Oct. 11

Let’s get ready for our Holiday Party

This year BWS members are invited to create two items for the holiday party on Monday, Dec. 13. First, you may create one or two watercolor postcards in a design of your choice. Members are also invited to create a “structure” out of watercolor paper. At Monday’s meeting Joanne Weddle will share examples of both cards and structures.

To attend the meeting via Zoom, look for the link in an email from Joanna Samorow-Merzer or from Carol Rhodes.

If you are vaccinated and wearing a mask, you can attend in-person at the First Christian Church’s Great Hall, 205 E. Kirkwood. If attending the meeting in person, dress in layers as windows will be open to facilitate ventilation.

Free parking is available in the IU Poplars Garage on Sixth Street, across from the Runcible Spoon. Pay parking is available on the streets and in the Fourth Street Garage, across from the former Waldron building.

Annual BWS paint-out and picnic

at Switchyard Park shelter

Saturday, Oct. 9

Starting at 10 a.m., Lunch at 12:30 p.m.

Stay as late as you like

Bring art supplies or an art project plus a brown-bag lunch. Paint or sketch this beautiful park and enjoy a picnic lunch with BWS friends. Coffee, iced tea, cups and ice will be provided. This is not a shared lunch because of COVID-19. Sweets or snacks that can be prepared and offered safely would be greatly appreciated.

The main entrance to the park is on Rogers Street between Rockport Road and Grimes Street. The parking lot at the Rogers Street entrance is the closest to the shelter. Restrooms are near the shelter.

Masks are required when not maintaining social distance.

Carol Carter shares her

‘imaginary color’ approach

at BWS fall workshop

by Claude Cookman

The artist swishes her No. 10 brush in a gallon bucket of clean water, leans over the table and saturates a gladiolus petal with the clear liquid. She charges the brush with Alizarin Crimson, touches it to the water, and we watch with her on a large digital screen as the brilliant red explodes — branching out in a thousand bifurcations — across the glistening surface.

Then Carol Carter, the artist, transforms into Carol Carter, the teacher, and 18 of us in the Great Hall of Bloomington’s First Christian Church plus another seven on Zoom follow her as she guides us through painting our own vivid glads.

During a two-day Bloomington Watercolor Society workshop in early September, Carter, an award-winning artist and teacher who lives in St. Louis, shared her process and immersed us in her “imaginary color” approach.

BWS Treasurer Carol Rhodes, who did an immense amount of work coordinating the event, explained why she invited Carter: “Her abstract approach to painting and her deeply saturated, fantastical use of color is unlike any of our recent presenters.”

Carter’s method

Carter describes herself as a cell painter, completing one shape, or cell, at a time. She starts from the back and paints forward, saving the focal point for last. “Think of the paper like a stage,” she says. “You are setting the stage for the main character.”

The text on Carter’s T-shirt read, “Just Add Water,” and she lives up to that motto by resolutely painting wet into wet. “You can never have enough water” is a mantra she repeats frequently. She wets each cell with clear water before adding paint. All mixing is done on the wet paper, never a palette.

She also uses fresh paint. Instead of rewetting cracked, caked pigments in palette wells, she squeezes out a pea-size dab of each color. She likens this to eating fresh, instead of stale, vegetables — the best way to get vibrant color.

Carter calls herself “a one-and-done” painter, meaning she gets the colors, values, and paint density on the first application. She does not add paint after the first round dries, limiting any adjustments to occasionally softening an edge to make a transition between shapes.

The major technical skill she wanted to teach was how to break down a reference photo into a drawing we could paint from. “Reference photos give you every nuance — too much information!” she exclaimed. “Get just the essence.”

She urged us to simplify by omitting unimportant detail and by seeing component shapes instead of subjects. She elaborated with an example from her student days. In a life-drawing class, she was struggling to capture the model’s elbow. After several failed attempts, she had a break-through: Don’t paint the elbow, she realized, paint a beautiful shape. Viewers will figure it out.

Carter’s most distinctive technique put a contour line around most of those shapes. After wetting a cell, she had us paint the edge with a small brush, applying half the paint inside the wet shape and half outside. Using a brush with clear water, we feathered out the paint on the inside and finally painted the shape with a base color, often applying a second color. She painted most of her shapes with thick pigment, created gradients, and in some places feathered lighter densities out to paper white.

Imaginative color

Many of us signed up for Carter’s workshop after seeing her creative approach to color in her online galleries. We were not disappointed.

“Color is a connective voice,” she said in an interview. “Color can win you an audience when an image can’t.

“Don’t use local color,” she insisted. “Get away from brown hair, flesh skin. Change it up a bit. Play with color.”

“Realistic color is: a brown door equals sepia, burnt sienna, and brown pigment,” Carter explained. “But inventive color is: a brown door is a dark value [that] can be a blue, a green, a dark-value purple or even a dark-value red.”

Focusing on value “frees you up to plug in any color,” she continued. “Once you see color as value, you can be inventive with your color choice.”

To see those values, she uses a red glass which filters out color.

She recommends picking “a warm and a cool and maybe a complementary color.” Then, “use color as emotion to dictate the message you are trying to convey,” she said. You can use a hot, fiery palette or a cool, moody palette or even a green face.” She has painted “a lot of green figures in orange pools,” the opposite of naturalistic warmed-toned figures in cool water. “I flipped the sensibility,” she said.

Good advice comes in threes

Carter had three major pieces of advice for BWS members:

1. Work every day. “If you want to be a painter, go into the studio six days a week and paint,” she admonished. “On Sunday, look at what you’ve painted.”

2. Push your gift. Art is extremely complex. Not every artist can be good at every aspect, but, “every artist has something that they’re naturally good at,” Carter insisted. “That’s the path you should follow — what you’re good at — and not beat yourself up for what you’re not good at.”

“Early on, I recognized my gift was color,” she said. “So I pushed that as something that would always permeate my growth as an artist. I struggle with value or composition or content. So I explore the color, and the value comes secondarily.”

3. Paint what you love. “At some point you have to let go of the how [technique] and move to the why [motivation],” she told the group. In an interview, she expanded on this from her own artistic trajectory.

“For the first five years of my career, after college and before I went to graduate school [at Washington University in Saint Louis], I struggled with what to paint,” she related. “I was a realistic painter. I was a plein air painter. I did a bunch of different imagery that was polished. But it wasn’t really from the heart.

“At graduate school, they don’t care what you paint, but you have to defend why you painted it,” she continued. “And I realized early on that I was giving no thought to why I was painting. I was just painting what I thought my clientele wanted. It was nothing from within.”

She reset her practice, spending most of her first graduate year painting color abstractions. When a blue shape kept reappearing, a professor asked what it was about. Carter, who grew up in Florida loving swimming pools, realized the abstract shape referenced those pools.

“Why don’t you paint the pool?” the professor asked. For the next year Carter did just that. “It connected to the why I was painting which was autobiographic, narrative, and personal,” she said.

“That launched the rest of my career, which is based around imagery that I feel profoundly connected to as an artist,” she said. “I’m no longer a realistic painter, but I am a representational painter. I’m no longer an abstract painter, but abstraction figures in my work.

“I think too many artists never get to the why of what they’re painting,” she said. “They keep answering the how. You do need how. My work is very how oriented. But it doesn’t just dwell on that. And that does not drive me as an artist. It’s the why.”

She summed it up in a single sentence: “I think the most important thing to learn from me as an artist is to paint what you love.”

Carter explores motifs she loves by working in series. She introduced us to two of them — flowers and horses — in her workshop. During breaks she shared others, including large-scale faces and people in swimming pools. She is currently painting a series of 6- x 6-inch dog portraits. She has completed 100 and intends to add another 20. At that point, she will exhibit them and probably move on to a new subject, perhaps ice in a glass of water which she has started exploring.

Regarding her motivation as a teacher, Carter said, “I feel like my job as an art instructor is to inspire people to take a risk and do something different.” 

 That “something different” may involve a continuing collaboration between Carter and interested members of BWS. At dinner on Friday, Carter, Carol Rhodes, Jacqueline Fernette, and others connected the idea of painting what you love to the question of how art could make a difference. They hit on the notion of painting subjects that are likely to disappear because of global warming. They plan to invite artists who wish to be involved to engage with Carter in this effort to raise consciousness about the climate change crisis.

Stay tuned to Brushstrokes for developments. 

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Welcome Connie!

Our roster of new members continues to grow. This month we would like to welcome Connie McIntyre, who brings our roster to a total membership of 80 as of Sept. 30. We look forward to meeting you, Connie!

BWS field trip to the LUME at Newfields

A group of BWS members and friends traveled to Newfields in Indianapolis Sept. 30 for the immersive Van Gogh experience in THE LUME.

NEW!

Show Calendar

As a service to its members, BWS is initiating a show calendar project – a listing of upcoming shows that may be of interest to BWS members. We want our exhibitors to have an easy way to find upcoming opportunities, and we want to encourage those who are less experienced or new to exhibiting.

The show calendar will be updated and sent to you every month as an attachment to the email announcing the publication of Brushstrokes, edited by Nancy Metz and Jerry Harste.

This is a member-driven project. A few people have made initial entries to get the calendar started, but it will be successful only if other members take an active role in keeping the spreadsheet populated with new opportunities.

To add entries to the show calendar: Send a newsletter, a email, a listing on a website, or other resources referencing the show – preferably including a link to the prospectus or the prospectus itself – to showinfo@bloomingtonwatercolor.org; one of our members will extract the information needed and enter it on the spreadsheet.

We would like your input on the calendar itself:

Does it include the information you want and need to make a decision about entering a show?

What show-sponsoring organizations would you like to see listed in addition to BWS? Watercolor Society of Indiana? Upland Plein Air? Indiana Plein Air Painters Association (IPAPA)? Others?

You can download the Excel spreadsheet, save it to your own computer, and modify it however you like to best serve your needs. For example, one member said she was going to add columns so that she could track which artworks she had entered or exhibited at which show. This will not affect the BWS master document.

To enable BWS to best serve its members in this way, please send your feedback and entries to showinfo@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.

Member News

Connie McIntyre shares a recent painting in which she added some wildflowers she grows as a little added factor. “I have so much fun creating these pictures,” she said. “To me it is truly a form of therapy.”

Sandy Hall sent a painting she is exhibiting at Greenfield’s Riley Festival Oct. 7-10. The theme is based on James Whitcomb Riley’s Poem, “The Bumblebee.” Artwork is housed at 2 W. Main St. Sandy also announced publication of Argyle’s New Friend, which features her illustrations, which were done in acrylics. The book is a sequel to MOMMS, the Mountain of Mismatched Socks.

Left to Right: “The Bumblebee” by Sandy Hall, Argyle’s New Friend book cover, “Agapanthus Flowers” by Sandy Hall

Last month Tim Lewis was juried in as a member of the Art IN Hand Gallery in Zionsville. Both of his entries, “Winter Oak” and “Waiting,” were juried into the annual Open Space: Art About The Land exhibit put on by Minnetrista and the Redtail Conservancy. The show will run Oct. 2 through Nov. 7 at the Minnetrista Center in Muncie, from Nov. 17 through Dec. 23 at the Art Association of Henry County in New Castle, and then finish at the Anderson Museum of Art in Anderson from Jan. 12 through Feb. 20. His painting, “Inflation”, will be a part of the Watercolor Society of Indiana exhibit at the Gallery at Fishers City Hall from Nov. 4 – 28.

Counterclockwise from Top Left: “Inflation,” “Winter Oak,” and “Waiting” watercolors by Tim Lewis

“Head Scout,” a painting by Penny Lulich, made it into the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society Aqueous International Exhibition, which runs through Nov. 30. Carla O’Conner was the juror. Penny writes: “This was my fourth painting to be juried into shows this year, which was completely unexpected as it is my first year to submit to any show outside of BWS member exhibits. I would sure like to encourage others who might be thinking of submitting, to do it. It can definitely be stepping outside of one’s comfort zone (I know it was for me), but the reward of getting an acceptance is worth any discomfort or even a few rejections along the way (yes, I had a few of those as well). If you’d like to visit the show, here is the link:  https://www.pittsburghwatercolorsociety.com/page-1735944.”

MarySue Veerkamp-Schwab has been awarded Signature Member status in the Watercolor Society of Indiana.

Lynne Gilliatt reports she is making abstract patterns on hand-dyed rectangles for a Spring show with Jean Haley here in Bloomington. She uses plain embroidery cotton thread and makes the colors pop. She has also been writing essays for The Ryder Magazine. Her third one, called “Cooling Off,” will probably be published in October.

“Citrus Bowl” by Joanna Samorow-Merzer is one of the many watercolors currently on display in the BWS Member Show at Viridian Moon Art Gallery.

Carolyn Rogers Richard was invited to submit a painting for the Brown County Rotary Club’s annual Taste of Art charity fundraiser auction, which will take place Oct. 15 at 7:15 p.m. at the Seasons Lodge Conference Center, 560 SR 46, Nashville. A silent auction will also be offered 6 to 7 p.m. Details and tickets are available on the Rotary website at rotaryclubofbrowncounty.org. An article will appear in the Oct. 10 Bloomington Herald Times art section.

Calendar

Oct. 9 BWS Paintout and Picnic, 10 a.m./lunch at 12:30 p.m., Switchyard Park shelter

Oct. 9 Member Show Reception, 5-7 p.m., Viridian Moon Art Gallery

Oct. 11 Monthly BWS Meeting, 6 p.m. In person at First Christian Church and via Zoom

Sept. 13

BWS goes in-person (as well as online)

Greetings! Our new administrative year of 2021-2022 will begin with our first in-person and simultaneous Zoom Show and Share meeting. For at least this month we will limit onsite participation to only 25. I emailed members in late August a link to sign up to attend in person. All the details concerning the Sept. 13 meeting are in that email. [You can also find the link and details about the meeting in a Sept. 3 email from Carol Rhodes.]

In September we will have a two-day workshop with Carol Carter and a trip to The Lume exhibit in Indianapolis. In October/November our annual membership show will take a place in the Viridian Moon Gallery.

Kathy Barton graciously stepped up to help with the publicity for our October show, and Andy Roberts (our 1st VP) offered to help as needed. And now I need other members to help with future publicity through individual small assignments. Please consider either helping with one assignment or becoming the Publicity Chair, and let me know.  My contact info is available in the membership roster.

Joanna Samorow-Merzer

BWS President, 2021-2022

Sept. 13 meeting logistics

• If you are vaccinated and wearing a mask, you can attend in-person at the First Christian Church’s Great Hall, 205 E. Kirkwood, but you MUST sign up at this site: https://tinyurl.com/BWSsignup. To make this work, you need to use it on a personal computer or else download an app. If that is inconvenient, contact Carol Rhodes and she will add you to the signup sheet. This measure is being taken to avoid overcrowding.
• To attend the meeting via Zoom, look for the link in an email from Joanna Samorow-Merzer or from Carol Rhodes.
• Free parking is available in the IU Poplars Garage on Sixth Street, across from the Runcible Spoon. Pay parking is available on the streets and in the Fourth Street Garage, across from the former Waldron building.
• If attending the meeting in person, dress in layers as windows will be open to facilitate ventilation.
• The program will be a Show-and-Share session with in-person and Zoom attendees showing the works they have done this summer.

Oct. 1 – Nov. 13

Annual Membership Show

at Viridian Moon Art Gallery

“Celebrate Life” is the theme of this year’s Membership Show that will hang Oct. 1 – Nov. 13 at Viridian Moon Gallery, 1600 W. Bloomfield Rd., Suite B. An Opening Reception is scheduled at the Viridian Moon Gallery on Oct. 9.

To enter, one’s membership dues must be paid for 2021. Paintings should be created with aqua media on a two-dimensional substrate. Please note, the term watercolor excludes encaustic or oil. Watercolor paintings may include other mediums (collage, pastel, pen and ink, etc.) as long as their use does not exceed 50 percent of the work. Each member may submit only one painting. The painting may be as small as a 10 x 12 framed. The maximum size is 24 inches including the frame. There will be an entry fee of $20, but there is no commission fee. All paintings submitted must be new to a BWS show, created without the help of an instructor, and suitable for public viewing. They must be created as original pieces; copying published imagery is not permitted. Artists shall consent to the photographing of artwork for the purposes of cataloging, publicizing and/ or archiving of the show.

Artwork should be matted and framed with flat hangers. No sawtooth hangers or screw eyes are permitted. Wires should be stretched tightly and attached 1/3 of the way down the vertical dimension. Neutral matting and framing is encouraged.

The show prospectus details labeling and delivery instructions. It is available at https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/member-shows-workshops/show-rules/prospectus/. If you are unable to deliver your painting yourself, please make arrangements for someone else to do so.

It is strongly encouraged that art be for sale; however, this is not a requirement. Purchases will be handled by Viridian Moon Gallery. There is no commission fee. Purchaser may take painting at time of the sale. Another framed painting of the same size and by the same artist can be hung to take the place of the sold art.

The BWS Artist Biography Binder will be available for patrons during the show. Please consider including your information. Bring a printed copy of the biography you want included on delivery day.

Email invitations will be sent out near the time of the show opening. Help promote the show and BWS by forwarding the invitations and posting them on social media. Please consider submitting, for publicity purposes, an image of the painting you will show. Images need to be submitted to Jacki Frey no later than Sept. 20. Questions not answered by a careful reading of the prospectus can be answered by Jacki Frey, Kathy Barton, Kitty Garlock, or Cathy Korineck as well as by Andy Roberts, BWS 1st VP. See the prospectus for Jacki Frey’s contact information: https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/member-shows-workshops/show-rules/prospectus/.

Important Show Dates

Sept. 20: Submit images for publicity to Jacki Frey

Sept. 29: Deliver art to Viridian Moon Gallery, 1600 W. Bloomfield Rd., Suite B, between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Oct. 9: Reception at Viridian Moon Gallery

BWS MEMBERS and GUESTS:  

Announcing the BWS Road Trip to THE LUME: Van Gogh

Thursday, Sept. 30

TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED 

Cost $16 per person

MASKS REQUIRED ON THE BUS and at NEWFIELDS

You are invited to join your watercolor friends on a road trip to Indianapolis to visit the wonderful all-sensory exhibit at THE LUME. https://discovernewfields.org/lume.

Please read and discover all the details and how to register at https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/special-activity-for-members.

BWS Welcomes New Members

In August BWS boosted its membership roster with the addition of five new members:

• George Beckerman
• Laura Brown
• Rita Davis
• Zain Mackey
• Shari Ross

Most have signed up for the Carol Carter workshop in September, but we hope we will also see our new members at upcoming meetings on the second Monday of the month — whether in person or on Zoom!  Glad to have all of you joining our organization!

Oct. 9

Last paint-out of 2021

BWS has reserved the shelter at Switchyard Park for its final paint-out of the year. The park is full of interesting features to paint, including children playing, skateboarders, dogs in a dog park, walking trails, woods and grasslands.

Traditionally, the final paint-out is a combined luncheon picnic with shared food. COVID alters these plans. It is probable that each of us will be responsible for our own food.  Masks and social distancing will most likely be required except when eating lunch.

Please watch for updated information closer to the date.

Story Inn paint-out

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Many members show work

at Bloomington Portrait Group’s

exhibition at Viridian Moon

An exhibition by the Bloomington Portrait Group continues at Viridian Moon Gallery, 1600 W. Bloomfield Rd., through Wednesday, Sept. 29. Gallery hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, go to https://www.viridianmoon.art/events.

You might think about the portrait group as the grandchild of BWS. It is an offshoot of Upland Plein Air, which grew out of BWS. The three groups share many members.

For this exhibition, 18 artists submitted 58 images. Gallery owner Irina Shishova was able to hang 46.

“It’s been three years since our first exhibition,” said BPG director Claude Cookman, “and we were not sure what to expect. We are delighted and impressed by the wide range of styles, the high level of technical skill, and the deep level of inner character the artists have captured.”

Many of the models are well-known Bloomington personalities. It is particularly interesting to compare how several artists visualize the same models. The exhibition also documents the Covid-19 era with several self-portraits featuring masks.

BPG has resumed in-person sessions outdoors at Bloomington’s Switchyard Park. They will move to an indoor venue in late October. There are no dues, but participants share the cost of the model. If you would like to paint or draw at these sessions, please contact Claude Cookman.

Above left: Meri Reinhold describes the process she used for creating her self portrait to Barbara Coffman and Kitty Garlock. Top right: Jane Matranga and Cassidy Young share a moment in front of Cassidy’s portrait of her son. Bottom right: BWS President Joanna Samorow-Merzer studies one of the portraits. All photos by Claude Cookman

Member News

Tim Lewis shares two small commission watercolors he completed in August. His latest watercolor, “Blowin’ in the Wind” graces the top of this month’s Brushstrokes. It is an 11 x 15 inch painting of the beautiful red and yellow leaves on a sapling spotted in West Park in Carmel, Ind. “They were quite striking against the cloudless, autumn sky – a great memory of a beautiful day,” Tim says.

Left: Five Siblings by Tim Lewis/Right: The First by Tim Lewis

Kriste Lindberg writes: “Why don’t you just get your art journal back out, again?”  That was the comment from a friend as we wrapped up a stormwater art project on Kirkwood during Pridefest 2021. Our conversation of connecting people to education of a subject through art had evolved into one of how to connect to the heart (I had experienced that during a vacation 12 years ago with fellow BWS members Joanne Weddle and Jan Britton). Sometimes it just takes a little nudge. The next day, Sunday morning, I grabbed my art journal, a coffee mug, and headed back downtown…  Thanks to our sponsors, Pridefest 2021 volunteers, and Bloomington Paint & Wallpaper.

Robin Edmundson will be part of a small group show at the Hoosier Salon Gallery in New Harmony, Ind. “Falling for Art” will hang at the gallery, 507 Church St. in New Harmony Sept. 25 to Nov. 7.  The gallery is open Thursday through Sunday. https://hoosiersalon.org/new-harmony-current-exhibition/.

Sandy Hall’s paintings: The Workman, The Guardian and A Monet Moment

“The Workman” by Sandy Hall was chosen for the Watercolor Society of Indiana exhibit in Indianapolis. The show is on view now thru Sept 25 at Newfields. Another of her paintings, “The Guardian,” received an honorable mention in July’s Blackford County juried show. Sandy also  participated in Fort Wayne’s Artist Guild Kekionga Plein Air event in late July. She worked in watercolor this time around. “A Monet Moment,” a fluid acrylic piece will be at the Bona Thompson Memorial Center, 232 S. Downey Ave. in Indianapolis through Nov. 13.

Paintings By Stephen Edwards: Studio Windows, After a Spring Rain, and Looking for Patch

Stephen Edwards received Best Of Show for “Studio Windows” at the Indiana Artists’ Club Member Exhibit which is being displayed at the Richmond Art Museum in Richmond, Ind., now through Sept. 25. The juror was David Mueller. Stephen also received the First Place Award in Watercolor at the Hoosier Salon for “After a Spring Rain.”  A second painting, “Slow Summer Stream” was also accepted. The Salon is being shown at the Indiana State Museum now through Oct. 24. The juror was Paula Swaydan Grebel. “Looking For Patch” was accepted into the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society’s 42nd International Watercolor Exhibit. Awards have not been announced for this exhibit. The show will be only online starting Sept. 25 due to COVID-19 protocols. The juror was Lana Privitera.

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Jerry Harste writes: “I am pleased to report that ‘The Good Earth #2’ was juried into the 2021 Northstar Watermedia Society’s Annual Show. A sister painting, ‘The Good Earth #1,’ was rejected. Given that these paintings feature the house and barn on my family’s farm, I thought it only appropriate that I submit them for showing in a Minnesota-based watercolor society. More good news! A nephew has written to say that he wished to purchase both paintings.” 

Beyond BWS

The Richmond Art Museum’s 123rd Annual Exhibition by Indiana and Ohio Artists will be on display Nov. 4 through Jan. 8. The postmark deadline for entering this juried show is Oct. 1 with delivery of works Oct. 7-9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. See the Prospectus at https://richmondartmuseum.org/annual-exhibition/ for complete information.

As part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the Brown County State Park, the Brown County Art Gallery Artists Association is working with state tourism folks and the DNR to hold a Paint Out in the Park Oct. 22-24. 

Artists can paint anytime and anywhere in the park during regular hours on those days. All artists must register with the Gallery by calling 812-988-4609. There is no fee. When entering the park, tell the gatekeeper you are with the Brown County State Park Paint Out and you will not be charged admission.

Paintings may be dropped off at the Gallery, 1 Artist Dr., Nashville, anytime during regular business hours during the Paint Out. The Art Education Studio at the Brown County Art Gallery will be open for those who want to finish up work or prefer to paint in studio.

On Sunday Oct. 24 the Brown County Art Gallery will open its doors at noon and paintings will go on sale. Each artist will fill out a consignment sheet. The Gallery will transact all sales with a 10 percent commission to the Art Association. The Gallery will be open at 10 a.m. for early take in. No sales can be made in the park per DNR restrictions.

Painting may be picked up before closing Oct. 24 or left in the Gallery to be picked up starting Nov. 1. Paintings left behind cannot be picked up before that date due to Gallery events.

If artists choose to paint before Oct. 22, they will have to pay their own entry. They still must register with the Gallery.

Calendar

Now – Sept. 29 Bloomington Portrait Group at Viridian Moon Art Gallery

Sept. 13 BWS Monthly Meeting in-person and on Zoom. 6 p.m.

Sept. 20 Deadline for submitting images of paintings being shown in the Member Show (See Prospectus https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/member-shows-workshops/show-rules/prospectus/.

Sept. 29 Deliver Member Show paintings to Viridian Moon Art Gallery, 1600 W. Bloomfield Rd. between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Sept. 30 BWS Road Trip to LUME at Newfields for the Van Gogh immersive experience

Oct. 1 – Nov. 13 BWS Member Show at Viridian Moon Art Gallery, 1600 W Bloomfield Rd.

Oct. 9 Membership Show Opening Reception

Oct. 9 Last Paint-out of 2021, Switchyard Park

Oct. 22-24 Brown County State Park Paint Out

Meeting: August 9th via Zoom, 6 p.m. (No Business Meeting; Program to Start at 6 Sharp)

Program: “Building Community through our Shared Experiences“

For the month of August, instead of focusing our program agenda on a specific technique or the medium of watercolor, Sara Steffey McQueen will be our host to facilitate time to actually meet one another, share our artistic paths of inspirations in small groups, and bring these experiences out into the larger Group.  We have had a year of ZOOM meetings, and not much time or space for connection, and many of us do not actually even recognize one another.

During this meeting time we will have an opportunity to reflect on a few inquiry questions that Sara will present about being an “Artist”, our own creative development and practices, and the kinds of internal dialogues many of us have about” creativity” or our experiences that led us to BWS.

We can of course, play with paint as we listen to one another, or we might bring something we’d like to have seen for feedback or to tell a story about how it came into being.

If you would like to offer a question for reflection to be included, please email Sara at quanyinsara_mcf@yahoo.com. All ideas welcome~ for example, your beginning in art, what you have found most helpful at our Gatherings, insecurities and challenges- or proud and successful moments.

This is an opportunity to meet one another and share what matters to us in ART.

Inside BWS

The Prospectus for the BWS Membership Show is Out

Jacki Frye, BWS’s Show Chair, announced that the theme of this year’s show is “Celebrate Life.” The show will run from October 1 to November 8 with the Opening Reception scheduled for October 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Viridian Moon Gallery. For further information see the full prospectus at Celebrate Life Prospectus

Needed: Publicity Chair

BWS President Joanna Samorow-Merzer is reaching out to members in the hope that somebody will take on the Publicity Chair position as it has just became vacant.  “If any of you feels that you can help but only with one assignment, that will be fine too.  We can get one person to help with the publicity for our upcoming members show in October and then another person can help with the publicity for the following show, etc.  So, please let me know if you could serve the full term as the publicity chair or even if you could help only with a single assignment. I hope I will hear back from someone! Looking forward to your response.”

Recognition For Our New Signature Members

During the September meeting a small ceremony will be performed for the new signature members of BWS.  Candace Bailey, Stephen Edwards, Joanne Shank, and Kathy Truelove-Barton will be presented with certificates and special pens in recognition of their accomplishment.

BWS Has a New Committee — The Creative Activities Group

BWS President Joanna Samorow-Merzer announced the establishment of a new BWS Committee to be called The Creative Activities Group. This group is charged with coming up with exciting new adventures that BWS might take on to better serve the memberships. Members of this group include Jeanne Dutton, Creative Director, Carol Rhodes, Jacqueline Fernette and Sharon Parsons. 

The Lume: Van Gough — A BWS Sponsored Field Trip

Jean Dutton and members of the Creative Activities Group will host a field trip to The Lume Exhibit in Indianapolis. The field trip to the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields to see The Lume: Van Gogh is scheduled for Thursday, September 30.  Transportation will be provided! Jeanne Dutton says “In a couple weeks, you will receive the formal announcement and information about how to reserve a space.  Meanwhile, we are polishing off the last little details for this wonderful opportunity.  I hope you are as excited as I am!”

Carol Carter Workshop

There are still a openings for the Carol Carter workshop on September 10 and 11. The Bloomington Watercolor Society is paying a portion of each seat, so the price for the 2-day workshop is very reasonable for both online and in-person participation. 
For more information, see:https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/carol-carter-workshop/

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BWS Paint Outs

Betty Wagner wants to remind members that on August 14 there will be a Paint Out at Story Inn in Brown County. Betty said, “The Inn is an old building with character. There is a garden and during the lunch hour, a BBQ.  Watch email and Facebook posting for more information.”

Betty all sent in a report of the Paint Out at IU Hilltop Gardens on July 24. “Seventeen artists enjoyed the gardens on a sunny Saturday morning. For July, the weather was reasonably comfortable. The garden was resplendent with Mimosa trees and flowers in full bloom. The garden manager was pleased to host BWS and invited us to return.”

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Outside BWS

Mall Mural

Attached is the photo of a new mural at Simon Mall sponsored by the Art Alliance Association of Bloomington. BWS members featured on the mural include Sara Steffy McQueen, Joanne Shank, Denise Lessow, Cassidy Young, Jane Metranga, and Don Geyra.
                                             

Viridian Moon to Host 
Bloomington Portrait Group Exhibition

Viridian Moon Gallery, 1600 West Bloomfield Road, Bloomington, will host an exhibition by the Bloomington Portrait Group from Saturday, August 21, to Wednesday, September 29. Opening is from 5 to 7 p.m., August 21. Gallery hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

The exhibition comprises more than 30 images in a variety of mediums and represents work created by more than a dozen artists over the past three years. Many BPG participants are also members of the Bloomington Watercolor Society.

During normal times, the group meets for two hours every other Thursday to draw and paint from life. Models represent our community’s rich diversity in age, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. The youngest was 8. The oldest, a nonagenarian. Models also include people who help make Bloomington a great place to live, from ministers to judges, radio personalities, and Indiana University Women’s Basketball stars. The one thing all share in common is their interesting faces.

During the Covid-19 quarantine, members received a monthly challenge, intended to keep them working in their studios. Motifs included self-portraits and portraits of loved ones, pets, famous people, statues, dolls, and more. 

Artists range from beginners to professionals. About 40 individuals are associated with the group, but sessions typically average six to eight participants. They work in a range of mediums from oil and watercolor to charcoal, graphite, and pastel. 

In-person sessions have resumed outdoors at Bloomington’s Switchyard Park. There are no dues, but participants share the cost of the model. If you would like to paint or draw at these sessions, please contact Claude Cookman, BPG Director • ccookman@indiana.edu • 812 336-4851

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Anderson Museum of Art

The Anderson Museum of Art is now accepting vendor applications for our fall fundraiser, Over The Edge on October 23. This is your opportunity to support the museum, art programming in Anderson and Madison County, and to display and sell your items.

This is a first-time event, but the Museum is anticipating a great turn-out. The Museum hopes you will be part of the fun! If you have any questions please reach out via email, mandeem@andersonart.org.

Manifest Gallery Seeks Contemporary Paintings

At some point many generations ago society reached a level where ordinary people could spend a lifetime perfecting their ability to mix and apply paint, in extraordinary ways. To mark Manifest’s 10th season the gallery kicked off a permanent biennial project surveying painting as an art form. It was first presented in fall 2013 to inaugurate our expanded gallery. PAINTED 2021 will be the fifth biennial presentation of this international survey of contemporary painting.

PAINTED is a gallery exhibit that calls for works of painting by artists around the world as they carry the tradition forward, or reform it for another day. Submissions can range from the most traditional to the most conceptual, abstract, or experimental, including those which push the boundaries of the common definition of what constitutes ‘painting’. The only criteria beyond excellent quality is that works must in some way represent an honest approach to painting.

NEW deadline: August 5, 2021
For complete details and to apply online visit:http://www.manifestgallery.org/painted

Membership News

Joanne Shank and Sara Steffy McQueen announced that art by Sara Steffy McQueen, Joanne Shank, Denise Lessow, Cassidy Young, and Jane Metranga are being displayed at the new Arts Alliance Center, opening July 31st and then open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday’s in August.

Sara added, “It is a beautiful venue for gallery space, performances and classes.  My theme for the first opening month of late summer are Water images. I’ll also be hosting classes there as a Partner with Home. Home Sales of my art benefit the planting of trees around the world in rainforest areas.  Here are a copy of my paintings that will be on display.”

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Stephen Edwards wrote to say that his painting titled “Perpetual Machine” was accepted into the Kentucky Watercolor Society Aqueous 21 Exhibit to be held at the Living Arts & Science Center in Lexington, KY. “I decided to try an abstract for the show and was surprised. Awards to be announced.

‘Rush County Farm #2’ was awarded 1^st Place in Paintings for the Light, Space & Time Online Gallery Exhibit. It also won a 3^rd in overall mediums in the exhibit.

I have two paintings ‘After A Spring Rain’ and ‘Slow Summer Stream’ accepted in the upcoming 97^th Hoosier Salon at the Indiana State Museum. Awards to be announced.

And finally, I was surprised  and very excited to get this little pat on the back. The Slider on the NationalWatercolorSociety.org website is featuring a portion of one of my painting.”

Title: Perpetual Motion

Title: Rush County Farm #2

Title: After Spring

Title: Slow Summer Stream

Timothy Lewis sent in four of his recent watercolor paintings.

“Good Shrimping Tomorrow” – 15’ X 11” Using QoR watercolors on 300# Arches cold- pressed. This shrimp boat is tied up for the night as the sun sets. Inspired by a photo taken in 2021 near Charleston, SC on vacation.

The Shrimp Fleet” – 15” x 11” using QoR watercolors on 300# Arches cold-pressed. This portion of the shrimp fleet is docked and preparing for the night’s fishing expedition. Inspired by a photo taken near Charleston, SC while on vacation in 2021.

“Inflation” – 22” x 11” using QoR watercolors on 300# Arches cold-pressed. Two hot air balloons being inflated for the evening flight experience. Inspired by a photo taken by Barbara Lewis near Bloomington, Indiana in the summer of 2020 and painted with her permission.

And lastly, a painting of mine was used to decorate a traffic control box in Shelbyville:

Lynn Gilliatt wrote to say, “I am still stitching on my hand-dyed wool pieces which are delivered to me by subscription from Wool Bundlers, a website hosted by Jean Haley. Jean and I hope to have a show next year. Each of us will feature 48 pieces, the number of hand-dyed wool pieces that a subscriber received from Jean each year.

Mary Sue Schwab announced that she has 2 pieces in the Hoosier Salon Exhibition at the Indiana State Museum as well as another piece in the Indiana Watercolor Society Show at Newfields. Both shows open this months.

Congratulations to Mother and Son!!!!

August 5 — Deadline for submitting a contemporary painting to Manifest Gallery

August 9 — BWS Program Meeting, 6 p.m. via Zoom

August 14 — BWS Paint Out — Story Inn in Brown County

August 19 — Hoosier Salon Show opens at the Indiana State Museum

August 20 — Deadline for Carol Carter Workshop, both on-site and on-line reservations.

August 21 — Opening Portrait Group Exhibition at Viridian Moon Gallery

September 30 — Field Trip to The Lume

July 12

BWS meeting to feature resist technique

Carol Rhodes will show how to use a white crayon or wax resist crayon to create foliage and water textures in a watercolor painting. The project she will paint is shown. To keep it expeditious, we will work small; this piece is 7×10”. Colors she used are phthalo blue, cerulean blue, Winsor or Hansa yellow, permanent rose, burnt sienna, and white gouache or Chinese white. (For transparency enthusiasts, whites are optional; they are used just to enhance the misty area.) A white crayon or a wax resist crayon will create the textures. Soft, pointed candles or birthday candles will also work.

Log in to the Zoom meeting by 6 p.m. to paint along with Carol. Because BWS will not have business meetings in July or August, the programs will start at 6 p.m.

BWS juries in 4 Signature Members

Signature Member status has been awarded to Candace Bailey, Kathy Truelove Barton, Stephen Edwards, and Joanna Shank. Kitty Garlock, as second vice president, supervised the selection process, and local artist Tom Rhea was the judge. Paintings of the newest Signature Members appear above left to right: “Steve at Ghost Ranch, NM,” by Candace Bailey. “21st Century House; 21st Century Landscaping,” by Kathy Truelove Barton. “Symphonion Dream,” by Stephen Edwards. “Sandhill Crane,” by Joanna Shank.

Attend an inspirational watercolor workshop

with internationally renowned artist

Carol Carter

Bloomington Watercolor Society and Carol Carter will present the two-day workshop Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10-11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT. The workshop will be held at the First Christian Church, 205 E. Kirkwood, Bloomington.

With vivid colors, blending, lost and found edges, and washes, paint the everyday imagined both representationally and abstractly. Internationally known watercolor artist Carol Carter will share her watercolor vision and techniques with you in this BWS workshop. Carol will lecture, demonstrate, and give feedback, while discussing control of water, composition and design, simplification, value structure, and more, using her original works of art as starting points. Subject matter will be animals and botanicals. The workshop, which will be offered both in person and online, will be informal and fun.

Andrew Preston, president of Preston Art Center in Louisville, will bring art supplies to the workshop; you can preorder supplies from Andrew from the supplies list provided by Carol Carter, and/or shop and purchase on site during the workshop.

Covid-19 considerations

Local, facility, and CDC Covid guidelines in place at the time of the workshop will be observed for in-person participants.

• Vaccinations are highly recommended but not required. Those who are not vaccinated are advised to wear masks. (These safety measures may be revised as circumstances change.)
• In-person participants will meet with each other and Carol in a large room with spacing between participants.
• Technology will allow participants to watch Carol’s demonstration as it is projected on a television screen to avoid crowding around her work area.  
• You may bring your own lunch or participate in a group order; all group-order lunches will be packaged individually. Information about lunch options will be available after registration.

About Carol Carter

Carol Carter is an internationally recognized artist and has taught and exhibited both nationally – from coast to coast – and internationally in France, Norway, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Morocco, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She received her MFA in painting from Washington University in 1984, and lives and maintains her studio in St. Louis.

She is a Master Signature Member of American Women Artists and Heartland Art Club in St. Louis.  She has received numerous awards, and her work has appeared in national and global publications. She has been the keynote speaker for various watercolor organizations, and she has been awarded commissions for artwork in public and governmental spaces.

Carol has taught her own workshops for over 30 years and teaches at Maryville University in St. Louis. She is on the advisory board of the American Watercolor Weekly.

For more about Carol and her work, go to her website: https://www.carol-carter.com

Registration and fees

Registration will be limited to 20 in-person and 20 online participants; online registrants will participate via Zoom.

As part of its commitment to furthering the artistic education and experience of its members, BWS is partially subsidizing the cost of the workshop with this internationally known artist. For the two-day workshop, BWS members pay $120. The fee for online participants is $65 for two days. Online participants will hear and see the presentation, discussion, and demonstrations, and will have the opportunity to ask general questions and receive occasional feedback from Carol on their work.

Need financial assistance? BWS’s Sande Nitti Fund can assist members with the expenses of this program. Email treasurer Carol Rhodes at carol@bloomingtonwatercolor.org to obtain info on scholarship opportunities.

Ready to register! Online registration opens Friday, July 9, for current BWS members only. See https://www.bloomingtonwatercolor.org/

NOTE: Only current BWS members may enroll before Aug. 1. Any seats still available as of Aug. 1 will be opened to nonmembers at nonmember rates.

To check membership status, people can contact carol@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.

You will receive a full refund if you cancel your registration by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25. After that date, you may receive a refund if your seat can be filled from a waiting list; as a last resort, participants may feel free to find a fellow artist to buy their registration.

Questions? Please contact carol@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.

Join us! Go to https://www.bloomingtonwatercolor.org/ to register on or after July 9.

BWS

State of the Society

2020-2021

by Joanna Samorow-Merzer

As our administrative year is ending, I want to thank every member for not abandoning BWS during the pandemic. Facing the lockdown last year, we had no choice but to make virtual meetings our way of gathering. Carol Rhodes and Charlotte Griffin made it possible with the technology to continue our monthly meetings on Zoom. I’m so thankful for Carol’s and Charlotte’s technological talent that helped BWS flourish during the lockdown.

I’m the only president who never experienced an in-person meeting. We all lost the opportunity in the last year to mingle with each other during actual meetings. Let’s hope we’ll be able to do it again soon.

While entering the office of president last year I received a lot of guidance from outgoing president Patty Uffman and from Carol Rhodes. I’m grateful to both of them for their time and patience in guiding me through matters of technology and BWS protocols.

I felt warmly welcomed by the membership. Everybody on our Executive Board and Committees was eager to help me and answer my questions. Each contributed a lot of time, hard work and effort so that all of us could enjoy being a part of the BWS family. Thanks to all of you, our organization became even stronger during the pandemic.

Executive Board of 2020-2021

• President: Joanna Samorow-Merzer
• 1st VP: Patty Uffman
• 2nd VP: Kitty Garlock
• Treasurer: Carol Rhodes
• Secretary: Charlotte Griffin

Committees of 2020-2021

• Activities: Cassidy Young
• Brushstrokes Co-Editor: Jerry Harste
• Brushstrokes Co-Editor: Nancy Davis Metz
• Finance: Carol Rhodes
• Historian: Linda Branstetter
• Membership: Kitty Garlock
• Nominating: Andy Roberts
• Paint Outs: Betty Wagoner
• Programs: Jo Weddle
• Publicity: Kriste Lindberg
• Refreshment: Carla Hedges
• Scholarship: Jeanne Dutton
• Show: Kathy Truelove Barton
• Technology: Carol Rhodes
• Technology: Charlotte Griffin

Here is what our new Executive Board looks like going forward:

Executive Board 2021-2022

• President: Joanna Samorow-Merzer
• 1st VP: Andy Roberts
• 2nd VP: Patty Uffman
• Treasurer: Carol Rhodes
• Secretary: Charlotte Griffin

Our committee chairs remain the same except that every new 2nd VP automatically chairs the Membership Committee and we have now a new Show Chair, Jacki Frey. We have open positions on the Refreshment and the Activities committees. The Nominating Committee will be selected again next winter.

Throughout the year, BWS managed to maintain a virtual camaraderie and to keep its spirit and mission alive and vibrant. All members got an opportunity to partake in art exhibits, paint-outs, Zoom program presentations and workshop tutorials. I want to thank all of our members for participating in BWS activities, for being creative and productive, for contributing to making our organization stand out and attract new members. The highly successful, popular and informative Zoom tutorials represent a new and enduring perk that BWS will continue to offer its members. These tutorials enable us to reach out to artists across the country.

Membership

Our total membership for the year is 85. Four new members joined BWS during 2020-2021.

By-laws

Every two years BWS reviews its By-laws, and proposed amendments are made to improve the operation of the organization. Approval of the amendments requires 2/3 vote of the active membership. The BWS Secretary, Charlotte Griffin, chaired the ad hoc By-laws Committee and she put to work her experience acquired from serving on past BWS Boards. In January the By-laws changes were passed and changes were made in three areas:

1. Removing locality from the definition of active member and clarifying the definitions and rights of active, student, and associate members.
2. Clarifying who makes up the executive board
3. Defining the length of term for executive officers and refining the duties of the nominating committee in creating the new slate of officers each year.

2020 BWS Fall Membership Show

“We Paint… Renewal/Rejuvenation”

The annual membership art show featuring the theme “We Paint… Renewal/Rejuvenation” was hosted in October 2020 by John LaBella at The Vault at Gallery Mortgage Company. Kathy Truelove Barton, the Show Chair, was supported by members of the board in presenting the show. She gave special thanks to our 1st VP Patty Uffman for her help. Kriste Lindberg, the Publicity Chair, provided the publicity for the show and she produced the panorama photo of the show.  Kathy Truelove Barton extended her thanks and appreciation to the 40 members who participated in the show with over 60 works of their original art.

The popular category for the show was “Landscapes,” with Stephen Edwards’ piece “Thawing Along Owl Creek” winning first place in the People’s Choice Awards.  People’s Choice runner-up was MarySue Veerkamp-Schwab for her painting “Green Pears, Ready to Pick!” Honorable Mention Award Certificates went to Candace Bailey for her painting “At Ghost Ranch, N.M.” and to Carol Rhodes for her painting “Rain-Washed Vienna.”

To give the annual art show an additional opportunity of viewing by friends and families of exhibiting artists during the pandemic and to give the art show more exposure in the world, Carol Rhodes and Charlotte Griffin created a successful virtual gallery at https://bloomingtonwatercolor.smugmug.com/.

The Herald-Times

“Winter Scenes from The Bloomington Watercolor Society”

BWS artists were featured in the December 27 issue of The Herald-Times.  The newspaper included images of eight paintings while the online edition displayed 31 images of paintings.  Kriste Lindberg, the Publicity Chair, worked in unison with other BWS committees and members to provide publicity for the year-end spread in The Herald-Times as well as for other exhibitions, including the BWS Annual Membership Show.

2021 Month of Chocolate BWS Art Exhibition

“We Paint… Carnival!”

BWS held its sixth Month of Chocolate exhibit during February and March at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage. Because of the pandemic, no in-person receptions were held and the gallery was available only to patrons wearing masks and social distancing. In spite of the limitations, paintings by Candi Bailey, Lynne Gilliatt, and Penny Lulich sold. Tim Lewis won Silver Second, and Candi Bailey won Best of Show with its award of $100 sponsored by John La Bella of the Vault at Gallery Mortgage.

This art exhibit is available for viewing at https://bloomingtonwatercolor.smugmug.com/.

Volunteers outside BWS who helped with the exhibit included Gabe Colman hosting a virtual exhibit on YouTube, filmed by Alex Coniaris and edited by Lucas Coniaris. Emily Rosolowski and John La Bella served with Gabe as guest judges; Gabe also volunteered as the exhibit curator, and Andrew Preston of Preston Arts Center donated prizes.

Several artists, including Penny Lulich, Linda Branstetter, Charlotte Griffin, and Sharon Parsons, painted original greeting cards. (One customer bought eleven!)

LIFEDesigns received 50 percent of the price of each painting sold, and $6 or $10 for each greeting card.  Four more Art of Chocolate cookbooks sold; the book was illustrated in 2019 by BWS artists.

Contributions Summary:

• Greeting cards sold:  $166
• Paintings sold:  $275
• Estimated In-Kind Contribution, including creative time, framing, prizes for artists, judges, general expenses:  $2,338
• Time (estimated) that was contributed over the year by Jeanne Dutton and BWS members, including organizing, planning, contact hours, judging, filming, technology. etc.:  225 hours.

BWS can be truly proud of its contributions to LIFEDesigns and to the overall community it serves.

Workshop tutorials

Carol Rhodes put a lot of effort into contacting a Boston-based artist, Gary Tucker, and negotiating with him a purchase of workshop tutorials available to our members on Zoom.  As a result, in the spring of 2021, BWS members received free access to four tutorials paid by BWS:

1. Rocks and Water
2. Twilight in the City
3. Across the Water
4. Roses are Red

2020-2021 BWS Monthly Programs

Our Program Chair, Joanne Weddle, worked tirelessly to organize for our members the monthly program presentations:

JULY 2020 – Discovering Your MUSEum – Carol Rhodes and Nancy Metz showed the members how to tour the museums of the world in search of inspiration.  Members got a tutorial on how to do a quick sketch of an art work and how to translate inspiration into their own work.

AUGUST 2020 – Artist Trading Cards – Joanne Weddle gave a presentation on making artist trading cards to be used during our Zoom Holiday Meeting in December.

SEPTEMBER 2020 – Show and Share – Kitty Garlock hosted sharing of pieces of artwork completed by our members during the summer.

OCTOBER 2020 – Printing Cards – Joanne Shank shared her tips on the process of creating and printing greeting cards from your own paintings. 

NOVEMBER 2020 – Indiana Greens Throughout the Year – Kathy Truelove Barton gave a presentation on mixing greens for changes of foliage color throughout the seasons between April and October.

DECEMBER 2020 – Artist Trading Cards – Hosted by Joanne Weddle. Following the August presentation, members sent painted trading cards to Cassidy Young who randomly redistributed them in sealed envelopes among participating BWS members. During our Zoom December holiday “party” everybody opened the sealed envelopes and shared the cards with the viewing members.

JANUARY 2021 – Journals – Joanne Weddle, Linda Branstettter, and Jacqueline Fernette presented a program on journaling.

FEBRUARY 2021 – Using the FUNdamentals of Art to Create an Abstract – Jerry Harste gave a presentation on working in abstracts.

MARCH 2021 – Making Folding Greeting Cards – Charlotte Griffin gave a presentation on how to incorporate an artist trading card in making a greeting pop-up card.

APRIL 2021 – Exhibiting Your Art Work – An interactive program, a panel presentation led by Barbara Coffman, Jerry Harste, Carol Rhodes and Nancy Metz on how to exhibit your art work.

MAY 2021 – Drawing a still life in charcoal – Claude Cookman gave members an opportunity to gain some real insights into drawing. He shared with us his drawing experience acquired throughout years of practice.

2020-2021 BWS Paint-Outs

Uncertainty regarding the Covid-19 pandemic was behind the late start for the spring/summer paint-out season. It was necessary to find paint-out locations with space for social distancing. Thanks to great weather and the commitment of our Paint-Out Chair, Betty Wagoner, four paint-outs took place between June and September 2020 and so far two paint-outs have occurred in 2021:

June 2020 – Yellowwood Lake Shelter in the Yellowwood State Forest with 12 in attendance.

July 2020 – Karst Farm Park with 8 in attendance.

August 2020 – The Woolery Mill with 8 in attendance.

September 2020 – T.C. Steele State Historic Site with 6 in attendance.

May 2021 – Yellowwood Lake Shelter in the Yellowwood State Forest with 9 in attendance.

June 2021 – BWS members were invited as “Artists in the Garden” to paint during the annual Garden Walk. We had 9 members painting in five gardens during the weekend.

2020-2021 BWS Signature Membership

Starting in 2020, our 2nd VP Kitty Garlock began looking for members to assist her with the signature membership application process for 2020-2021. After several months and no takers, she asked individuals directly to please help with the process and Claude Cookman, Charlotte Griffin and Cathy Korinek graciously stepped up. It was eventually determined that four applicants could continue to the judging of their artwork. Tom Rhea from the IU art department evaluated the work and the final points were tallied to determine that Stephen Edwards, Joanne Shank, Candace Bailey and Kathy Truelove Barton would be honored with signature member status of BWS and were recognized during the Zoom meeting in June. They will receive their certificates and pens at the September meeting when we gather in person to show our work. A review of parameters and required proof of qualifications are now under review by interested parties to shore up the evaluation process.

Scholarship Committee

Jeanne Dutton reported that the committee continued to work with the Foundation for Monroe County Community Schools to raise funds and distribute information to the high school art students. Andy Lehman, professional graphic designer and BWS member, created the digital poster. It was sent to the art teachers with a request to distribute to their students; however, there were no applicants in 2021.

Fund raising was accomplished through the FMCCS’ online auction. Artwork by Tricia Wente, Lynne Gilliatt, Jo Weddle, and Jeanne Dutton brought in total sales of $272 with 70 percent, $190, being added to the scholarship fund.

Due to our inability to meet in person, the annual table sale of surplus art supplies was postponed until we have a gathering space.

Brushstrokes

Our online monthly newsletter Brushstrokes has been maintained by our dedicated Brushstrokes Co-Editors, Jerry Harste and Nancy Davis Metz. Both of them work to provide us with a highly professional newsletter that is a source of helpful information not only about our organization but also about the larger art world.

BWS Virtual Art Exhibition

“Spring and Summer 2021 – Multimedia”

Currently at https://bloomingtonwatercolor.smugmug.com/, thanks to Carol Rhodes, we have our third virtual art gallery exhibition alongside our two previous BWS gallery exhibits.  Full members can submit by September 1 images of their work done in any media to carol@bloomingtonwatercolor.org. You can find more information in the June Brushstrokes.

Let me conclude by saying that I enjoyed seeing you during our monthly meetings on Zoom and I look forward to seeing you again throughout my next term.

Smart tip

Have a tip or resource you want to share with members? Submit it to the next issue of Brushstrokes. You can answer the email calling for news and images or you can email it to Nancy Davis Metz or Jerry Harste.

This month we heard from Beverly Ohneck-Holly about an excellent resource for plein air painters. She said you can download a free 42-page E-Book titled “240 Plein Air Tips” at https://pleinairmagazine.com/240tips-optin.

Member News

Meri Reinhold was awarded second place at the Lawrence County Art Association’s member show for her pastel painting, “The WPA Bridge at McCormick’s Creek.”

Susan Savastuk has been working on watercolors of homes in her neighborhood. She also had work juried into the Will Vawter Show in Hancock County.

Robin Edmundson will have a show of her recent work at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E. Sixth St, Bloomington, from Aug. 4-Sept. 24. Please join her at the artist reception Friday, Aug. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.  For more information or to receive a postcard in the mail, you can email her or check her website at http://www.robinedmundson.com.

Tim Lewis had all three of his watercolors accepted into the Will Vawter Show in Greenfield and the one above, “The Collection,” received a Judge’s Award.

Stephen Edwards’ painting, “Auction Day,” has been juried into the Watercolor Society of Indiana’s Juried Show. His painting, “Studio Windows” received a Second Place in the Will Vawter exhibit in Greenfield.

Another of his works, “Rush County Farm #2,” has been juried in to the Light, Space, & Time Gallery where it received a Third Place in Landscapes. This is an international competition. 

MarySue Schwab’s “Colors Arranged,” a floral theme, has been accepted into the WSI Juried show and will hang in Newfields, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Aug. 6 to Sept. 25. MarySue writes, “My grandson’s dogs were the inspiration for my painting, ‘Best Friends’ that is currently hanging at the WSI Members show, until July 10 at McFarland Hall, Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis.” The WSI Member Show can be viewed at  https://www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org/member-exhibit/.  Anyone interested in a workshop to paint favorite pets is invited to contact MarySue.

Joanne Shank’s oil painting, “Lilacs,” received the First Place award in the Will Vawter show in Greenfield.

At the Lawrence County Art Association’s Midsummer Judged Art Show and Reception, Andy Roberts received a Blue Ribbon for his 52 Ford Truck painting that was also a part of the Upland Plein Air Show earlier this year. Andy reports that his painting has been somewhat diminished by preparations to move to Bloomington late this summer or early fall.

Beyond BWS

July 16 is the application deadline for the 28th Annual Juried Exhibition sponsored by the Jasper Community Arts Center. The show will hang from Sept. 2 to Oct. 20. The prospectus can be seen at https://www.jasperindiana.gov/arts/topic/index.php?topicid=242&structureid=49.

Kathy Truelove Barton has shared the link to Manifest, an online list of  all current and near-term upcoming exhibits and projects at Manifest: http://www.manifestgallery.org/projects. Manifest is a gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio and sponsors international competitions all year long. It offers an amazing window on the art world just getting the emails every month, she says.

The NorthStar Watermedia Society has issued a Call For Entry into its  National Juried Exhibition Sept. 23 to Nov. 4 at the Wildwood Library in Mahtomedi, Minn. The entry deadline is midnight Aug. 1. The prospectus is available at https://www.northstarwatermedia.com and https://www.callforentry.org.

My Favorite Technique

This month Carolyn Rogers Richard shares a technique she has recently been experimenting with:

“I have been experimenting with mixing glazing fluid and retarder to my fluid acrylic paints to get the effect of a watercolor painting,” she writes. “It has been fun. I attach an image of one of the paintings. I did three, which are on display in the window at Hoosier Artist Gallery, 45 S. Jefferson St. in Nashville, Ind. Adding the glazing fluid and the retarder make the acrylic paint much more fluid, and it moves more like watercolor, giving transparent passages.  Of course, I still love painting with watercolor, the way watercolor paints react with each other, and the look of watercolor paintings best.  But the combination I am working with now makes it possible to paint on gessoed cradled wood panels, eliminating the necessity of framing with mats, glass, etc., and still get some of the look of watercolor that I so love.  I would enjoy hearing from other members about their experiments.

“Another method I have used is to paint watercolor on watercolor paper as usual, and then adhere it to a canvas of the same size with heavy gel medium and put cold wax over the painting to seal it. This method has been very successful for me as well.”

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 provide photographs. Cell phone photos will suffice for most everything. Keep it short and simple. 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?”

Calendar

July 9 Registration opens to BWS members only for Carol Carter Workshop

July 12 BWS monthly program, 6 p.m., on Zoom

July 16 Application deadline for 28th Annual Juried Exhibition sponsored by Jasper Community Arts Center (See Beyond BWS above.)

July 24 BWS Paint-out, Hilltop Garden and Nature Center

Aug. 1 Deadline for entering NorthStar Watermedia Juried Exhibition (See Beyond BWS above.)

Aug. 14 BWS Paint-out, Story Inn

Sept. 10-11 Carol Carter Workshop, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., First Christian Church, 205 E. Kirkwood Ave.

Sept. 13 BWS monthly meeting, 6 p.m., IN PERSON, provided Covid protocols allow, First Christian Church, 205 E. Kirkwood Ave.

Oct. 1-29 BWS Member Show, Indiana Memorial Union Gallery

June 14th Meeting — 6 p.m via Zoom

June 14th Program: “Using Digit Tools”

Cassidy Young will demonstrate some of the most useful digital tools available to artists as well as provide information about costs.

Thanks to Claude Cookman

BWS sends a special thank you to Claude Cookman for the May program. Members found the hands-on experience of drawing still life in charcoal both useful and educational. Many of us walked away knowing we had lots to learn and that we needed to spend a lot more time practicing the techniques Claude shared.

Election Results

President Joanna Samorow-Merzer reported the results of BWS’ election of officers for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. The new Executive Board of BWS will begin its work on July 1.

President: Joanna Samorow-Merzer
1^st VP: Andy Roberts
2^nd VP: Patty Uffman
Secretary: Charlotte Griffin
Treasurer: Carol Rhodes

Inside BWS

Next Year’s Program: Your Help Needed

Joanne Weddle, Program Chair, would appreciate you input into topics for next year’s program. Simply click on the link below and print out the attached questionnaire. Directions as to where to mail it is in the printout.

New Opportunities to Show Your Work

Would you like to show everyone that painting that you recently completed? Do you have other works that are begging to be seen? BWS is offering a virtual gallery to exhibit YOUR spring and summer work. Our newest virtual gallery is available alongside our two previous BWS gallery shows. See the latest submissions at https://bloomingtonwatercolor.smugmug.com/.  

Full members may submit (and optionally offer to sell) any three pieces of artwork in any media. Prints are accepted, too. We are accepting photos of your work by email at carol@bloomingtonwatercolor.org at any time up to September 1.

Please include:

• title
• media
• size of artwork alone and size of framed (if applicable)
• (optional) price of framed and/or unframed piece; NFS if not for sale

Please allow 2-3 days for posting of your work.

If a buyer is interested in purchasing work, Carol Rhodes will serve as a contact to connect the artist with the buyer without getting personally involved in negotiations. Send questions to carol@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.

Paint Outs

Betty Wagoner, our Paint Out Chair, sent these pictures along with her report, “On a misty day on May 22nd, 9 members and guests enjoyed the first BWS paint out ar Yellowwood State Forest.  The lake was quite still, reflecting the sky and surrounding shoreline. It was a study in green.”

Those attending:  Babette Ballenger and 3 guests, Jacki Frey, Carol
Rhodes, Patricia Rowbottom, Betty Wagoner and Sarah Ward.

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Up-Coming Paint Outs

June 5-6.  Bloomington Garden Walk.
July 24.  Hilltop Garden at IU.
August 14.  Storey Inn in Brown County.
September 11. TC Steele Great Outdoor Paint Out.
October 9.  Final Paint-out and Picnic.  Switchyard Park.

Outside BWS

Hoosier Art Salon 2021 Juried Show: Call for Entries

The dates for the 97th Hoosier Salon Annual Exhibition are August 21 to October 24 at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis. Online entries will be accepted from May 3 to June 30. For further details go to 97th Annual Exhibition at https://www.hoosiersalon.org.

Illiana Gallery: Call for Landscapes

ArtIlliana Gallery in Terre Haute has a call for landscape paintings. The deadline is June 4. For more information, email  artillianagallery@gmail.com.

Indiana State Fair

Between now and July 22 Indiana residents are invited to submit painting to the Indiana State Fair Board. The information on submitting painting starts on page 6. For more details see:
https://cdn.saffire.com/files.ashx?t=fg&rid=IndianaStateFair&f=114_Indiana_Arts(3).pdf

Watercolor Society of Indiana — Upcoming Workshop

WSI will host a 4-day workshop with Paul Jackson entitled “Dramatic Light & Luminosity in Watercolor,” from July 6 to July 9 in Indianapolis. For more details see: http://watercolorsocietyofindiana.com.

Upland Plein Air

Rose Brenner (1st), Kitty Garlock (2nd), Jacki Frey (3rd), and Claude Cookman (Judge’s Choice), all members of BWS and Upland Plein Air, won awards at their recent art show at the Viridian Moon Art Gallery. Congratulations to all.

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Commissioned Art — An Opportunity to Participate 

Joanne Shank wrote to say that the “Simon Mall has commissioned the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington to make a mural at the east end of the mall where there is now a wall inside.  The theme is Arts and Culture in Bloomington.  Danielle Bruce has designed the mural and I am helping her to contact artists.

We will need specific images of Bloomington locations to be painted on 4’x4′ masonite panels.  Supplies will be paid for, but so far the best we can get them to pay is $100. per panel.  Each artist can paint one to three panels and do so from home. The paintings will need to be completed near the end of June. 

The paintings will then be arranged and adhered to the wall.  The mural will stay in place for several years until new construction on that end of the mall is complete, at which time the panels can come down and be for sale.

Please contact Joanne Shank   joanneshank@gmail.com if you are interested and for more details.

Membership News

Joanna Samorow-Merzer wrote to say, “Lately there has been some interest in self-framing your artwork.  I’d like to recommend an excellent book on framing Mat, Mount, And Frame It Yourself by M. David Logan.  It is a complete step-by-step guide to how to mat, mount, and frame your art, photos, and memorabilia. The book is available on Amazon as new and as used.

Andy Roberts wrote to alert the membership to a new art gallery opening in Greene County, called ‘The Art Crafters at the Cabin.’ “It’s a nice venue and another place for local artists to display their work. Wyatt LeGrand has been instrumental in organizing and starting up the gallery.” Here is a blurb from their website: “Art Crafters is a place where local artists can come together to display and sell their art, have exhibits, art lessons, and demonstrations. We are proudly located in Bloomfield, Indiana at 2063 West State Road 54 at “The Cabin”. Our doors will open on a date TBD early 2021.” For further detail see:  https://artcrafters.org 

Susan Savastuk sent pictures of the paintings she is submitting to the Will Vawter Art Exhibition with along with these elaborations:

“I am submitting 3 pieces to the juried  2021 Will Vawter Art Exhibition at the TwentyNorth Greenfield Gallery.  This year they will be combining the art competition with the 150th Birthday Celebration for Will Vawter. The show runs June 11 to June 25 (20 A North State St Hwy 9. Greenfield ,IN).

My Covid Mask Portraits are still on display at the NeedMore Coffee Roasters on Pete Ellis Dr. They have now opened their doors for indoor dining.”

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Sandy Hall sent photos which I numbered from left to right 1 to 7 in the gallery. Her explanation of each photo follows:

Photo 1: “Sandy Hall, Greenfield IN, entered the 2021 WSI Members’ Show on view now at the Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis through July 10. Medium is fluid acrylics on yupo.”

Photo 2: “I also attended the plein air event at TC Steele’s House of the Singing Winds on April 17. It was a bit rainy but I was able to tweak the oil painting once in my studio.”

Photo 3: “I attended a 4-day workshop by Andy Evanson in Matthews, North Carolina in early May. Here Andy captured the colorful building and I was asked to sit under the umbrella. BWS member, Jacki Frey had encouraged me to take a class with Andy. I am glad I did. Thanks!”

Photos 4, 5, & 6: “Andy Evanson demonstrated daily. His value study helped us look for big shapes and middle values. The final darks were added in the final stage.” 

Photo 7: “Sandy Hall, Greenfield, continues to teach watercolor techniques at the 20 North Gallery for Hancock County Arts. Here students painted daffodils . In August, she will teach a watercolor class featuring bugs and bumblebees.”

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Lynne Gilliatt wrote to share her art work on a hand-dyed piece of wool that Jean Haley colored using dyes from plants she grows at her home in Bloomington.  “Usually,” Lynne says, “I get four smaller pieces each month to work on from her Wool Bundlers subscription series, but this time I got this big piece. I use threads, yarns and whatever I have around to design my pieces, making the colors jump.”

For members who want to know, subscribers to Jean Haley’s Naturally Dyed Wool Bundle monthly subscription get wool crafters sustainable, all-natural materials, allowing them to build their stash of crafting gear while helping the planet at the same time.

Lynne says, “Kaffe Fassett has always inspired me with his textiles and fearless use of color!” (http://kaffefassett.com) His late book is Kaffe Quites Again and is available on Amazon.

“The second picture,” Lynne explains, {is a collage that I am working on featuring sky and water.”

Jacki Frey wrote to share a recent painting she completed at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis while on a paint out with Upland Plein Air. Lynne Gilliatt captured the beauty of the setting in these photographs.

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June Calendar

Now until September 1 — Send recent paintings to carol@bloomingtonwatercolorsociety.org for posting on BWS’ Online Gallery

June 4 — Deadline to submit entries to Artilliana Gallery in Terra Haute

June 5-6 –BWS Paint Out at Hill Top Garden on the IU Campus

June 14 — BWS Meeting, 6 p.m., via Zoom

June 30 — Deadline for submitted entries to the 97th Annual Exhibition of the Hoosier Salon

July 6-9 — Paul Jackson workshop in Indianapolis hosted by WSI

July 22 — Deadline for submitted entries to the Indiana State Fair

May 10

BWS to elect officers,

draw still life in charcoal

Members will vote on the 2021-22 slate of officers forwarded by the Nominating Committee, chaired by Andy Roberts. The proposed slate includes Joanna Samorow-Merzer as president, Andy Roberts as first vice president, Patty Uffman as second vice president, Charlotte Griffin as secretary and Carol Rhodes as treasurer. Following the business meeting, Claude Cookman will present a hands-on experience in drawing a still life with charcoal. He sends the following comments.

We will start with a gesture drawing like this:

And refine it toward a finished level like this:

The objective is to combine the spontaneity with control — to achieve the best of both our left- and right-brain activity in our drawing. 

Attached are two PDF files. The first details the content of the session, including thoughts about drawing and information about shadow theory, and the picture plane, and directions on how to use a must-have tool to calculate proportion, angle, and alignment. The second file contains suggestions on what you can do to prepare, including a materials list. Please be sure to have a barbecue skewer at our session. 

https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1.Preparation.pdf

https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1.Drawing-1.pdf

In addition, please prepare your drawing pad like this: 1) Leave the first page blank; we will use it for warm-up exercises. 2) Tone your second page to a light–middle gray: Cover it with vine charcoal or powdered charcoal, then rub it with a tissue or cotton ball to smooth out the tones. You may make it absolutely even or leave some variation. 

Why? We want a minimum of lines in our drawing. This toned background will give us a head start in creating edges with values instead of lines.

To inspire you, I recommend this review of a drawing exhibition by NPR’s Susan Stamberg:  https://www.npr.org/2021/04/22/988011611/drawing-inspiration-from-artists-who-make-their-mark-on-paper-not-canvas.

And/or view the exhibition online at https://www.forumgallery.com/exhibitions/drawing-inspiration/installation-views?view=slider.

Bio: Claude has been trying to learn to draw since 1994. At the invitation of Nancy Davis Metz, he became a member of BWS in 2014. He is active in Upland Plein Air, and he directs the Bloomington Portrait Group.

You may read his academic bio at https://mediaschool.indiana.edu/people/profile.html?p=ccookman.

And an artist’s profile at https://mediaschool.indiana.edu/news-events/news/item.html?n=portrait-of-a-teacher-as-an-artist.

So you want to enter an art show?

By Kathy Truelove Barton

This article provides an overview of formal art shows. In addition to these, many county festivals each summer as well as the county fairs and the Indiana State Fair sponsor art shows open to artists to participate on a more informal basis.

To find shows, Google the phrase “Call for Artists (year)”; use the word “and” in the search to create a more specific search for your geographic area of interest.  This would yield a search like “Call for Artists 2021” and Bloomington and Indiana. Other possibilities are  “Call for Artists 2021” and Greenfield and Indiana; or “Call For Artists 2021” and Nashville and Indiana; or “Call For Artists 2021” and Brown County and Indiana. If no shows are scheduled for this year, you may not get any results for this year, or you may get a result for venues that usually have a show, but may not be sponsoring a show this year due to COVID-19 guidelines. Indiana is allowing small masked groups to gather if they are socially distanced and follow other CDC protocols. You can use other search engines as well as Google.

There is a list of juried shows on the sidebar of the BWS web page (https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/juried-shows-2019/).

If you have not exhibited, the BWS (Bloomington Watercolor Society) Member Show is a good place to start.  This annual show is usually in the spring or fall.  The 2021 BWS Member Show will be in October.  You must be an active member to enter, so remember to pay your dues. There will be an entry fee this year since Viridian Moon Gallery will be handling sales. The artist will receive 80 percent of the sales price (minus tax) and 20 percent will go to the Gallery.

The show prospectus will be out in May or June of 2021. It will be posted at www.bloomingtonwatercolor.org and will include important information such as media, themes, dates, and deadlines.

Almost every show publishes a prospectus similar to what BWS uses. Always look for one and follow the rules set out by the show organizers. If you are a watercolor artist, make sure that the show you are applying to accepts watercolor media.  Check the application for an entry fee. Some shows allow you to apply online and use a credit card to pay the fee. If so, print your application and receipt out for your show file. Before applying, check the list of dates relevant to the show. Will you be able to meet all the deadlines and deliver and pick up your work? I recommend completing your art work before applying.  Allow two weeks before the deadline for framing your art work.  Good luck!

Pandemic expands learning opportunities

through online experiences, classes

by Cassidy Young

Despite all the craziness, frustration, and adjustments brought on by Covid, a few good things have happened. By far my absolute favorite is the increased number of online/virtual workshops and art-making opportunities. Since my work schedule sometimes prohibits me from engaging in activities with the club or from taking classes locally, I’m finding that I can still get my art-making fix by joining other groups – even ones in the UK. Here are a few of my favorites:

Illustration Isolation

https://visualartspassage.com/illustration-isolation Thursdays, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

As part of the Visual Arts Passage online schooling and online art services Studio Bridge, this illustration group has a free weekly draw-together activity. To participate you’ll want to follow the link, and click on the button “save your spot.” Watch out for the visual arts passage ad; just click to the side. Once you put in your name and email, you’ll receive a zoom link for the free Thursday meetings. Around 6 p.m. on Thursday, you’ll receive an email with the Zoom link and a link to the pictures that will be drawn that night; pictures don’t get loaded until 6:30 p.m. At the 7 p.m. meeting, several leading industry and working illustrators get together to draw the same pictures. They are friends and just chat about what they’re doing, the industry, and art. All participants who have registered can ask questions in the chat but are otherwise not on display and cannot speak.  They do four pictures, each taking about 20 minutes. To really get the full experience, pull up or print out the pictures and draw with them. When you’re done, post each image onto Instagram with the tags #illustrationisolation and @visualartspassage as well as any other tags they suggest to support the photographer. At the end of the night, the hosts pull up all of the images from Instagram and display them. They always give positive feedback, and it’s so inspiring to see how so many people do the same pictures differently. Most of the pictures are portraits and figures but occasionally they do pets. If you choose to join Studio Bridge (with this group), there are more drawing opportunities like this during the day on Thursday, and they have demos from professional illustrators on Mondays, which are recorded and available to watch whenever you want. Studio Bridge is about $35 per month and you can try it out free for two weeks.  But Illustration Isolation is free, and you don’t need to pay for anything to do it. 

Need some figure drawing?

Mathew New and Shannon Hagen host a super inexpensive ($3) live figure drawing class a couple times a week. Although Mathew is the regular model, they do get guest models occasionally. You can check out information about upcoming events on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/figuredrawingclub/ or online at https://figuredrawing.carrd.co/. All you have to do to sign up is go to the Ko-fi website http://ko-fi.com/mathewnew and pay the $3. You will receive a link to the Zoom meeting about 10 minutes before it starts, so don’t forget when it is. If you are looking for a different figure model, check out https://www.instagram.com/whatifwefly_model/. The model is fantastic, but she’s in the UK so watch out for the times of the meetings. You might end up choosing a drawing session really late at night or super early in the morning. 

Have you ever heard of Nature Journaling?

It’s awesome and https://johnmuirlaws.com/ has so many resources and tutorials and is constantly doing online workshops, many of which are low cost, for donation, or free. From the website check out the Events tab. There is a weeklong conference coming up in June that I can hardly wait for, but there are also weekly “Pencil Miles & Chill” low-key chat and draw activities. These events have no intended goal; just a bunch of people get together to work on their sketchbooks and journals. 

Free museum events

So many museums have free online talks, workshops, and hangouts now, and I hope they last. IU Eskenazi Museum has a few every month; check out https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/news-events/calendar/index.html. The Mazza Museum in Cincinnati has monthly interviews with children’s book illustrators at https://www.mazzamuseum.org/events/. Mass Arts has several events, including a Noodle & Doodle event where live music is played over Zoom while people draw/paint and share their work. It’s all very family friendly. The link is https://calendar.massart.edu/. 

Need a good art exercise/workout?

Ever wanted to do a Barque drawing (academic drawing from plaster casts) but not sure how to get started? Join John Skelcher for his weekly Classical Figure Drawing Course. It happens on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. London time (2:30 p.m. our time EST). You can get information directly from John at skelcherj@yahoo.co.uk. But you can also find more information about this from the Eventbright website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/classical-figure-drawing-course-weekly-tickets-152746556061?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch&keep_tld=1. 

There are literally hundreds more opportunities out there and Eventbright is a good place to start looking. Use the search bar in the upper left (near the logo) and put something in: Drawing, Painting, Figure, Game –whatever. You’re bound to find something exciting. 

Honestly, I’m sharing all of this for very personal motives. I want to see these sites keep going, even when we can work and meet in person, and I think they will if people keep signing up. 

May Paint-out

Yellowwood Lake Shelter

S. Yellowwood Lake Rd.

Yellowwood State Forest

May 22, 10 a.m.

Start time subject to change based on weather

Member News

Penny Lulich has two paintings juried in to the St. Louis Watercolor Society 2021 show: “Testing the Waters” and “Yo-Yo Ma.” “Testing the Waters” was awarded an honorable mention. The juror was Sandra L. Strohschein, and the online show began May 1.

Andy Roberts sent images of two painting he completed while in Florida for the winter. They depict his interest in seascapes of the local beaches he and his wife frequent. Andy has sold both of these paintings to an area collector and is now back in Indiana ready to paint and join plein air excursions.

Several BWS members are exhibiting in Upland’s 2021 Member Exhibition at Viridian Moon Art Gallery, 1600 W. Bloomfield Rd. in Bloomington. The show hangs from April 30 to May 22. Meri Reinhold and Jacki Frey sent images of their works that are included in the exhibit. Jacki is also currently showing her work at The Juniper Art Gallery and Gift Shop, located on the courthouse square in Spencer. The gallery is open Noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and Noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.

“Twins” is an 11-inch x 15-inch watercolor painted by Tim Lewis with QoR paints on Arches 300# cold-pressed. Twin Aspen trees in a typical Colorado Aspen grove. Tim was inspired by a photo he shot in a typical Colorado Aspen grove in the San Juan National Forest on vacation a few years ago. This is the second painting he has done of the San Juan National Forest in southern Colorado

Beyond BWS

Hoosier Art Salon 2021 Juried Show: Call for Entries

The dates for the 97th Annual Exhibition are Aug. 21 to Oct. 24 at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis. Online entries will be accepted from May 3 to June 30. For further details go to 97th Annual Exhibition at https://www.hoosiersalon.org.

Missouri Watercolor Society 2021 Juried Show: Call for Entries

The 2021 International MOWS Judged Exhibition will be shown from Aug. 27 to Oct. 2 at the MOWS Gallery in St. Louis, Mo. Online entries will be accepted from April 23 to May 29.  For further details see: https://www.mowsart.com.

Illiana Gallery: Call for Landscapes

ArtIlliana Gallery in Terre Haute has a call for landscape paintings. The deadline is June 4. For more information, email  artillianagallery@gmail.com.

Watercolor Society of Indiana 2021 Juried Show: Call for Entries

The 2021 Watercolor Society of Indiana will be shown at the Indiana Museum of Art from Aug. 6 to Sept. 25. Online entries are currently being accepted through May 3.  For further information see: www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org

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Calendar

Now – May 22 Upland’s Member Exhibition at Viridian Moon Art Gallery

May 10 BWS monthly meeting on Zoom, 6 p.m. Link to be sent via email to members

May 22 Paint-out at Yellowwood Lake Shelter on S. Yellowwood Lake Rd in Yellowwood State Forest. The start time is tentatively set for 10 a.m. but is subject to change based on weather conditions.

The Last Word

Following the April meeting program on “Exhibiting Your Work,” Stephen Edwards had one last bit wisdom to share that seems particularly pertinent to those of us collecting stacks of our own paintings. He said this comes from the late Crawford Donnelly: “Don’t let your paintings become children. For you to grow as an artist, they need to have homes of their own.”

Meeting: April 12 via Zoom

Program: “Exhibit Your Work: A Conversation Among BWS Artists” hosted by Barbara Coffman

Perhaps it’s never crossed your mind to exhibit any of your work. Or perhaps you are an experienced artist with many exhibitions under your artistic belt. For our April BWS program we need both of you, and everyone in between.  

Our program will focus on “Exhibiting Your Work”, whether you are a novice or an expert. This will be an interactive program, addressing your questions and calling on your expertise. Three BWS artists – Nancy Metz, Jerry Harste, and Carol Rhodes – will begin the discussion on each topic, but we know we have many talented and experienced artists in our group who could take it from there, providing their own perspectives and information, and we hope you will attend and share what you know.

Members have posed questions and suggested topics that are being used to focus this program. Questions range from “How do I now when my work is ready to show and how do I get started?” to “How do I build an artistic resume to work towards Signature status?” to questions about pricing, commissions, delivering work to galleries, and many more.  
Please come to this session to get your questions answered and to offer your expertise to your fellow artists. 
If you have questions, contact program organizer Barbara Coffman.

Inside BWS

A Special Thanks

A special thanks to Charlotte Griffin for her program on how to create a pop-up greeting card during our March meeting. Jerry Harste sent the greeting card he made to his neighbor who was having an operation the next day. At the bottom of the “opening curtain” figure he wrote “So You Are Having An Operation.” On the pull flaps he wrote, “Watch Those Bastards!!” and “They Have Knieves!!” His neighbor wrote to say it was the best greeting card she had ever received. She was impressed with its construction. Now, if she could only see some of the stunning pop-ups Charlotte has made!!

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Get ready for May program

Our May program on drawing will be presented by Claude Cookman. He sends this message:

Because some of you may not have all these materials on hand, I am sending the list a month early to give you time to gather them.

Materials. a) Vine charcoal, soft. b) Charcoal pencils, B and 3B or soft and very soft. c) Kneadable eraser. d) Cheap paper such as newsprint, preferably a large-size pad. e) Tissues, cotton balls, and/or Q-tips for blending. Optional, but if you have a stump or tortillon, feel welcome to use it. f) A bamboo barbecue skewer. g) Easel or table easel. If you are physically able, I would like you to stand while drawing for reasons which I will explain in next month’s Brushstrokes.  Because some of you haven’t worked with charcoal or may be rusty, I encourage you to do this exercise before our May 10 session.

Homework. Realistic drawing depends on representing light and shadow with values. You can practice by drawing a sphere. Position an orange, tennis ball or other spherical object slightly below eye level. Light it with strong directional light. First, draw a six-step value scale at the side of your paper. The top value is paper white. The bottom value is the darkest you can make with your vine charcoal. 
Then draw a convincing sphere using all six values. Repeat this with different lighting angles. Also, draw cylinders, cones, and boxes. With a command of these four forms, you can draw anything. For a real challenge, crumple a piece of paper, unfold it slightly, light it with strong directional light, and draw the values. 
If you have questions or concerns, please feel welcome to contact me directly at:  ccookman@indiana.edu

Another Program Note!!

Joanne Weddle, Program Chair, needs to hear from you relative to program topics for this coming July and August’s meetings. In addition to topics, if you are willing to do a program or suggest someone to do one, all the better!!

Outside BWS

Call for Landscapes

Art Illiana Gallery, 23 North 6th Street, Terra Haute, has a call for landscape paintings. The deadline is June 4 and the show is open to North American artists. For more information contact artillinagallery@gmail.com.

Watercolor Society of Indiana

May 3rd is the deadline for entries into the 2021 WSI Juried Watercolor Show to be held at the Indianapolis Museum of Art from August 6th to September 25th. Paul Jackson is the shows selection and award juror.

Stephen Edwards will conduct a three-hour Spring Retreat Workshop for WSI over Zoom on May 1. This workshop takes the place of WSI’s Annual Waycross Retreat.

“Value and Light” May 1, 2021 VIRTUAL – 10:00am to 12:30pm.
Follow-up Critique May 22 from 10:00am -12:30pm
Registration Deadline April 26, 2021.
Supply List emailed to students after ticket purchase.
$100 for WSI Members, $150 for Non-members.

22nd Annual First Brush of Spring

The Hoosier Salon ART SALE at the 22nd First Brush of Spring Paint Out is scheduled for Saturday, April 17th at the Ribeye Center and Annex located at the corner of Main and Tavern Streets, under the clock tower. Artists may sell original artwork brought with them or painted during the Paint Out. Contact person: Linda Volz at hoosiersalon.org. Pre-registration is required.

Upland Plein Air Member Show

The Upland Plein Air Member Show will be held from April 30th to May 22nd at the Viridian Moon Gallery. This is a wonderful opportunity to support fellow artists, many of whom are also members of BWS.

Member News

Phyllis Taylor. Our local Oregon Food Bank sponsored a fundraiser where artists could pick up and decorate a flat white bakery box. Once decorated and assembled into a box, artists took their boxes to Nebeker Gallery at Clatsop Community College for a show and auction. Bidders received a bag of cinnamon buns to go inside. There were 50 boxes entered.

I had fun using markers, gouache, watercolor (and a final coat of clear acrylic spray paint). The slick white surface was an interesting new surface to play with.  I did a Spring scene with daffodils in an afternoon. The winning bid on my box was $100. I had fun and the food bank benefited.

Jacqui Frey. Here is a painting I completed entitled, “The House on 6th Street,” for the Hoosier Saloon Art Show in New Harmony to be shown Mid April to the 2nd week in June. Katya Alexeeva and Betty Wagnor also have paintings in the show.

Jacqui sent a second note saying, “Artists may want to check out the Tucson Art Academy website. This school offers year long courses via the internet. Andy Evansen is the featured watercolor instructor. There are many demos and critiques by Andy. My paintings are much stronger after taking one of his courses. All of his demos can be downloaded. He also provides many photos to work from.”

Stephen Edwards. “I have been very busy with several projects. Here are a few tidbits:

*YouTube video showing my progression of a painting entitled ‘Auction Day.’ Three weeks are condensed to four minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_gSojr5CK4

*’Lazy Summer Stream’ has been accepted into the Illinois Watercolor Society’s 37th National Exhibition to be held at The Next Picture Show Gallery and Fine Arts Center, 113 West First St., Dixon, IL. Juror of Selection and Awards, Elaine Daily-Birnbaum, AWS, NWS.

*My painting titled ‘Towards the Light’ was one of 45 paintings selected for the 89th Annual Indiana Artist Club Exhibition. Juror was Kim VanDerHock, AWS, NWS.

*See WSI entry above for information on the 3-hour workshop I will be doing for the Watercolor Society of Indiana. See you there. Let’s paint together for a few!”

MarySue Schwab. “I recently sold a portrait painting of a young Hopi girl that I photographed on the reservation. Here are some of the various watercolor techniques I used:

The face is wet on wet so to achieve the smooth look of a child’s face.

The hair and some of the patterns on the shirt were made by using mask and painting over areas with dark colors. After removing the masks I added the details.

The shirt and background were achieved by using wax on textured paper to resist the color. Afterwards, I painted wet on wet with overtones of dry brush.

Many of the techniques I learned in classes with professional artists at the Art Student’s League of New York. I do give lessons on using different techniques if anyone is interested.

I am also excited to announce that I have work that will be hanging in the Women’s Art Club of Cincinnati’s 128th Art Show. Out of 258 entries, 60 pieces were selected. The show runs from April 11th through April 25th.

Lynn Gilliat. I’m thinking of putting my stitchery or some of them into Fiber Arts Now “Emerging Artists” competition in May 2021.  This is what’s taken over some of my painting time during the Pandemic.  It’s my first time to show them and I am quite excited about receiving their magazine too!  Who knew I was interested in this art form!

Susan Savastuk. I’m currently participating in the Hancock County Arts Members-Only Show titled, “Thank Goodness for Flowers.” That show is on display at the Twenty North Greenfield Art Gallery in Greenfield and will run through April.

I have also submitted pieces to the Upland Plein Air 2021 Member Exhibition to be held at the Viridian Moon Art Gallery from April 30-May-22, 2021.

Finally, I submitted this painting to the IU Archives Covid-19 Documentation Project.

Carolyn Rogers Richard. While water color is and always will be my first love, I have been enjoying painting with water soluble oils and cold wax.  Attached are two of my recent works.  These are done in Duo Aqua and Windsor Newton brands water soluble oils with Dorland’s Wax Medium or Gamblin Wax Medium.  I used mainly palette knives and silicone wedges to apply the paint mixture to pre-gessoed cradled wood panels.  The water soluble oils do not have the strong odor traditional oil paints have and I find them much friendlier to use.  Adding the wax to the paint creates a wonderful creamy mixture that is very adaptable to different methods of applying the paint to the substrate.  I highly recommend experimenting with oil and cold wax!

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Carol Rhodes. Attached are three paintings I created from the Gary Tucker paint-alongs on March 15, 22, and 26. After doing drafts, these paintings were done in a just little over an hour.  I’m not calling mine great or even good. Some people created exquisite paintings in such a short time.

Charlotte Griffin. A bunch of members participated in the on-line paint-along on March 26 which involved painting a vase and a rose.  Mine kind of went awry with too much intense color.  So I worked on it for awhile and changed the vase to cranberry glass.  Might try the painting again some time.

Nancy Metz. “Social Distancing” by Nancy Davis Metz was awarded the Preston Arts Center Award in the Kentucky Watercolor Society’s AquaVenture 2021.

Joanna Samorow-Merzer. Thanks to the hard work of our fellow artist and BWS Treasurer, Carol Rhodes, in March our members were presented with the opportunity to access workshop tutorials by the Boston based artist, Gary Tucker.  Below is my watercolor painting with extra touches created after one of the workshops.

Kitty Garlock. Carol Rhodes took the extraordinary effort to get 5 training videos from Gary Tucker and offer them to everyone in BWS free of charge.  These lessons have been so much fun and even got a paint brush into the hands of some people (like me) who haven’t been inspired to paint for a while.   When we are done we share our attempts with the others and points of interest are commented on.  Our first class covered “Rocks and Water” while the second, much more intense, walked us through “Twilight in the City” for close to 4 hours!  Today we did “Roses are Red”.  Might also be called “Frustration is Fun” because no matter how our pictured turned out we were all happy as could be as we said goodbye and told people what a pleasure it was to paint together!  The best part is there is still more to come!

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April’s Calendar

April 1 to May 3 — WSI call for entries to their 2021 Juried Show.

April 1 to June 4 — Art Illiana Gallery call for entries for its show entitled “Landscapes.”

April 11 to April 25 — Woman’s Art Show, Cincinnati.

April 12 — BWS Business Meeting and Program at 6 p.m. via Zoom.

Mid April to 2nd week in June — Hoosier Salon Art Sale, New Harmony.

April 17 — Hoosier Salon Art Sale, New Harmony.

April 30 to May 22 — Upland Plein Air Member Exhibition at the Viridian Moon Art Gallery, Bloomington.

March 8

BWS meets via Zoom;

turns ATCs into greeting cards

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Join your fellow BWS members for the group’s monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, March 8. Check your March 3 email for the Zoom link. Following the business meeting, Charlotte Griffin will guide members through the process of turning Artist Trading Cards into greeting cards. This requires a little preparation so Charlotte has offered the following:

So, you went wild and made too many Artist Trading Cards. OK, then, let’s make a greeting card out of a trading card that was created in portrait view (landscape view will not work).

Materials:

• Trading Card in portrait view
• 12”x12” piece of cardstock in a color that harmonizes with the Trading Card
• 8-1/2”x11” piece of Cardstock in a contrasting color for curtain insert
• Two templates (I emailed these to you on Feb. 17.)
• Scissors and/or an Xacto Knife if you have one
• Bone folding knife or Stylus
• Glue (Glue stick, Elmer’s glue, Quilling paste, Scrapbook adhesive roller, 1/8” or 1/3” Scor-Tape)

Before the program you should do the following:

Print template 1 that was sent to you Feb. 17 via email onto printer paper.  Note: It will print across two pieces of printer paper.  Cut out the large shapes and glue them into one long template 1. 

Trace that template 1 onto the 12”x12” paper and cut cardstock along the solid lines.

Do one of the following:

Alternative 1: Print template 2 onto the 8-1/2”x11” cardstock; cut along the solid lines.

Alternative 2: Print template 2 on to printer paper and cut out the shapes of the pulls and the window.  Trace those shapes onto 8-1/2”x11” cardstock. Use your own greeting for the curtain pieces, and write “Pull” on the pull tabs.  Cut the cardstock along the solid lines.

Charlotte will provide assembly instructions Monday evening in the meeting.

We Paint…Carnival!

On display at the Vault through March 26

9-5 Monday through Friday

The Vault at Gallery Mortgage

121 E. Sixth St., Bloomington

Congratulations to Candi Bailey for winning Best of Show for “Masquerade” (above) and to Tim Lewis for Silver Second for his “Bourbon Street Morning” (below).

Winners of the drawing for prizes were Phyllis Taylor, Patty Uffman, and Susan Savastuck.

Many thanks for donating awards and prizes go to Andrew Preston of Preston Arts Center, John La Bella of the Vault, and BWS. Paintings by Penny Lulich, Candi Bailey, and Lynne Gilliatt had sold by press time.

Several artists created greeting cards, and 21 of those have sold with orders for more. Thank you to Charlotte Griffin, Linda Branstetter, Sharon Parsons, and Penny Lulich for those creative contributions.

Gabe Colman worked hours on this exhibit as planner, curator, judge, and virtual tour host. Thank you, Gabe.

Check out the YouTube video of the “We Paint the Carnival!” show, narrated by Gabe Colman at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA381rjr0sA.

“BWS’s benevolent activities, including the Month of Chocolate and our Art Scholarship, have helped establish and maintain our organization’s credibility in the southern Indiana community,” Jeanne Dutton said. “We can be proud of that record of service.”

Members share resources

Jerry Harste wrote to say that Nancy Metz had alerted him to Karen Knutson’s approach to mixed media collage. As a result, he ordered Karen’s new video, “Fun with Mixed Media.” Below he shares a couple of recent paintings he did using Karen’s techniques. Jerry says any BWS member can contact him via email or phone to borrow the video.

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Editor’s note: Anyone wanting to share should send in a description of the resource and instructions on how to arrange the pickup. It’s the sort of sharing we would do during meetings; it just takes a little more coordination in these pandemic times.

Viridian Moon Gallery gets

coverage in local paper

The Feb. 28 Sunday Herald-Times featured Viridian Gallery, where several current and former BWS members are showing their work. Irina Shishova and Katya Alexeeva have opened the gallery at 1600 W. Bloomfield Road in Bloomington. It is open 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The gallery features acrylics, drawings, oils, watercolors, ceramics, and fiber art from Anne-Karine Bley, Carol Rhodes, Eric Brock, Henry Leck, Irina Shishova, Jacki Frey, Katya Alexeeva, Nancy Davis Metz, Laurel Bender, and Olga Klyachko. Check out the online gallery at www.viridianmoon.art.

Member news

Andy Roberts painted actively in preparation for the Annual Sanibel-Captiva Art League Fair, an event that attracted approximately 800 visitors, and it paid off. Andy sold five paintings and many notecards. He says he has enjoyed the winter in Florida and looks forward to returning to Indiana in April for spring.

”Rosemary at Rancho Jacona, New Mexico” by Lynne Gilliatt was awarded Best of Show in The Friends of T.C. Steele show in Nashville last month. The award includes a $1,000 cash prize. “My piece was very large and pastel work done in New Mexico of a friend, a peacock and the sun shining on trees at sunset,” Lynne said. “The setting was Rancho Jacona, a place where small casitas are available to rent and where I once stayed.” The pastel painting was done on fine grit sanded paper.

Clockwise from top left: Linton Barn by Robin Edmundson; Waiting for the S-Bohn by Penny Lulich; Market Day by Meri Reinhold; Social Distancing by Nancy Davis Metz, and Lotus Mandala by Sara Steffey McQueen

Bloomington Watercolor Society has a strong presence in the Kentucky Watercolor Society’s 2021 AquaVenture exhibit. Five of the 43 paintings are by BWS members. Robin Edmundson, Penny Lulich, Sara Steffey McQueen, Nancy Davis Metz, and Meri Reinhold have work accepted in to the exhibit, which will be displayed on the KWS website www.kentuckywatercolorsociety.com under “Exhibitions” from March 15 through April 30. The 43 paintings were selected by juror Marianna McDonald from 100 entries.

“The Collection” by Tim Lewis received the 3rd Place Award in the Brown County Art Guild’s Can You Paint Challenge. His “Sweet Gum Autumn” painting received an Honorable Mention award in the Nature’s Inspirations Fine Art Exhibit & Sale at Cool Creek Nature Center in Fishers. Two of his three entries were accepted into the Minnetrista Annual Juried Art Show in Muncie.

Beyond BWS

The Watercolor Society of Indiana has published the prospectus for the WSI Juried Show for 2021, which will hang at the Indianapolis Museum of Art @ Newfields Aug. 6 through Sept. 25.

Artists can register and pay online at www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org. The fee is $35 for one entry and $45 for two entries. The competition is open to current and former residents of Indiana. You must be a current WSI member. May 3 is the postmark deadline for mailing entry fee and forms with May 7 being the deadline for receipt in the WSI Office of CDs, flash drives, emails and online signups. At presstime, the prospectus had not been posted on the WSI website. You may request a prospectus by emailing wsiemail@ori.net.

My Favorite Technique

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?” Share some watercolor technique you like to use. Write a paragraph or two. Or break down a process in to steps and include some photographs. Cell phone photos will work for most everything. Keep it short and simple. Have it ready so that when you get the Brushstrokes Call for News email, you’ll have it ready to send.

Calendar

March 8 BWS Meeting on Zoom, 6 p.m. Link was sent in a March 3 email.

Now – March 28 We Paint … Carnival! The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E Sixth St., Bloomington

April 12 BWS Meeting via Zoom, 6 p.m. Link will be sent via email.

April 24-26 Waycross Retreat, featuring Stephen Edwards, Waycross Conference Center or via Zoom TBD

May 3 and May 7 Deadlines for entering Watercolor Society of Indiana’s Juried Exhibit

Meeting: February 8 at 6 p.m. over Zoom

Program: The FUNdamentals of Abstract Art by Jerome Harste

In the spirit of Jasper Johns on how to grow as an artist—“Do something, then do something to that something and soon you will have something”– in this program we will be creating a piece of abstract art using and breaking the rules we have learned about creating art from our many years of study and experience.  As we work with line, shape, color, value, space, pattern and dominance our mantra will be, “Repetition with Variation; Similar but Different.” By the end of the session participants will have a greeting card-sized piece of abstract art to use to impress friends and remind themselves how therapeutic, FUN, and educational art can be when done in the company of risk-takers.

Supplies Needed

*Ruler, pencil and a greeting card-sized piece of watercolor paper (5×7).  My recommendation is to tape it down on a small cutting board so that when you remove the tape your painting will be framed.

*Watercolor paints – bring all the different blues you own and at least one or two yellows you particularly like.

*Two waterproof black markers (fine point and medium point), and something that allows you to make a white line (acrylic pen; white gouache, white gesso, etc.)

Inside BWS

President’s Corner

Do you ever wonder how to breathe new life into your watercolor portraits?  Do you sometimes feel, in the middle of your project, that you are stuck?  Do you then start analyzing works by others in search of inspiration?  I would like to entice you to view the works of the accomplished artist Mario Andres Robinson at  https://www.marioarobinson.com/

I hope that you will find some inspiration in his watercolor portraits.  Have fun!

President Joanna Samorow-Merzer

2021-2022 Nominating Committee

We are at the time of the year that we have to find among you those who are interested in serving as Officers on the Executive Board or as Chairs on Committees in the next year, July 2021 – June 2022.  Some of the Officers/Chairs will continue and we have a few available spots for the next year.  Please see the downloadable document that President Joanna Samorow-Merzer sent to the membership describing the duties of each office if you are interested in serving.

This year’s Nominating Committee is being chaired by Andy Roberts and includes Barbara Coffman and Kathy Truelove Barton.

These are the available positions for Officers and Chairs: 
1) President
2) 1st VP
3) Treasurer
4) Activities Chair
5) Refreshment
6) Show

If you are interested in serving in any of these capacities please contact Andy Roberts, Nominating Committee Chair.

BWS Thanks

At our January program Joanne Weddle presented a program on journaling along with Linda Branstetter and Jacqueline Fernette who shared examples of the journals they have made. Not only did these artists share their creativity but they inspired many of us to begin journaling ourselves. Our thanks to the three of you for a wonderful and inspirational program.

“We Paint…Carnival.”

“We Paint…Carnival!” is the theme of the 6th Annual Month of Chocolate Exhibit presented by the Bloomington Watercolor Society.  Full of color and fun, it’s just what a carnival during Mardi Gras should be.

Paintings for “We Paint…Carnival!” are due at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, from 10 a.m. to Noon. If you missed the online gallery deadline, it’s not a problem – you can still exhibit at the Vault!  We will be filming a video tour and, in it, announcing the Best of Show and Silver Second awards, and the raffle winners.  

Painting are on exhibit at The Vault at Gallery Mortgage from February 5 through March 28. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tune into the virtual gallery opening on Friday, February 5th on YouTube and Facebook and the link below.

Month of Chocolate | LIFEDesigns

Purchases of paintings supports both LIFEDesigns and the artist. Paintings are for sale online through LIFEDesigns, along with original, handpainted and crafted greeting cards by BWS artists Linda Branstetter, Charlotte Griffin, Penny Lulich, Sharon Parsons, and Jeanne Ellen Dutton.  Many with matching painted envelopes, the greeting cards are priced at $6.00 each. 

Below are two examples: A painting called “Watercolor Collage” by Jan Britton and a Greeting Card called “Smudge and Pepper” by Linda Branstetter.

And remember: BWS’ Cookbook is also still available for purchase.

Outside BWS

Arts of the Earth Day at T.C. Steele

On Saturday, April 17th, T.C. Steele State Historic Site will hold its third Arts of the Earth Day. 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!

If anyone from BWS would like to work outdoors at the site on that day, the staff at T.C. Steele would love to have them! The site will waive regular day admission for artists participating in the Arts of the Earth Day program.

Artist wishing to participate in Arts of the Earth Day by setting up and working outdoors between 10am-4pm on April 17th, should email Cate Whetzel (museumcommunication@indianamuseum.org) with their name and
estimated timeframe at the site. FYI Mask mandates are still in effect.

Friends of T.C. Steele Member Art Show – Feb. 6-27
Brown County Art Gallery.

This note from Betty Wagoner:

“The T.C. Steel Member Art Show includes a variety of paintings: oil, acrylic, watercolor and pastel.  A number of photographic processes are represented, plus a few ceramic pieces and two quilting on cardboard pieces.  Ten of the
39 artists in the show are BWS members.  The show is judged by Kathtryn Clark, retired co-owner of Twin Rocker Handmade Paper and Wyatt Le Grand, a nationally recognized artist who is an art teacher in the Bloomfield Public Schools.  (Several years ago BWS members
traveled to Brookston, IN to tour the Twin Rocker Handmade Paper facility where they were producing watercolor paper.)  This is a good show to enter whether you are a professional or an emerging artist wondering whether you could successfully enter future art shows.”

Upland Plein Air Painters

Claude Cookman is presenting a program for the Upland Plein Art Painters on February 2 at 10 a.m. He invites interested members of BWS to join him. Anybody interested who is not an Upland member should email Babette Ballinger. She will be happy to add them to the invitation list.

Prospectus. We will start with a short presentation on the two major approaches to representing the human body in the western art tradition, tracing them from Ancient Greece and Rome through medieval, Renaissance and academic art to the present. 

This quick historical sketch is intended to prime your own drawing of the figure. We will do five 2-minute gesture sketches, a 10-minute pose, then conclude with a half-hour pose. This will be virtual, using photographs of academic poses. 

Caveat. If full-frontal nude images offend you, you should not attend this session. 

Materials. Drawing supplies. Claude recommends vine charcoal, a kneadable eraser, and newsprint (if possible, a large pad in the 16- x 24-inch range). However, any drawing materials will suffice.

Preparation. Although not required, Claude strongly recommends you watch this Youtube video on gesture drawing. Even if you feel confident in your skills, he promises you will learn something new and valuable about gesture drawing.

Questions. Please  let Claude Cookman know if you have questions or concerns about this announcement or the session. 

Salem Pocket Park — Mural Contest

The Washington County Community Foundation, City of Salem and Washington County Historical Society have issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from an artist or artist team to design and implement a new public mural in Salem, Indiana.

The artwork will be part of a larger master plan for a new pocket park that will be located adjacent to city hall and the town’s central square. Design and planning for this project has been funded by Indiana University’s Center for Rural Engagement and the Eskenazi School’s ServeDesign Center. Implementation funding has been generously provided by the Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) Ready Communities Program.

Submissions are due by February 15th, 2021. Please email all inquiries and submissions to Daniel@AAOffice.com

Brown County Art Guild

**CALLING ALL ARTISTS!**  Have you ever been told you are a great painter? Here is your chance to be seen by many exceptional artists and collectors. The Brown County Art Guild is proud to present its first online art contest!   Artists of all skill levels (age 15 or older) are encouraged to enter up to three works of art.  All painting and drawing mediums are accepted. Registration fee is $15 per submission. Submissions will be accepted through February 14. All submissions will be judged by Guild Artist, Donna Shortt. All winners will be announced Sunday, February 28 on Facebook and Instagram. Prizes: First prize – $250; Second prize – $125; Third prize – $75. Open voting of Finalists’ artwork will take place on Facebook, February 21-25. A $50 People’s Choice Award will be presented to the Artist with the most online votes. Next week’s Guild Goes Live! will be devoted to answering questions about the #CanYouPaint_Challenge. Tune in at 3pm via Facebook and Instagram. Please see the #CanYouPaint_Challenge webpage for a complete list of rules and eligibility requirements: CONTEST RULES & REGISTRATION

Hancock County Arts – Vawter Campaign

This note from Carol Barrett, Vawter Art Campaign Chair:

“I wanted to let you know that the Hancock County Arts Board has decided to move the annual Vawter show from April to June this year.

There were two reasons for guiding us to this decision. The first was that we are in hopes our community will be much healthier by June and folks will welcome a safe, outdoor activity.

The second reason is very exciting. We are opening our new Depot Street Park in downtown Greenfield along with the unveiling of an amazing bronzed Vawter statue there in the new park.

It will be a great event in Greenfield where we can welcome our community to not only the park but to recognize Will Vawter and celebrate our collection of art entries at the TwentyNorth Gallery.

We invite artists to a plein air event in the park to coincide with our awards presentation. We do not have dates planned yet but will let you know as soon as those details are finalized. 

I hope you will welcome the additional two months to create your beautiful Vawter entries for 2021. Please take care and let us know of any questions you have at this point. See you all in June!!!!”

Viridian Moon Art Gallery

Several current and former BWS members are showing their work at Bloomington’s newest art gallery, Viridian Moon. Irina Shishova and Katya Alexeeva have opened the gallery at 1600 W. Bloomfield Road, Bloomington.
The gallery features acrylics, drawings, oils, watercolors, ceramics and fiber art from Anne-Karine Bley, Carol Rhodes, Eric Brock, Henry Leck, Irina Shishova, Jacki Frey, Katya Alexeeva, Nancy Davis Metz, Laurel Bender, and Oga Klyachko.

Viridian Moon is open 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Irina and Katya invite you to come by and view the artworks. The website is https://www.viridianmoon.art/.

Membership News

Stephen Edwards wrote to say, “Very humbled to have received a Silver Medal for “Noon At The Oasis” in the 2020 International Art Professionals Exhibit. The jury was made up of 40 Professional Artists from all over the world. The painting was in the Aquarell (watermedia) Category.

Also equally humbled to receive the following award from the Brown County Art Gallery Foundation

 ‘Congratulations to the 2020 Vance Prize winner artist Stephen Edwards for his beautiful watercolor “Falling Temps and Flurries’.

The Prize began in the 1920s in memory of artist Frederick Vance who worked hard to establish the Brown County Art Gallery in 1926 but died before it’s opening. His family sponsored an annual prize for an outstanding work of art by an Association Member.

The Foundation Board revived the prize in recent years with a generous sponsorship by Board Member Dr. James Leatherman. Finalists receive 250.00 and the final prize is $1,000.00. The painting is available for purchase.”

Lynne Gilliatt send in a this note and a picture. “My new work is done on hand-dyed wool pieces with cotton floss, ribbon and wool threads!”

Timothy Lewis wrote to say, “I’ve been trying to loosten up a little by working on some small (7.5” x 11”) watercolors. Attached are two of the latest. I currently have artwork hanging in the Southside Art League’s Off Broadway Gallery in Greenfield, the Shelby Art Guid’s Gallery in Shelbyville, the Dragonfly Gallery in Spencer and at Generation Art & Frame in Franklin.

Penny Lulich wrote to say “I’ve entered two paintings into the T.C. Steel Member show.  “On Gigi’s Farm” is from a photo of my friend’s daughters who were visiting their grandfather in northern Indiana when it snowed just before Christmas.  The other painting is of my granddaughter putting the finishing touches on her snowman.  

For the “Art of Chocolate” gallery show, I’m entering a painting of a blue heron in winter “Bayou Bird”.  

 Linda Meyer-Wright posted some of her new work on Facebook. I asked her if she was willing to share her work in the BWS Newsletter. Here is what she had to say about the initial three paintings she sent in. “The first & third are alcohol ink on panel. The 3D portions are air dry clay. These techniques can be used with watercolor on canvas and paper as well. So air dry clay can be a fun addition to watercolor and/or acrylic or just about anything.  The middle one has a base of water soluble oil mixed with cold wax – several layers. The clay is the next layers – then alcohol inks – then oil & wax.  Layers & layers – put it on /take it off – you know me. The top 2 are 12×12. The tryptic is 3 10×10 panels.”

Linda later wrote to share more of her work saying, “I just couldn’t help myself” along with an avatar of herself.

Andy Roberts wrote to say: “I have a change of scenery for the winter months as we are in Fort Myers, FL which affords me to paint the local beaches and other exciting subjects both flora and fauna. I have applied for entry into the Sanibel Captiva Art League’s Art Fair to be held Feb. 21st. One of the painting I have done for this is attached.

Favorite Techniques

Jerome Harste. “I have been playing around with a mixed media technique that Kathy George introduced as part of a program a Myrtle Beach artist, Rebecca Zdybel, put together.  It involves using a light table, fluid acrylic paint in a needle-nosed bottle, and applying watercolor wet on wet.  (I bought this needle-nosed bottle from Gaunt Industries [No. 650] online).

Step 1.  Begin with a sketch.  The more intricate the better.  I have been working mostly with butterflies and sunflowers.

Step 2.  Lay your sketch on a light table and position your watercolor paper over it so that you can see the sketch through the paper.

Step 3.  With your needle-nosed bottle of fluid acrylic (I used Titan Bluff) trace you design onto your watercolor paper.  What results is a small trail of acrylic paint outlining the subject you are painting.

Step 4.  Allow the acrylic to completely dry.

Step 5.  Wet the areas of the background you want to color and then begin to drop in the watercolor colors you have selected. The ridges of acrylic paint keep the paint more or less in place, though some bleeding into your subject may occur.  (In the case of the sunflowers once I had dropped in the background I began to work the paint into leaf-like forms using both negative and positive painting techniques.)

Step 6.  Allow the background to completely dry.

Step 7.  Wet the subject of your painting and begin to drop in the watercolor colors you want to use, I found it is best to paint very loosely, splatter a bit of the colors I used for the flower to make things seem more realistic.

Here are some experimental paintings I have done using this technique. As you can see I have been experimenting with different colors as well as different intensities of color.

I have also tried using gouache to paint a background of flowers and leaves which I had first drew in using the needle-noosed bottle of acrylic.

Lately I have been experimenting with more geometric forms. To date the verdict is out as to whether or not I like the results. Nonetheless, it has been fun experimenting with this technique and I encourage you to give it a try.”

Calendar

February 2, 10 a.m. Upland Plein Air Program “Naked or Nude.”

February 2, 10 a.m. to Noon. Drop off Art of Chocolate paintings at the Vault, Gallery Mortgage.

February 5 – March 28. Art of Chocolate paintings on exhibit at the Vault, Gallery Mortgage.

February 5. Art of Chocolate paintings available virtually.

February 8, 6 p.m. BWS Monthly Meeting via Zoom

February 14. Last day to submit paintings to the Brown County Art Guild.

February 15. Mural proposals due for Salem Pocket Park Project.

April 17. T.C. Steele Arts of the Earth Day.

Have a Heart-Felt Valentine’s Day!!!

Jan. 11

Monthly meeting program

features journaling

Be sure to join BWS’s Zoom meeting on Monday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. After the business meeting, Joanne Weddle will present a program on journaling. Joanne, Linda Branstetter and Jacqueline Fernette will share examples of journals they have made.

At last month’s Zoom meeting, all who had participate in the Artist Trading Card project opened their envelopes with the Artist Trading Cards they had received. “What an enjoyable time it was to then show each one on the screen and tell who had painted it,” Joanne Weddle said. “This turned out to be a lot of fun and an opportunity to thank those who had participated in this activity.” Thanks go to all who painted cards for giving their time and effort to making these small individuals works of art and to Cassidy Young who received, sorted and mailed the envelopes out to those who sent cards to her.

President’s message

As we said our goodbyes to the challenging and tumultuous 2020, we stepped into 2021 with hopes and desires for better times. I want to wish all of you a great year full of interesting opportunities.

Bloomington Watercolor Society, despite the pandemic, is vibrant and active as always. We continue our monthly meetings on Zoom, first with our business meeting, followed then by an art program presented by one of our artists. In February we will have a “Carnival” art exhibition at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage and also online.  We anticipate having an online workshop sometime in the next months. And as of the spring, we will resume our plein air paint-outs. We are so lucky to have this organization here in Bloomington. We always welcome new watercolor artists of all levels. We are here to support each other and to grow as artists.

And here, I would like to share with you a link to The National Museum in Krakow to a page of selected works by a great Polish painter, poet, and playwright, Stanislaw Wyspianski, a master of portraits and landscapes. Enjoy!

https://mnk.pl/collection/selected-works-by-stanislaw-wyspianski

During the holidays, some of our artists had a chance to have images of their Winter Scene paintings published in The Herald-Times, in the paper and online. The Bloomington Watercolor Society is grateful to The Herald-Times for the year-after-year opportunity to display the work of our artists and to please the eyes of its readers. We look forward to continuing this relationship in the future. Also, many thanks to our artists who participated in creating the Winter Scene paintings and sharing the images with The Herald-Times. Thank you all.

Joanna Samorow-Merzer

BWS President, 2020-2021

Vote by Jan. 11

on bylaws amendments

Proposed amendments to the BWS Bylaws are up for a vote by active members; the deadline for a vote is Jan. 11. Active members should have received the information from Charlotte Griffin, BWS secretary, in an email dated Dec. 27, 2020. Find that email and follow the instructions.

Carnival.  Noun.  1.  a period of public revelry at a regular time each year, typically during the week before Lent in Roman Catholic countries, involving processions, music, dancing, and the use of masquerade.

“We Paint … Carnival!” 

by Jeanne Dutton

Here is your prospectus for the Month of Chocolate show coming in February 2021:

https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/prospectus/.

There are some exciting changes from the normal MoC exhibit program, so please read the prospectus carefully!

First, we will have an online gallery.

Second, the plan is to film a guided tour of the exhibit, hosted by art curator and one of our judges, Gabriel Colman.

Third, everything will be linked to the LIFEDesigns’ Month of Chocolate website where BWS will have its own page.

Fourth, sales will be handled online through LIFEDesigns, so folks can pay with their credit card, check, or cash.  That will make sales so much more convenient and hopefully prompt sales. Sales commission is 50 percent, which supports LIFEDesigns.

Fifth, Best of Show will receive a $100 award sponsored by John La Bella at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage, and there will be other prizes to go along with that and a prize for runner-up.

Please photograph your painting BEFORE framing it. Then send to me at Chocolate@BloomingtonWatercolor.org

Include all the information needed for the gallery:

• Title
• Medium
• Price
• Framed Size

“We Paint … Carnival” Calendar

Jan. 10 Send scanned or digital image of artwork to Jeanne Dutton at Chocolate@BloomingtonWatercolor.org.

Feb. 2 Deliver painting to The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E. Sixth St., Bloomington between 10 a.m. and noon.

Feb. 5 Virtual Opening Reception and Awards

Feb. 5 – March 28 Exhibition at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage.

March 29 Pick up paintings between 10 a.m. and noon at The Vault.

Member News

Irina Shishova and Katya Alexeeva are proud to announce that Viridian Moon Art Gallery opens its doors Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. The address is 1600 W. Bloomfield Road, Bloomington. The venue is characterized by a strong presence of watercolor artworks. Our current exhibition features several current members of BWS – Jacki Frey, Henry Leck, Nancy Davis Metz, and Carol Rhodes, as well as former BWS members Anne-Karine Bley and Donna Whitsitt. More information is available at https://www.viridianmoon.art. 

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Andy Roberts sent in two paintings using pen and ink drawings with watercolor overlay of vintage trucks that have taken on unique character with age. “This a technique that I have been using with several of my art endeavors this past year and hope to continue honing those skills in 2021,” Andy writes. “I hope everyone can continue their own 2021 art adventure with an expectation that we can again socialize without any undue fears. Happy New Year to BWS members.”

Beyond BWS

Friends of TC Steele Member Art Show has extended its registration deadline to Jan. 13. The show will hang at Brown County Art Gallery in Nashville, Ind., Feb. 6 – 27. The show will be judged and a $1,000 first place prize awarded.

“We need watercolor paintings,” said Betty Wagoner, show coordinator. Registration of artworks is free to Friends members. Non-members may register with payment of a membership.

For more information go to https://tcsteele.org/member-art-show-registration. You can also contact Betty at bwagoner@tsteele.org.

Kentucky Watercolor Society announces the opening for submissions for Aquaventure 2021, which will run online from March 15 to April 30. You can enter your work starting now through Feb. 8.

Click on https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdtOuLGKhlCkAC2xf_iBMRKok3ZSO7pYM6GiU0yOIV0LC3tCA/viewform.

You can make your full entry online, including your painting image(s). Thorough instructions guide you through the entire process. If you wish to submit via mail, you’ll find the instructions for mail entries on the prospectus as well.

Upland invites BWS members to attend some winter Tuesday programs this winter. Anyone who is interested and wants to be added to its mailing list, please contact Babette Ballinger or Kitty Garlock.

My Favorite Technique

This month is a double feature: Tricia Wente and Penny Lulich both shared techniques that involve revisiting previous works.

Tricia Wente

I thought I would share my recent experience with using several of my older and favored watercolors as reference material. Here are two examples of my most recent works with final artwork being much larger acrylic paintings. When deciding a subject, I choose an older plein air watercolor painting and just go from there. Using the watercolor only as a spring board as a quick reference, I was never attempting an exact reproduction.

The “Catnap” painting is of my son-in-law, and it was fun to add his pet cats for interest. I love the spontaneity of the watercolors, but the larger works make a much bigger statement. Many years ago, artists produced watercolors as reference for their studio paintings, and I was doing the same!

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Penny Lulich

I think the best technique that I practice is perseverance. If I paint a piece over and over again, I’m going to learn something from it. When I begin a new piece, I make it more like a sketch or a study. This is where I work out how much white I need to leave on the paper and where to leave it. I also work out what colors look best in the painting and what kind of mood I would like to create with those colors. I set the values in the sketch and figure out where to work out the light and the dark, and also the cool and the warm.  I paint the sketch on the same brand and weight/texture of watercolor paper I’ll use for the final painting so that I can see exactly how all the paint will work on the paper.  In the end, I’m not looking for perfection. I am looking for emotion. The painting has to tell a good story. If it doesn’t tell a good story then either I have the wrong idea for a painting, or I have to rework the painting so that it tells the story I wanted to tell.

One of the most important things I learn by being persistent is resilience as an artist. A painting can come out just terrible, and I’ll be very disappointed, but I’ll get back up in that saddle, so to speak. I get a new piece of paper, grab my brush, get some clean water, and go at it again and again until I am satisfied. There are times when I’m not satisfied even after painting a scene several times, and in those situations, I will put the paintings in a drawer to pull out and work on again at another time – perhaps when I have learned from other paintings and can then come back with more knowledge and understanding.

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I don’t want to ever give up. Telling stories through painting is just too enjoyable and enticing for me. Below are some examples of paintings I’ve been satisfied with after several working attempts. I hope you enjoy them, and I hope you will never give up on the kind of artwork that you want to do.

“My Favorite Technique” is on its way to being a regular feature of Brushstrokes. Let’s keep it rolling. 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 you 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?”   

Calendar

Jan. 10 Deadline for submitting digital images to Chocolate@BloomingtonWatercolor.org

Jan. 11 BWS Meeting on Zoom, 6 p.m. Link will be sent via email.

Jan. 11 Deadline for voting on BWS bylaws amendments

Jan. 13 Registration deadline for Friends f T.C. Steele Member Art Show

Jan. 21 Viridian Moon Art Gallery opening, 2 p.m., 1600 W. Bloomfield Rd., Bloomington

Feb. 2 Deliver “We Paint … Carnival” paintings to The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 10 a.m. to noon, 121 E. Sixth St., Bloomington

Feb. 5 – March 28 “We Paint … Carnival!” show at The Vault

Feb. 6 – 27 Friends of T.C. Steele Members Art Show, Brown County Art Gallery

Feb. 8 Deadline for entering Kentucky Watercolor Society Aquaventure

March 29 Pick up “We Paint … Carnival!” paintings, 10 a.m. to noon, The Vault