February Program
February 14 via Zoom, 6 p.m.
Painting Easy Trees in Watercolor
by Carol Rhodes

There are as many ways to paint trees as there are artists who paint them. In a hands-on demonstration over Zoom, Carol Rhodes will show you some quick tree-painting techniques. After viewing a couple of short videos, she will show you how to make foliage with a brush using a dabbing method and a stabbing method on both wet and dry paper, and then demonstrate the use of two types of sponges. She will talk about the nature of various tree types, the colors you might use for wood and foliage, and how to make spontaneous branches with brush strokes. 

Supplies to bring:

Paints and Brushes:

• a variety of greens, blues, and violets
• Burnt Sienna
• Indigo
• Cobalt Blue
• Cadmium Yellow or Cadmium-free yellow
• NOTE: Cheap paints are fine. Sponges will absorb lots, so you may not want to waste your expensive tubes.

• #10 round or larger
• a mop brush
• a smaller brush with a pointed tip

Sponges:

Sea sponge
Cellulose sponge (O-Cello or Kroger brand. They are the kind that dry hard.)

Watercolor paper, practice-grade
Large plate or mixing surface
Water container
Paper towels
Plastic or tub for underneath your work surface. Sponging gets messy!
Rubber gloves optional

A Note from BWS President
Joanna Samorow-Merzer

“I’d like to announce that the Nominating Committee has been appointed.  Please meet our three-person Nominating Committee:

Sarah Ward – Chair
Zain Mackey – Member
Meri Reinhold – Member

I want to thank Sarah, Zain and Meri for their willingness to serve in this capacity.  The Nominating Committee will select a slate of officers for the next administrative year 2022-2023.

Some of the Officers & Chairs will continue, but we have these available vacant positions for the next year starting in July 2022 – ending in June 2023:

Executive Board

1. President
2. 1^st Vice President
3. Secretary

Committees

• Activities
• Paint-Out – the term on this position is from January 2023 through December 2023.
• Publicity
• Refreshment
• Scholarship
• Show – please note that the Show Chair is needed for the annual fall show (Jeanne Dutton manages the Winter Benefit show)..

Those of you who are interested in serving as Officers on the Executive Board or Chairs on the Committees, please contact the Chair of the Nominating Committee, Sarah Ward.  Sarah’s contact info is in the membership roster.”

Inside BWS

“WE PAINT…Van Gogh’s World!”
February 4 – March 28, 2022
An Exhibit Benefitting Teachers Warehouse!

The Bloomington Watercolor Society winter show is proud to support Teachers Warehouse, an outstanding organization which touches all our lives in one way or another.  Founded by the Rotary Club of Bloomington, Teachers Warehouse serves over 2000 teachers from across five counties by providing free books, classroom supplies, and furniture.  https://teacherswarehouse.org/

Original paintings are on exhibit at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E 6th Street, Bloomington, Indiana.  Wall art, artist prints and original hand-painted greeting cards will be available at the reception desk.   Cash, check, or credit card accepted.  To purchase paintings from the exhibit, please contact Teachers@BloomingtonWatercolor.org.  Note that 50% of wall art and prints benefits Teachers Warehouse, and 100% of greeting card sales.

Opening Reception:  Gallery Walk Friday, February 4, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Mask required.
Second Reception:  Gallery Walk Friday, March 4, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Mask required.

Gallery exhibit hours are 9:00 – 5:00, Monday through Friday, February 4 – March 28, 2022.

Beginning February 5, the online exhibit of “We Paint…Van Gogh’s World” can be viewed at https://bloomingtonwatercolor.smugmug.com/We-Paint-Van-Goghey 

Showing at
The Vault at Gallery Mortgage
121 E 6th Street, Bloomington, IN 47408
VIRTUAL OPENING RECEPTION and AWARDS: Gallery Walk Friday, February 4

Gallery Hours: 9am – 5pm Monday – Friday;
9am – 8pm Gallery Walk Friday, February 4
9am – 8pm Gallery Walk Friday, March 4

Door Prizes: As a reward for entering, Preston Arts Center in Louisville has donated:
Van Gogh Watercolor Pad Value $20.75
A set of 25 Van Gogh brand postcards  $15.55
A Van Gogh watercolor pocket box with 12 pans and SMRP $67.55
A Plein Air Pochade box, value $156.

A Historical Tidbit

Linda Bransletter, BWS Historian, reported that she found an article in the Herald Times dated June 3rd, 2012 on Connie Bronson who passed in November.  Connie designed a mural at Renwick Village called “String Ensemble”.   Her watercolor was transferred to vinyl measuring 18 1/2 ft. square and was visible from Sare Road on the side of the Renwick multi-story buildings.   The mural was to be changed periodically so it may not be there now.   But the article talked about Connie taking up painting at 65 and winning numerous awards.   Her paintings, the Times reported “made people smile.”

NEW MEMBER JOINS BWS

We would like to welcome Pamela Cotton to our growing organization that now has 90 members!  Pamela was nice enough to write a brief introduction, recently sent to our membership chair, Patty Uffman.

Hello.  I am Pamela Cotton and have recently moved to Bloomington.  My professional training and practice has been as a clinical psychologist.  I currently teach and write about psychological resilience.  I have begun to experiment with water color and Haiku to express some of the ideas.  I am a beginner in terms of painting and drawing, and I want to bring beginner’s mind to this art form.  I look forward to meeting all of you and learning together.  Thank you for welcoming me.

Outside BWS

Friends of T.C. Steele, Member Art Show

The Friends of T.C. Steele Show is open to all members of Friends of TC Steele.  Non-members may enter the show by joining the Friends at the show registration.

Show Details.

Win up to $1000.
Show Dates: March 5 – 27, 2022.
Location: Brown County Art Gallery, Nashville, IN.
Registration deadline: February 21, 2022.
Delivery Date: February 26 and 27, 2022, 12 -3 p.m.

Do you have a child or grandchild who would like to exhibit their art
in a show?  Added this year is a youth category for anyone 18 and
under.

2022 New Harmony First Brush of Spring Art Sale

Attention Artists! Great news for this year’s traditional Art Sale!  We are reducing the commission rate for this event!

Everyone knows that New Harmony visitors love to patronize the arts.  Simply put, they want more art at our sale!  To meet that demand, we have dropped our commission rate to increase artist participation. Artists will retain 90% of the purchase price at our traditional Art Sale in the Ribeyre Center (Gym). We want artists to sell more work and give buyers an array of art choices. BOOTH SPACE IS LIMITED 

Hoosier Salon will handle the event promotion and you will handle the sales. You can also help promote by posting on your website, Facebook and Instagram accounts. The Ribeyre Center is located at the corner of Main and Tavern Streets, under the clock tower.

Our traditional Ribeyre Center Art Sale will occur Saturday, April 23 from 9 am–12 p.m. Our Saturday only Art Sale in the main gym will be operated by you or a representative for you. The booth space available is approximately 9’ X 9’ for a $100 fee if received before March 1 and a $125 fee if received after March 1. You must provide the display and easels; tables are provided. This operates on an honor system. Artists are expected to provide the Hoosier Salon with the 10% commission of total sales before May 23, 2022. Hoosier Salon, PO Box 338, New Harmony, IN 47631.

Bring your painting(s) between 8 and 9 a.m.  Sale begins at 9 a.m. and continues until 12 p.m.  All paintings and displays must be removed following the sale. There is no limit on the number of paintings if you stay within the allotted space, but you must provide your own easels or display. Panel rental for your booth space can be reserved by contacting Linda Volz at lvolz@hoosiersalon.org

AquaVenture 2022 — Call for Artists

The Kentucky Watercolor Society is excited to announce information regarding the AquaVenture 2022 exhibition and to encourage members and non-members to submit entries for the show. This exhibition will be held as an in-person exhibit at the Lyric Theatre, 300 E. Third St. in Lexington from March 7- April 15, 2022. We want everyone to enjoy the art in a safe manner and ask that all who come to view the show wear a mask when visiting the gallery.

CALENDAR
Entry Deadline- Friday, February 4, 2022
Notification- Monday, February 14, 2022
Delivery- Thursday, February 24, 2022
Opening Reception- Friday, March 11, 2022 5-8 PM
Show Open To Public- March 7- April 15, 2022
Pick up work- Saturday, April 16, 2022

4th Arts of Earth Day — April 23
T.C. Steele State Historic Site

On Sat. April 23rd, T.C. Steele State Historic Site will hold its fourth Arts of the Earth Day. Because it is the same day as the Wildflower Foray the event is now being advertised as free outdoor grounds for everyone. 

T.C. Steele welcomes artists to register and paint outdoors on site from 12p.m. to 4p.m. Cate Whetzel asks artists to email her (museumcommunication@indianamuseum.org) with their name and estimated timeframe at the site (ex. first and last name, painting from 12-3pm). Cate will create a guest list of participating artists. In appreciation T.C. Steele offers registered artists a visit to the Large Studio and complimentary bottled water, coffee or tea in the Visitor Center.

Cate hopes to have artists of all mediums! Arts of the Earth is a program to welcome spring and the return of warm weather, and to offer our visitors an inspiring day outdoors. Although we cannot guarantee it, it’s likely the daffodils will be in bloom!

Cate also reported that T.C. Steele is adding a Teddy Bears’ Picnic for kids from 1-2 p.m. in the hopes of drawing kids and families. Admission for the Teddy Bears’ Picnic is $4/kid. No charge for an accompanying adult.

Please Note: The Teddy Bears’ Picnic will require a wristband. Visiting the Large Studio or House on a scheduled tour at 10:15, 1:15 or 3:15 will require full site admission  (Admission is free for Registered Artists but for others: $10/adult; $8/senior; $5/child).  The House and Studio will NOT be open for self-guided visits, but Cate said she would be happy to take a registered artists-only group into the Studio in the afternoon.

Art Illiana Gallery: Call for Artists

Show Title: Phenomenon (Open to all North American Artists)
Opening: Friday April 2, 2022 
Closing: Friday June 3, 2022 
Arts Illiana Gallery, 23 N. 6th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47807 

Call for Entry January 7, 2022
Deadline: March 18, 2022

Opening: April 1, 2022
Closing: June 3, 2022

Guest Curator: Donna Meyer

Member News

Candace Bailey wrote to say, “This toaster was a white elephant Christmas present to a family member. We tried it out last night. It actually works and the image on the toast is fairly accurate.”

Kriste Lindberg.  “This watercolor and ink painting is inspired, in part, by Van Gogh as well as a recent trip I made to the Indianapolis Zoo for the holiday festivities.  It was quite surprising to see live flamingos amongst the chilly holiday lights!”

Zain Mackey. “Had a day of thinking about science fiction and hauled out the cling wrap. Here is the watercolor result, called ‘Birth of a Planet.'” 

Susan Savastuk

“I have a show up at Bloomingfoods West on 6th St. in their Gallery B. There will be an open reception on February 4th from 5-8 during the gallery walk. The show runs until March 27, 2022.

 I will be participating in the BWS Van Gogh show at the Vault. My painting is entitled, ‘Artist Studio’ It is an oil on canvas board, 6″x6”.  The studio belongs to my neighbor Vida Stanfield.

I am involved in a commissioned project to paint on book covers for an art collector in Richmond IN. The smooth surface of the white book cover is very responsive to oil paint. Title: ‘Time Standing Still’,  11’x 8” oil on smooth surfaced book cover.”

Sara Steffey. “I’ll be in a small group exhibit for the month of February at By Hand Gallery in Bloomington (inside Fountain Square Mall). The Exhibit title is ‘Stories of the Ancestors‘, and the opening reception is February 4^th, 5—8 p.m. The painting I’ll exhibit is titled ‘My Ancestral Wall,’ and is done on canvas in acrylic.

Also, I’m bringing some heart paintings into the Arts Alliance Center Gallery for February. There are a few BWS members that exhibit in the Mall Gallery & Community Space.”

Andy Roberts. “This is a small pen and ink- watercolor I did this week in SW Florida. I am enjoying the Plein Air Painters group that I belong to here. We paint every Thursday at a different location. Weather has been cooler than normal but not like Indiana.” 

Henry Leck. “I took two paintings over to the Brown County Art Guild. The painting entitled ‘Snow Packed Path’  received Honorable Mention.”

Kathy Truelove Barton. “I have 2 pieces entered in The Art Guild Patron Show in Nashville, Indiana. My painting is titled ‘Between Chores’ and was painted on property belonging to Harry and Anabel Hopkins in Brown County Indiana. Anabel rejoined our BWS for 2022.  Welcome back Anabel. The show at the Guild closes February 19th with awards on that day and is open to the public with masking and distancing requested; see the web page for hours and directions.

MarySue Schwab wrote to say that although see didn’t get to the gallery prior to drop-off for the Van Gogh show, she would like to share her sunflower piece –acrylics on a clay relief, in a shadow box. MarySue said she was glad she made the effort as it is now ready for another show! Sunflowers on this very cold day! Stay warm everyone!  She closed by saying she was planning on working on some spring flowers today.

Katya Alexeeva. “My panting “Mystical Visit” won 3^rd place in The Brown County Art Guild Patron Show. This painting was done in oil on canvas 24″x30″. Attached is the short Russian story that inspired the painting. The Patron Show is at the Art Guild in Nashville. It is open to the public. It closes February 19th with an awards ceremony.”

 Tom Cat and Angel

 “Peace upon you”, Angel said gently, having a seat on a thick branch near Tom Cat shaking the snow off from the branch.   “Hello!”, responded Cat uncovered his green eye, looked over Angel and turned away.

Angel hid his bare feet under his wings and looked down.  A snowy yard full of laughter, screams and squeaking footsteps was lying beneath them.

 “You’ve climbed high “, Angel said, assessing the distance to the ground.

  At least a snowball won’t reach here.

Angel nodded with understanding and picked up his hanging wings.  They kept silent for a while.

“Have you come for my old lady?”, without turning his head, asked Cat.

Cat’s voice was lazy, but Angel immediately saw the pain and anxiety surrounding him.

 “No, I’m not going to take anyone”.

 “A-a-a”,—a cloud of anxiety has been broken.  “She says every day that soon an Angel will take her”, explained Cat.  “I see, probably another one will come”.

They were quiet, but apparently Cat was concerned about Angel’s presence and he asked as indifferently as possible,   “Well, why are you here?”

-Well, I am taking a break and sat down. I saved a kid in your town himself. Oh, that’s a tough job. I’m on my way home now.

-So, you are ……. Can you cure a disease?

 – Depends on the disease. But I can do a lot, I am a Guardian.

“So, why are you sitting here!!! “, Cat roared.  “Come on!”

 And he, like a red-headed vortex, hit the ground. The Angel landed nearby quietly.

 The old lady was so skinny, that it took Angel some time to see her among the pillows.

Her eyes were closed and her chest was stirring, filling the room with a wheeze,  whistle and sobs.

Angel bent over her, put white wings on her chest, and whispered something gently and quietly.

While he was standing there, Cat threw some wood in the oven, shoved a cold kettle on the stove and put a large cup of milk, pouring some herbs in it – preparing a drink for the mistress. /   dusting

When the Angel straightened up, the old lady’s breath became smooth and quiet, and her cheeks gained color.

  “Let her sleep,” said Cat to Angel, “she is so weak”.

 Cat turned away and quickly wiped his eyes.

“I guess, I’ll stay here”, said Angel, stirring up the honey. “Until Anna gets up”.

 How do you know that she is Anna?

 I am Angel and I know your name is Murr

“So, I think we’ve kind of met”, chuckled Cat.   ‘And what do I call you?”

 We don’t have names. I am just Angel.

  Cat silently moved up the cream to Angel and took a sip out of the mug.

The wall clock was ticking over the table, the firewood was crackling in the stove, and the wind was growling outside the window.

 “You asked me, why I climbed so high”, chuckled Cat suddenly, “it comes out I had been waiting for you”.

And listening to the wind the Cat thoughtfully added, “I have to knit you socks.  Well, you are barefoot in the snow…”

Membership Tip & Techniques

Bess Lee: Use up Your Paints and Play! While I was painting my piece for the BWS Van Gogh exhibit, I had a new thought and a new idea for practicing – without expectations or boundaries.  I have been trying to figure out a way to PRACTICE more knowing it will improve my skills without being disappointed in what I’m doing…letting go enough to practice.

So, I had leftover paint, this time acrylics, (but I also did this same “freeing” experiment with watercolor that I had squeezed out of the tubes). I had finished my piece, had paint left over and I said to myself “just PLAY with this paint”.

So I looked at about 15 more Van Gogh images and just started painting. (This also reminded me of the MUSE-seum class that Carol Rhodes and Nancy Metz are teaching again in the spring time. If you’ve never taken it, I highly recommend. I’m taking it myself for the fourth time.). So I took my leftover paints and I just said “play! play! play! Here was my result.”

Good practice and a LOT of fun.  My new “go-to” for practicing… use up those leftover paints!

Carol Rhodes: Paint Like the Masters. Carol shared some tips from taking a “Paint Like the Masters” course in which Van Gogh was featured:

1. Allow brush strokes to show, giving the impression of movement.
2. Particularly in background areas, emphasize stroke.
3. Use opaque colors—strident, bluish greens and blues are prevalent in many paintings. 
4. Paint complementary and contrasting strokes next to each other (called “simultaneous contrast”). Portraits often contain reds and greens in staccato strokes.
5.  Use broken dark lines (especially very dark blue) to define shapes.

February Calendar

February 1 to 19 — See Sara Steffey”s work at By Hand Gallery, Bloomington.

February 1 to 19 — See Brown County Art Guild Patron’s Show, Nashville.

February 4 — Virtual Opening Reception of Van Gogh Show at Gallery Mortgage, 5 – 8 p.m.

February 4 — Opening Reception of Susan Savanuk’s Show at Gallery B, Bloomington.

February 4 to March 28 — Van Gogh Show, Gallery Mortage, Bloomington.

February 4 — Deadline to enter AquaVenture 2022.

February 14 — BWS Business Meeting and Program, Zoom, 6 – 8 p.m.

February 19 — Closing and Awards Ceremony, Brown County Art Guild Patron’s Show.

February 26 to 27 — Delivery date of paintings for Friends of T.C. Steele Show.

March 1 — Deadline to reserve booth at New Harmony’s First Blush of Spring Show.

March 5 to 27 — Friends of T.C. Steele Show, Nashville.

March 7 to April 15 — AquaVenture 2022 Show, Louisville, KY.

March 18 — Deadline to enter Phenomenon Show in Terra Haute.

April 2 — Opening of Phenomenon Show in Terra Haute.

April 23 — 4th Arts of Earth Day at T.C. Steele Historical Site.

April 23 — Ribeyre Center Art Sale, New Harmony.