silver Second is “FLOWER POWER 2” by Char Dapena.

Her painting was from a drawing she did back in her college days when Peter Max posters were everywhere.  Char receives a certificate and $75 from BWS.

Best of Show is “INSIGHT,” alcohol ink on Yupo, from first-ever-exhibitor, Gail Fairfield.  Gail receives a certificate and am award of $100 from The Vault.

Winners of the door prizes are Babette Ballinger taking away a #10 Round Aqua Elite watercolor brush; Lynne Gilliatt winning a Peter Max inspired tote from MoMA; and Sharon Parsons taking home a beautiful handmade, leatherbound journal.

Congratulations to all the winners!

The video tour of the exhibit can be seen on YouTube, and thanks to Bloomington North Rotary for sponsoring it once again.

GALLERY 2024

GALLERY 2024

The gallery can also be found on SmugMug at 
https://bloomingtonwatercolor.smugmug.com/We-PaintPeter-Paul-and-Mary-2024

A second reception is planned for March 1, 2024 during Gallery Walk.

Enjoy!

Applications are Now Open for Signature Membership

Andy Roberts, 2nd Vice President, announced that applications for Signature membership would be processed during the 2024 year.  The process will begin by those who are interested contacting Andy to express their intent to apply by the end of March. Physical applications need to be submitted by April 30.  Judging will take place in September. 

Outside BWS

Upland Plein Air

The Upland Plein Air Member Show opens at the Arts Alliance Center in the College Mall on Saturday, February 3rd, with a reception from 1:00-3:00 pm. Upland members will exhibit works in a variety of subject matter, styles, and mediums. Cards, as well as artwork, will be for sale. The show runs through Saturday, March 2nd. Arts Alliance Center hours are  Thursday – Saturday, 11:00 am-8:00 p.m., and Sunday 12:00–6:00 p.m.

Cancer Support Center

Artists for Climate Awareness

Artists for Climate Awareness will host an in-person workshop February 13 from 5:30-8 p.m., entitled “Embracing Emotions through Abstract Watercolors”. The workshop invites artists to express their emotions as they delve into the intersection of art and environmental consciousness by reflecting on climate change through the powerful medium of abstract watercolors. For more information contact Carol Rhodes.

Artist for Climate Awareness will also host a Juried Exhibition for its members at the Art Alliance Center in Bloomington from April 1-18. The theme of that exhibition is, “Depictions: Earth, Life, and Our Shared Responsibility.”

The Hoosier Art Salon

The Hoosier Art Salon has several upcoming shows:

Young at Art: February 17 – March 31. Reception March 9th, 2-4 pm. Featuring the artwork of local students, Kindergarten-8th grade.

Field to Finish: April 13-16. Reception Wednesday, April 17th, 5-7 p.m. Showcasing the lovely “field” photographs and “finished” pieces of art that were produced during the First Blush of Spring Paint-Out by Indiana artists. Canvases must be stamped. Entry fee of $30 is required for non-Hoosier Art Salon members and $25 entry fee for members. All work must be for sale. Art must be received by April 8th.

Simplify through Color and Shape with Lon Brauer Workshop. April 15 & 16, 9-4pm. Painting is a language – a visual language – and our goal as artists is to find a way to translate what we see into a form that will represent that vision on canvas. Photographic reference will be discussed as a tool to help us better understand what two-dimensional imagery is all about. This workshop will benefit any painter regardless of the chosen subject matter.

The Watercolor Society of Indiana

The Watercolor Society of Indiana is hosting a Regional Exhibit of Indiana Artists at the Brown County Art Gallery, 1 Artist Drive, Nashville, from February 10th to March 28th. Any artist over 18 and a resident of Indiana can apply to show their work in this show.

The Annual WSI Exhibition will take place in June and July.

More information about either of these shows can be found on the WSI website.

Membership News

Timothy Lewis. I want to announce two upcoming opportunities:

• WSI’s Annual Member Show prospectus will be sent to members in mid-February. This show allows any WSI member to exhibit one painting in the unjuried show. The show this year will be at th Gallery 42 in downtown Indianapolis.
• WSI’s Annual Juried Show prospectus will also be sent to members in February. This juried show will be at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.
• To join WSI go to their website at https://www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org/

I will be serving as President of the Watercolor Society of Indiana for 2024 and 2025.

I was featured in an article in the Greenfield Daily Reporter on Saturday, Jan. 20th for being a part of the “God’s Gift of Winter” show at the 43 East Gallery in Greenfield. I have two winter scene watercolors in this show which will run through the end of February.

New work: “Obscured” is a 16” x 12” watercolor of a solar eclipse in tribute to the April eclipse that will be visible across Indiana this year. Painted using QoR Watercolors on 300# Arches cold-pressed watercolor paper.

Jacki Frey. I put a painting of my ginger cat into the Upland show at Art Alliance. Consider this a personal invitation to come see the show!

Jerome Harste. I’ve been playing with pattern. I’ve entitled this, Landscape: My Ode to Kee. (Acrylic on 12×18″ cradle board).

And to experiment with color and explore the affect and effect of geometric patterns clashing with organic patterns, I created Eclipse. (3-D Collage Acrylic on 8×8″ canvas).

Bess Lee. Here is one of my paintings for the Cancer Support Center Art Show which features my work. The show will run March 3 to April 28.

Erika Wente. Here are three recently painted watercolors for the February Brushstrokes:  (1) “ Three Horse Portraits” 14” x 11” ; 2)  “Aspen”  7” x 8”; (3)  “Mountain Snow”  11″ x 14.”

Deborah Rush. The only thing I managed to get finish is this painting of “Bridge at Stourhead Gardens.”

MarySue & Bill Schwab. Both of these paintings have a new home in Napa, California! Both are commissioned California scenes, I painted the field of poppies and Bill painted the old tree.

Meri Reinhold. I am in Antarctica on a Viking expedition ship Octantis. The majesty of the environment here is beyond words. However, one artist inspired me to try her very limited palette style. These two paintings are after Mona Eckhoff. Not really original works.

Andy Roberts. I have a painting that I created in anticipation of selling some of my works in Florida this next two months. I will be painting with the Sanibel-Captiva Art League and maybe enter a show of theirs while there. This painting is from a photo that I took last spring of a Sandpiper along waters edge. Watercolor on watercolor canvas.

Stephen Edwards. Attached is image for “Waiting For One Last Turn”. I was invited by the Hoosier Salon to participate in the Clowes Collaborative with 17 other artists. The work will have a reception on March 1^st at the Hilbert Circle Theatre and be on display till June 9^th. A fun little self portrait called “Just The Right Angle” I also attached. It is me taking a photo of an old lawnmower but looking at the scene in a reflected truck mirror propped up on the edge of the lawnmower. In the small circular mirror, you can see my wife holding a cell phone out to get the photo I worked from for the painting.

Calendar

February 1 to March 1 — Susan Savastuk’s Show at the Cancer Support Center.

February 1 to March 31 — Applications for Signature Status in BWS are open.

February 3 — Upland Plein Air’s Member Show at Arts Alliance.

February 10 to March 18 — WSI’s Regional Exhibit at Brown County Art Gallery.

February 12 — BWS Meeting, First Christian Church, Bloomington.

February 13 — Artist for Climate Awareness Workshop, Ivy Tech, Bloomington.

February 17 to March 31 — Young at Art Show at Hoosier Salon, New Harmony.

March 3 to April 25 — Bess Lee’s Show at Cancer Support Center.

Aril 1 to 18 — Artist for Climate Awareness Membership Show at Art Alliance.

April 13 to 16 — Field to Finish Show, Hoosier Salon, New Harmony.

April 15 & 16 — Lon Brauer Workshop, Hoosier Salon, New Harmony.

“Under the Same Moon” by Linda Meyer-Wright

Our January Meeting

Bloomington Watercolor Society will meet Monday, January 8th, at the First Christian Church, 205 E. Kirkwood Ave. The business meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Enter through the Washington Street door; the door code will be sent by email. The meeting will not be on Zoom.

Program: Transparent Watercolors: How to Use Color

MarySue Schwab says that people always ask her, “How do you use color effectively?” In response to that question, MarySue will conduct a mini-workshop around the use of color. Nuggets of her advice include: “Limit your palette! Know your colors! Remember complements create contrast! Know the temperature of your painting?  Value trumps all else! And, save and use the white of your paper.

Supplies: Bring watercolor supplies (paper, brushes, paints, etc.) and a reference photo if you are starting a new project. If you are already working on something, bring that.

Close Up Images of MarySue Schwab’s artwork

Inside BWS

BWS’ Christmas Party

As the pictures below show, BWS’ 2023 Christmas Party (a Christmas Card Exchange) at Meadowwood was a huge success with over 40 people in attendance.

Up-Coming Benefit Show: We Paint….Peter, Paul and Mary!

This year’s show will benefit the Teachers’ Warehouse. The theme of the show is “We Paint….Peter, Paul, and Mary!” The show will be held from February 2 through March 29 at the Vault Gallery (121 E. 6th Street). The Opening Reception will be held on February 2 (Gallery Walk Friday) from 5 to 8 p.m.

In the prospectus, you will find all the details along with links to sites about Peter, Paul, and Mary, their lives and their art.

Any medium is welcome for this show, so BE INSPIRED, BE CREATIVE, and HAVE FUN!

https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/member-shows-workshops/show-rules/prospectus/

“Landscape with Bluebirds”, Paul Klee

BWS Art Scholarship

Jeanne Dutton provided the following up-date for the Newsletter:

“Many thanks to Linda Branstetter, Denise Lessow, Marcy LaMaster, Meri Reinhold, and Lynne Gilliatt!  

The Foundation for Monroe County Community Schools manages the BWS Art Scholarship.  Due to the generosity of the artist members who contributed auction items, to those who made direct donations to the scholarship, and to those who bid on our items, the scholarship fund increased by over $300 in December.

MCCSC seniors may begin applying in February.  Information will be available through their schools.

Signature Membership — Open Applications

Are you interested in applying for 2024 Signature Membership? 

It’s the honored status for BWS members who have developed skills, gained education, and been juried into exhibits sponsored by prestigious art organizations, such the Hoosier Salon, National Watercolor Society, the Watercolor Society of Indiana, et al.

The process, including judging by an artist outside BWS, and criteria are outlined in the By-Laws which can be found at https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/about/home/by-laws/

Here are the dates to remember:

a. Indicate your interest in applying by MARCH 31.

b. Applications must be completed and submitted by  APRIL 30.

c. Final judging will be completed by SEPTEMBER 30.

d. Award to successful applicants will be announced at the October meeting.

Andy Roberts, as 2nd VP and Membership Chair, oversees the application process.  Please direct any questions to him at info@BloomingtonWatercolor.org.

Outside BWS

Bloomington Portrait Group Reorganizes
Along Upland Model

Arkady Roytman • Faces of Bloomington • Oil

Visual artists in the Bloomington area are fortunate to have several vibrant groups serving their interests. The groups share many members in common and have filial relationships. For example, the Upland Plein Air landscape group was a spin off from BWS. The Bloomington Portrait Group emerged from Upland. 

In January 2017, it was too cold to paint outside, and Upland members were looking for an indoor winter activity. Somebody suggested a portrait session. Eight members met at Jacki Fry’s home in Ellettsville, where the first model was an Indiana University BFA student.  Claude Cookman saw a vacuum and began scheduling bi-weekly sessions for artists to draw and paint portraits from live models. Since then, the group has met every other Thursday to paint and draw from live models. When the Covid-19 lock-down halted in-person sessions, Mary Sue Schwab suggested self-portraits. That expanded into monthly challenges — such as portraits of pets, statues, dolls, famous persons, and the artists’ younger selves   — that members completed in their studios and shared by email. 

BPG welcomes artists at every level from novices to professionals. The roster numbers about 50 regional artists, but typically 10 to 12 artists attend a session. They work in a range of mediums from oil and watercolor to charcoal, graphite, pastel, and collage. The group has met in several locations including the Banneker Community Center, the Monroe County Public Library, Saint Mark’s United Methodist Church, and The Vault at Gallery Mortgage. Recently it has alternated between Bloomington Parks and Recreation’s Switchyard Park Shelter House during the summer, and the Arts Alliance Center at the College Mall during the colder months.

Cookman recruited models who represent our community’s rich diversity in age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. During school vacations he scheduled children and teens. The youngest model was 8; the oldest, a nonagenarian. In addition to diversity, he also looked for people who help make Bloomington a safe and civil place to live: musicians, artists, athletes, ministers, WFIU radio personalities, journalists, fire fighters, and food security leaders. Models have included an IU women’s basketball star, performance poet, clown, belly dancer, cowboy, and roller derby skater. The one thing all models have in common is their interesting faces. “Interesting faces, interesting lives,” has become the BPG motto.

Because some artists like to include narrative in their portraits, models are asked to bring props that relate to their work or hobbies. Items have ranged from books and knitting to musical instruments and sports equipment. The most intriguing prop was Kundalini, a boa constrictor snake, which the model wore around his neck. The session got lively when the room warmed up and the snake started slithering across the floor. At that point, the moderator let the model break pose and retrieve his reptilian friend.

After six years as director, Cookman is stepping down at the end of December 2023. The group is reorganizing along the Upland model. Members will sign up for a month and be responsible for recruiting models and moderating sessions. Arkady Roytman has volunteered to be coordinator to keep things running smoothly and manage a website announcing the sessions.

If you are interested in participating in the Bloomington Portrait Group, go to this URL to join the mailing list and get information, invitations, and reminders about upcoming sessions!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0Admt7oFarCWGGqoIPQscxX46VSNogMiAgnHYPvl9Ty-pJQ/viewform

Upland Plein Air Group Membership Show

Upland’s Membership Show will be held at the Arts Alliance Center in the College Mall from February 3th to March 2nd, 2024. Delivery of entries is on February 1 with the opening reception scheduled for February 3rd from 1 to 3 p.m.

Artist for Climate Awareness

Workshop opportunity: Embracing Emotions Through Abstract Watercolors (February 13, 20, 27, 2024 @ 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm  [Three Weekly Sessions]).

Join us for a unique art workshop that goes beyond the canvas to explore the emotional impact of impending climate change. This workshop delves into the intersection of art and environmental consciousness, allowing participants to express their emotions and reflections on climate change through the powerful medium of abstract watercolors. Theme: The Emotional Landscape of Climate Change. In this workshop, we will explore the emotional depths inspired by the challenges our planet faces — droughts, fires, storms, oceanic changes, heat impacts, biodiversity damage, and more. Through abstract art, participants will have the opportunity to convey their feelings, fears, and hopes for the future in a visually compelling and evocative manner. Offered by Artists for Climate Awareness in partnership with the Center for Sustainable Living. Stephen Hale, board member, will provide a short educational piece about the organization’s many projects, and how you can help your home and community to be environmentally friendly. See https://ivytechbloomington.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=1506&int_category_id=0&int_sub_category_id=0&int_catalog_id=0

Zain Mackey, “Orca Rising”

Call for art. Juried gallery show opportunity: Depictions: Earth, Life, and Our Shared Responsibility

Artists for Climate Awareness is calling for 2-D and 3-D artwork to be displayed in a gallery exhibition April 1 – 28 at the Arts Alliance Center in the College Mall in Bloomington, IN.

We are proud to be offering this juried exhibition during Earth Month, and we anticipate exceptional patronage during that time. Bloomington is the hot spot for viewing the 2024 total solar eclipse, and we expect a tremendous influx of tourists to be in town, especially around April 8th. (https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/indiana-2024-eclipse)

         We will be coordinating other climate awareness events related to this exhibition, including: a reception featuring environmentally themed new music performed by an IU Jacobs School of Music ensemble; a pastel workshop by nature artist Avon Waters; and a climate-themed poetry and dance performance entitled “Stormwash: Climate Awareness” by Bloomington Writers Guild and Windfall Dancers, Inc. For the prospectus, see https://artistsforclimateawareness.org/art-exhibition-prospectus/

In Memorial

Robert Anderson.

Susan Graham wrote to say “I learned the sad news last night that Bob Anderson passed away earlier this month. I don’t know if the HT ran an obit for him but here it is from Franklin, TN, where he and Frances have lived since 2020. I was lucky to work with Bob for years in the economic development community in addition to BWS. What a fun-loving and sweet gentleman he was. Also a talented painter!”

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/robert-anderson-obituary?id=53867429

Robert Anderson Obituary – Williamson Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Services- – Franklin – 2023 View Robert Martin Anderson’s obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.www.legacy.com

Linda Meyer-Wright.


Dec 10, 2023 — Linda Meyer, affectionately known as “Linnie” or “Lin”, was born on January 24, 1946, and passed away on December 7, 2023.

After a social service career in Cincinnati, Ohio, Linda  moved to Indiana in 1988. In 2000, she took her first art class and found a  love for art and a joy in expression that has become her second career. Linda  taught watercolor, acrylic, collage and mixed media classes for Ivy Tech’s Center for Lifelong Learning. Her style of teaching encouraged students to  expand their watercolor horizons with surprising results, including quirky  impressions and colors while exploring chaos and pattern.

The Herald-Timeshttps://www.heraldtimesonline.com › psbn0650198

Membership News

Jeanne Dutton. Ivy Tech’s Center for Lifelong Learning offers a wide variety of visual arts classes.  For the very amateur watercolor artist, I will teach Beginning Watercolor I starting January 25.  Classes are 2:15-4:45 every Thursday through February 29 and will be held at the commons of the new Bloomington Fine Art Supply store.  It’s located next to Rainbow Bakery at the corner of Rogers and Fourth Streets.

Find details and registration link and information on other classes offered by BWS members at https://www.ivytech.edu/locations/bloomington/special-programs/center-for-lifelong-learning/

Mary Sue Schwab. Attached is a schedule of the classes I will be conducting at Ivy Tech in the coming months:

Fundamentals of Drawing	1/18/2024	3/7/2024	10am-12pm
Learn Calligraphy and More	1/18/2024	3/7/2024	12:30pm-1:30pm
Fundamentals of Drawing	4/4/2024	5/9/2024	10am-12pm
Learn Calligraphy and More	4/4/2024	5/9/2024	12:30pm-1:30pm

Note that I will be teaching Calligraphy and Drawing at Ivy Tech Bloomington, winter/spring session. Sign up now. Classes begin 1/18/2024 and space is limited, Use the link for easy registration!

Fundementals of Drawing Thursdays 10-12.: This class will help you to develop your drawing skills. Come just for the love of drawing, or to use the techniques to improve your other forms of art!

Calligraphy Thursdays 12:30-1:30.: Calligraphy is the art of beautiful writing. Learn the basic strokes, size, and spacing of lettering so you can use these skills as a springboard for decorative lettering and flourishes.

Come join the fun!

Tim Lewis. Two of my watercolors, “Snowed In” and “Lonely Corner” are in the “God’s Gift Of Winter” invitational show at the Greenfield Christian Church in Greenfield, IN through March 3rd.

Jacki Frye. My granddaughter on the beach in Maui, entitled, “Surf’s Up!!”

Andy Roberts. I hope everyone has a Happy New Year and productive paintings in 2024. I closed out this year with a painting I was commissioned to paint from a couple who traveled to the Big Island of Hawaii in June. It’s a watercolor on watercolor canvas. I like not having to put glass on these painting as you can coat with acrylic UV paint and frame. Thanks to all our BWS members for a wonderful year.

Susan Savastuk. The items in red under the flyer (below) are donations that can be brought to the Cancer Support Center. The donations will become part of the Cancer Comfort Kits which the Center offers to folks healing from cancer. Feel free to bring your donations whenever, or better yet, when you come to see my exhibition at the Center which opens January 8.

Patty Uffman. I have been juried into the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington.  My work focuses on watercolors, but also includes pastels, acrylics, and collage.  The Arts Alliance showcases nearly every media:  watercolor, woodworking, collage, fiber, oil, photography, jewelry, oils, stained glass, pen and ink, glass, candle-making, and writing.  I’m happy to join other members of BWS who also exhibit there, including Andy Roberts, Carol Rhodes, Don Geyra, Henry Leck, Rose Brenner, Sara Steffey McQueen, and Susan Savastuk. Please stop by the Arts Alliance at the mall Thursdays-Sundays to enjoy the wide variety of artists on display!

Zain Mackey. As we reach the end of 2023 I’ve been working with watercolor and playing with mixed media ideas. Here’s one of my paintings on that theme titled “Fleeting Thoughts.”

Jerome Harste. I had the chance to visit the Light, Space & Time Online Art Gallery. They are featuring an “All Women” Art Show. Below are some of my favorite paintings:

Calendar

Now through March 3 –“God’s Gift of Winter Show,” Greenfield Christian Church

January 8 — BWS Meeting, First Christian Church, Bloomington

January 8 to March 1 — Susan Savartuk’s Show at Cancer Support Ctr., Blmgtn.

January 18 — MarySue Schwab’s classes begin at Ivy Tech, Bloomington

January 25 — Jeanne Dutton’s classes begin at the Fine Arts Store

February 2 to March 28 — BWS Benefit Show at The Vault Gallery, Bloomington

February 3 to March 2 — Upland Plein Air Show at Art Alliance, Bloomington

February 13 — Artist for Climate Awareness Workshop begins, Art Alliance

April 1 to April 28 — Artist for Climate Awareness Exhibition, Art Alliance, Blmgtn.

Meeting — October 9, 6 p.m.

Bloomington Watercolor Society will meet Monday, October 9th, at the First Christian Church, 205 E. Kirkwood Ave. The business meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Enter through the Washington Street door; the door code will be sent by email. The meeting will not be on Zoom.

Program

The October 9 program is a Fall Paint In led by Charlotte Griffin. There will be three still life setups for you to choose from.  Two are flower arrangements and one is a scarecrow and some pumpkins.  Bring you paper, brushes, and your palette filled with fall colors.

Inside BWS

State of the Society — Past President’s Report

Bloomington Watercolor Society
State of the Society Report (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023)

Dear Members of the Bloomington Watercolor Society,

As I step down from my role as President, I take immense pride in the growth and accomplishments we have achieved together as the Bloomington Watercolor Society. It has been an honor and privilege to serve this remarkable community, and I am immensely proud of our collective achievements. The dedication, talent, and passion displayed by each member continue to inspire me and reaffirm my belief in the transformative power of art.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the entire executive committee and all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to make BWS a resounding success. 

I am pleased to present to you the State of the Society report for our organization, summarizing the activities and events that took place from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023. It was an eventful year, and we are grateful for the continued support and participation of our members.

Meetings:

Throughout the year, our society hosted a variety of meetings and workshops to engage our members in the world of watercolor art:

• July 2022 – We kicked off the year with an Etagami workshop by Ruth Bogan.
• August 8th, 2022 – A demonstration featuring Rachel Berenson Perry, author of Painter of the Dunes: A Life of Frank Virgil Dudley. Morgenstern’s Books was there with copies of the book to sell.
• September 12th, 2022 – We had a Show and Share session and a Book Exchange.
• October 10th – Sara Steffey McQueen led a Mandala Art workshop.
• November 14th – Penny Lulich shared insights on “Finding Joy and Confidence with Watercolors,” along with her demonstration of painting the California coastline.
• January 9, 2023 – We visited McCalla Elementary School, which is now an art gallery showcasing artworks collected by Indiana University affiliates.
• February 2023 – Unfortunately, this meeting was canceled due to Covid.
• March 13th, 2023 – We had a still life setup to paint, featuring flowers, fruit, shamrocks, and other objects.
• April 10th – Carol Rhodes and Jeanne Dutton presented various watercolor mediums.
• May 8th – The FrameMakers demo was canceled due to the presenter’s Covid situation, and business was conducted among officers only.
• June 2023 – We had a Show and Share session, the installation of officers, and a farewell to Carol Rhodes as BWS President.

Paintouts:

Our paintout events provided opportunities for members to practice their skills in different locations:

• July 16 – A paintout at Indiana University’s Hilltop Garden.
• August 6th – Downtown Historic Places paintout in Downtown Bloomington.
• September 10th – Great Outdoor Paint Out at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site.
• October 8th – A Multi-Organization Paint Out at the citywide Paint “Bloomington!” event.
• October 15th – A paint-out and pitch-in event at Peden Farm.
• April 22nd – A paintout at T.C. Steele State Historic Site for Arts of the Earth Day.
• May 20 – A paintout at Hilltop Garden Nature Center.
• June 3rd – A paintout at Monroe County History Center on the Lawn.
• June 10th and 11th – “Artist in the Garden” paintout in collaboration with the Bloomington Garden Club Garden Walk.

Gallery Shows:

Our members showcased their talents in various gallery exhibitions:

• “We Paint…Historic Bloomington” October 7 through November 23, The Vault at Gallery Mortgage
• “We Paint…Monet and More!” – February 3 – March 21, 2023 at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage which benefited Teachers Warehouse. $286 was donated from the proceeds.
• Tue Apr 25th – Sat Jul 8th – “We Paint…Historic Bloomington” Encore at the Monroe County History Center.
• Thu Jun 22nd – Sat Aug 5th – “BWS We Paint…Outside the Box” at Waldron Arts Center, featuring non-traditional watercolor pieces and various mediums.

Cancer Support Community Shows:

Our members contributed to meaningful exhibitions at the newly formed Bloomington Watercolor Society Gallery, located in the Cancer Support Community.  So far, the artists have raised over $1000 for CSC programs.

• Fri 9/2/22-10/28/22 – “Places to Go, People to See” by Meri Reinhold
• Fri 11/4 – Fri 12/23 – “Right Where You Are” by Laura Brown
• Fri 1/9/23- Fri 2/24/23 – “Sunrise of Hope” by Rose Brenner
• Fri 3/3 – Fri 4/28 – “Intuitive Acrylics” by Sara Steffey McQueen
• Fri 5/5 – Fri 6/30 – “Spice of Life” by Christine Peterson

Special Events:

We enjoyed several special events throughout the year:

• July 12 – Lilly Library watercolor book tour, where we admired antique watercolor works in the collection.
• Sep 29th and 30th – BWS participated in the Peden Farm Children’s Festival, offering thumbprint activities for children.
• October 8th – BWS offered thumbprint animals for children at “Paint Bloomington.”
• Dec 7th – LUME field trip to the Monet and Impressionist Exhibition of lights at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.
• Dec 11th – BWS Holiday Party at Meadowwood, featuring dinner and activities.

Book Sale:

• At our spring 2023 meetings, we held an informal book sale, with proceeds benefiting the Sande Nitti fund, which supports BWS participants attending art workshops. The sale was administered by Kathy Barton.

Workshops:

Our members had the opportunity to enhance their skills through workshops:

• July 23, 2022 – An architectural drawing class instructed by Steve Dawson.
• June 9, 2023 – A 3-D watercolor paintings workshop led by Anne Farley Gaines.

Scholarship Award:

• We awarded a $500 scholarship to Danza Batson, a recent graduate from the Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship who will be majoring in Fine Arts at Indiana University. The scholarship committee will attempt to arrange for Danza to showcase some of his work at our meeting.

Treasury:

Our treasury remains healthy, with a year-to-year balance increase of approximately $90. These funds were used to make BWS activities more affordable, accessible, and enjoyable for our members by supporting or subsidizing expenses.

Membership:

Membership has grown from 90 to 94 members from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023. We are thrilled to welcome new members and continue fostering our watercolor community.

Thank you for your continued support and participation in the Bloomington Watercolor Society. We look forward to another year of creativity and artistic growth.

Sincerely,

Carol Rhodes

President, Bloomington Watercolor Society (July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023)

Membership Show: “We Paint…Things We Love”

The Fall Membership Show is hanging in Viridian Moon Gallery, 1600 W. Bloomfield Rd., from Sept. 20 through Oct. 28. Viridian Moon Gallery hosted an opening reception Sept. 23 from 3 to 5 p.m.

Important Show dates
Oct. 28, 3 – 5 p.m. Closing Reception
Nov. 1, 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Pick up artwork

A $50 People’s Choice Award will be awarded at the closing reception, Oct. 28, at 4 p.m.
Questions: contact Laura or Jeanne at info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org

Field Trip to “The Lume” on October 18

Bloomington Watercolor Society has arranged a trip Wednesday, Oct. 18 to Newfields – The LUME to see a new version of the Van Gogh exhibit that many of us enjoyed last year. Aside from the vast array of spectacular images that surrounded us before, there will also be eight Japanese woodblocks and a “Sunflower Room” with seemingly endless fields of sunny flowers. Many aspects will be as brilliant this time as last, but we have learned that there will also be different effects with this newer version of the exhibit. If you saw the Van Gogh exhibit before, you know how stunning the immersive art, the classical music, the orchestrated lighting, and the interactive exhibits were. This is another chance to experience that once again without worrying about navigating traffic in Indianapolis.

Particulars:

DATE: Wednesday, Oct. 18
COST: $25 per person (includes bus transportation, if desired)
OPEN TO BWS MEMBERS: One additional reservation may be made at the rate of $25 per guest
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BUS SEATS: 26
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER: Rural Transit (Bus is NOT wheelchair equipped.)
MEETING TIME: 9:30 a.m. at Lowe’s (Please don’t be late.)
DEPARTURE: 9:45 a.m.
ARRIVAL AT NEWFIELDS: 10:45 a.m. (est.)
ENTER NEWFIELDS: 11 a.m.
DEPARTURE BACK TO BLOOMINGTON: 1:30 p.m.
ARRIVAL IN BLOOMINGTON: 2:30 – 3: p.m. (EST)
RESERVATION DEADLINE: Sept. 30
CANCELLATION DEADLINE: Oct. 10 (No refunds thereafter)

If you are interested, please don’t wait to make reservations; there is a limited number of bus seats. If you have not been to Newfields, there is a a gift shop (naturally) and a cafe where you can take a break if you like. To reserve your spot and pay electronically, go to https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/lume-roadtrip-2023/.
To pay by check, contact the BWS Treasurer, Barbara Coffman through info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.

Second Annual “Paint Bloomington,” October 7

WHEN:  Saturday, October 7, 2023. RAIN OR SHINE Registration begins at 9:30!

WHERE:  Woodlawn Pavilion in Bryan Park (Next to the swimming pool).

HOSTED BY: Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington. Bloomington Watercolor Society, Upland Plein Air, The Portrait Group and Artists for Climate Awareness along with Bloomington Parks and Rec are teaming up to bring this fun event to Bloomington!  

NO REGISTRATION FEE.   Free! No advance registration required!.
Artists check-in between 9.30 am and 11:00 a.m. at the Pavilion the day of the event.  All artists should have canvas or multi-media paper stamped before beginning their work. Supplies will be available for classes at the Pavilion and some supplies are available for painting on the Bryan Park grounds.  

HOW:  Artists will be able to paint anywhere in Bloomington. The event is open to professional and emerging artists of all ages and skill levels to create original artwork of any subject in any medium.  All stamped/tagged works must be completed that day by 3:00 p.m. to be eligible for judging. 

Completed works need to be brought to the Woodlawn Pavilion by 3:00 marked with the artist’s name and email address or telephone number in the back. Please do not sign artwork until after judging. Wet Oil paintings should be in a frame for safe handling or BYO easel/display.
 
AWARDS: ALL stamped works completed that day will be eligible for judging. 

Awards will be for artists in all media in the following categories: Professional artists, Emerging Artists, Teens (12-17), and Youth )7-11) and Collaborative Art!! 

CLASSES will be at the Pavilion beginning 10:00-2:00 for youth and teens and adults.

DEMONSTRATIONS: Various artists will be giving demonstrations throughout the day and there will be opportunities to paint with them. Plein Air Painting will be all over town and the park!! 

Music, Storytelling, Poetry readings will be at the Pavilion throughout the day. Bring a picnic!

All children must be accompanied by an adult. 

May Creek Farm Paint-Out and Carry-In, October 14

BWS’s End of the Season Paint-Out and Carry-In will be held at May Creek Farm on Saturday, October 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Arrive any time after 9:30 a.m. Please follow the signs to park in the parking area.

The shelter house is located across the field. Water, drinks, food, chairs, and electrical outlets are available at the shelter. If you or someone has difficulties walking, transportation across the field will be provided. 

Set up anywhere in and around the field.  Paint 10 to noon. At 12, lunch (white chili chicken and snacks) will be served. Please bring side dishes and desserts.

You are welcome to stay and paint after lunch. The event is over at 2:00 p.m.

Zain, Sharon, and Sara are excited to be your hosts. 

Address: 8745 Rockport Road.

The easiest way to get to May Creek Farm is to follow Rockport Rd from Rogers Street for approximately 14 miles.  You will go through the town of Kirksville. May Creek Farm is located about 1 mile past Kirksville on the left. Look for the signs.

NOTE:  In case the paint-out needs to be cancelled due to weather, an email will be sent by 8 a.m. the day of the paint-out.

Out of Darkness Walk, October 22

Thanks to several member artists, BWS was able to contribute four dozen painted rocks to the Out of the Darkness walk!  Scheduled for October 22 at Switchyard Park, walkers will receive a rock and “plant” it along the trail. This project is co-sponsored by Project STAY, Kiwanis, and BWS as part of a national program of suicide prevention.  

To learn more, and perhaps participate in the walk, go to Please support the Bloomington Indiana Walk this fall to help #stopsuicide

Outside BWS

Artists for Climate Awareness: Ben Brabson
to Speak, October 12

“Evoking a Response to Climate Change”

October 12 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
FREE – Online or in-person (Ivy Tech Bloomington)
Register now!

https://ivytechbloomington.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=1391&int_category_id=1&int_sub_category_id=1&int_catalog_id=0

Climate change is real. Come to a presentation of scientific and artistic visuals curated and presented by Ben Brabson, climate scientist and Emeritus Professor of Physics at Indiana University.

Using art for communication can raise awareness, provoke impactful dialogue, and inspire action about environmental issues. Brabson’s talk includes engaging and artful illustrations that simplify concepts of climate change for ordinary people, making the concepts more concrete, meaningful, and motivating.

Mary Sue Schwab to Conduct a Workshop on Painting Indiana’s Trees

Mary Sue Schwab at the WSI 2023 International Exhibition at Newfields

Sponsored by the Artists for Climate Awareness, Mary Sue Schwab will be conducting a one-day workshop at Ivy Tech on October. 27th, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.  In that workshop she will demonstrate key techniques for watercolor success. Participants will paint native Indiana trees, landscapes and more. Participants will be instructed in multi-layered, wet-on-wet techniques employing watercolors to create highly effective tree formations using a mixture of warm and cool greens, juxtaposing shadow and form. Participants are encouraged to bring a reference, such as a photo for their own piece. This workshop is open to artists of all levels and each will receive individual attention. Limited space sign up soon! 

https://ivytechbloomington.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=1392&int_category_id=1&int_sub_category_id=1&int_catalog_id=0

Bloomington Portrait Group Exhibition

During October and November, the Bloomington Portrait Group will exhibit work at The Vault at Mortgage Gallery, 121 E. 6th Street. Opening reception is 5 to 8 pm, Friday, October 6. The exhibition runs until Friday, November 24.

Many BWS members also participate in the Bloomington Portrait Group. Several work in watercolor. Come and support your fellow artists.

Jane Matranga • Watercolor • Donna Carlton in her belly dancing costume

WSI Sponsors a 3-Day Workshop

The Watercolor Society of Indiana is proud to bring Michael Holter to Indianapolis to teach a 3-day workshop, October 4 to 6, 2023.  In this workshop Michael will help you build off of the principles of design to create emotional and expressive paintings, engage in exercises that will solidify the content that you are working on, spend time viewing other artists’ work, and discuss the methods that these artists achieve using their techniques. Michael welcomes novice and advanced students and tailors the experience to individual needs.

The Workshop takes place at Second Presbyterian Church in Indy. The room is equipped with Audio Visual Equipment, and each artist is given their own 8-foot table.

Fiber Arts on Display

The City of Bloomington, in collaboration with By Hand Gallery, presents “Threads of Meaning”, an exhibition of work by Bloomington-based textile artists on view at Fountain Square Mall Bloomington from July 1 – October 9, 2023. Closing reception is on October 6th, 6-8 pm. The exhibition features artists Beatrice Atencah, Ary Bird, David Joseff Sloma, Patricia Coleman, Alizah Sage, Nina Montenegro, Emily Chase, Ileana Haberman, and Alexis Zabor. Go check it out! The locations of the show are the following: Fountain Square Bloomington Gallery Wall in the main atrium and the Fountain Gallery Lower-Level Walls and Upper-Level Walls.

Trivia Night at Cardinal Spirits, October 1

The Cancer Support Community has been truly supportive of BWS artists through the establishment of the Bloomington Watercolor Society Gallery.  In return, here’s a fun way we can support their programs.

“From My Fair Lady to Lady Gaga, George Michael to Michael Scott, and Downton Abbey to Uptown Funk, join us at Cardinal Spirits for “That’s Entertainment,” a trivia game that’s all movies, music, TV, and pop culture through the decades!”

This event is to support the Cancer Support Community of South Central Indiana (CSCSCI) and will be hosted by Josh Johnson of Bloomington Pub Quiz. All proceeds from ticket sales go directly to the CSCSCI.  

Food, drinks, fun, trivia, prizes!!!

Swope Art Museum to Host Rachel Branson Perry

The Swope Art Museum in Terra Haute will host a reception for Rachel Berenson Perry on Friday, October 6 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  Her latest book, “Painter of the Dunes: A Life of Frank Virgil Dudley,” is part of the Historical Society’s Youth Biography series. The author will give a lecture about Frank Dudley and his work. Her presentation will start at 6 p.m. sharp.

Rachel Berenson Perry is fine arts curator emerita of the Indiana State Museum. She has written numerous articles for “American Art Review” and “Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History” (Indiana Historical Society) and has completed seven books about historical and current Indiana artists.

Artist Talk with Max Ginsburg

The Hamilton County Artists Association is hosting a talk by Max Ginsburg  on October 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Lacy Art Building (848 Logan Street) in Noblesville. His artist talk is open and free to the public. Bill and Mary Sue Schwab have taken workshops with Max. Mary Sue reports, “Both Bill and I have taken workshops in New York with Max. I highly recommend his workshops. His Alla prima way of painting portraits is amazing!”

Artist Talk with Max Ginsburg
October 3, 2023, 7:00 – 9:00 PM
The Lacy Arts Building, 848 Logan St, Noblesville, IN 46060, USA

Membership News

Congratulations to Babette Ballinger on winning the Gallery’s Choice Award at Upland’s Members’ Show 2023!

Patty Uffman is the featured artist at the Community Cancer Support Center for September and October. Her show is entitled, “Outside Influences.” Although it will continue until October 26, the hours are limited: Tuesday-Thursday from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm (or by appointment by calling 812-233-3286.). The holidays are coming. Patty has a variety of prints available for purchase as well as small framed artwork.

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Zain Mackey. Above is “Dusty River,” a watercolor that’s part of my new southwestern series. I’ve been remembering the trip my husband and I took driving across country last year. 

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Jane Matranga. Everyone is invited to see my exhibition called,Wearing the Painting at the Bloomington Arts Alliance. Opening reception is this Friday, September 29th from 6-8pm. The show runs through October 22nd.

Mary Sue Schwab.  “It’s Fall!” I recently sold my Plein Air painting of Ogle Lake at Brown County State Park.

Mary Sue closed her note with this announcements: “Coming soon, November and December, Allen Hunton and  Mary Sue Schwab will have a BWS art show at The Cancer Support Center of Bloomington, watch for more information.” 

Joanne Shank. Bloomington Open Studios Tour is Saturday, October 14 from 10-5 and Sunday, October 15, from 12-4.  Fifteen artists will be participating this year.  Find a map to studios and listing of all the artists at https://bloomingtonopenstudiostour.com/

Joanne Shank will be one of the artists.  Her studio is now in her home and no longer downtown.  She would love to have any BWS members stop by.   

Stephen Edwards. Stephen writes “I’m finally painting again.” He’s also winning lots of awards!! “My ‘Tree of Life’ (Below: Painting 1) won Best of Show at the Artist Association of Madison County Open Annual Exhibition (now showing at the Anderson Museum of Art) and was also accepted in the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society International Open Exhibition. ‘Keeping the Seat Warm’ (Painting 2) was accepted in the Philadelphia Watercolor Society’s 123th International Exhibition of Works on Paper. ‘Cola Wars’ (Painting 3) was accepted into the Watercolor Society of Indiana’s 41st Annual Exhibition now showing at Newfields.”

Timothy Lewis. It has been a busy month.

• New work: watercolor, Old Faithful, Through The Mist. and Solitaire. 

• Nov. 3rd through Jan. 7th – My watercolor, Spring Fed, was juried into the 79th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition which will feature artwork by artists from Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. The show is at the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute, IN.

• October – I will have a solo show at the Midtown Gallery in Broad Ripple the entire month of October. All watercolors in the show will be for sale directly from the artist.
• On October 10 I participated in a curated tour of the Quest For The West show at the Eiteljorg Museum. Our guide was Gayle Weisfield, a well known western watercolor painter and regular participant in the show. From the 11th through the 13th I participated in a workshop by Gayle at a private residence in Zionsville. This workshop was arranged through the Watercolor Society of Indiana and included 16 participants.

Andy Roberts. These are a couple of my recent paintings: (1) Fountain Square Downtown Bloomington- August Paint Out Plein Air; (2) T.C. Steele’s Outdoor Studio Wagon, T.C. Steele Historical Site – July Plein Air.

Anticipating seeing a large turnout for “Paint Bloomington” Saturday October 7th,  and the dedicated BWS members who are participating or volunteering.

Patricia Coleman. I would like to share a link to my recent blog post on persimmon astringent at:

https://quilterscomfort.blogspot.com/2023/09/indiana-persimmon-astringent-dye.html

There are some references to persimmon astringent being used to strengthen some handmade
papers and in stencil making and its use as a paint.  Traditionally it has been used in ways similar to indigo.

Jacki Frey.  Here is painting I did this Tuesday after visiting Gnawbone camp.   I do not often paint horses, however, these guys posed for me!!

Betty Wagoner. I recently attended the Watercolor Society of Indiana’s 3-day workshop with Taos artist, Gayle Weisfield. A day before the workshop, we met at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis for a tour of the Quest for the West exhibit.  Gayle was one of the artists featured in that exhibit. While there, we met an African-American artist in the show who gave an inspirational speech about his paintings and his life.  The combination plein air and studio workshop itself was held on an estate in Zionsville. It featured wet-on-wet painting and storytelling.  It was both eye-opening and inspirational. Gayle is a wonderful teacher.  The hosts fed us a wonderful breakfast and lunch in their beautiful home.  If you have a chance to attend one of Gayle’s workshops, I highly recommend it. Attached is a photo of a not quite finished painting of one of the workshop participants sitting at a creek that ran through the property.

Don Madwig. The Opening Reception to Don Madwig’s show at the Fell Gallery, entitled “Nocturnes – Variations on a Theme,” will be on October 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. Don’s show runs through the month of November.

Calendar

Sept. 29 Opening Reception, Jane Matranga’s Wearing the Painting Exhibition, Art Alliance
Oct. 1 Trivia Night at Cardinal Spirits, Cancer Support Community
Oct. 3 Opening Reception, Don Madwig’s show at The Fell Gallery
Oct. 4-6 WSI Workshop with Michael Holter, Indianapolis
Oct. 6 Closing Reception, Fibers on Display, Fountain Square Mall
Oct. 6 Opening Reception, Bloomington Portrait Group Exhibition, The Vault
Oct. 7 2nd Annual Bloomington Paint-out, Woodlawn Pavilion in Bryan Park
Oct. 9 BWS October Meeting, First Christian Church
Oct. 12 Ben Brabson at Ivy Tech, Artists for Climate Awareness
Oct. 14-15 Open Studio Tours, Bloomington
Oct. 18 BWS Field Trip to Newfield’s – The LUME
Oct. 22 Out of Darkness Walk
Oct. 27 Mary Sue Schwab Workshop at Ivy Tech
Oct. 28 3-5 p.m. Closing Reception for Member Show, Viridian Moon
Nov. 1 10:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Pick up Member Show paintings at Viridian Moon

Joe Lee in Clown Costume

Member Meeting: Monday, August 14, 6 – 8 p.m.

Business Meeting:

BWS’ August Meeting will be held at First Christian Church beginning at 6 p.m. Enter through the Washington Street door; the door code will be sent by email. The meeting will not be on Zoom.

Program:

 Joe Lee said this about the August program: “I will be posing in my “Jolais” costume and makeup. I will demonstrate the makeup application, and talk about the significance, symbolism, and history of clowning using illustrations I have put together over the years.”

Following Joe’s presentation members will be invited to do his portrait, applying all they have learned about drawing portraits from last month’s BWS Meeting (see the entry “Five on the Floor! Five artists demonstrate portrait methods, field questions at the July BWS meeting” in this Newsletter).

Members can use any art materials they wish (charcoal, pencil, watercolor, gauche, etc.). So Remember: Bring supplies and enjoy a portrait session sponsored by BWS and featuring Bloomington’s favorite clown and political cartoonist!!

Inside BWS

We Paint…Out of the Box

Join us at The Waldron Arts Center on August for a final reception from 5-8 p.m. We Paint…Out of The Box has attracted a lot of traffic and gained a few new BWS members.

If you wish to see the exhibit before August 4th be aware that the hours have changed since we hung the show.

We have new pickup dates. You may pick up your work during these days and times:

• Wednesday, August 9, from 5:45 to 7:45 pm

• Friday August 11, from noon to 3 pm

Waldron’s NEW Summer hours: Wednesday and Thursday 12-5 pm; Friday 12-8 pm. Saturday/Sunday, by appointment only. To make an appointment, contact info@seeconstellation.org.

BWS Membership Show: “We Paint…Things We Love”

“Bottoms Up!!” by JCHarste

Show chair, Laura Brown, encourages members to work on paintings to place in the member show which is titled “WE PAINT…Things We Love”.  The show will be from September 23 through October 28 at the Viridian Moon Gallery.  The dates to remember are the following:

• September 13, provide images (pictures taken of work before putting glass in front of the painting) for use in publicity and for the online gallery.
• September 15, deliver framed painting to Viridian Moon between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
• September 23, opening reception 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
• October 28, closing reception 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
• Members should read details for the show in the show prospectus.

AUGUST PAINT OUT at OWEN VALLEY WINERY

Sat Aug 12th 11:00am – 3:00pm

Owen Valley Winery, 401 Timber Ridge Road, Spencer, IN 47460.

It’s nearly Harvest time at Owen Valley Winery and the vibrant green leaves and plump grapes are filling up the vines. This beautiful country setting is ripe for a paint out.  Bring your brushes and your vintner’s spirit to the Paint Out on August 12th. The gate will be open at 10:45 (so you may come in and set up for an 11:00 a.m. start). The winery officially opens for business at 12:00 noon, but arrangements can be made for wine to be served when you set up. Please reach out to April @ nablespics@gmail.com or Zoe @ stevezoedean@gmail.com by Friday 8/11 5:00 pm with any early requests. Otherwise, when you want to stretch your legs, wander into the winery for a tasting, lunch and a slice of their famous house-made cheesecake at noon. This is a 3-generation family-run winery, where the vino is produced and bottled with a heart for craftsmanship.  A member of Indiana Grown, Owen Valley is on the Indiana Uplands wine trail with Butler, Oliver, Brown County, French Lick, Huber, Winzerwald, Best Vineyards and Turtle Run wineries. PLEASE NOTE: Due to ATC and Health Department regulations, no outside food or alcohol is permitted. You’re welcome to bring your water bottles and coffee cups.

Owen Valley Winery, 491 Timber Ridge Road, Paint Out August 12th. Check out more on current events at the winery @ https://www.facebook.com/owenvalleywinery.

If you are interested in carpooling check with Charlotte Griffin who has volunteered to coordinate such efforts.

Directions: (Using GPS directions is not recommended, better to follow the directions below as you drive)

Coming from 46 West out of Ellettsville.

46 West. Turn left on Hwy 43 at the light just before McCormick’s Creek State Park. Proceed 2.5 miles, Turn Right on Freeman Road  Go .8 miles Turn Left on Timber Ridge Road. Proceed on Timber Ridge Road 2 miles. Owen Valley Winery will be on the Right.

Coming from the South side of Bloomington via 3rd Street (48 West passing by the airport)

Proceed West on 48/43 passing the airport, and toward Whitehall about 4.2 miles. 48 splits off at Whitehall. Stay toward the right on 43.  

Continue through Whitehall on 43 for 7.8 miles and the beautiful country drive. Turn left on Freeman Road  Go .8 miles turn left on Timber Ridge Road. 

Proceed on Timber Ridge Road 2 miles. Owen Valley Winery will be on the Right. 

BWS Members Collaborate with the
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

In mid-July a half dozen BWS members volunteered to “Paint Rocks” in support of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).  The rocks that were painted can be seen by participating in the AFSP’s 2023 Bloomington Out of the Darkness Walk held on Sunday, October 22, 2023.

 

Some of the rocks painted by BWS Members. Photo compliments of Charlotte Griffin.

Eskenazi Museum of Art Live!

On July 15, the Eskenazi Museum of Art invited BWS members to come to the museum and paint as part of its “Art Live” program which the museum described as a “convergence of music, art, and community.” Several BWS members participated including Claude Cookman, Joanne Shank, and Leslie Asher. Below is a photo of Leslie Asher in the midst of painting on the second level of the atrium in the museum. When asked about the experience she said, “Painting at the Eskenazi Museum was really fun. I would definitely do it again.”

Five on the Floor!

Five artists demonstrate
portrait methods, field questions 
at the July BWS meeting

It all started with Penny Lulich. She suggested a session titled “Four on the Floor” to BWS program chair Joanne Weddle. Penny’s idea was that four BWS members would paint portraits, while members kibbitzed and asked questions. Somehow, a fifth artist got added, and the whole enterprise shifted into higher gear. Five artists — Penny, Meri Reinhold, Deborah Rush, Jane Matranga, and Claude Cookman — demonstrated their methods, materials, and skills in the portraiture genre at the July 10 Bloomington Watercolor Society meeting at the First Christian Church. Despite working in the same genre, they produced extremely varied results, not merely because of the different content but because of their unique approach and handling of the materials.

Below are photos of the artists in action, their finished works, and their reflections on portraiture. Digital reproductions are never as good as seeing real work. Therefore, the five artists have agreed to bring their actual paintings/drawings to the BWS August meeting so you can see their final portraits in a mini exhibition. 

Penny Lulich • Anna at the Creek • Watercolor 

There are many ways you can paint a portrait, and I painted this one rather quickly and without a color photo to help me. I painted this because it inspired me with the beauty of the innocence of a young child exploring a creek for the first time, and I let values and shapes guide me.  

Skin tones. The most asked question at my table, was, how do you make the color for the skin tones. I use Winsor & Newton “light red”, and go from there, adding other colors when needed such as burnt sienna, opera pink, cad red, and manganese blue hue. 

Understatement. Someone said, “I can’t wait to see how you handle the rock that the child is sitting on.”  I didn’t handle it very much, because I didn’t want the focus to be the rock, but rather the child. I hope it looks satisfactory.

Future. I felt like we had a good evening, and it was fun for everyone. I hope we do this again in other genres.

Penny Lulich takes a round brush to the portrait of her granddaughter, Anna, playing in a creek.

Meri Reinhold • St John Friend • Watercolor 

Motivation. I am fascinated by the human form and love to draw it. The human face has so many incredible variations. It always captures my interest. As a member of the Bloomington Portrait Group, I was able to enjoy endless variety in features, from young people to elders and everyone in between; some in ethnic costume, some with instruments, even one young man with a snake wrapped around his neck. 

Advice. As I teach drawing, I hear comments such as “I can’t do hands or teeth” or variations of that. But I can tell you that drawing is drawing is drawing…. It’s ALL the same and what you learn is perspective and the relationship of shapes and contours to each other.

Meri Reinhold works on her portrait as a BWS member looks on.

Deborah Rush • Anne • Watercolor

I’ve been drawing people since I was a child. A lot of times that’s the only thing you have to draw. If you want to draw, there are usually people around. 

Objective. Other than a likeness, it’s capturing a spirit. It doesn’t have to look exactly like the person, but it has to have their character. 

Method: I usually start with an oval and the line for the eyes and also down the middle of the face. And then I start drawing the eyes. They’re very, very important. And then I carry on from there, because everything is connected: do the eyes, come down the nose, do the mouth. And then refine. But it’s a very rough drawing. 

You almost have to work in layers. I start with a thin layer of the darkest color — to get started, to get past that white-paper thing. 

Anne. Part of it was her pose, part her beautiful coloring: the red hair and the pale skin. It’s like: you see something and it strikes you; it’s something you want to capture. Also, I had done a portrait of her at a Portrait Group session, and I didn’t like it. So, I wanted to do something better. I’m still not satisfied. I think I could work on it for another four hours, but I know I won’t.

Questions. Most of the questions were about the colors I was using for the skin tones. That seems to be a big mystery for people. And everybody uses something different. … I use new gamboge and opera rose, which is a pink. And when you mix them together in any strength, it looks like methylate, for people who are old enough to remember what that is. So, it’s a hideous color. But when you water it down and put it on paper, it’s a nice, sparkly skin tone. It’s absolutely appropriate, I think. It doesn’t get muddy.

Advice. The whole thing can be daunting. But if you start doing small studies of eyes, a nose, mouth. And don’t worry about how they all go together. But get familiar enough with those features that you know what the shapes are — any intricacies — then it’s much easier to put them together in a face. 

Under the watchful eye of Barbara Coffman, Deborah Rush picks out a tube of color for her painting of Anne.

Jane Matranga • Elsa Schiaparelli • B&W charcoal 

Drawing and painting portraits is perhaps my favorite form of art making besides designing clothes.  I’ve drawn “figures” and “faces” since I was a toddler!

Objective. Early on, my reason for doing portraits was to capture a likeness and make sure the facial feature proportions were accurate. That is still important but, now I want to infuse the portrait with character, the subject’s and some of my own. I hope to accomplish that by being more loose with paint application and by using some unexpected, bold colors.

Model. I chose to draw Elsa Schiaparelli because she is my fashion idol. The image I used was a black and white photograph from the 1920’s so I used black and white charcoal on grey paper.

It was fun to create a portrait as people watched. It reminded me of doing portraits on the boardwalk in Atlantic City one summer. 

Questions. Most people asked me questions about my painting of my parents on the velvet top I had on display.

Claude Cookman • Toni Morrison • Charcoal

Motivation. I’ve been trying to learn to draw since 1994. For me drawing is about seeing in a concentrated, purposeful way. In his book “Why We Draw,” Frederick Franck expressed it best: “I have learned that what I have not drawn, I have never really seen …” The human face is complex. We can always discover new facets. 

Method. I’ve been drawing portraits seriously since the Bloomington Portrait Group launched in January 2017. After several frustrating years, I discovered a method published by Andrew Loomis in 1943. It lets you establish the structure of the head plus the proportion and arrangement of the features from any angle. I work in many different mediums but for the BWS session, I chose charcoal. I started by covering the paper with powdered charcoal, which got rid of all that intimidating white. It also let me draw negatively by erasing with cotton swabs, a chamois skin, and a kneaded eraser. I did the block-in with vine charcoal. It’s extremely malleable; you can erase and redraw endlessly. When I got the structure and tonal values down solid, I moved to compressed charcoal for dark values and charcoal pencils for fine details. I used a white charcoal pencil for a few small highlights on her face. Pardon my enthusiasm, but I also like charcoal because it’s great fun. Creating gradients, softening edges, or blending tones is like finger painting in grade school. I have more than 8 hours in this drawing, and am still not satisfied. I stood during the entire time, at BWS and also in my studio. This kept my arm off the table, allowing for gestural strokes, and let me step back from the drawing frequently to evaluate proportion, tones, transitions, etc.

Motif. I chose to draw Toni Morrison, the Nobel laureate in literature and one of my favorite authors. The reference photo captured her face, but I gave her a sad expression. At a time when politicians attempt to deny America’s history of slavery and the systemic racism that prolongs that era and when police officers still summarily execute unarmed young black men with impunity, I tried to imagine the sad wisdom that Ms Morrison expressed in “Beloved” and other novels, then convey it by her expression and dramatic tonal contrast.  

With a vine charcoal stick, Claude Cookman blocks in his drawing of author Toni Morrison.

Outside BWS

“On MY Journey” by Zoe Dean
Cancer Support Community

Mon Jul 10th – Fri Aug 25th

Cancer Support Community Building, 1719 W 3rd St, Bloomington, IN 47403.

Zoe Dean is the featured artist for July/August at the Cancer Support Community. Her show is titled “On My Journey.” Gallery hours are Tuesday toThursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. but visitors must make an appointment to avoid conflicts with other activities at the center. Make appointments by contacting Stephanie@cancersupportscin.org or call 812-233-3286.

Call for Artists: The Venue

Grand opening and reception: September 3, 2023.

Dave at the Venue invites artists to submit work for The Venue’s Juried Art Show, a part of The Art & Soul of Bloomington.  APPLY NOW to participate. The prospectus can be found on the Venue’s website: http://thevenuebloomington.com.

The Venue is pleased to answer all of your questions by your calling 812-322-1661, emailing venueartshow@gmail.com.

Reminder:  Call for entries for the Friends of T.C. Steele Member Art Show.

T.C.Steele, “Selma in the Garden” (Internet photo)

Show dates:  August 25-September 23, 2023
Registration deadline: August 10, 2023
Closing reception: September 23, 2-4 pm.  Features a guided tour of the Brown County Art Gallery with an emphasis on the history of the Brown County. Art Colony and an online tour of the T.C. Steele Trail.

Prizes awarded in all categories:
1) Professional
2) Amateur/Emerging Artist
3) Youth (18 and younger
4) Best-in-Show: $1000

All art media accepted, including photography.

Youth are encouraged to enter.  (Parents, grandparents and art teachers/tutors, please encourage youth artists to enter their artwork.). Frames for youth artwork will be loaned for the duration of the show. We will frame the work at time of delivery of artwork.

The show is on exhibit during the Brown County Art Colony weekend that features paint-outs at T.C. Steele State Historic Site and Nashville.

Not a member?  Join the Friends at time of registration.

Learn more at: tcsteele.org/2023-member-art-show-registration

For more information contact Betty Wagoner.

Hancock County Art Gallery

Hancock Country Arts along will be hosting a Regional Portrait Society of American Exhibition on August 11th and 12th. In addition to exhibition there will be demonstration by artists creating portraits. Guests also are invited to take part in the annual Greenfield Chocolate Walk festivities.

The Exhibit opens August 5th at 11 a.m. and closes August 26th at 2 p.m. Hancock Country Arts Gallery, 20 West North Street, Greenfield, IN.

Watercolor Society of Indiana

WSI invites members and friends to attend the 41st Annual WSI Juried Exhibit at Newfields/ Indianapolis Museum of Art. The show runs from August 4 to September 30, 2023. On August 6th at 2 p.m. there will be an opening reception and an awards ceremony in the DeBoest Lecture Hall & Bret Waller Gallery at the museum.

WSI is also hosting a 3-day workshop (October 4 to 6) with Michael Holter at Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 N. Meridian Street. The topic of the workshop is “Watercolor Impressionism: Landscape/Cityscape.” For more information and costs go to WSI’s website.

Impressionistic landscape by Michael Holter

Friday, August 4 & Saturday, August 5
West Baden Springs Hotel • Garden & Veranda

Local artists will be painting in the West Baden Springs Hotel garden and on the hotel veranda. The paintings will be displayed and available for purchase Saturday, August 5th, in the West Baden Springs Hotel lobby.

Artists for Climate Awareness

Have you ever noticed trees with knitted sweaters around the Courthouse in Bloomington? Artists for Climate Awareness will be a “tree hugger” this year with its own sweater! Artists for Climate Awareness are raising money toward the “Wrapped in Love 2023″ tree sweater project for Middle Way House. Sara Steffey McQueen and her women’s group have already planned a knitted/crocheted design. The tree Sara has reserved is near the corner of Kirkwood and Walnut, across from Uptown Cafe. (A highly trafficked location! ). Deadline for donations is September 8.

Viridian Moon Gallery

The Viridian Moon Gallery will be hosting an Upland Plein Air Exhibit starting August 9th with an opening reception on August 12.. Here is the link to the event: https://www.viridianmoon.art/events

Membership News

Joanna Samorow-Merzer. “George and Viola Taliaferro,” a painting by Joanna Samorow-Merzer, was accepted into the KWS Aqueous USA National Juried Exhibition. The exhibition is scheduled between July 27^th through September 16^th at the Preston Arts Center, 2660 S. Green Street, Henderson, Kentucky 42420.

“George and Viola Taliaferro,” by Joanna Samorow-Merzer

Timothy Lewis. Nothing new to show – working on 4 commission paintings right now. I do have a couple of items of note:

• The Watercolor Society of Indiana’s Annual Juried Exhibition will open on August 5th in the Waller Gallery at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. The show will have 45 of the best watercolors in Indiana on display through the end of September. 
• My watercolor, “Old Hamilton County Jail”, was included in the Nickel Plate Arts’ Noblesville Nostalgia show in Noblesville from July 6th through Julyt 29th.

“Old Hamilton County Jail” is a 16” x 12” watercolor using QoR paints on 300# Arches cold-pressed w/c paper

Patty Uffman. I asked Patty Uffman if she would mind my publishing her limerick (a ode to Carol Rhodes as an outgoing president) in the Newsletter as so members who were not at the July meeting might enjoy it. She agreed, so here it is: To Carol from All Of Us.

OUR HEARTFELT TRIBUTE

She has inspired us year after year.
We respect her as both a leader and peer.
Founding member of BWS…
Who’s this person?  Take a guess!
Carol Rhodes is the one we honor here!
With every office she has dutifully held
From Prez on down, she’s always excelled.
Talented, yet humble…
Catching us if we stumble…
With Carol on board, we’ve all been propelled.
Carol has always stepped up to the plate,
Arriving early for set-up – she’s never late.
Need something done?
Carol Rhodes is the one!
She has the knack to make us look great!
Wherever she’s present she offers a smile.
She’s just a nice lady to talk with a while.
She’s done more than most
And knows how to host,
And is quite accomplished as a true technophile!
Carol’s a gift, we all must conclude.
Her dedication we all have viewed.
She has served us
But now, no more fuss.
Carol’s a model – just not in the nude!

• Patty Uffman  – On Behalf of Bloomington Watercolor Society  – June, 2023.

Tricia Wente.  Here are a few photos from a July event held here in Oregon.   Every year there is a Lavender Festival and 150 artists are encouraged to paint up to 5 works during a period of 3 1/2 weeks at the lavender farms throughout the Willamette Valley. The paintings must be within certain sizes, and painted plein air.   It is always a fun time since usually we have great weather.  It culminates with a two day art exhibit for the public to enjoy at the local Newberg Arts Center.    Of course, I sampled the wine at the Durant Winery which is my favorite site to paint.

Robin Edmundson has an exhibition at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage from August 3-Sept 29.
You are invited to attend the opening reception on Friday, August 4 from 5-8pm.  121 E 6th St. #1, Bloomington, Indiana

Robin Edmundson, ‘Evening, Wabash River’, watercolor, 10×14 inches.

Kathy Truelove Barton.

Gazebo at Farmhouse Cafe and Gardens 
Painting by Kathy Truelove Barton
2022 Watercolor on paper with Acrylic white highlight on the gazebo.  This painting was done with three layers of Daniel Smith watercolors. 

 Kathy’s painting was exhibited at the Will Vawter Show, hosted by Hancock County Arts, at Twenty North Gallery.  The show came down in July.  Three other Bloomington artists also exhibited; Betty Wagoner, Irina Shishova (owner of Viridian Moon Gallery, and Katya Alexeeva. 

Laura Brown. These are a few examples of the paintings I’ve done for the July World Water Color Month hosted by @doodlewashed on Instagram .   The first is called “Diversion” (the road sign); the second, “Flavor” (the boulion cubes).   Each piece is approximately 5.5 by 8.5 inches. 

July World of Watercolor paintings by Laura Brown

Joanne Shank. Here is the poster and description of the show I’m having at the Venue during August.

The blurb for the show reads: Joanne Shank is fascinated by the energy of movement and how that can be expressed in her artwork.

She enjoys sketching musicians while they are performing.  The music inspires the lines as she tries to capture the essence and energy of the moment. The exhibit will have a number of large drawings of musicians playing a variety of instruments.

Joanne is also inspired by the energy in spontaneity that she captures in small finger paintings. She has made large acrylic paintings in an effort to duplicate this movement and energy.  Being a dancer as well as painter, Joanne finds satisfaction in trying to express movement in a large 2D format.

Joanne works in several different styles.  She will have her watercolors on display at the Bloomington Open Studios Artists Exhibit at the Backspace Gallery, with an opening reception the same evening, August 4th.  See her work at both places!

Joanne adds a personal note: On July 15th, I participated in the event at the Eskinasi and drew musicians in two bands that played. The musicians loved the drawings, so I gave them away.  Wore my BWS badge proudly!  Appreciated the opportunity.  Thanks

Calendar

August 1 – August 25. Zoe Dean’s Exhibition, Cancer Support Community Center.

August 3 – September 29. Robin Edmundson Exhibit, The Vault.

August 4 – August 5. West Baden Garden & Hotel Vernada Paintout.

August 4. Reception, “We Paint…Out of the Box,” Waldron, 5-8 p.m.

August 4 – 27. Joanne Shank’s show at the Venue. Opening Reception: August 5.

August 4 – September 28. WSI’s 41st Annual Juried Exhibition, Indianapolis Museum of Art.

August 5 – August 25. “Portraits.” Hancock County Art Gallery, Greenfield.

August 12. BWS Paintout: Owen Valley Winery, Spencer.

August 14. BWS August Meeting, 6-8 p.m., First Christian Church.

August 25 – September 23. T. C. Steele Member Art Show.

September 23 – October 28. BWS Membership Show, Viridian Moon Gallery.

September 3. Grand opening and reception, Art and Soul of Bloomington, The Venue.

October 4 – October 6. WSI’s 3-Day Workshop with Michael Holter, First Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis.

October 22. “Out of Darkness Walk,” American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)

In June, and in conjunction with our yearly change of officers, BWS celebrated Carol Rhodes’ long-time commitment to the organization by giving her a Jane Matranga silk hand-painted and sewn tote bag full of well-wishes from individual members. Pictured above are Carol Rhodes, Patty Uffman, Jeanne Dutton, and Linda Branstettler. Photos compliments of Nancy Metz.

BWS Monthly Meeting: July 10th, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Business Meeting:

BWS’ July Meeting will be held at First Christian Church beginning at 6 p.m. Enter through the Washington Street door; the door code will be sent by email. The meeting will not be on Zoom.

Program: “Five on the Floor”

Watch five BWS artists create portraits.

Penny Lulich • Ethan • Watercolor

We are fascinated by faces. Child psychologists tell us that after only a few hours newborn infants can distinguish their mothers’ faces. For millennia artists have portrayed the human face in every medium from charcoal to chalk, silverpoint, ink, graphite, pastel, watercolor, and oil, as well as three-dimensional representations in wood, clay, stone, and metals. Humans are compelled to create portraits.

Meri Reinhold • Massai Jeweler • Watercolor

All forms of artistic expression are equally valid, but portraiture is more exacting than other genres. In landscape, it is not essential to get every tree exactly in place. With still lifes and florals, there is latitude in size, contour, and value. In a portrait, however, if a feature is a few millimeters out of place, if an angle is askew, or a proportion slightly off, viewers will sense something amiss.

Deborah Rush • Claire • Watercolor

At July’s BWS meeting you will have the opportunity to see five BWS artists paint and draw portraits from reference photos of their choice. They are: Penny Lulich, Meri Reinhold, Deborah Rush, Jane Matranga, and Claude Cookman. Each will give a brief description of her/his process, then go to work. Members are encouraged to circulate, watch them in action, and ask questions. During the program, there will be a mini exhibition of portraits by the five participating artists. A handout on portraiture will also be available.

Jane Matranga • Donna Carlton • Watercolor

Claude Cookman • Wendell Willkie bust in IMUnion • Charcoal

If you need motivation to kick start your own portrait making, visit these URLs:

An audio slideshow of work by the Bloomington Portrait Group, which shares many members in common with BWS.

The finals of the British Portrait Artist of the Year Competition. Watch six exceptional portraitists, including a watercolorist. British actor, Sir Ian McKellen, is painted in different styles with different materials. Worth the time.

Inside BWS

BWS Membership Show

“WE PAINT…Things We Love!”
September 20 – October 28, 2023

BWS Show Chair, Laura Brown, announced that this year’s theme is “We Paint…Things We Love!“

For Mary Cassatt it was “The Goodnight Hug.” For some, that may be a family heirloom. For others, the house where they grew up. For gardeners, these amazing spring flowers. For portrait painters, your beautiful grandkids! And the list goes on…. Whatever you love and whatever makes you happy, paint it!

This year’s show will be at the Viridian Moon Gallery (1600 W Bloomfield Rd, Suite B). Gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Opening Reception will be on Saturday, September 23, from 3 to 5 p.m. The Closing Reception will be on October 28, from 3 to 5 p.m.

See the Prospectus on BWS’ website. Now is the time to begin work on your contribution. Let’s make this the best Membership Show yet!

We Paint…Historic Bloomington!

“Uncle Bruce & Aunt Vearl’s House” by Jane Matranga. The house at 607 E. 12th Street belonged to Jane Matranga’s great uncle and aunt, Bruce and Vearl Callahan, and their children, Conrad (Connie) and Carolyn. The house was built in 1920. “My family drove down to Bloomington from Franklin many times for family gatherings and especially to visit before and after IU football or basketball games. The house is five blocks from Memorial Stadium and Assembly Hall. “Bruce and Vearl welcomed my sisters and me when each of us attended IU in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s.”

Closing Reception: Gallery Walk Friday – July 7 – 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Monroe County History Center

Catch your last glimpse of the Historic Bloomington exhibit before it becomes, well, Historic! Then pop around the corner to the Waldron to enjoy “We Paint…Out of the Box!”

We Paint…Out of the Box!

BWS (with the support of the Sande Nitti Education Fund) offered a workshop on Friday, June 9 by Anne Farley Gains entitled “Exploration in 3-D Watercolor”. The 3-D art produced by Jerry Harste, Leslie Gamboa Asher, and Linda Mann, (shown above) are a part of the Out of the Box Waldron show.

June 22 – August 5

The Bloomington Watercolor Society includes talented watercolorists who are also accomplished in other mediums.  This exhibit includes work by BWS members who go “out of the box” and create art in myriad mediums or produce works that use watercolor in unconventional ways.

See our works at The Waldron Arts Center Education Gallery!

 Receptions are during First Friday Gallery Walk times: 5-8 pm on July 7 & August 4.

Note: Kate Galvin, Artistic director at the Waldron Arts Center, advises us that there is a small modification to public gallery hours for July and August, as this is the slow part of the year in Bloomington.  Beginning on July 1, the galleries will be open to the public at the following times: 

Wed and Thurs 12pm-5pm

Friday 12pm-8pm

Sat and Sun by appointment only

Galleries will also be open during all performances. For folks wishing to visit the galleries over the weekend, the Waldron crew will be very happy to accommodate them; people will just need to email info@seeconstellation.org in advance to make arrangements. This information will be updated on their websites and on Google beginning on Saturday and they will also post signage on the doors. 

Gallery Walk will be next Friday July 7 as per usual, and we hope to have a great turnout for that! Please encourage everyone to come out!

Garden Club’s Garden Walk

This year’s Garden Walk on June 10 and 11 saw ten BWS and Plein Air painters displaying their talents.  The gardens were in full bloom and, for the most part, the rain stayed away.  Below are some pictures of the gardens and the paintings that were created.

July is officially World Watercolor Month!

Begun by Charlie O’Shields of Doodlewash in 2016, this month celebrates all things watercolor!  The challenge is to paint a little something everyday – 31 days, 31 paintings.  Find inspirational prompts and ideas at https://doodlewash.com/world-watercolor-month-july/

We got the Rocks!  You got the Creativity!
A Suicide Prevention Effort

Thursday – July 13 – 1:00 p.m.

BWS has been invited to join Project STAY and Kiwanis on a project to paint rocks as part of a National Suicide Prevention.  Kiwanis is purchasing the supplies, including acrylic paints, Posca paint pens, and brushes, all for your creative use!  Much thanks, too, to Preston Arts Center for making supplies affordable.

Later that week, after the paint dries and before they’re varnished, a tag will be added that gives credit to BWS and Kiwanis. 

Thursday, July 13 we’ll meet at the home of Michelle Martin Colman, SafeTalk trainer.  She’ll serve iced tea and coffee and treats while we do the painting.

Want to join in for a couple hours of fun and chatter?  We can do a lot with 6-8 artists. Please let Jeanne know with an email to info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.  You’ll be glad you did!

Announcements

• Betty Wagoner — The Friends of T.C. Steele announces a new project, a virtual or driving trail, with maps, that explore the life and work of T.C. Steele, one of Indiana’s greatest impressionist painters.   For more information go directly to “The Trail”: https://trail.tcsteele.org

• Nancy Metz – The Eskenazi Museum of Art has an exhibition of “Landscape and Abstraction in Watercolor, 1780-1980” from September 5 through December 10.

• Sarah Ward, BWS Scholarship Committee Chair, announces that the BWS scholarship has been awarded to Danza Batson who is a recent graduate from the Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship and will be attending Indiana University to major in Fine Arts.  The scholarship committee will try to get Danza to come to our meeting to show some of his work.

BWS Paintouts

• Paint the Park — Saturday, July 15th, 9 am to 1 pm., Sycamore Shelter at Lower Cascades Park, Bloomington, IN 47404. Hosted by Carol Rhodes. Announcement will be sent to members. for more information, contact info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.

• Paint a Vineyard Scene in August–Owen Valley Winery, 401 Timber Ridge Road, Spencer, IN 47460, USA. Owen Valley Winery sits on a high ridge in a beautiful country setting featuring the vineyards, a cafe, a front porch, out buildings – all the things that make for a fine day of painting. The winery opens at 12:00, but hosts April Bledsoe and Zoe Dean will be on hand to open the gates and greet our plein air painters at 11:00. The cafe offers lunch, wine tasting, and a place to cool off in the August heat. Carpooling for members is available – watch “Brushstrokes” and your email for details. Email Info@BloomingtonWatercolor.org with questions. For more information about the winery, go to https://www.owenvalleywinery.com/about/

Outside BWS

An Invitation: Art Alliance of Greater Bloomington

Henry Luck, President of AAGB, sent BWS members this invitation: Upland Plein Air and AAGB are co-sponsoring a FREE art demo, pitch in and music evening with Rick Wilson !!!  

Thursday night, July 6. 6:00 -8:00 pm at the Flex Space at the Arts Alliance Center.  Rick Wilson is known nationally and is highly respected as a landscape oil painter. He has a current exhibit at the Flex Space.  We’ve asked him if he would be willing to share his approach to painting. So he will do a 90 minute demonstration, showing his approach to the art of painting . (We won’t be painting.) I think this will be a valuable session for painters of all mediums.  He is also a guitar player. So after the demo, he will play a few tunes while we enjoy each others company and share in a pitch in (hors d’oeuvres/desserts). AAGB will provide the wine !

This should be a really fun opportunity to relax and socialize as a visual arts community in Bloomington.

Upland and AAGB are sharing the cost for the evening, so it will be free to all.  Please help us spread the word !!!!! 

Call for Artists: The Venue

Dave at the Venue invites artists to submit work for The Venue’s Juried Art Show, a part of The Art & Soul of Bloomington. APPLY NOW to participate. The prospectus can be found on the Venue’s website: http://thevenuebloomington.com.

The Venue is pleased to answer all of your questions by your calling 812-322-1661, emailing venueartshow@gmail.com.

Call for Entries: Friends of T.C. Steele Member Show

Artists with active membership in the Friends of T.C. Steele are invited to enter the show. Non-members are welcome to the show after the completion of the membership application.

The show is open during the Brown County Art Colony Weekend, September 8-10!  That means more visitors to see the show.

Categories of Artists:
1) Professional Artist
2) Amateur/Emerging Artist (New this year)
3) Youth (18 and younger)

Win up to $1000!
Parents, grandparents, art teachers and tutors, please encourage your
young artists to enter the show.  They could win a prize for their
school art program and a gift certificate for themselves!

Dates:
Registration deadline:  August 10
Deliver artwork.  August 19 – 20, 2023, 12-4pm
Show Opening. August 25, 2023
Closing Reception.  September, 23 2023. 2-4pm
Pick-up of Artworks: September 23 after reception & September 12-4pm

For more information and registration:
tcsteele.org/2023-member-art-show-registration

Betty Wagoner: Find her be emailing info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org

Call for Abstract Art: Southside Art League

The Southside Art League offers an opportunity for abstract artists to enter a juried competition. The only catch is that the deadline is coming up!

http://www.southsideartleague.org/Abstract_Show/2023_AbstractShow_CallForEntries.pdf

Hoosier Salon

The Hoosier Salon’s current show is “Timeless Treasures.” This will we followed with its annual “Good Ole Summertime Exhibition” from July 15 to September 3. The Hoosier Salon is open Thursday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m.

Watercolor Society of Indiana

If you have not yet seen the WSI Annual Membership Exhibit, you have got to see this show! There are 75 beautiful pieces of original art.

Open until July 22 at McFarland Hall Gallery at Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis. 

Membership News

Lynne Gilliatt wants to invite you to Jane Haley and her fiber art show at the Vault Gallery from now until the end of July.

Robin Edmundson. I have a show coming up in early in August.   Here is the postcard announcement.

Tim Lewis. I have a new watercolor that I finished in June: “Rapid Transit” (15″ x 11″ transparent watercolor).

My watercolor, “Sunshine Came Softly” (15″ x 22″ transparent watercolor) was accepted into the Watercolor Society of Indiana Annual Juried Show which will hang in the Waller Gallery at the Indianapolis Museum of Art from August 4th through September 30th.

Two of my watercolors, “Entropy” (15” x 22” transparent watercolor) and “Caw Caw Perspective” were juried into the Hancock County Arts’ Annual Will Vawter Show and “Entropy” was awarded “Best Of Show”. This show will be at the 20 North Gallery in Greenfield through July 15th.

Leslie Asher wrote to share a picture she did while traveling in France this summer.

Susan Savastuk and local photographer Don Waters have teamed up for a Gallery-Walk event.

“Juxtaposition: A photographer and a Painter” will be on display at The Engraving and Stamp Center July through August. 

Susan has been using some of Don’s landscape photos as references for her paintings. They joined up to display them together.

Sharon Parsons. I started this painting in a workshop  by Renee Brouwer. Her new tips on composition gave me the start, but it was my composition and my painting . 

Jacki Frey. Here are 3 paintings I completed while vacationing in Maine.  We spent several days around Portland, Rockland,  and Port Clyde where  Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth painted. 

Jacki also shared some of her Maine photos for us both to inspire and to enjoy!!

Andy Roberts. I painted at this year’s Garden Walk on Saturday June 10th at the Slaven Garden in Spicewood. While the garden had a very elaborate landscaping (huge stones surrounding the home with a waterfall and stream), I concentrated on some of the flowers planted amongst the rocks. I completed four 5×7 note cards which are attached. I plan to have prints made from these as well as four more that I have completed on various paint-outs this summer. 

Barbara Coffman. I attended Ann Grimes’ 3-D workshop. To add an extra dimension of “3-D-ness” to my piece, I let the leaves dry and then used a small brush and clear water to paint a line down the central stem. Then I creased the leaf along that line before gluing it down. I wish I had finalized all my pieces and my layout before gluing my flowers. I would have cut out the petals separately and curled up the edges. 

Laura Brown. A type of painting I love to do is what I see out my window when I am a passenger in a car.    I always looked out the window when I was a kid and always thought there was so much beauty in simple highway scenes.   Shapes, atmosphere and color all intermingle to make an interesting and fun painting.  I’m calling this one “Power Lines.”

Calendar

Note: For up to date information always check BWS’ Online Calendar!!

https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/bws-calendar/

Things available to do now:

-Participate in World Watercolor Month by producing a painting a day throughout the month of July.
-Submit an abstract painting, Southside Art League
-Stop by to view Lynn Gilliatt and Jane Haley’s Fiber Art Show at the Vault
-Plan trips to see WSI’s Membership Show at Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis (ends July 22) and/or The Hoosier Salon’s “Timeless Treasures” Show (ends July 14)
-Stop by the Education Gallery at the Waldron to see our “We Paint…Out of the Box” Exhibition (ends August 5th; Closing Reception, August 4)
-Volunteer to paint rocks as part of suicide prevention (6-8 artists needed by July 13)
-Submit a painting to the Venue Juried Art Show part of the Art & Soul of Bloomington

July 6 — Rick Wison, Art Alliance of Greater Bloomington, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

July 7 — Closing Reception of “We Paint…Historic Bloomington,” Monroe County History Museum

July 7 — Opening Reception, “We Paint…Out of the Box,” Waldron, 5 to 8 p.m.

July 7 — Opening Reception, Susan Savastuk & Don Walter’s Exhibition, Engraving & Stamp Ctr.

July 10 — BWS Meeting, First Christian Church, 6-8 p.m.

July 15 — Paint the Park, Sycamore Shelter, Lower Cascade, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

August 4 — Opening Reception, Robin Edmundson’s Exhibition at Monroe County Cancer Center

August 4 — Opening of WSI’s Annual Juried Show, Indianapolis Museum of Art (ends September 30)

August 10 — Registration Deadline, T.C. Steel Membership Show

September 5 — Eskenazi Museum of Art, Landscape & Abstraction Exhibit

September 23 — Opening Reception, “We Paint….Things We Love,” BWS Membership Show