Our December 14th Program
Our December 14th program will be an exchange of art cards. Joanne Weddle and Cassidy Young coordinated this event. Participating members exchanged art cards by mail and will open them during the Zoom call. Although only 14 people elected to participate in the exchange, everyone is welcome to virtually watch the exchange and participate via the chat feature on Zoom.
A Word of Inspiration this Holiday Season
In this time of continued uncertainty, one thing is clear: we are stronger together. Over the past several months, you have undoubtedly witnessed or experienced fear, sadness, worry, and frustration. But the world has also demonstrated compassion, hope, and creativity. Seriously think about giving someone a painting this holiday season. Your generosity will say more than words can convey. Encourage your friends to think about giving a piece of art also this year. Together we are stronger when we support each other through our generosity.
And remember: BWS cards and bookmarks are for sale at the Venue during regular holiday hours. 50 percent of the cost goes to the BWS Art Scholarship.
Inside BWS
Our Thanks to Kathy Barton
BWS thanks Kathy Truelove Barton for her presentation during the November program. Kathy demonstrated how to mix greens for the changes of foliage in Indiana over the year. She used four of her landscape paintings to illustrate her points. A handout of the different greens she uses, including brands and paint numbers, were emailed to the membership.
The BWS Art Scholarship Needs Our Support
Jeanne Dutton reminds us that every spring, a graduating senior in the Monroe County Community School Corporation is awarded a $500 scholarship for the expressed purpose of purchasing art supplies as they begin their post-high school education in the area of visual fine art, architecture or design, or arts education.
Now through December 9 at 8:00 p.m., FMCCS is offering an on-line auction opportunity. Included are ten items by BWS artists and 70% of any BWS item sold goes to support the BWS Art Scholarship.
Need a tax deduction? All donations to the FMCCS are eligible. So, if you prefer to donate directly, click the “Donate” button and be sure to note it is for the Bloomington Watercolor Society Art Scholarship: https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/browse.action?auctionId=341696508&categoryId=341900957
Herald-Times Invitation
Kristie Lindberg, BWS Publicity Chair, sent in the following report: “To carry on the tradition, our local paper, The Herald-Times, has invited us back for another yearly winter scenes spread! Due date: December 22.
Please note that images just need to be of winter scenes in south central Indiana. That doesn’t necessarily mean they need to include snow. Use your imagination).
This year, the article will appear in the Sunday, December 27 edition. If you are interested in having your painting published included:
- Send one or images directly to Jennifer Tilley at features@heraldt.com by noon, Tuesday, December 22, 2020,
- address the subject line, “BWS 2020 first name, last name” (yours)
- size the images at approximately 200 dpi and attach it to the email (don’t worry if you don’t know what that means, their staff will take care of it for you), and
- include your name and the name of the image in the body of the message.
Let’s have a good turn out for this kindly and timely offer. We have some wonderful works to share and I trust they will be especially appreciated this year.
“We Paint … Carnival!”
MONTH of CHOCOLATE, February 2021
Mardi Gras may be canceled in New Orleans, but BWS will still celebrate “Carnival!“We have dates! We have judges! We have prizes!
Sponsored by LIFEDesigns, this is BWS’ sixth year to support the Month of Chocolate. As you can guess, due to the covid crisis, things will be “virtually” different for the Month and the keynote event, the Art of Chocolate.
Our BWS “Carnival” paintings will hang at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage and be featured in an online gallery. There are plans to have a video tour of the exhibit hosted by Gabriel Colman, filmed and posted online through various sites. All of these features will be linked to the main Month of Chocolate website where art lovers can purchase their favorite paintings with ease.
December 6, please watch your email for the prospectus with all the information. Meanwhile, questions may be sent to Jeanne Dutton, Chocolate@BloomingtontonWatercolor.org.
Gain Signature Status in BWS
Those of you who are interested in becoming a Signature Member of BWS, you should know that the Signature Committee has extended deadlines for applying until March. If interested contact Kitty Garlock by email at kittygarlock@gmail.com and request the guidelines. Applications and resumes can be filled out and submitted anytime but no later than March. In April the Signature Committee will judge the work submitted. Kitty also announced that she is still looking for a volunteer signature member to help out.
Making “My Favorite Technique a Regular Feature of the Newsletter
Let’s make “My Favorite Technique” a regular feature of Brushstrokes. The next time there is a Call for Brushstrokes news, share some watercolor technique you like to use. Break down the process into steps and photograph each one. Cell phone photos will suffice for most everything; describe what to do in each step. Keep it short and simple: three to eight steps and photos. We all have something to share. Think of it as if you were at an in-person meeting and someone asked, “How did you do that?”
Outside BWS
TC Steele Member Art Show
The Friends of TC Steele Member Art Show is February 6 – 27, 2021. Registration is Jan. 4, 2021. BWS artists are encouraged to enter the show.
Betty Wagoner says the Friends of TC Steele need more watercolorists! She reminds us that the the award for 1st place is $1000.
Registration is free for members . Non-members may register with payment of membership at the time of registration. Registration information can be found at
https://tcsteele.org/member-art-show-registration/ Artists may register online or print the PDF form and mail it in.
Watercolor Society of Indiana News
WSI 2021 Juried Exhibition applications will be sent to members March 1. The deadline for receipt of digital entries will be May 7 with juror notification letters being sent June 7. The Juried Exhibit will be at the IMA Aug. 6-Sept. 25, and Paul Jackson will be the juror.
Paul Jackson will present a WSI workshop July 6-9 at Somerset Lakes Clubhouse in Indianapolis. Keiko Tanabe will present a WSI workshop Oct. 20-22 at the Southside Art League in Indianapolis.
Call to Artists: Jasper
Kathy Barton send out an announcement saying that The Jasper Art Center will be reviewing portfolios for solo and group 2021 shows in their Thyen-Clark Cultural Center. The deadline for submission is February 14. Find all the details online at visualarts@asperindiana.gov or call 812-482-3070.
Call to Artists: Anderson
The Anderson Museum of Art announces:
According to their email, “We are ready to celebrate the beginning of a new year with an exciting new exhibition that will highlight the things that make you happy.
Artists will be encouraged to produce works of art that showcase the beauty of where you LIVE, the things that make you happy and LAUGH, and the people or items that you LOVE.
Let’s spread some happiness in this juried exhibition. Drop off is January 6, 7, & 8 from 9-5 pm. The winner of each category (Live, Laugh, Love) will have a collection of their work exhibited in our Grande Room summer 2021.”
Center for Lifelong Learning Spring Digital Catalog is Out!!
Now is the time to register for courses with Ivy Tech (ivytech.edu). Several BWS members are offering courses that are worth your consideration, including:
Vibrant Oil Painting for Beginners by Katya Alexeeva
Beginning Watercolor by Carol Rhodes
Principles of Art Through Abstraction by Cassidy Young
Discovering Your Museum by Carol Rhodes & Nancy Metz
Call to Artists: Pikes Peak Watercolor Society
Nancy Neale Martins, Watermedia Chair of the Pikes Peak Watercolor Society wrote to extend an invitation to BWS members to enter The Pikes Peak International Watermedia 2021 Exhibition. The deadline for entries is January 31, 2021. The juror for the show is the the esteemed Alvaro Castagnet. The prospectus for the show can be found at:Prospectus: https://pikespeakwatercolorsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/WM-2021-Prospectus.pdf
Sharing Our News
Betty Wagoner is Given an Award
Betty Wagoner won an Award of Merit prize for her painting, “Monk’s View – West Baden,” at the IPAPA Member Art Show. The show is currently at the Harrison Art Center in Indianapolis through Dec. 18.
Kriste Lindberg Shares a Recent Painting
Went on a hike a few weeks ago and took time to notice the leaves. Especially, how they were turning from a splendid bright color to brown. Caught one somewhere in the middle.
Sandy Hall is in Several Shows
I am an associate member of BWS and Upland group and have never shared. I live in Greenfield Indiana and connect with Bloomington artists during plein air events and spontaneous gatherings. COVID-19 has put a dent in travel plans. I continue to work out of my studio in Greenfield. Regretfully Jackie Frey and I had to cancel our June trip to Cape Cod to study under Andy Evansen.
I have two paintings in the 122nd Annual Exhibit of Indiana and Ohio Artists in the Richmond Art Museum and another painting in a show entitled “Presenting Irvington Artists” at the Bona Thompson Memorial Center in Irvington. That show runs until December 19.
The juried selections for the Irvington show were based on whether or not the artist had a connection with Irvington. As a child, I lived in Marion County and participated in painting the storefront window.
This fall, I had three piece (all water-based media) shown in the Cumberland Arts Exhibit.
Donna Whitsitt is Moving and has Picture Frames to Give Away
Many of you know that I have been thinking about moving for some time. Well, that time has come. I will be moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma at the end of this month. I have enjoyed living in Indiana and especially my time spent with BWS and Upland. Thanks to all of you in these two organizations, I have discovered many new places to paint and opportunities to grow as an artist.
As I prepare to move, I am downsizing some of my belongings. I have large frames, sizes 12″ x 17″ to 24″ x 36″ and small frames, 5″ x 7″ to 9″x 11″ that I am giving away. Of the small frames, three are wood but all the rest of the small ones are metal. The large ones are all wood.
If you are interested, please call or text me at 765-341-5011 so we can arrange a time for you to come and look at them. When you come, be prepared to wear your mask. I will have hand sanitizer if you need it.
Also, I have my art work on display at my house for one last time before I leave. Both the frames and my art work can be seen until Sunday, December 6th. Then I will be taking the frames to Goodwill and packing my art for the move.
I still plan to visit Indiana and Brown County several times each year. I look forward to seeing everyone and painting with each of you again when this pandemic is behind us. If you wish to contact me after I move, my email is donnawhitsitt@ymail.com.
Phyllis Taylor Wins People’s Choice Award
I have something for the newsletter from one of BWS’s West Coast members. I entered the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Annual Conservation Stamp Competition this fall and won the People’s Choice Award. I did a watercolor of the endangered Oregon Silverspot Butterfly on its host plant, the adunca violet. It had to be 13″ x 18″ and unsigned. Artists competed from all over the U.S. Who knew violets could be so important? See it on ODFW site: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/contest/2021_conservation_stamp_contest.asp
Andy Roberts Shares His Paintings
I have attached two recent painting that I have completed depicting the Tulip Railroad Trestle ( i.e. Viaduct) West of Solsberry, Indiana. These were done from opposite directions one looking down Beech Creek to the West and the other from a hill on the West side looking East. I will attempt to host an Upland Plein Air there next year. Merry Christmas to Everyone.
Celebrating Local Artists
The December issue of Bloom Magazine features the work of 17 local artists, two of which are members of BWS. Our congratulations to Bess Lee and Jerome Harste. The article begins: “Bloomington is blessed with a myriad of artists working in a wide variety of mediums. In these pages we present the works of 17. There are many more, for sure.” It then goes on to say, “Our hope here is that some readers will purchase the art they see or other works by a favorite artist…When you do, an original work of art becomes yours alone, a precious possession that serves no world function other than to be admired and shared with family and friends. So, beware. As you turn these pages, you just might fall in love.”
Sharing Favorite Techniques
Jeanne Dutton is Making Bookmarks
I am making bookmarks for the Venue. Andrew Preston gave me a pad of mineral paper which is made from rocks. It’s a lightwright version of yupo, sorta – same smooth, nonporous surface. So I poured alcohol inks on a sheet of it and cut them into 1 3/4 x 5 1/2 size, then glued them down to regular watercolor paper, embellished with gold or white gel pens, and laminated them.
Next I punch holes and add tassels. It’s a nice activity while I sit and watch the snow fall and the wind blow right outside the window.
Here are pictures of how the alcohol ink interacts with the paper and what they look like after getting tassels.
For those interested, there is a YouTube video entitled “Mineral Paper Overview” which shows how the paper is made.
Carolyn Rodgers Richard shares her favorite way to make greeting cards.
These Watercolor Cutout Flower Cards are so simple and so much fun! I have created several of the flowers on front of cards that are for sale at the Hoosier Artist Gallery, 45 S. Jefferson St., Nashville, Indiana in case you don’t have time to make your own and need some!
To make the cards, just use some good watercolor paper and paint some flower blossoms and leaves. I have found it best to create the flower blossoms and leaves separately for ease of arranging them on the fronts of blank cards. The blank cards can be purchased at Hobby Lobby or Michaels. NOTE: It isn’t necessary to purchase the expensive watercolor paper cards since you are not painting on them, merely gluing flowers to them. I just take a piece of watercolor paper, my favorite watercolor paint colors, and make as many flowers and leaves on a page as I can fit. I like to leave a tiny white border around each piece when I cut them out to give them some dimension. Then I choose some happy color combinations and arrange them on the front of the blank card. I use elmer’s glue stick to glue them down but I do not glue down completely to the edges because having that little bit of free edge creates a bit of a shadow showing some dimension. This method could work for any cut outs on the fronts of blank cards. So much fun and the possibilities are endless! Don’t forget to sign your cards! Merry Christmas or Hanukkah everyone.
Nancy Metz shares her Favorite Technique for Painting Poinsettas
What better time than December to paint a poinsettia? You don’t even have to rush out to get one. This little exercise allows you to “build your own” poinsettia from the center out, using progressively darker values.
Step A – Getting ready to paint: The quarter will help you save the center of your flower (You may not need this, but it is an effortless way to keep from painting right over the white you are trying to save.) I use the wooden skewer to scratch in the veins of the leaves; if you choose a different veining technique, you won’t need the skewer. I chose as my colors quinacridone gold, quinacridone coral, permanent alizarin crimson, permanent sap green, and Prussian blue. You can choose any colors you want; however, transparent colors work better than opaque. The size of your painting will determine the size of your brushes. For my 8-1/2 by 11-1/2 painting, I chose a 1-inch flat, my favorite No. 10 Casaneo (because it comes to such a lovely point). The other two brushes are nothing special; they simply are the right size for tight spaces.
The other photo in Step A illustrates my way of drawing the poinsettia bracts. (That’s the correct name for poinsettia petals.) I drew these from a poinsettia I had several years ago, and you are welcome to use them. The 10 petal shapes give you plenty of variety because you can flip each one to make it look different. If you chose to draw your own petal shapes, make sure you have a range of sizes. The next step is to cut out the petal shapes. This will be explained in Step D.
Step B – Starting from the center: Place the quarter where you want the center of your flower to be. Then wet the paper, avoiding getting too close to the quarter. You don’t want it sopping wet – just enough for the color to move. Create a puddle of quin gold and from it paint random strokes to create what will be the background for your flower. Don’t make this too uniform. A background of varied values will be more interesting than one solid layer of quin gold. While the wash is wet, blot out areas that are too close to the quarter. A little gold showing though your petal colors is a positive, so don’t be overly concerned with exactly where the flower will be in the final painting.
Remove the quarter and – assuming the paper beneath the coin is dry – paint five or six dots of quin gold. While those are still wet, tip in a tiny bit of quin coral and permanent sap green, letting the pigments mingle. If you don’t get it right the first time, just blot it up, let the paper dry, and give it another go. The final step in painting the center is to freestyle the top layer of bracts. This has to be done on dry paper. These will be the smallest and lightest of the layers. Paint these from a pale wash of quin coral. Try to avoid symmetry; this is nature, after all. Keep them unevenly spaced and differently shaped.
Step C – A word about veining: Before you start painting the petals, decide how you want to create the veins on the bracts. Five veining methods are shown, and you can choose one or all for your painting. You just need to commit before you paint each bract. I chose to scratch in the veins, so I had to have my skewer handy when I put the paint down.
Step D – Painting one bract at a time: Once the center of your flower has dried, choose one of your cutout petals and position it where you want it. IMPORTANT: This petal will be behind the top layer you freestyled in Step B, so make sure your pencil marks do not go over any painted areas. The middle photo in Step D shows this technique. Paint the bract using a slightly darker value of quin coral than the top layer. Drop in a little quin gold and or Prussian blue to give the petal dimension. You can be fairly generous with the quin gold, but be very careful with the Prussian blue. Either mix up a puddle of quin coral with a tiny bit of Prussian blue, or just touch a diluted Prussian blue to the wet petal, and let the colors blend on the paper. Repeat with five or six differently shaped bracts to create the second layer of the poinsettia. Remember to vein the bracts using whatever technique you choose. Leave some slivers of “air” around the center by drawing in some stems.
Step E – Creating third layer and looking into the center: Repeat Step D with an even darker wash of quin coral, varying the bract shapes and adding in drops of quin gold and Prussian blue, to create the third layer of bracts. The top photo shows the painting at this stage.
The bottom photo shows the impact of painting those tiny slivers of dark green in the center of the flower. On your palette, mix a dark green from the permanent sap green and permanent alizarin crimson. If the mix looks brown, add more green. This creates the illusion of looking down into the center of the plant, so you should vary the values or even the colors of the greens a little.
Step F – Adding the fourth layer: Using the same process as outlined in Step D, add the fourth layer of bracts. By this point, you may have maxed out the value of quin coral. To solve this problem, mix in a little permanent alizarin crimson to the quin coral. And as with the other layers, add interest by charging in some quin gold and Prussian blue.
Step G – Finishing off by mixing in some greens to fifth layer: A “leaf” on a poinsettia is a bract that hasn’t turned red yet, so you can use the same shapes you’ve used in earlier layers. Mix your greens with the permanent sap green and quin coral OR permanent alizarin crimson. You can get some interesting effects by charging in some permanent alizarin crimson to the greens on the paper.
The finished painting shown as Step G is one I had completed last year.
My painting mantra has always been “Remember that there is more than one right way to paint anything.” I believe this is a riff on a Susie Short tutorial from long ago, with a few twists of my own. I hope you can make it your own and have a custom poinsettia for your holiday.
December Calendar
Now thru December — Visit the Vault to buy BWS Christmas Cards & Bookmarks
December 6 — Month of Chocolate Prospectus becomes available
Now through December 6 — Get free frames by calling Donna Whitsitt
Now thru December 9 — Participate in the FMCCS Auction
December 14 — BWS Holiday Party
Now thru December 18 — See Betty Wagoner’s painting at the IPAPA show at the Harrison Art Center in Indianapolis
Now thru December 19 – See Sandy Hall’s painting at the Bona Thompson Memorial Center in Irvington
Now through January 4 — Registration open for the Friends of TC Steele Art Show
January 6, 7, or 8 — Deadline for dropping off paintings at the Anderson Museum of Art
Now thru January 9th — See Sandy Hall’s painting at the Richmond Art Museum
January 31 — Deadline for submitting painting to the Pikes Peak Juried Show
February — Month of Chocolate
February 6-27 — TC Steel Art Show
February 14 — Deadline for submitting portfolio to Jasper Art Center
Now thru March — Matrerials due if applying for Signature Status in BWS
March 1 — WSI 2021 Juried Exhibition Prospectus Availble
