Black and White
by Candi Bailey
Sunlit Mission/San Francisco de la Espada
by Patty Uffman
Sept. 7
Visit final reception for 2018 BWS Member Show
We invite you to visit the annual Bloomington Watercolor Society Member Show and see paintings done in a variety of water-based mediums. Expect to see a range of painting styles and subjects from 39 artists.
The show’s title, “We Paint … Past, Present, and for the Future,” is a nod to the Bloomington Bicentennial without limiting each artist’s choice of subject matter.
The exhibit opened Aug. 3 and runs through Sept. 27. It will be part of Bloomington’s First Friday Gallery Walk Sept. 7. Hours for viewing at The Vault at Gallery Mortgage are Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and First Friday on Sept. 7 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sept. 10
“Show and Share” and Scholarship Table Sale
Jacki Frey painted Bean Blossom Bridge when weather canceled an Upland paintout this summer. Members are asked to bring the paintings they produced this summer to the September meeting.
After a summer hiatus, Bloomington Watercolor Society resumes its monthly meetings Monday, Sept. 10. Members are asked to come early for the Table Sale and to bring paintings they have worked on this summer for a “Show and Share” session.
The sale starts at 5 p.m. BEFORE the meeting. There will be NO EARLY SALES. All proceeds go to the BWS Scholarship Fund. Thanks to contributions from members and friends, the table sale will feature many beautiful art books, papers and tablets, paints in all mediums (oil, acrylic, watercolor). Gently used and brand new art supplies include everything from charcoal sticks to brushes to a French half easel.
Checks or cash will be happily accepted. Members are asked to “round up” their totals, recognizing it all goes to a good cause.
The business meeting will start promptly at 6 p.m. with a refreshment break scheduled about 6:45 p.m. The “Show and Share” program will follow refreshments at 7 p.m.
The meeting is at the First Christian Church at the corner of Washington Street and Kirkwood Avenue. Please enter through the Washington Street entrance.
Saturday paintouts this fall
Sept. 8
BWS members are encouraged to participate in Indiana’s oldest plein air painting competition, the 30th Great Outdoor Art Contest, cosponsored by the Friends of T.C. Steele State Historic Site and the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association.
The Great Outdoor Art Contest categories include watercolor, acrylic, oil, and drawing/mixed media/other. All work must be started and completed the day of the contest; all paper and canvases must be stamped by the site staff before work begins. Gates to the T.C. Steele State Historic Site opens at 7 a.m. Artists may work till 2 p.m. when all artwork in the competition must be placed in the judging area.
Registration materials are available for download at http://www.t.c.steele.org/brochure_goac-18_bd_final-compressed/.
Even if you choose not to paint, the event offers food and entertainment along with a chance to see amazing art created in a short time period.
Oct. 13
Enjoy a Saturday paintout and potluck lunch with your BWS paint pals at May Creek Farm Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to your painting supplies, bring a covered dish to share and your own plate and utensils. The shelter has electrical outlets that can accommodate a few crockpots.
The address is 8755 S Rockport Road, Bloomington IN 47403. Sara Steffey McQueen, a May Creek resident, says GPS sometimes sends people past their place so be alert. Here are suggested directions:
From Bloomington, take either Second Street or Third Street west to S.R. 37 South. Stay right to avoid getting on I-69. Turn right (west) at the first stoplight, which will be at Victor Pike. Follow Victor Pike and stay right as it splits at a “bottom.” Go up a large hill with a quarry. At Rockport Road ( a T intersection), turn left. May Creek is about a mile.
“Our community has a pinetree-lined drive to the left with a tall sign that has about 10 addresses and our name at the top,” Sara says. “Take the gravel drive and you will pass our dumpster, mailboxes, and come to the parking lot. Usually you will see a large white ‘Farm truck’ parked there. Park in the lot, and as you get out, walk to where the gravel leads — to the grassy field. We are painting wherever you are drawn. As you walk to the end of the gravel, look toward the Maypole and volleyball net. Walk across the field, between the Maypole and volleyball net, through the orchard, and you will see the shelter house with a blue metal roof. This is where we have an outhouse, running water, picnic tables, electricity, and a sweet little pond. We will have lunch there.”
Katya Alexeeva, Babette Ballinger, and Kathleen Barton were among the BWS artists exhibiting their works at the West Baden Springs Paintout in August.
Upland Schedule for September, October
Come out for a Tuesday morning paintout wth Upland. For details email us at upland@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.
Sept. 4 Champs Barn, hosted by Sande Nitti
Sept. 11 Karen & Justice St. Rains, hosted by Kitty Garlock
Sept. 18 TBA, hosted by Kitty Garlock
Sept. 25 Upland will not meet due to Peden Farm event (Sept. 27-28 and pick up from Member Show (Sept. 28, 10 1.m. to noon)
Oct. 2 Burris or T.C. Steele, hosted by Anne-Karine Bley
Oct. 9 Horse Farm, hosted by Eric Brock (long distance)
Oct. 16 Gnaw Bone Camp, hosted by Jane Matranga
Oct. 23 Nashville, hosted by Lory Winford
Oct. 30 Laura Lynne’s Place, hosted by Babette Ballinger
By-laws to be reviewed
In even years such as this one, we review BWS by-laws and solicit proposals for any necessary changes. After proposed changes are reviewed and approved by the Board, members are asked to vote at the November meeting. If you have a by-laws change to propose, please send it on or before Sept. 10 to info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.
— Jill Olshavsky, secretary and by-laws chair
BWS programs announced for coming year
Program chair Jo Weddle has arranged the following programs for 2018-2019:
Sept. 10: Show and Share
Oct. 8: Botanical Painting Techniques, Suzanne Thorin
Nov. 12: Paint a Flower as Georgia O’Keeffe Would Have, Carol Rhodes and Nancy Metz
Dec. 5: Holiday Party at Meadowood
Jan. 14: Loosen Up with Gesture Drawing, Jane Matranga
Feb. 11: Head Count: Figure Proportion by Counting, Jane Matranga
March 11: Beyond Perspective: Eight Steps to Spatial Depth, Claude Cookman
April 18: Weaving Depth and Direction into Your Painting Using Dynamic Composition: Lessons from Paul Cezanne, Carol Rhodes
May 13: Lyrical Lines, Bonnie Gordon-Lucas
June 10: Plein Air Painting: A Direct Approach Using Your Innermost Artistic Urges, Don Geyra
2017-2018
State of the Society
by Jane Matranga, BWS President, 2017-2018
Bloomington Watercolor Society completed a successful and busy year. Meeting night programs included the members “Show and Share” in September, drawing faces, turning art into prints from White Rabbit, learning about the history of watercolor in the United States, aerial perspective, plein air painting, composition, and abstracts using mixed media We had 37 members and guests at the Holiday Party in December. Several members won prizes for their innovative ornaments. Members participated in Peden Farm, Monroe County Barn Tour, Daniel Smith presentation, We Paint Jazz for The Art of Chocolate. The Dale Popovich Workshop had 12 attendees.
The 2017 Member Show opened for the October Gallery Walk with 150-200 attendees on opening night. Two paintings were sold that evening. The show closed Nov. 22. Thirty-four members participated.
We had monthly paintouts such as the end-of-summer paintout and the Bloomington Garden Club June Garden Walk. T.C. Steele Paintout in September had several BWS winners including Cassidy Young, 2nd place in watercolor; Donna Whitsitt and Candi Bailey, Honorable Mention in watercolor; Erick Brock, Honorable Mention in oils; and Lory Williams, Honorable Mention in mixed media.
Upland celebrated its third year as a group (its second as an official BWS committee) with weekly paintouts. The group held its annual show at the barn behind the Wiley House.
It has been my pleasure to serve as president this year. Thanks to Charlotte Griffin and Patty Uffman for all their help and guidance. I look forward to more participation in the activities of the society in the coming year.
Thanks to 2017-2018 officers and committee chairs: Charlotte Griffin, 1st vice president; Nancy Metz and Babette Ballinger, 2nd vice president; Patty Uffman, treasurer; Erin Duff, secretary; Jeanne Dutton, activities; Jeanne Dutton and Nancy Metz, Brushstrokes; Candi Bailey, historian; Mary Walker, refreshments; Jo Weddle, programs; Sara Steffey McQueen, publicity; Jo Weddle and Jeanne Dutton, scholarship; Anne-Karine Bley, shows; Carol Rhodes and Charlotte Griffin, technology; and Kristen Stamper, Upland.
Member news
Bridge in Ronda,Spain
by Meri Reinhold
“Bridge in Ronda, Spain” by Meri Reinhold was juried in to the 25th Annual Juried Exhibition at Jasper Community Arts, Krempp Gallery. The show will hang Sept. 5 to 28, with a reception Thursday, Sept. 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. The Jasper Arts Center is at 951 College Ave. in Jasper. The painting is the result of a 2016 trip to Spain with Charles Gruppe and other watercolorists (including fellow BWS member Jo Weddle). “Originally intended just as a journaling exercise, later I painted it as a 20 x 16 painting on Arches 140-pound paper,” Meri said.
Katya Alexeeva, visiting artist, will demonstrate at Flowing Colors Studio First Friday Sept. 7 and will set up inside or outside the building atrium, depending on the weather. The Flowing Colors Studio is above Caveat Emptor Bookstore, 112 N. Walnut St., Suite 600. An open studio reception is Friday, Sept. 7, 5 to 8 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Flowing Colors Studio features the work of Joanne Shank, Don Geyra, Betty Wagoner, Patricia C. Coleman, Alyssa Many.
Letters by Zofia Matuszak
Zofia Matuszak was one of 25 artists representing the Association of Polish Watercolors at Fabriano in Acquarello in Spring-Summer 2018. Her painting “Letters,” was inspired by her visit to Bloomington and her travels in the region last year.
Don Geyra announces that his radio program, Dancin’ Don’s Art Party on WFHB Community Radio, now airs two hours earlier. You can listen every Monday from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday. Art Party is a tasteful mixed genre music show filled with motivational anecdotes to help everyone connect with their innate creativity, to inspire working artists, to help us all wind down from a busy day or get ready to work through the night.
Linton Barn
by Robin Edmundson
Robin Edmundson received a Merit Award for her piece, “Linton Barn,” at the Good Ole Summertime juried member exhibition of Hoosier Salon at the Hoosier Salon Gallery in New Harmony.
Hoosier Artist Gallery has designated Sara Steffey McQueen as a featured artist for September. A BWS signature member, Sara creates in a variety of mediums. She was trained at Indiana University in photography, drawing, and printmaking. The Hoosier Art Gallery is at 45 S. Jefferson in Nashville. The reception is the fourth Friday Nashville art walk from 4 to 7 p.m.
The Magician
by Sara Steffey McQueen
by Debbie Tocco
Debbie Tocco won first place in the nonprofessional watercolor division at the Indiana State Fair.
IMO
Social media users recognize IMO as an abbreviation for “In My Opinion,” and each month we close by giving you the chance to share your opinion on a specific question.
This month the question is:
If you could offer only one piece of advice to a beginning watercolor artist, what would it be?
Jeanne Dutton
- Buy the best supplies you can afford. You may save money on cheap supplies, but you’ll pay for it in frustration.
- Relax and have fun. It’s just paint on paper. 🙂
Claude Cookman
After 25 years, still in most every drawing or painting I hit a point where things are not working, and that vicious voice in the back of my head says, “Time to abandon ship, give this one up, and go read a novel.” Invariably, if I keep working, most of the problems get corrected and sometimes an acceptable image results. Advice: Don’t listen to that voice, never surrender to your doubts, push through the rough spots, never quit!
Kriste was experimenting with brushloading when she created this blade of grass.
Kriste Lindberg
Experiment, make mistakes, keep trying. The experience will help you develop your own style. Overall, enjoy!
Patty Uffman
Advice to new watercolorists: Don’t use too much water.
Zofia Matuszak
Pay attention to the quality of the paper you choose. 100% cotton papers, both Hot Press and Cold Press, with weight of 300g/m2 will hold water well. When you paint on such paper, for example, clouds or water, you will have time to freely construct the space and tonal gradations.
Carol Rhodes
Don’t sweat the details. If something is bothering you about your painting and you are unsure about a fix, just put it away for three days to three weeks and then look at it again. In seeing it anew you could be surprised: You may instantly know what it needs, or you might even find the issue to be much more minor than you had initially perceived it.
Kitty Garlock
Just do it! Don’t be afraid to let the paint take you away. The more time you spend doing it the more the paint will tell you how it all works!
Jerry Harste
Do something. Then do something to that something. Then do something to that something and soon you will have something. (Jacob Johns)
Robin Edmundson
If I could offer one piece of advice to a beginning watercolor artist, it would be to practice, practice, practice. Go for quantity and the quality will take care of itself.
October question for IMO:
What makes a person an artist? How do you know when you have earned the right to claim this august title?
Send your 1- to 3-sentence response to Nancy Davis-Metz by Sept. 21, and look for your opinion to be published in the October issue. Please use IMO as your email’s subject line.
