June 8

BWS to meet via Zoom;

Program on painting shadows to follow

BWS will continue its monthly meetings via Zoom with the next one being June 8 at 6 p.m. A June 1 email from Patty Uffman has the link and password so you can log in to the Zoom meeting. Following the business meeting, Cassidy Young will teach members about painting shadows.

Message from the President

Our Zoom meeting on June 8 will be my last as BWS president. I hope you’ll join us as we formally install our new board and present a program I know you’ll enjoy! It’s certainly been an interesting year, wouldn’t you agree? Working with a great team that has taken the reins and ridden the trail over some rough terrain without complaining of saddle sores has given me real appreciation for the contributions everyone makes. Although we started the year with some uncertainty about holding on to our membership numbers, we are happy to see that we have attracted new members and are very close to our total from last year. From my standpoint, it’s the quality rather than the quantity that matters most, and on that front we are constantly setting the bar higher! Meeting and knowing all our members has been a personal goal for me, and I am constantly impressed by our members’ array of talent and willingness to pitch in when we need it. Thank you to each member for being part of BWS! And a special thanks to the board for supporting BWS with your time and unique qualities.

Patty Uffman, 2019-20 BWS president

Mevis awarded BWS Scholarship

The Bloomington Watercolor Society Art Supply Scholarship for 2020 has been awarded to Mikah Mevis, a graduate of Bloomington High School South. She earned 13 fine art credits taking ceramics, sculpture, painting, stained glass, and jewelry 1 and 2.  Mikah was recently inducted into the National Art Honors Society and has been in 4-H fine arts for seven years.

“I am so grateful that BWS chose me to be awarded the scholarship!” Mikah wrote in a note to BWS. She will pursue her education in the Fine Arts program at Ball State University. 

Opening for historian

If you missed a prior email or our May Zoom meeting, maybe you haven’t heard that we have an opening for our BWS Historian. Candi Bailey will pass the torch to someone who essentially collects and catalogs news clips and published information related to BWS. The job isn’t very time-consuming, but it’s an essential part of our organization. If you’d like to explore a bit more of what it entails or are ready to help BWS by stepping in to this role, please notify Patty Uffman or Joanna Samorow-Merzer at info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.

Month of Chocolate

Exhibitors to pick up paintings

Artists who participated in the Month of Chocolate exhibit last winter can finally retrieve their paintings at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage this week. Please pick up your work between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. June 1-5. Please respect social distancing and wear a mask while in the gallery. If you cannot personally pick up your artwork, please arrange for a friend to do it for you.

BWS paint-out schedule

Paint-out sites have been selected for both natural beauty and space to accommodate safe distance.  Face coverings will be required until further notice.  Information regarding each paint-out will be emailed at least a week before each paint-out. Start times are 10 a.m. but earlier if the weather is hot.

Saturday, June 20

Yellowwood Lake Shelter, in the Yellowwood State Forest

Saturday, July 11

Karst Farm Park, a Monroe County park near the fairgrounds

Saturday, Aug. 8

Clear Creek Trail, a Bloomington park

Some of you have expressed an interest in the annual West Baden paint-out, sponsored by Indiana Heritage Arts.  It is scheduled Aug. 14 and 15, but these dates may change or the event may be canceled. Watch your email for confirmation of this paint-out.

Please contact Betty Wagoner if you have questions.

Ivy Tech CLL classes

go online this summer

Several BWS members will be teaching virtual classes through Ivy Tech Lifelong Learning this summer. Katya Alexeeva will be offering a beginning oil painting class in June, an intermediate class in July and an advanced class in August. Cassidy Young is teaching Developing Your Perfect Practice starting June 15. Carol Rhodes and Nancy Metz are offering an online edition of Discovering Your MUSEum: Transforming Your Findings into Your Art starting June 18.

See details and register at: https://ivytechbloomington.augusoft.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=1010&.

Check out latest offerings

on BWS Forum section of website

Some highlights from the past several weeks:

In Our Shelter-in-place Artwork:

• Bob Burris posted a colorful and upbeat work called, “Good Morning Sunshine.”
• Andy Roberts has painted a rustic and legendary grocery, Yoho General Store, in Solsberry, Indiana.
• Meri Reinhold posted her studies of ballerinas at the IU Ballet theater during practice in early March.

Under Critiques wanted! Debbie Tocco displayed two of her paintings and would like to get some critiques.

In  Watercolor Book Recommendations, Jeanne Dutton has  a watercolor book recommendation.

Under  Self Portraits at Home, Joanna Samorow-Merzer  has posted her self-portrait.

You can find the forum by going to the website and clicking the Forums tab at the top. Or go directly to the forum at
https://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/forums/

No credentials are needed to view the entries. Please enjoy!
If you want to post, just scroll to the bottom of any conversation and you’ll see where to enter your username and password. Carol Rhodes has sent members login information; if you can’t find yours or if you want to add a topic, contact her. She is also will also glad to help with any issues you have with the forum.

Painting a seascape

with Grant Wood

Grant Wood, BWS associate member in South Africa, has posted a Youtube tutorial on how to paint a seascape.  According to Jeanne Dutton, his technique for capturing the wave movements and spray is amazing.  If you decide to do the tutorial, please send your rendition to info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org so it can be posted on the BWS Facebook page. The link to the YouTube video is

Obituary

Frank Hall

Before former BWS member Frank Hall died in April, he arranged for many of his studio supplies and books to be donated to BWS for its annual table sale. Bess Lee, who knew Frank for many years but especially through his volunteering in one of her kindergarten art classes, wrote a tribute for his funeral home notice. What follows is an excerpt from that tribute:

Frank Hall was a decent, good and witty friend to me. I met Frank in the ’80s when I first moved to Bloomington to attend graduate school…. Our interactions continued over the years: friends in common, some shared interests and then, in 2007, Frank happened upon one of my public school art kindergarten classes (he was a reading volunteer at the school), and he said, “Wow, Bess, you really need some help here!” He then began to volunteer in my art classroom.

He came each week for three different kindergarten classes and did that for the next five years. He was patient, loving, stern, sometimes surly and the kids LOVED him. I am grateful for that time we shared in the public school classroom and later for many dinners with my husband, Joe.

Frank was also an accomplished watercolor and acrylic painter, woodworker, stone carver, linoleum print maker, avid reader, history and news buff, and practicing Zen Buddhist. He was quite an accomplished human although I don’t think he would have categorized himself that way.

Member News

Patricia Coleman has been developing a surface design line on Spoonflower, working mostly with her art and  some of her photographs. This pattern is a repeat of a  watercolor titled “Shadow Crow” and is listed in Designs Not for Sale. The crow from “Shadow Crow” is also used in a black and white repeat in the quilterscomfort_design shop.

This is the link to Patricia’s design shop:

https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/quilterscomfort_?sub_action=shop.

She also has a video of herself sharing fabrics, many of them based on acrylic paintings and pen and ink drawings at https://youtu.be/cG-7HfkDZWw and shares her work on https://instagram.com/patriciaccolemanart.

Suzanne Thorin writes: “During the dark and rainy spring, I painted a Calla Lily (Zantedeschia) because I needed the warm yellows to cheer me up and because Fresh Thyme had one. I used just four colors: Ultramarine Blue (M. Graham), Winsor Lemon (Winsor & Newton), Brilliant Orange (Holbein), and a touch of Permanent Magenta (Winsor & Newton). I have been practicing making my own greens and browns. No more tubes.

Lynne Gilliatt says her latest foray at her art table is cutting up old watercolors and temperas, designing with washi tape on top of the cut up drawings, and making them into hanging birds. She has sold $100 worth, which has gone to a food pantry on South Walnut Street continued by a friend Mary Blizzard. “Paintings cut up into 3d birds look pretty wild,” Lynne said. “You don’t know what you’re going to get at all! I sell them for $5 each, and folks usually buy four at a whack. I attach ribbons inside and to the left side of the wings.  When I goof, they dive-bomb!”

The Indiana Plein Air Painters Association (IPAPA) and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) are sponsoring a joint project to paint registered historic sites in Indiana. About 60 paintings year, starting in October 2020. The show will be in Nashville next spring. Betty Wagoner shares a few of the paintings she has submitted to the project.

Kathy Barton writes: This painting is organized on 9 x 12 Arches hot press paper. The paper is horizontal but the structure is vertical thirds. The reflection of the tree near the middle of the stream and the milky white sky reflected in the water are what drew me to the scene. Paints are mostly Daniel Smith with some Winsor Newton Professional grade colors used as well.  The time was about 9:30 or 10 a.m. The creek is inside Olcott Park in Bloomington, Ind.

Beyond BWS

Aqueous USA 2020, Kentucky Watercolor Society’s national juried competition, will be a virtual show only. The deadline for submitting entries is July 6. For a complete prospectus, go to https://www.kentuckywatercolor society.com/aqueous-usa-2020-prospectus.

Hoosier Art Salon’s 96th Annual Exhibition & Awards will hang at the Indiana State Museum Aug. 29 to Oct. 25. All entries must be submitted online before June 30. Entry instructions and applications are available at https://hoosiersalon.org/96th-annual-exhibition/.

The Watercolor Society of Indiana 2020 Membership Show is now online. Click on the following link to view the show: https://www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org/. Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of the webpage.  There you will be able to view both the membership show and the 2020 James C. Lentz Scholarship Winner.

Calendar

June 2-5 Pick up Month of Chocolate paintings from the Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

June 8 Zoom meeting and program on painting shadows by Cassidy Young

June 20 Paint-out, 10 a.m., Yellowwood Lake Shelter

June 30 Deadline for paying 2020-21 BWS dues

June 30 Deadline for entries to Hoosier Art Salon’s 96^th Annual Exhibition

July 6 Deadline for entries to Kentucky Watercolor Society’s Aqueous 2020

July 11 Paint-out, 10 a.m., Karst Farm Park

July 13 Zoom meeting and Discovering Your MUSEum program by Nancy Metz and Carol Rhodes

Aug. 8 Paint-out, 10 a.m., Clear Creek Trail

Aug. 10 Zoom meeting and Artist Trading Cards program by Joanne Weddle

Make sure you read through to the end for a special collection of paintings and poetry by Jerry Harste.

President’s message

BWS adds program

to May 11 meeting

What’s your idea of a “silver lining?” Reading more? Binge-watching your favorite TV series? Having fewer “gotta go” places and more “free time”? Gardening? Delving into artistic pursuits a bit more? Whatever combination of these things or others might pertain to you, there are definitely reasons that we may benefit from the extra time the coronavirus allows us to spend on things we choose. For BWS members, I hope that artistic pursuits factor into your answer.  

In April we had our first ever BWS Zoom meeting, and I’m happy to say that it went quite well for the 25 members who participated. Our next BWS Zoom meeting is scheduled for May 11 at 6 p.m.  

PLEASE NOTE: To increase our security this time we will have a password which will be needed for both web and phone-in participants. (See the April 29 email from me for detail on those two options.) Phone-in participants will be asked to hold their commentary until the end of each agenda topic when the leader will open the floor for input.

ANOTHER CHANGE: Participants will be muted upon entering to keep noise down. As hostess, I will be glad to acknowledge and unmute a video participant if you will raise your hand (like you’re swearing an oath).

WHAT TO EXPECT AT OUR MEETING: We will announce the results of the voting for our slate of officers. We will NOT video record our business meeting; however, we WILL record the program that follows. What’s the program? Glad you asked! We would like to have a “Show and Tell” with every participant showing a piece of artwork with very brief comments — and I always look forward to interesting, inspiring pieces from everyone!

If you have any questions before then, feel free to contact me by email, text, or phone.

See you soon!

Patty Uffman, BWS President

The enjoyment of travel sketching

by Penny Lulich

I do a lot of travel watercolor painting, and my supplies are few and simple. I use a sketchbook or a block of watercolor paper such as the 5×7 block of cold press by Fabriano Artistic. If I have it with me, I’ll use a larger size block, but that all depends on my mode of transportation. If I am traveling across the U.S. by train, for example, it is much easier to take larger supplies. Oh, and I used to do these types of long distance train trips quite a lot, and was even interviewed in Chicago for an article in “All Aboard Indiana” News Publication, back in 2016 (The article with photos of my “Train Art” is still accessible online). I was just starting out on my watercolor journey, at that point in time, but there was definitely a spark of inspiration that travel ignited in me, and so I have continued to paint wherever I go.

Most recently I spent time in South Africa; starting out in Durban, then traveling to Kwa-Zulu Natal for Safari (Thanks to the auction at the Art of Chocolate event a year ago), and ending in Cape Town. Though our time was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, I was able to get in some quick sketches and have since desired to paint more from home. 

Last year I painted my way across Germany, visiting Munich, Mainz, Koblenz, Hanover, Augsburg, Hamburg, Lubek, and the Baltic Sea. Most of my sketching was done in the evenings at my hotels, from photos I took, but the impressions of places were very fresh in my mind. It seemed very real to me, as if I were set up on the spot of each site I painted. I did have occasion to paint on site once or twice, and one of my paintings was sketched in the garden courtyard at the Le Meridian Hotel in Munich. The Hotel put my painting up on their Instagram site, they liked it so much. 

As far as paint and brushes for my travel sketching, I have created my own palette of 12 Daniel Smith paint colors that I carry in a small metal Schmincke watercolor pan. I use Sterling Edwards brushes: #12 round, #6 rigger, and a #4 round. I have a small collapsible water container, and if I can’t get water, I’ll pull out a water brush that also comes along in my kit. I usually take a ruler, a pencil, and an eraser, too.

Time to pay dues

for 2020-21

You can expect BWS to continue to offer a choice of activities, even while we are physically apart. To stay an active member, all BWS membership fees are due by June 30.

Membership types are:

• Active Member: $35 annual dues for artists living in the local area
• Student Member: $15 annual dues
• Associate Member: $15 annual dues for non-residents
• Family Member: $50 for two persons from the same household
• Patron Member: A patron member makes a monetary contribution to BWS to further the objectives of the organization
• Lifetime Member: a lifetime member makes a $300 contribution to BWS and becomes an active member

You can join online by credit card or PayPal account at http://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/join-bws/

Or you can send a check to Bloomington Watercolor Society, PO Box 5236, Bloomington, IN 47407-5236.

This year, because we know that paying annual dues may be difficult for some, we have established a membership subsidy fund. We want you to keep painting with us! Apply by email to treasurer@bloomingtonwatercolor.org. The deadline to apply is June 15.

BWS “Thinks Big”

during pandemic

The BWS “Think Big” session came together virtually on April 22. Our enthusiastic attendees came up with myriad ideas to stay active during social distancing and beyond.

We decided BWS will hold monthly Zoom meetings, including July and August, for its members. Meetings will begin with a short business update as usual, followed by some sort of a presentation on Zoom.  On May 11 the Zoom business meeting will be followed by a Show and Share program facilitated by Babette Ballinger. During the program, people will be able to share a painting from their cams and make a brief statement about it.

Beyond that, here is a synopsis of how BWS plans to move forward for the coming year:

Spring

Meetings: Business meeting via Zoom and then demonstrations:

May 11: Show and Tell, directed by Babette Ballinger

June 8: Shadows, by Cassidy Young

Note: Business meetings will not be recorded but demonstrations will be, so those who don’t want their headshots recorded will be so advised.

New forum topics for the website:

“Critiques wanted”: Post a painting and ask others to respond to your questions about it.

Recommendations for watercolor books: Post information about your favorite watercolor books, with a brief explanation of their appeal.

Artists in the Garden: This would be like the Garden Walk, but not public. It would be an event just for BWS members to paint. We would pair up willing artists with willing gardeners. The completed artwork could then be displayed in a virtual gallery and proceeds from sales could go to the artist. Another possibility is collecting images for cards that could be sold to raise funds for the garden club or a donation to something like Hoosier Food Bank and to BWS (or possibly to the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington’s Artist COVID-19 support fund).

Summer

Meetings: BWS will not take its usual summer hiatus and instead will continue to meet July and August via Zoom.

July 13: Discovering Your MUSEum, by Nancy Metz and Carol Rhodes

Aug. 10: Artist Trading Cards, by Joanne Weddle

Virtual Workshop for all BWS Members: Details still need to be worked out, but brainstorming yielded the following ideas. BWS could pay a well-known instructor for real-time delivery and/or access to prerecorded material that would be available to all BWS members. It is possible for someone to stream a pre-recorded video over Zoom, so it could be played by a BWS member with the simultaneous participation of the group. A few presentation configurations are possible, depending on what the artist will do and what is best for us, so this is still under discussion. Several artists were mentioned in writing: Eric Rhoades, Carol Carter, Johannes Vloothius, Angela Fehr. We intend to require no fees for our members to attend.

Paint-outs: Betty Wagoner will organize safe-distancing monthly paintouts. She is also keeping a list of those who are willing to organize ad hoc small-group paint-outs

Fall

Meetings will continue on the second Monday of each month. The board will determine whether they will be in-person or on Zoom, based on health recommendations.

Sept. 14: Show and Share, led by Kitty Garlock

Oct. 12: Printing Cards, by Joanne Shank

Nov. 9: Indiana Greens, by Kathy Barton

BWS Gallery show: Depending on health recommendations, the show will be virtual if not in person. Cassidy Young can provide assistance to make it virtual, including sales methods.

Table Sale: We continue to amass pre-owned art materials for the September table sale to benefit the scholarship fund. Depending on health recommendations, the sale can be either an in-person event or as  an online auction on our website.

Holiday party: Whatever the health recommendations, we can offer a holiday activity. Cassidy Young offers to coordinate artist trading cards. If we are unable to have the party in person, Cassidy can collect cards and redistribute them so all participants will be able to get others’ painted cards. For those of you unfamiliar with artist trading cards, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist_trading_cards#Commercialization  (To display the cards you can buy easels, mats with one or many openings, and frames. To store and send them you can get envelopes and plastic sleeves. Do a web search for “artist trading card display.”)

Spring 2021

Major Workshop or Field Trip: We all agreed that, despite uncertainty, we should start to plan for in-person events in the spring of 2021. Discussions in our Zoom meeting were not able to drill down to specifics but we have two ideas for that: a field trip and a multi-day workshop. It would be good to gather ideas soon and start to inquire about the mechanisms needed to get them going. Jo Weddle can help with those long-term aspirations, and Carol Rhodes will recruit another couple of people who would like to brainstorm about them. An in-person workshop without booked rooms but covering four or five days, featuring more than one presenter, is a suggestion. 

Other suggestions we didn’t have time to discuss:

Postcards to raise money for charitable purposes: Every member would create a design for a postcard.  Postcards could be for Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, thank you, get well, etc.  Everybody could just choose a theme for one of occasions.  We could advertise in Bloom Magazine, or website, or other places that BWS offers watercolor postcards.

Show with a Bloomington Rural/Urban theme: Artists would choose a subject that either reflects some aspect of downtown “urban” Bloomington or the rural life that surrounds us. This could be either two exhibits–one rural, one urban–or combined into one show. A virtual gallery show is also possible.

June 20

BWS to paint out

at Yellowwood

BWS painters plan to gather at the Yellowwood Lake Shelter at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 20. However, given the uncertainty of the status of the coronavirus pandemic, this paint-out may be cancelled. Please look for an announcement in the June Brushstrokes and the BWS email.

More paint-outs for the 2020 season will be scheduled if and when it is determined group outings are safe. In the meantime, there are places where it is safe for two or three people to gather for

painting, providing social distancing and other safety guidelines are observed. The city parks are open. If you need assistance finding a painting partner or suggestions where to paint, please contact Betty Wagoner.

ArtBeat goes online

ArtBeat, a community arts center in College Mall, has just announced it is opening an online shop for its artists. Go to https://artbeatbloomington.square.site/. Several BWS members exhibit their work at ArtBeat, which is an endeavor of the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington.

Member News

Lynne Gilliatt was featured in the “attractions” section of the Sunday, May 3, Herald-Times.

Last month’s Brushstrokes announced the death of BWS member Deloris Schneider, who had served as BWS workshop chair and as hospitality chair. At the time, we did not have a photo of Deloris, a problem since resolved by Carla Hedges.

Beyond BWS

The Kentucky Watercolor Society has announced July 6 as the deadline for entries to Aqueous 2020, its national juried show. A link to the prospectus can be found at https://www.kentuckywatercolorsociety.com/.

Calendar

May 11 Zoom meeting and Show and Share program

June 8 Zoom meeting and Interpreting Shadows program by Cassidy Young

June 20 Paint-out, 10 a.m., aint-out, 10 a.m., Yellowwood Lake Shelter

June 30 Deadline for paying 2020-21 BWS dues

July 6 Deadline for entries to Kentucky Watercolor Society’s Aqueous

July 13 Zoom meeting and Discovering Your MUSEum program by Nancy Metz and Carol Rhodes

Aug. 10 Zoom meeting and Artist Trading Cards program by Joanne Weddle

Sept. 14 Meeting and Show and Share program with Kitty Garlock

Oct. 12 Meeting and Printing Cards program by Joanne Shank

Nov. 9 Meeting and Indiana Greens program by Kathy Barton

Responding to the Covid Pandemic

by Jerry Harste

One of the advantages of a Shelter-in-Place order is that art thrives when given attention. In response to the current crisis I started a series on paintings focused on the various emotions I experienced during this pandemic — everything from isolation to new appreciation for first responders, to feelings of vulnerability, then dread, and finally to surprise by neighborly small acts of kindness.

Sheltering in Place.
Glass buildings,
reflecting sunlight and other weather.
Becoming a mere artifact of our Shelter-in-Place time
as well as a catalog of iives
not quite being fully lived.

Ode to First Responders.
To first responders,
as they suffer privately,
our deepest thanks.

Vulnerability.
Even under a microscope,
the softer side
of Covid-19
looks dangerous.

The Angel of Death.
With cold stares,
undeterred by our symbols of Comfort and Liberty,
She waits.

Jerry’s Lot in Life.
Looking out my window,
watching corona colors,
iridescent,
redolent of soap bubbles 
and peacock tails.
Passing me by.
Trapped, like a rat.
and chicken to boot.

Covid-19 Fever.
Temporal disintegration.
Symptoms:
At sea; 
Difficulty in retaining, 
coordinating,
and serially indexing Time,
when not governed 
by the emotions we feel
from the traditions
we are used
to performing.

Effects:  
Shaky as a Fiddler on a Roof ;
Often reduced to wondering,
“What day of the week this is?,
“Does anyone know the time?”,
“When does it end?”

Remembering:
When we could go shopping
on Saturday morning at the Farmers’ Market;
When we could chat with neighbors
as they too shopped;
When we could grab a blueberry muffin
and cup of coffee on the fly;
When we could take a pie home
to enjoy later;
When we had fresh vegetables
and a bouquet of flowers
to see us through the week.
The good old days;
no equivalents in this new normal.

Grandmother.

Grandmother has concerns:
About the pandemic;
About her Granddaughter;
About the future;
About how to hold things together.

Two ax-handles wide in the hips.
Yet, always,
that steading force.

Love in the Time of Covid-19.
In honor of a young husband and wife team
who in our darkest hour
renewed our hope in the present.
Pray all they touch
miraculously heal
as has my soul.

Artistic Optimism.

For artists
this can be a time to grow;
to use all those bright colors;
to try out new ways of being;
and, through it all,
to become a head taller
than one’ s current self.

Too many people
— myself included —
edit dreams
even before
we allow ourselves
to have them.

Message from BWS president

BWS will meet online

April 13 via ZOOM

Our April meeting is still on!  In this technological age that we’re living in, we can meet by video!  To join us at 6 p.m. April 13 by ZOOM Meeting, please download ZOOM as shown on the URL address that will be sent to you via email Monday afternoon. That email will provide complete instructions for joining the meeting.

PLEASE NOTE:  We are limited to 40 minutes, so this will be our business meeting portion.

Please stay well by following the recommended protocols so familiar to all of us by now, and we will hope to meet in person again soon.  Keep painting!

Patty Uffman, BWS President

While we are at home…

By Carol Rhodes

 The board discussed canceling the April meeting, but as we chatted over email, I began to feel that we urgently need to give our BWS members the best experience possible during these lonely and trying times.  Rather than being forlorn about having to forgo our meetings and paintouts, it seemed a good opportunity to think of creative ways to keep in touch. In my mind, whatever modes we would choose should allow people to show their artwork and chat back and forth, much like we do in our meetings. With that suggestion, a few of us swapped ideas about it. We decided that email would be too messy. We rejected Facebook because of its intensely public nature, the extra burden of monitoring it, and the way our Facebook site is set up to be used more as a public-facing space than an internal communication device.

Having narrowed our options, Charlotte Griffin and I chose a forum tool for the bloomingtonwatercolor.org website. We worked on it for about three days. Initially, we tested a forum that would allow self-registration, making it easier for our members. However, within minutes of activating our test forum, several fake “bots” with random names had already registered for it. Consequently, we closed it to open registration and instead created a list of all our members with unique usernames and passwords.

 Our forum is now active and is called “While we are at home… .” The welcome page is at http://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/forums/.  I recommend that everyone view and participate in the discussions. Our members have posted some interesting things there!

 We already have a demonstration on painting shadows ready to launch in place of our April face-to-face meeting. It is hidden for now, so keep an eye out for it. Patty Uffman has personally followed along with the tutorial and will post her results. We hope to see more of our members’ work!

 Current forum topics are:

• Watercolor Inspiration and Instruction: Curated by Nancy Metz, a watercolor magazine consisting of articles from various watercolor publications.
• Making Color Sing: Mouse Power and Luminous Grays: Created by Barbara Coffman, an engaging exploration into mixing grays based on Jeanne Dobie’s book. Plenty of pictures.
• Our Shelter-in-place Artwork: Members’ snapshots of their recent painting and card-making projects.
• The Views from Our Windows: Intriguing pictures, including a charming snapshot of the expansive windows in Sara Steffey McQueen’s studio.
• Pickup and Delivery Tips for Essential and Nonessential Things: Tips for surviving daily life in these challenging times.
• Our Five Favorite Things about Sheltering in Place: Jammies? Late mornings? More time to paint? Share your favorites!
• Paint Mixtures for Skin Colors: Members suggestions for skin color formulas.
• Virtual Meeting Refreshments!: Share your favorite recipes.
• Virtual Art Museums: Enjoy the world’s art museums from the comfort of your home.
• And more! Check it out.

 All members can reply to any topic or create a new one.

 A message was sent to everyone March 21 with their personal login information, and another will be sent before the April meeting. Watch for it. If you want to log in now, please email info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org and you will receive your login info within a day.

In memoriam

Deloris Schneider

Longtime BWS member Deloris Schneider died March 12 at the Hospice House in Bloomington.  She had taken ill very suddenly the week before. She passed away peacefully shortly after her watercolor friend, Mary Feeny, was there to visit her.

Deloris had served as BWS workshop chair and as hospitality chair.

April paint-out canceled

The April 11 wildflower walk and paint-out with Gillian Harris has
been canceled.  The paint-out will be rescheduled in the spring of
2021.  The June Garden Walk event has been canceled as well. A decision regarding the May 16 paint-out and a possible June paint-out is pending and will be announced around the end of April.

Share your art with

Hoosier Music Corporation

Necessity IS the mother of invention, and local artists are demonstrating how to stay connected in these isolating times.

Amy Dunn, who has attended some paint-outs and portrait sessions in the past, extends an invitation to BWS members to join with the Hoosier Music Corporation to make some art for fun.

“The rules are very simple, Amy says. “ Make a piece of art that surrounds the theme of the month and submit it via email, and I will share it along with the music that Hoosier songwriters share for the month.” This month’s theme is dreams. Any kind of art is welcome. Send a digital file to aminkone@gmail.com.

This project has been going on for six months and is a “really nice way to come together as Hoosiers for music, and now for art, too,” Amy says.

Member News

Bess Lee sent this painting she did in a workshop last month. She wrote: “The interesting thing about this painting is a little baffling to me. When I am not caring much about the outcome of a painting, I tend to be looser, more experimental and often have better results than usual.  This was one of those times …it was basically a demonstration for a class. When I am very consciously trying, a formality kicks in with my brushstrokes that feels inhibiting. I guess with practice this eventually recedes a bit. Just a learner’s share…

Joanne Shank‘s exhibit “Taking Flight,” at By Hand gallery was scheduled for the month of April, but has been postponed to August with opening reception Aug. 7.

Calendar

April 13 BWS monthly meeting via ZOOM, 6 p.m.

May 8 Deadline for receipt of digital entries to 2020 Juried Exhibit of the Watercolor Society of Indiana. Prospectus is at https://www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org/juried-exhibit/.

Editor’s Note:

As co-editors of Brushstrokes, Jerry Harste and I strive to keep our personal opinions out of this newsletter, but I feel compelled to stray a bit from that tenet. After all, we are in uncharted territory these days. BWS is rising to the occasion, and our leadership deserves praise. Rather than cancel everything, the board with Carol Rhodes and Charlotte Griffin has worked to create ways that BWS members can continue to support each other. In very short order, they figured out how to deliver the April meeting content online: the business meeting via Zoom and the program on painting shadows via a video on the While We Are at Home… forum. And more is to come. These creative individuals are looking at other ways we can stay connected through BWS. THANK YOU.

March 9th, 6 p.m., St. Marks

BWS Monthly Meeting.

Program: Capturing the Night

Presenter: Kitty Garlock

     Painting pictures with extreme darks and lights can be a challenge but once you see the tricks that make them work they can become fascinating attention-getters.  Depth of color layers and untouched whites can make all the difference, so the March program will cover pointers and techniques for painting dark or nighttime scenes. Carol Rhodes’ February lesson on negative painting was a great precursor for this presentation!

       Bring your usual materials but if you have masking tape and/or masking fluid be sure to bring it along — it can make things so much easier for some pictures.  Do not feel you need to have a big piece of paper —  it can be 6” x 9” or smaller. It would be helpful, however, to have your paper mounted on something you can easily tilt.

Inside BWS

A big thanks to Carol Rhodes for her presentation on negative painting at the February meeting of the BWS. Carol stressed the importance of knowing how to define objects and create effects by using dark areas in works. “Negative painting refers to creating positive elements by painting the empty spaces around or within them.”

Jill Olshavsky reported that the February 15 “Rural Landscape Workshop” presented by Judy Mudd of Louisville filled with 20 watercolorists. “Judy explained that she almost always uses an architectural element for her focal point, and she provided a photo of a Southern Indiana barn scene.  Beginning with a value sketch, Judy showed us how to alter a photo so that lines such as those from a building, hillside, fence line, cloud, shadow, etc. lead the viewer’s eye to the focal point. Mixing colors on the canvas rather than on her palette and keeping the paper wet allows Judy to keep a neutral tone in the landscape (she uses purple and Daniel Smith’s neutral tint) and soft edges. Many were able to complete their painting and a round of applause thanked Judy for her demonstrations and individual guidance.”

When asked how the The Art of Chocolate went, Jeanne Dutton’s response was “It was just super, as always. Robin Edmundson, Charlotte Griffin, and I painted greeting cards and sold sixteen!  The Art of Chocolate recipe book was a success and sold well, too.  Several chefs and businesses have made commitments for next year’s Volume II.

All the recipe paintings were on display next to where Nancy Metz was painting at her easel.  Her tulip painting drew much attention and sold at the end of the night.

Thank you, over and over, to the artists who illustrated the recipes, entered the exhibit, and participated at the keynote event February 22.  BWS, you can be proud of your contribution to a very worthy cause!” (See Photo Gallery for other pictures taken at the Art of Chocolate)

2nd Reception:”We Paint the Sweet Life”

Here is a reminder from Jeanne Dutton: “John La Bella at Gallery Mortgage provided refreshments for the Opening Reception, so it’s our turn now.  Can you bring something?  We are still celebrating the Month of Chocolate, but anything you’d like to bring is fine.

AND…those beautiful recipe books illustrated by your fellow BWS artists arrived and will be there for sale!  $15 each and please plan to pay by cash or check made to LIFEDesigns (…that works best).  We hope to have a Square available for credit card use, but not positive about that.

If you illustrated a recipe and have not received your complimentary copy, I can bring it to the reception or to the BWS meeting the following Monday.  Again, please let me know.

Once again, THANK YOU for supporting LIFEDesigns and the valuable work it does in the community for folks with disabilities.  YOU are helping BWS make a difference in people’s lives.”

Below: Maura Frances Stanton’s painting “Sweet Reflections,” was used on the cover of the program for the Art of Chocolate gala dinner. 

Betty Wagoner wrote to say that more information about Paint Outs was coming as we get closer to actual dates, but for now, she wanted to remind everyone to save these dates:

• April 11 — Wild Flower Walk and Paint Out in McCormick’s Creek State Park with Gillian Harris, botanical artist.
• May 16 — Yellowwood Lake Shelter Paint Out.
• June 6-7 — Bloomington Garden Club Walk Paint Out.

Congratulations are in order for Sara Steffey McQueen who had her painting “Beebalm” juried into AquaAventure 2020. Her painting will be available for viewing from March 12 to April 24 at the LexArts/Art Place Gallery, 161 North Mill Street, Lexington, KY 40507.

Stephen Edwards sent in a note saying he received an Honorable Mention at the Pennsylvania Watercolor Societies Member Show for his painting titled “Forgotten Holiday”. Congratulation Stephen.

Talk about have a Good Day!!! Andy Roberts reported that he sold 8 paintings at the Sanibel Captiva Art Fair on February 23th. Congratulations Andy!!!

Joanne Shank wrote to say that she has a show coming up at By Hand Gallery during the month of April.  Opening reception is April 3rd. 

 Also Joanne Shank’s painting “Bee Sweet” won Best of Show at the Art of Chocolate. Congratulations Joanne. Jerome Harste’s painting “Some Pig” received Honorable Mention.

Outside BWS

The New Harmony Hoosier Salon Gallery announced that the First Blush of Spring Art Show will be held April 15-18. The show is advertised as “your opportunity to view and purchase art by Hoosier artists.” The New Harmony Gallery is located at 507 Church Street in New Harmony, Indiana.

In addition, Linda Volz, the curator of the New Harmony Salon, announced that there will be TWO opportunities for artists to sell art during this year’s Hoosier Salon Paint Out on April 17 & 18. The first is the traditional Ribeyre Center Art Sale will take place on April 18 from 9 am–2 pm. The second, and new this year is a Pop-Up Gallerie Sale to be held at The Ribeyre Annex on April 17-18. The Ribeyre Center is located at the corner of Main and Tavern Streets, under the clock tower. For details on scheduled events at the Hoosier Salon Art Show and/or how to participate in one or both of these events go to https://hoosiersalon.org/2019-first-brush-of-spring-workshops.

The 2020 Will Vawter Juried Art Show will run for April 10-25 at the Hancock Art Gallery, 20 North State Street, Greenfield, Indiana 46140. Any and all artists residing in Indiana are encouraged to submit entries by March 21st. Awards and prizes will be given at the Opening Reception on April 10 from 7 to 9 p.m.

LOOKING FOR AN NEW EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITY? WHY NOT CONSIDER THE TWITTER ART EXHIBIT 2020?

• Artists worldwide donate postcard-sized, handmade original artwork to the TAE. All submission are published in an Annual coffee-table sized art book.
• TwitterArtExhibit organizes a local, physical showcasing of the art.
• The public is invited to buy the art at an affordable, flat price.

The deadline for a donation of a small, postcard sized, piece of art to this year’s #TAE 2020 is March 15. In order to enter participants must register at http://twitterartexhibit.org/registration/.

This year’s physical show will be from April 3 to April 15 at the William H. Miller Studies & Fine Art at 714 Main Street, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. All proceeds will go to the children and adults with disabilities. Typically between 700 and 1,000 artists worldwide participate. All work is available for sale at the studio and online starting April 7.

Cate Whetzel, Program Developer for the T. C. Steele State Historic Site announced that on Sun. April 19, T. C. Steele State Historic Site will waive admission for artists participating in the Arts of the Earth Day Program! To participate, artists who wish to work outdoors will be set up and working between 11 am and 4 pm on the day of the program.

“We hope to have artists of all mediums! Arts of the Earth is a program to welcome spring and the return of warm weather, and to offer our visitors an inspiring day outdoors. We will have an Arts in the Parks workshop in the Large Studio, as well as the installation of an outdoor sculpture beside the Visitor Center, and we hope to have a variety of artists working around the site, who are willing to chat with interested visitors. Although we cannot guarantee it, it’s likely the daffodils will be in bloom! If an artist wishes to participate in Arts of the Earth Day and would like to be painting or working outdoors between 11am-4pm on April 19^th, they should email me (museumcommunication@indianamuseum.org) with their name and estimated timeframe at the site (ex. Cate Whetzel, 12-3 p.m.), and I’ll create a guest list of participating artists for free admission at the Visitor Center.”

Registration for The 2020 Watercolor Society of Indiana Membership Exhibit is now open and will close on May 1. All WSI members who have paid 2019 membership dues may register ONE watermedia painting for exhibition. Paintings exhibited in prior juried shows ARE eligible.  Paintings MAY be for sale. 

The Membership Exhibit will open on Saturday May 9 at the Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis. On Saturday, May 16, 2020 WSI invites you to join fellow members to view the exhibit, attend a buffet lunch in McFarland Hall, enjoy the 2020 James C. Lentz scholarship presentation as well as view the 2020 WSI juried exhibit entries.   The show will close Saturday July 6.  Painting pick-up is Saturday, July 11.

Special Report

Must See Show in Columbus—A LOOK AT RELATIVE ART by Kitty Garlock

“At our last meeting members encouraged people to go see Bob Burris’s show in Columbus IN, so Kathy and Craig Barton joined me in a jaunt eastward to see what it was all about. We were not disappointed!   “A Look at Relative Art” is the name Bob has given the art exhibit now showing on two floors at The Columbus Learning Center through May 7th (open M-F 7 a.m.- 6 p.m.; Sat. appointments only; Closed Sun.).  It is actually, as the title implies, a family show consisting of three Burris artists and two generations…him, his wife, and their daughter.  Bob’s works, as most of you know, are often beautiful architectural w atercolors with delightful detail and light washes. The works you may not be familiar with is by his wife and daughter.  

His daughter Lydia, besides teaching art at Ivy Tech, keeps a studio in Indianapolis, where she creates images with “the sense of dreams: a place of ambiguity, emotion, and surrealism.”  Her work can take you to places of fantasy with whimsy or deep into other places with some more intense colors and images.

Bob says his wife Catherine “had a passion for patterns, texture, hidden detail, and unexpected imagery” and she demonstrates it in beautiful, provocative, fascinating ways.  Catherine, who passed in 2011, had been known to say “Look closer and listen to the story” and her work makes you do just that!  It really grabbed me and made me concentrate on what I was seeing and made me try to figure out how she did it!  She worked with collages and layer-over-layer of extremely fine acrylic washes and tissue paper and cloth.  Anything was grist for the mill actually, from old medical journals to door frames to doll heads.  Then they were melded together in with all kinds of medium from wire and screws to pastels and paints.  The show has a wonderful variety of her pieces.

Altogether this talented family makes a show that says to me “Stunning!  A must see and well worth a trip to Columbus!”  If you haven’t gone yet be sure you do, otherwise, you can’t really “listen to the story”! Don’t miss it!”

Photo Gallery

Calendar

March 9 — BWS Meeting, 6 pm St. Marks

March 12 — First day to see Sara Steffey McQueen’s painting at the Art Place Galley in Lexington.

March 17 — St. Patrick’s Day. Paint a shamrock and give it to a friend.

March 21 — Entries due to the 2020 Will Vawter Juried Art Show.

April 3 — Joanne Shank’s show opens at By Hand Gallery.

April 11 — Wild Flower Walk and Paint Out in McCormick’s Creek State Park with Gillian Harris, botanical artist

April 15-18 — The First Blush of Spring Art Show opens at the New Harmony Hoosier Salon.

April 17-18 — Hoosier Salon Paint Out and Art Sale, New Harmony

April 19 — T. C. Steele’s Earth Day Celebration. Free admission to artists who wish to paint during the event.

May 1 — Last day to register for the WSI Membership Show.

May 7 – Last day to see Bob Burris Show at the Columbus Learning Center.

May 9 – WSI Membership Show Opens.

May 16 — Yellowwood Lake Shelter Paint Out

June 6-7 — Bloomington Garden Club Walk Paint Out

February’s Program

“Carol Rhodes on Negative Painting”

February 10, 6 p.m.

Location: St. Mark’s United Methodist Church

An important component of a watercolorist’s skill set is knowing how to define objects and effect depth by carefully creating dark areas in their works. The term “negative painting” refers to creating positive elements by painting the empty spaces around or within them. In tutorial fashion, we will paint a simple wooded scene from a light foreground of trees that progressively disappear into darkness.

Bring your favorite supplies consisting of a small piece of watercolor paper (9”x12” max), paints in any colors ranging from light to dark, brushes, and simple painting implements (e.g., mixing surfaces, water container and towels), plus a pencil with eraser.

OPENING RECEPTION

“WE PAINT…the Sweet Life!”

Life is sweet and you’ve painted it!  Come to the Opening Reception during Gallery Walk on Friday, February 7, 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage.

At 6 p.m. the Best of Show and Runner Up will be announced, along with the winner of the Art of Chocolate tickets.  Cellist Jewel Evans will provide the music, and the Vault will bring the refreshments.

The Art of Chocolate Recipe Book will be available for purchase, illustrated by your fellow BWS artists, as will the Month of Chocolate tee shirts, design by BWS member Jo Weddle.

All sales benefit LIFEDesigns as it provides services for people with disabilities in our community  (100% of recipe book sales and tee shirts; 50% of art sales, with 50% to the artist.).

The Vault is located at 121 E 6th Street in downtown Bloomington, and gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.  The show will run February 7 to March 27.

Congratulations to Debra Rush and Jo Weddle. Their artwork graces the cover of the Art of Chocolate Recipe Book and the Art of Chocolate 2020 T-Shirt. Thanks also to Jeanne Dutton for all of her work coordinating and organizing BWS’s contribution to this event.

AND…below you will find a photo of the e-invite to send and share.  Thanks to Cassidy Young for helping with publicity and designing the invitation, and thanks to Suzanne Thorin and Penny Lulich for the images of their paintings. 

CALLING ALL MEMBERS!

CALLING ALL MEMBERS!  You are needed! Do you enjoy your BWS membership? Have you ever thought, “Maybe I should help out a little more?” Then serving a short stint on the Nominating Committee would be a great choice! You would work with two other BWS members to ensure a smooth transition into next year (2020-21).

Based on interests expressed by our members, the Nominating Committee fills vacancies on the board (three this year) and presents a slate to the membership to vote to accept.

Curious?  Unclear?  Possibly interested?  Whatever the case, our president (Patty Uffman) would love to hear from you and would be happy to share more information.  Please call or email her.
THANK YOU!

Member News

Cassidy Young announced that she is hosting a tour of the remodeled IU Eskenazi Museum for the 2nd of February. She promises to send out more information as that date nears.

Cassidy also announced that she will be teaching a six-week art class on figure drawing at the Waldron this spring.

We also have to thank Cassidy for her excellent January presentation for the Watercolor Society. After the meeting she emailed members copies of the pictures and handouts she used in her presentation. If you still need copies, let Cassidy know.

Kathy Barton has two pieces at “The Art Guild of Brown County” on 48 S. Van Buren Street in Nashville.  The reception for the show will be held on February 22nd from 2 to 4 p.m. with an award ceremony at 3 p.m. The show is sponsored by the Indiana Heritage Arts for Patrons of the Guild and Young Artists. (See Photo Gallery for a glimpse at one of the painting she has in the show. You’ll have to go to the show itself to see the other one!

Lynne Gilliat’s show at the is La Vie en Rose Cafe in Bloomington located on West 6th Street is closing on February 6th. Do try to make it if you haven’t already done so. (See the Photo Gallery for some excellent examples of Lynn’s artistic style.)

Andy Roberts is participating in the Sanibel-Captiva Art League Annual at the Community House at Sanibel Island, Florida this February 23rd. The show is a members only show featuring approximately 40 mixed-media artists. Alas, Andy did not send pictures.

Mary Sue Schwab recently sold her painting entitled “Blushing Peony” at the ‘Good Ole’ Summertime Show at the Hoosier Art Salon in New Harmony. As Mary Sue was picking up her painting, a couple asked about purchasing it.  Congratulations Mary Sue on proving that it is never too late for good things to happen and why it is worth the effort to share our passion with the public. Below are two additional paintings that Mary Sue sold over Christmas. Thanks for inspiring us!

Bob Buriss sent pictures of the Buriss Family Show at the Learning Center in Columbus, Indiana. (See Photo Gallery). A Family Show!!! Congratulations Bob.

Betty Wagoner will exhibit her watercolors at the Meadowood Gallery during the month of February..  The reception will be from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on February 7th. (See the Photo Gallery for photos of Betty’s solo school at the United Unitarian Church which closes at the end of January. If you didn’t catch the UU Show, the Meadowood show is your new opportunity to admire Betty’s work.

Kristi Lindberg’s painting for We Paint the Sweet Life is a Chocolotl! She explains, “The Chocolotl is a rare, distant cousin of the Axoloti. It is made of chocolate and inhabit regions where cacao grows in abundance. Adults mature to be approximately one inch in height and weigh just a few ounces. It is rumored to be good luck to kiss a Chocolti.”

Outside BWS

Owen County Art Guild (OCAG), located in Spencer, is looking for new teachers and new mediums for their weekly calendar of classes.  It would be a volunteer activity, two hours per week.  Flexible time slots are available.

Currently, these classes are scheduled: Tuesday, Writing (4 p.m.); Wednesday, Oil Painting (1-4 p.m.); Thursday, Watercolor (11-1 p.m.); Thursday, Drawing (1-3 p.m.) and Saturday, Drawing (Midday).

If you are interested in offering a class, please contact Leslie Gamboa at 812-879-4858.

The Art Alliance of Greater Bloomington has opened ArtBeat at the Mall. Member can show their work as well as use the facility to teach classes and conduct workshops. The fee, for members, is $40 per month and a willingness to volunteer four hours. Contact info@bloomingtonarts.org for more information. One of the up-coming “craft” events that might interest young and old is a Valentine Card Making Session (Feb. 5th from 11 – 12:15 p.m.; repeated on Feb. 8th from 10 — 11:00 a.m.). There is a $15 dollar fee to attend.

  February 5, Wednesday at 11:15am-12:15pm,  or•  February 8, Saturday at 10-11 am Valentine Card Making — I’ll share some of my favorite paper crafting techniques. Lots of fun and all materials supplied. $15

Watercolor Society of Indiana 2020 Waycross Spring Awakening Retreat featuring Stephen Edwards is scheduled for April 24-26. Early registration is encouraged.

Just a heads up!!! Between March 1 and May 8 the WSI will be accepting entries for its 2020 Juried Watercolor Show.

WSI also announced that Keiko Tanabe is conducting a 3-day workshop entitled “Capture Light and Atmosphere in Watercolor” July 8-10 at the Somerse Lakes Clubhouse.

Contact the Watercolor Society of Indiana website (www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org) for more information on all, or any, of these events.

The Springfield Art Museum in Springfield, Missouri is pleased to announce a call for entries for Watercolor USA 2020, highlighting the very best in contemporary American watermedia. This year’s exhibit will run from June 6 through August 16, 2020. The deadline to apply is February 26, 2020. More information can be found at https://www.sgfmuseum.org/246/Watercolor-USA

The Friends of TC Steele State Historic Site will be holding their Annual Members Art Show from February 8 to February 22, 2020.  This year the show will be held at the Brown County Art Gallery (BCAG). The BCAG is located at the corner of Artist Dr & Main St in Nashville, Indiana and the show will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays; 12 to 5 pm on Sundays

The New Harmony Hoosier Art Salon is hosting its Annual Invitational Exhibit of Hoosier Art to Salon members. Drop off is Feb. 4. The show, entitled “Watercolor Invitational” will run February 8 to March 28. Mary Sue Schwab is looking for people who plan to exhibit as she wishes to set up a car-pool.

Photo Gallery

February’s Calendar

Feb. 2 — Tour the IU Eskenazi Museum with Cassidy Young..

Feb. 4 — Deadline for drop-off of painting for Hossier Salon’s “Watercolor Invitational.”

Feb. 6 –– Last day to see Lynn Giliatt’s show.

Feb. 7 — Opening Reception: “We Paint the Sweet Life!” 5-8 p.m.

Feb. 7. — Betty Wagoner’s Show opens at Meadowood, Reception 4:30 to 6.

Feb. 8 –– T. C. Steel Show Opens

Feb. 10 — BWS Meeting, 6 pm. St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.

Feb. 22 — Hoosier Heritage Reception, 2 to 4 p.m.

Feb. 26 — Deadline to register to exhibit at the Springfield, Missouri, Watercolor USA 2020 Show.

Feb. 29 — If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to start painting your entry to the 2020 WSI Juried Show. Submissions begin on March 1st.

The Bloomington Herald-Times featured paintings by Bloomington Watercolor Society members in its Sunday, Dec. 29, edition.

Jan. 13 meeting

BWS opens new year studying

color palettes of master artists

Cassidy Young will present a lesson about the influential and interesting color palettes of master artists at the Jan. 13 BWS meeting. It will include a little about color theory, a little pigment history and some time to play, explore, mix, and catalog various color palettes for yourself. Various watercolor paints will be available for people to try, and some watercolor paper and supplies will be on hand. Bring your own water, brushes, a pencil and a sketchbook to capture the most detail.

Cassidy’s program will follow the business meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. at St. Mark’s Methodist Church, 100 State Road 46, Bloomington. 

“We Paint…the Sweet Life!”

to benefit LIFEDesigns

What makes your life sweet?  Family?  Friends?  A walk in the woods?  Chocolate?  Whatever it is, paint it and enter the first BWS exhibit of the year!

Best of Show receives $100 plus two tickets (Value $150) to the Art of Chocolate gala Feb. 22.  Second Place receives two tickets, and participating artists will have their names entered into a drawing to win the remaining two tickets.

The new Art of Chocolate Cookbook, featuring illustrations by BWS artists and recipes from area chefs, will be available for purchase.   

Jewel Evans, cellist, will provide entertainment at the Opening Reception during Gallery Walk Friday, Feb. 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. with awards at 6 p.m.

All sales benefit LIFEDesigns to support people with disabilities in south central Indiana, including housing, education and employment.

The Show Prospectus is available at http://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/The-Sweet-Life-Prospectus-2.pdf

Feb. 15

Judy Mudd to present workshop

on painting rural landscapes

The focus of Judy Mudd’s one-day workshop will be creating an artistic vision of a countryside scene including atmosphere, design and composition. Judy, a Louisville artist and teacher, has taught previous BWS workshops that have been very popular.

She is a juried member of the Southern Watercolor Society, Kentucky Watercolor Society, the Kentucky Arts Council’s Kentucky Crafted Program, Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen, and is an associate member of the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society and the Portrait Society of America. She was named KWS Master Artist of the Year for 2019.

The Feb. 15 workshop runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a 45-minute lunch break. The workshop will be at the First Christian Church at the corner of Kirkwood Avenue and Washington Street in Bloomington.

BWS will fill the workshop with its members first, and if slots are available after Jan. 25, registration will open to non-members. The deadline for registering is Feb. 1. The cost is $89 for members and $99 for non-members.

You can register online at http://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/member-shows-workshops/judy-mudd-workshop-2/workshop-registration/. Or you can register by sending your check made out to Bloomington Watercolor Society to PO Box 5236, Bloomington, IN 47404-5236. Please email info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org to let organizers know the check is coming and to reserve your spot.

Value does all the work;

color gets the credit

by Claude Cookman

It’s all Betty Wagoner’s fault.

Last July, Betty emailed me an announcement for David Lobenberg’s “California Vibe” workshop, scheduled for October in New Braunfels, Texas.

One look at his online portfolio and I was hooked.

After retiring from teaching at Sacramento City College, Lobenberg now spreads his vision of using color expressively, instead of descriptively, in workshops across the country. His mantra: If you get the values right, you can use any colors and the results will be convincing.

There is a continuum in watercolor: At one end, artists attempt to control the results with careful planning and the application of numerous glazes. In the middle are those who try to make watercolors behave like oil paint. At the other extreme are the “fast and loose” artists like Jean Haines, Ron Ranson, Grant Woods and Hazel Soan.

Their guiding principle: Put it down once and leave it alone. DON’T FIDDLE! Their method: Work wet into wet, letting the colors blend and dance. Their philosophy: Left alone, watercolors can accomplish much, much more than we can control.

Although not at the extreme, Lobenberg works close to this end of the continuum. He does use layers, but typically no more than three: the first to establish large fields of color, the second and third to add and refine facial features. The results are vibrant color abstractions, rigorous value patterns, texture you can touch and enough details and edges to make his portraits coalesce.

Hosting our workshop was the New Braunfels Art League. Bloomington is rich in privately owned galleries. Following a different model, artists in this San Antonio suburb formed a cooperative in the mid 1960s. They raised funds to buy an old store on the main street, renovating it into a downstairs gallery and upstairs studios and classrooms. Collectively, the members control their own exhibitions and sales.

From Oct. 3 through 6, more than a dozen of us gathered in one of those classrooms to learn from Lobenberg. The first morning he showed early watercolor portraits that established his mastery of traditional techniques. But copying reality grew boring, he said. He wanted to paint feelings. He eclipsed this early work with the explosive color of his “California Vibe” portraits.

Lobenberg defended his practice of starting these portraits by tracing photographs. Acknowledging that many artists consider tracing to be cheating, he argued it is necessary to skip the drawing step in order to get directly to the painting. He insisted his painting method constitutes art in itself, that it is difficult and deserves to be valued for its own sake.

That was the end of lecturing. For the next three and a half days, we painted. With energetic body movement, humorous patter and bravura brush work, Lobenberg practiced a simple but effective pedagogy: He demonstrated techniques and then talked us through them step by step.

He also used an innovation I have adopted in my own work — working on two paintings of the same subject simultaneously. This allowed time for the first to dry while we worked on the second. More important, it let us apply lessons we learned from the first painting — including mistakes we wanted to correct — to the second. Over time, Lobenberg paints numerous variations of the same face, each color scheme reflecting that day’s emotional response.

For each portrait Lobenberg gave us a black and white photograph and an enlarged line drawing of the face and head including shadow, middle tone and highlight areas. Solid lines indicated hard edges; dotted, soft edges. We taped these stencils to windows and used soft pencils to trace them onto half sheets (15 X 22 inches) of hot-pressed watercolor paper. Most of these lines disappeared under the paint, but he was not reluctant to let some show.

We slathered on the paint, putting it down quickly with as few strokes as possible, then letting the colors run and blend. This phase required fluid washes, great restraint and large brushes. Lobenberg used a type of mop called a cat’s tongue. I worked with a two-inch Hake. After the first washes dried, we switched to smaller brushes to add features, hair and other details.

Paint consistency was extremely important. Lobenberg taught a scale of five levels of paint: tea, milk, cream, butter and straight from the tube. Knowing where and when to use which consistency was one of the workshop’s major skills.

For accents, he occasionally used touches of gouache.

At times, he had us follow his color scheme—he loved opera pink and lemon yellow. Other times, he encouraged us to find our own. Crucial throughout was matching our colors to the values of the black and white photographs. He frequently repeated the old truism: “Value does all the work. Color gets the credit.”

Texture was another major element. We played with dry-brush, drips and runs, flinging paint, negative painting, back runs and taping areas to reserve whites. Lobenberg’s favorite texture technique involved stencils and Mr. Clean Original Magic Erasers. He taped a plastic stencil over a dense area of color, wet a spongy eraser and dabbed away the color. He varied this from a light lifting to rubbing back the area almost to paper-white. He noted the stencils could also be used additively by painting, instead of erasing, through them.

It is impossible to condense a four-day workshop into a brief article, but my classmates and I came away highly motivated with many new skills. My personal goal was to gain the methods and experience to work more loosely. Through Lobenberg’s teaching, I believe I succeeded.

I blame it on Betty Wagoner.

________________________________

If Lobenberg’s “California Vibe” approach interests you, explore the following URLs:

• His portrait gallery: https://lobenbergart.com/collections/60305

• An hour-and-a-half demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZlvkJpP–I

• His 2020 workshop schedule: https://lobenbergart.com/workshops

Member News

The Burris family art show, “A Look at Relative Art …,” will hang at the Columbus Learning Center that connects IUPUC and Ivy Tech Jan. 24 through May 8. This is a collaborative family exhibit by Robert, Catherine and Lydia Burris. The Opening Reception will be Friday, Jan. 24 5:30 to 8 at the Columbus Learning Center, 4555 Central Ave., Columbus.

Betty Wagoner will have a show of her work at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2120 N. Fee Lane, Bloomington, from Jan. 3 through Jan. 30. The hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and Sundays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.  On weekdays, enter through the office entrance on the west side of the church.

Lynne Gilliatt‘s show at La Vie en Rose has been extended for the month of January. The address is 402-1/2 W Sixth St., Bloomington. It is the neon pink restaurant next to Bloomingfoods.

Beyond BWS

Kentucky Watercolor Society has announced the schedule for its 2020 AquaVenture, a regional juried exhibit open to members and non-members of of KWS who are 18 or older.

Artists may enter up to 3 paintings, but only one painting per artist will be accepted. Images must be submitted digitally by email to AquaVenture Chairperson, Trudi Bellou, at tfb344@aol.com or by mailing a CD to Trudi Bellou, 4308 Alton Rd., Louisville, KY 40207.

The entry deadline is Feb. 1 with notifications sent by Feb. 15. Accepted artworks must be delivered March 2 between noon and 2 p.m. or by appointment. The show will hang March 12- April 24 at LexArts/Arts Place Gallery, 161 N. Mill St., Lexington, KY.

For the complete prospectus and entry forms and fees, visit https://www.kentuckywatercolorsociety.com/page-2020-aquaventure-prospectus.

Calendar

Jan. 13, BWS meeting, St. Mark’s Methodist Church, 100 State Road 46, Bloomington (Program: Exploring the Favorite Colors Used by Master Painters by Cassidy Young)

Jan. 29, 10 a.m. to noon, Deliver “We Paint … the Sweet Life!” paintings to The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E. Sixth St., #1, Bloomington

Feb. 1, Deadline to register for Judy Mudd workshop

Feb. 1, Entry deadline for AquaVenture

Feb. 7, 5 to 8 p.m., Opening Reception for “We Paint … The Sweet Life!” The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E. Sixth St., Bloomington

Feb. 10, BWS meeting, St. Mark’s Methodist Church, 100 State Road 46, Bloomington (Program: Negative Painting by Carol Rhodes)

Feb. 15, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Judy Mudd Workshop, First Christian Church, Kirkwood and Washington, Bloomington.

March 6, 5 to 8 p.m., Second Reception for “We Paint … The Sweet Life!” The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E. Sixth St., Bloomington

March 9, BWS meeting, St. Mark’s Methodist Church, 100 State Road 46, Bloomington (Program: Capturing Night Landscapes by Kitty Garlock)

March 27, 10 to noon, pick up art from “We Paint … The Sweet Life!” at The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E. Sixth St., Bloomington

Holiday Party

Holiday Party 2019
Winter Wonderland Holiday Party Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Joanne Weddle announced that the BWS Christmas Party will occur on December 4, with a social beginning at 6:00 and dinner being served at 6:30.pm.

Location: Meadowood Retirement Center, Terrace Room

Cost per person $24 (Vegan meals are available upon request. Contact Jo Weddle. Payment is required via either PayPal or check to our treasurer, Carol Rhodes.

Reservations required by midnight. Wednesday, November 27.

Paintings – This year we are doing “Bring One-Take One.”  If you wish to participate, bring a painting – 8 x 10 (inside measurement) matted – not framed.  All who bring a painting will take another member’s painting home.

BWS News

Special thanks to Suzanne Thorin for her presentation on painting botanicals at the November meeting.

Painting Christmas Cards in the Mall

It is time to sign up for painting Christmas Cards in the Mall. Jessica McKinney and Jerry Harste are coordinating this year’s effort under the tutleage of Jeanne Dutton. As Visiting Artists of The Venue, BWS will have a table where members can paint on Saturdays (11pm to 3pm) and Sundays (12pm to 2pm) from November 16 through December 22. Two volunteers are needed to cover each time slot.

Holiday Sale at Hinkle Garton Farmstead

Kathy Barton announced that the Farmstead is having their Holiday Sale on December 7th. If you participated in the May paint out or are participating in Babette Ballinger’s Painted Square Project you are invited to exhibit other small paintings. 

We Paint…..The Sweet Life!

Jennie Dutton announced that the theme of the Annual Month of Chocolate is “We Paint…the Sweet Life!” BWS has been invited to submit painting that represent various interpretation of this theme.

 Exhibit dates are January 30–March 26 at The Vault (121 E. 6th Street). The Opening Reception is Friday, February 7, 5-8 p.m.  A second reception will be held March 6, All sales benefit LIFEDesigns and the artist.

Plan now to enjoy the sweet life at the annual Month of Chocolate exhibit. While you are there discover the Art of Chocolate Cookbook, featuring elegant and specialty recipes from local chefs with illustrations by BWS artists.

For further information, email Jeanne Ellen Dutton at Chocolate@BloomingtonWatercolor.org or past into your browser
http://bloomingtonwatercolor.org/home/activities/member-shows-workshops/show-rules/ A tab on this page will lead you to the prospectus.

Herald Times to Feature Winter Themed Art

Cassidy Young announced that BWS members have the opportunity to share their art in an upcoming issue of the Herald Times. Jennifer Tilly, the Herald Times Arts Editor, is looking for winter scenes.

The deadline is December 11. Send your images to  jtilley@heraldt.com. Images should be high-resolution (200 dpi) and appropriate for publication in a family orientated publication.

For more information please contact: Jennifer Tilley, Herald Times Arts Editor, Herald-Times, 812-331-4377.

Announcements

**Lynne Gilliatt will hang her second show (this one featuring portrait paintings) at La Vie en Rose from December 5th through the end of the month. (FYI: The La Vie en Rose is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.)

**For the next couple of weeks, Robin Edmundson has a display of her winter-themed artwork in the window of the Darn Good Group (107 N. College Ave). See her painting “Geese Flying” in the Picture Gallery (below).

**Babette Ballinger sent in a picture of the piece of art Don Geyra painted on site at the Casa fund drive which was later very successfully auctioned off. See photo in the Picture Gallery below.

**Barbara Edmonds wrote to say that she is preparing a spreadsheet of businesses in the Bloomington area that members use to reproduce their art. Using the guidelines below to frame your response, please send your answers directly to her via email at ammasav@gmail.com.

What business do you send your original art to reproduce for greeting cards, postcards and Giclee prints?

Barbara specified that it would be helpful to have the following info on each business. 

1. Best quality
2. Best cost for quantity th 
3. Archival quality 
4. Website 
5. Brick and mortar address 
6. Phone contact 
7. Average turn around time 
8. Shipping costs 

Beyond BWS

**Nancy Mullins, the Executive Director of the Watercolor Society of Indiana, announced that WSI will be hosting a three day workshop with Keiko Tanabe from July 8-10. If interested, see http://www.watercolorsocietyofindiana.org/ for details on how to reserve one of the 20 slots available.

**Daven Anderson, the Executive Director of the Missouri Watercolor Society, announced that MOWS is now accepting entries for its 2019 International Watercolor Show. See the http://wwwmowsart.com for details. The deadline for entries is December 13.

**John O’Conner, President of the Watercolor Society of Indiana, announced that Stephen Edwards would be the guest artist at WSI”s Waycross Spring Awakening Retreat, April 24-26. See http:/watercolorsocietyofindiana.org/ for more details.

Picture Gallery

**Photographs compliments of Kathy Barton, Claude Cookman, Jessica McKinney, Nancy Metz, Jerome Harste, Robin Edmundson, Babette Ballinger.

IMO

What is your favorite art book?

“As early childhood educators and in the hopes that members will consider buying a book to give to their grandchildren this Christmas, we’re going to recommend some of our very favorite children’s art books::

The Black Book of Colors, story and illustrations by Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria; translated by Elisa Amado.

The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse, story and illustrations by Eric Carle.

The Visitor, story and illustrations by Antje Damm.

Ish, story and illustrations by Peter H. Reyonds.

I’ve Painted Everything, story and pictures by Scott Magoon.

Artful Reading, story and illustrations by Bob Raczka.

No One Saw, story and illustrations by Bob Raczka.

Unlikely Pairs , story and illustrations by Bob Raczka.

A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pinnin story by Jen Bryant; illustrations by Melissa Sweet.

The Noisy Paintbox, story by Barb Rosenstock; illustrations by Mary Grandpre.

Beautiful Oops, story and illustrations! by Barnet Saltzberg.”

— Nina Ost & Jerome Harste

“An Island Garden by Celia Thaxter with pictures and illuminations by Childe Hassam (1988) is my answer to the question on my favorite watercolor book.  The interior rooms complete with furniture and flowers surprised and inspired me. I wanted to step in and make it my home.” — Lynn Gilliat

January’s IMO:

How do you mix skin tones? Caucasian, African-American, Indian, First Nations? What colors do you choose? –– Barbara Coffman

Our November 11th Meeting

November’s Meeting will be held at St. Mark’s Church on the Hwy’s 45/46 Bypass from 6 to 8 pm on November 11. Our November meeting will be our last one of the year so don’t miss the chance to come and dip into some warm autumn colors as Suzanne Thorin presents “Painting Botanical:  Fall Squash.”  

Here is how Suzanne Thorin describes the program she is going to present:  “The colors and textures of fall squash invite us to paint them!  Their colors include creamy whites, dark greens, browns, and oranges.  Many squash have bumps and imperfections that are so rewarding to paint.   I will show you examples that botanical artists have created.  You can add to these by painting your squash at the November BWS meeting.”

“Bring a squash, tracing paper, pencil, eraser, hot press paper (preferably), paint and smallish brushes.   Or, choose a squash from those I will have at the meeting.  I will also have hot press paper and tracing paper if you need them.”

Thanks to Jane Matranga

 Jane Matranga gave a presentation entitled Painting Pets in Watercolor at our October meeting.  As the attached pictures show, her presentation was well received and well attended.  In addition to painting on paper, Jane also paints on silk and then uses her paintings to make designer tops and other garments. See her website janematranga.com for more information.

In Memory: Sandra L. Nitti

Sandra L. Nitti, an active member of BWS and Upland Plein Air, passed away on September 27, 2019.  Her signature style involved a watercolor base overlaid with pastels.  She will be dearly missed.  Condolences can be shared online with her family at www.nealandsummers.com or sent to her stepdaughter, Marla Nitti at 8552 St. Louis, Skokie, IL 60076.

BWS News

2019 Membership Show. Thanks to everyone who is participating in our Membership Show at the Untitled Light Gallery at the Mill. Thirty two artists have 42 paintings on show. More than 115 people came to celebrate the opening. Special thanks to Jessica McKinney for taking on the job of Chair of our shows this year. The show closes on October 29. If you haven’t gone to see it, now is the time!

Christmas Card Painting at the Mall.  Gabe Coleman has given his approval for BWS to paint Christmas cards as part of the Venue’s kiosk at the mall. Jessica McKinney and Jerry Harste have agreed to co-chair this event under the tutelage of Jeanne Dutton, last year’s chair.  Jeanne emphasized that our official title is “Visiting Guest Artists of the Venue” and it is important that we act that way, running all requests and transactions through whomever is working the kiosk for the Venue.  Needless to say, the chairs need your help, so please sign up to volunteer for a time slot.  Two artists are needed for each day. Here are the weekends: November 16 & 17, November 23 & 24, November 30 & December 1, December 7 & 8, December 14 & 15, December 21 & 22.  At our November meeting the chairs will pass a sheet around for people to schedule themselves as visiting artists.  If you didn’t volunteer last year, you should volunteer this year. It is really fun. Jessica McKinney said it was talking to the artists at the mall last year that convinced her to join BWS. You will hear more about this opportunity by email at the November meeting.

The Art of Chocolate Cookbook. BWS and LIFEDesigns is collaborating on a project to create an Art of Chocolate Cookbook. The deadline is December 1. Recipes have been gathered from area chefs and restaurants.  Photos have been submitted and BWS has been invited to illustrate the recipes!

If you want to participate let Jeanne Dutton know and she’ll send you a photo and a copy of a recipe.  You can either paint from the photo or make the recipe and paint your final product. 

For information and prospectus about the cookbook, go here.

Joanne Weddle deserves our congratulations for her winning design for LIFEDesigns‘ 2020 Month of Chocolate!  Jo’s entry for the annual tee shirt contest earned her a prize of $100. Tee shirt sales support programs for people with disabilities, including employment and housing.  Watch for the shirts next February, along with the Art of Chocolate cookbooks.

Upland Plein Air Paint Outs.  Upland has been busy trying to capture Bloomington’s charming neighborhoods in full color this fall. Hopefully, Brown County State Park will be in peak color October 29 as Upland has a paint out scheduled for Tuesday afternoon from 1 pm to 6 pm. Participants should check in at Ogle Lake and then head out to the spot they wish to paint. 

Upland Plein Air wants to remind members that they are more than welcome to participate.  Kitty Garlock hosted a West Side Paint Out for Upland on October 15.  Claude Cookman hosted a Dunn Street Paint Out for Upland on October 22. Jerry Harste is hosting the Brown County State Part Paint Out.  If you don’t have a park pass, catch a ride with someone who does.  This paint out was initially scheduled for October 15 but rescheduled to catch the colors at their peak.  Don’t miss this opportunity to paint Indiana in full color!

Hinkle-Garton Farmstead is providing BWS members an opportunity to paint this fall.  BWS members can paint topics of their choice between now and November 7. Call the BRI administrative phone 812-890-8550 and let them know when you will be on the grounds and what time you expect to leave.  Finished works can be displayed at the Farmstead for the Hinkle-Garton Open Day and Holiday Sale in November.   BRI Event Coordinator and volunteer, LeAnn Luce, can be contacted at Lucebella50@gmail.com  or 812-890-8550 about drop off for  the November 7^th Holiday Show. 

The Venue’s Ekphrasis Features Three BWS Artists. Three Bloomington Watercolor Society artists were a featured part of The Venue’s fourth Ekphrasis event, held Sunday, October 20 at the gallery on Grant Street. 

A Greek word. ekphrasis, refers to a literary description of a visual art. In current practice, poets write poems inspired by a painting, drawing, sculpture or other work of art.

Among the eight artists celebrated were Robin Edmundson, Deborah Rush and Joanne Shank. 

Nathan Schmidt compared Robin’s landscape to Frank Lloyd Wright’s prairie-style homes. The Bloomington poet, who goes by the name PDVNCH, used double and triple entendres to evoke Deborah’s painting of a teenager in goth. Joanne’s husband Ray Zdonek wrote about her painting.

Henry Leck is having an art show entitled La Vie en Rose.  The opening reception will be on Friday, November 1, from 4 to 5 pm at 402 W. 6^th St., Bloomington.  As a painter Henry says, “most of my professional growth has come from my association with fellow Bloomington artists.  I am an active member of the Upland Plein Air and the Bloomington Watercolor Society.  I also have taken advantage of regular portrait group paintings and live model sessions at Indiana University.  What began as a hobby of artistic expression has become a passion.  I love to paint realistically, but am growing as an impressionistic landscape artist.”

Candace Bailey had a piece accepted into the 121st Annual Exhibition at the Richmond Art Museum. Candace’s painting entitled “Kirkwood Hall #2” will be on display at the museum from November 7 through January 4. Congratulations Candace!!

Beyond BWS

The Indianapolis Children’s  Museum.  The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has implemented a Visiting Artist Program and is recruiting exceptional visual artists with ties to Indiana who have demonstrated interest and experience in exhibiting, presenting and teaching about their art with children and families. Successful applicants will receive an honorarium and reimbursement for reasonable expenses.  Deadline for applications is December 1 (see the museum’s website for further details).

Endwright Center has published their schedule for November Art Classes.  Registration is through the Area 10 Agency on Aging in Ellettsville:  812-876-3383, extension 515, or on their website at www.area10agency.org. Their Eastside location is in College Mall, close to Macy’s.  This trial programming on the Eastside is currently only available for 2019, to be reevaluated next year based on interest level and resources. The location has a receptionist to assist those interested in joining.  Program Director is Na’Kia Jones.

Michael’s Art Store is is now carrying Daniel Smith watercolor tubes.  Interested members can also get a set of Daniel Smith watercolor tubes with Daniel Smith ground, and, if they have a coupon, it’s 20% off the original price.

Stephen Edwards Workshop.  The Watercolor Society of Indiana will hold its 2020 Spring Retreat at Waycross Camp and Conference Center in Brown County on April 24-26. featuring Stephen Edwards.  Stephen will be sharing what he has learned from British masters and his own experience regarding how to maintain vibrant colors while keeping composition, design, value, and mood in the forefront.  WSI’s retreat is a time to learn, relax, and meet fellow Indiana artists. Enrollment information is available on the WSI website.

Dongfeng Li Workshop.  The Morehead Art Guild of Kentucky is hosting a two-day workshop, entitled “Painting the Landscape in Watercolor” on November 1 & 2 (Laughlin Building, Room 202, 230 University Blvd., Morehead, KY).  Dongfeng Li will show participants how to paint easy landscapes that capture the atmosphere of the scene. The class will cover four topics — skies, backgrounds, foregrounds, trees. The class teaches important brush and application techniques in addition how to mix colors effectively. For more information, contact Kathy McGrath (606-776-4415 or ckmcgrath67@gmail.com).

Missouri Watercolor Society.  Executive Director David Anderson sent a note saying that the 2019 MOWS International Show is open for entries to members as well as those wishing to join the organization.  The deadline is December 13.  This year’s paintings will be hung in either the Barcelona Academy of Art or the European Museum of Contemporary Art.  MOWS is hoping to give out $25,000 in awards with the Best of Show receiving $3500.  Tom Schaller will select 150 paintings for the show, double the amount usually selected. The prospectus as to how to enter painting in this show can be found on the MOWS website.

**Photographs in the November issue of Brushstrokes courtesy of Candace Bailey, Babette Ballinger, Kathleen Barton, Claude Cookman, Jeanne Dutton, Charlotte Griffin, Henry Leck, Nancy Metz, and Susan Thorin.

IMO

The question for this month was “What Is Your Favorite Art Book?”

“My favorite artist is Ray Campbell Smith. While all of his books are good, my favorite is Watercolour Work-Out. I especially like his use of subtle earth tones in his landscape paintings.”  — Candace Bailey

“If not a certified addict, I am certainly a frequent flyer in the 751.422 shelves of the Monroe County Public Library. Few are the watercolor books I have not checked out at least once. Currently, I’m reading Ron Ranson On Skies: Techniques in Watercolour and Other Media. Ranson is in the fast-and-loose school and a fierce proponent of the “don’t fiddle” dictum. In his books and videos, he advocates and demonstrates using the hake brush, whose width and soft bristles make fussy, detailed work impossible.” – Claude Cookman

“If you want to learn about painting on silk, I have two favorites:  The Complete Book of Silk Painting (Diane Tuckman & Jan Janus) and Silk Painting: The Artisit’s Guide to Gutta and Wax Resist Techniques (Susan Louise Moyer).”— Jane Matranga

“My favorite books are really novels.  The first is called Museum by Danny Danziger.  It is a book about what goes on behind the scenes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  It contains over 50 interviews with people who work there – from waiters to curators.  My second recommendation is The Art Forger by Barbara Shapiro.  After a huge art heist in Boston, a struggling young artist learns there is more to this crime than meets the eye.  I would love it if everyone would put these two books on your reading list and share what you thought about them in the next Newsletter.  I’m hoping we can start a BWS Book Club.”— Candace Bailey

Next Month’s IMO

Candace Bailey has a DVD copy o the movie Maudie.  Set in Nova Scotia, staring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawks, the movie is based on a true story of a woman with severe arthritis who is hired as a housekeeper by a reclusive fishmonger and becomes a folk artist.  If you haven’t seen it, put it on your Must See list.  If you do not have access to Netflix or some other type of streaming device, Kathy is willing to lend you her DVD. After you watch it, send us your thoughts. Maudie will be the topic of our next IMO.

Oct. 2

BWS Member Show Drop Off

Artwork for the 2019 BWS Member Show, “We Paint … the Past, Present, and for the Future,” must be delivered Oct. 2 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Untitled Light at the Mill (642 N. Madison St., Bloomington, IN 47404). Members can stop by any time within those two hours to drop off their artwork, make three labels for their pieces, and sign a release form. 

Any member unable to make it during those hours should find a friend to drop off the paintings. Jessica McKinney, show chair, says all who have given their intent to show two paintings will be able to do so.

The Member Show Opening  Reception will be during First Friday Oct. 4 from 5 to 8 p.m. Come out to the Untitled Light Gallery at the Mill to view member artwork and have a good time! Bring friends.

BWS Paintout Finale

Festival on Fairfax

All Saints Orthodox Christian Church

6004 S. Fairfax Rd.

Saturday, Oct. 5

Painters will meet in the parking lot at 10 a.m., and the Festival activities, music and food will open at 11 a.m. Priest Father Peter will give the BWS group a tour of the inside of the church. The church property offers many pretty painting locations, including flooded limestone quarries, ruins, forest, and a building. For more information, contact program chair Katya Alexeeva. You may also be interested in checking the festival website https://www.allsaintsbloomington.org/festival-on-fairfax/.

Oct. 14 meeting

Double feature: Show and Share

plus Pet Portraits

This month’s meeting will follow a slightly altered schedule in an effort to include the Show and Share program from the September meeting, which had to be canceled. Those who wish to share their artwork from the summer and to view what others have done are welcome to come any time after 5 p.m.

Following the 6 p.m. business meeting, Jane Matranga will present a lesson on painting animals in watercolor working from photographs . She will show pictures of pets and other animals she has painted and describe the process and techniques she uses, including laying in an underwash, negative painting, and drybrush.

Please bring a photo of a pet to paint, watercolors, paper, and a pencil or colored pencil for sketching and mapping lights and darks.

Presidential Message    

by Patty Uffman

With our first meeting of the year delayed until October, BWS may be off to a slow start, but we are definitely off and running!  The opening reception for our Membership Show Oct. 4 will be history by the time we hold our upcoming meeting. And, of course, more activities are on the horizon.  You can be sure that if you miss one event, another will be around the corner!  

You may notice that some members active in plein air painting are MIA.  Life constantly offers us choices, and we all prioritize our time — meaning it’s hard to do everything all the time.  We know that our friends who are remaining solely in the plein air group will continue to enjoy the camaraderie and the chance to use other media.  On the other side of the equation, for those of us in BWS who want to continue pursuing plein air or to see what it’s about, we have formed another group, simply called “The Paint-Out Group.”  Betty Wagoner, one of our signature members, is leading this effort.  You’ll hear more about what’s in store soon, but with the thought of allowing more members to participate, paint-outs are being planned for Saturdays, starting next year.

Thanks again to Jerry Harste for teaming up with Nancy Metz to become co-editor or Brushstrokes!  What a goldmine of information comes our way every month!  Please don’t expect us to repeat the information at our business meetings because we have pledged to do our best to keep them succinct and on target.

Our officers and committee members are a dedicated group, and I would like to thank all of them for unselfishly volunteering their time and energy.  To our entire membership, we’re so glad to be experiencing another year of creativity together!  Let’s enjoy it!

In memoriam

Sande Nitti

BWS and Upland are saddened by the unexpected death of Sande Nitti the last week of September. She hosted many Upland paintouts and had agreed to co-chair BWS’s Paintout Group with Betty Wagoner. Sande created beautiful paintings and friendships. She will be missed.

Member News

Joanne Shank is now exhibiting her paintings at the Hoosier Artist Gallery, 45 S. Jefferson St., Nashville, IN, where Carolyn Rogers Richard is also a member and exhibits her work. 

BWS swept the watercolor awards at the 2019 T.C. Steele Great Outdoor Art Contest. Jacki Frey won 1st, Andy Roberts placed 2nd, Bob Burris got 3rd, and Betty Wagoner received an honorable mention. 

MarySue and Bill Schwab invites everyone to the opening of their art show Friday, Oct. 4,  to 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, 2120 N. Fee Lane, Bloomington. Come for wine and refreshments. The show features a variety of work, and the reception will include a question-and-answer session with the artists. The show will be up all of October.

The Venue has selected Rose Brenner to participate in Ekphrasis IV. She will choose one of her paintings to display in the show, and The Venue will invite a group of talented poets, each of whom will select one painting to inspire their writing a poem. The selected painters and their paired poets will be divided into two groups. On two Sundays, Oct. 6 and Oct. 20, at 5:30 p.m., at The Venue, half of the selected artists will present their paintings with an explanation of the paintings’ inspiration, and the paired poets will read their poems and explain what about the paintings inspired their poem. The public will be invited and refreshments will be served.

Lynne Gilliatt‘s Side Door Studio group is having a show at Bloomington Playwrights Project during the month of October.  This work includes watercolor, tempera, encaustic, and pastel.  Bloomington Playwrights Project is located at 107 W, Ninth St., Bloomington.. At least six of her group will be showing their work. There is also a textile artist showing her work.

MarySue Schwab received an honorable mention for her oil painting, “Secluded Pool” at the Hoosier Salon Gallery in New Harmony. The show hangs until Oct. 6.

Several BWS members exhibited work at the Mitchell Persimmon Festival Art Exhibit. Meri Reinhold placed 2nd for “Blue Dream” and Rose Brenner received honorable mention for “Abstract Peonies” in the Abstract/Non-objective/Fantasy division.  Honorable mentions in the Landscapes & Waterscapes division went to Linda Endris for “Open Spaces” and to Nancy Metz for “Cannon Beach.”

Beyond BWS

Former member Susan Williams tipped us off to an online course offered by the Cornell Bird Lab that might interest several of our members. Don’t be fooled by the title; the course is not limited to birds. Here is the link: https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/product/nature-journaling-and-field-sketching/  

IU’s Eskenazi Museum of Art will celebrate its reopening after a multi-year renovation with Museum Fest that starts Nov. 7. The public is invited to explore seven galleries of art, including new works; a new art-making studio; and new Centers for Education, Conservation, and Prints, Drawings, and Photographs from 4 to 8 p.m.   Guided tours will be given Nov. 8, 9, and 10.

IMO

Social media users recognize IMO as an abbreviation for “In My Opinion,” and each month we close by giving you the chance to share your opinion on a specific question.

Question for November Brushstrokes:

What is your favorite book about watercolor? Please identify the title and author and explain why you think it is so good.

Send your 1- to 3-sentence response to Jerry Harste by Oct. 21. Please use IMO as the subject line of your email.

September 9 Meeting

After a summer hiatus, Bloomington Watercolor Society resumes its monthly meetings Monday, Sept. 9. Members are asked to bring paintings they have worked on this summer for a “Show and Share” session. 

The business meeting will start promptly at 6 p.m. with a refreshment break scheduled about 6:45 p.m. The “Show and Share” program will follow refreshments at 7 p.m.

The meeting is a St. Mark’s United Methodist Church on the bypass at 100 N. State Rd. 46, Bloomington.

Learning from others by sharing what we love is what BWS is all about so:

Remember to bring your paintings!!

BWS News

Presidential Update.  Patty Uffman reports “GOOD NEWS!”   Things are definitely moving in the right direction! These are some of the reasons we are kicking off this year on a good note:

·       St. Mark’s has renewed our meeting space free of charge.

·       Jo Weddle has confirmed a complete year of diverse programming.

·       We have a new Plein Air Committee:  Sande Nitti and Betty Wagoner have agreed to combine their talents to form the committee, which Sande will chair.

·       Kathy Truelove-Barton has been named the ad hoc chair of the BWS “Painting Space Search Committee” looking for a place for members to go to paint together.  

·       Steve Dawson has extended an open invitation for BWS to have a paint out at his place. 

Hinkle-Garton Farmstead Picnic Pickup.  For those of you who participated in the Hinkle Farmstead Paint Out pickup will be on Wednesday September 4th between 10 a.m. and 1 p. m. Bloomington Restorations Incorporated (BRI) will be furnishing a meat and cheese tray. Participants are invited to bring a favorite side dish and gather for a pot luck lunch at the same time. 

The Farmstead board is pleased with how successful the 2019 Hinkle-Garton paint out and open houses went. As a result BWS has been invited to paint on the farmstead through the fall season and consider having another show in the fall 2020. To paint on the grounds, call the number for BRI (812-336-0909) and leave a message for LeAnn or Steve.  The areas around the hoop houses are off limits, but the houses, barns, and gardens are available. The large old maple trees near the house should be particularly beautiful this fall.

T-Shirt Design Contest.  Deadline is September 6.  The Month of Chocolate is February 2020.  LIFEDesigns, in collaboration with the Bloomington Watercolor Society, is sponsoring a tee shirt design contest with a prize of $100 and, of course, a free tee shirt.  This contest is open to everyone.  (See lifedesign/t-shirt contest for more information).

Membership Show.  This year’s BWS Membership Show will be held at the Untitled Light Gallery at the Mill (642 N Madison St., Bloomington). The reception will be on October 4 from 5-8 p.m. More details to follow. Jessica McKinney, our Membership Show Chair, needs 13 volunteers to help with the drop off, reception, and pick up of paintings. 

Beyond BWS: September Opportunities

T.C.Steele, Indiana’s oldest plein air painting competition will be held at the T.C. Steele Historic Site (4220 T.C. Steele Rd., Nashville), September 14, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Early bird registration ends August 31 but artists can register for the event even on the day of the competition. Categories for kids 12 and under, teens, and adults, will be judged beginning at 2 p.m. with awards announced beginning at 3:15 p.m.  First place and People’s Choice winners will be on display at Brown County Art Guild following the competition until September 30.  (For more information go to https//tcsteele.org).

Paint Columbus is a two-day event being held on Saturday and Sunday, September 21 & 22.  Artists are invited to paint the iconic town.  On Sunday at 3 p.m. all works will be exhibited, judged, and awards given at The Commons at 300 Washington St.  At 4 p.m. work will be available for purchase to the viewing public.  Paint Columbus is free and all skill levels are welcome. Artists can register by email: Janek@c21breeden.com.

Mallow Run Winery is continuing its Artist Series Wine Label Competition.  Entries are now being accepted for the 2019 release! The deadline for submissions is Monday, September 30. The Artist Series Wine Label project features a special wine released each year featuring label artwork from an Indiana artist that is chosen from submissions. A portion of the proceeds from sales of this release will be donated to promote the Center Grove Arts Foundation and the Johnson County Community Foundation Mural Project. The winning artist will be celebrated in a reception at The Sycamore at Mallow Run in November, and the wine will be released to the public just in time for holiday celebrations. (For more information see https://mallowrun.com/artist-series/).

Persimmon Festival Art Show.  Artists are invited to enter up to three paintings ($5 per painting as an entry fee) in the Mitchell Persimmon Festival which takes place on September 24 at the Mitchell Community Public Library (8th and Main). Artists must be 18 or older and must be current or former residents of Indiana. Paintings must be ready for hanging. No saw-tooth hangers are allowed.  Ribbons and cash prizes in five categories will be given.

Membership News

 Candi Bailey was juried into the Anderson Museum of Art Figures of Speech Show with a painting entitled “Black Sheep of the Family.”  Candi was also awarded 2^ndplace for her painting “B-town Authors” at the Venue’s Art & Soul of Bloomington Exhibit. BWS has a total of 12 entries in the show, 3 of which won recognition.

Meri Reinhold’s painting entitled “Buddy Guy Plays the Blues” was juried into the 2019 Watercolor Society of Indiana Exhibition now showing until September 25 at the IMA at Newfields.

Robin Edmundson hopes to see you at her solo show entitled “Not Far Afield” being held at The Vault at Gallery Mortgage (121 E 6^thSt., Bloomington).  Her show runs from October 1-29 with an opening reception on Friday, October 4, 5-8 p.m.  

Lynne Gilliat shared her summer. “In May I went to Romania. I had a showing of my temperas and pastels at La Vie en Rose upon my return. The next month I showed the same show at the Unitarian Universalist church.  I’m now working on making figurative studies over old watercolors. It’s working out well. I enjoy Claude Cookman’s portrait group and am experimenting with drawing and painting in tempera whole figures as well as portraits.  I am excited to paint from my Romanian photos next!”

Nina Ost reported that she is still in Florida but will return to Bloomington around the middle of September.  “Instead of doing pretty but boring paintings of Florida’s flowers, I’ve been taking a phone photo, switching it to negative, printing out a copy, and painting from that. Phone photos are always more vibrant than print outs. Also, I have returned to sketching in shapes with my brush and building the painting rather than first doing a careful drawing. I can often get fixated on the drawing part.”

Claude Cookman served as one of two judges for the Indiana Wildlife Artists’ annual competition on August 24. He and co-judge Leah Frenzel chose first, second and third place winners from more than 80 entries in five categories. The exhibition will hang at Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis, through September. Details at: http://indianawildlifeartists.org/judges.htm]

Deborah Rush currently has a show at the Unitarian Universalistic Church. She invites everyone to come and enjoy her art work.

Kitty Garlock reports that she and Betty Wagoner, Anne-Karine Bley, Henry Leck, Kathy Barton, MarySue Walker, Bill Schwab, Don Geyra, and Rose Brenner participated in the paint-out at the West Baden Resort in French Lick. Each artist painted from one to four pictures of the wonderful sites around the grounds and on the veranda.  The days were gloriously blessed with mild weather and gentle breezes and, with the exception of a threatening thunderstorm that passed rather quickly with only a spit of rain, were perfect for painting. Kitty reports, “A few of us even got a nocturnal painting!”  Saturday at 2:00 pictures were placed on display and voted on by the artists, hotel guests, and site visitors. Inside a wonder repast of hors d’oeuvres and wine were served “It was wonderful!!  And to top it all off, three paintings by our group were sold!!”

Nancy Metz shared what she learned from a week at the Art Institute in Chicago:

Spending five days at the Art Institute of Chicago sounded like a dream: endless hours with some of the world’s best paintings, studio space at the School of the Art Institute, a Blick’s art supply store within walking distance, and a friend and colleague to share it with. 

When Carol Rhodes and I registered for SEEING the Art Institute of Chicago, a summer intensive one-week class offered by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Continuing Education, we were apprehensive about how our drawing skills would measure up against the other students, so we found online videos and met to improve our graphite and charcoal skills.

I learned Carol does beautiful work in black-and-white dry media. She would be observing and placing her marks on the paper, adjusting values as needed, and building toward a finished image. I, on the other hand, would be on my second or third version of our subject as she was finishing her first. I realized then that I habitually hurry through the drawing stage, my goal being to place as few marks as possible so I can get to my paints. 

At that point, I said to myself: “Oh well, who cares if I am the worst in the class. I have paid my money, and I will enjoy this experience.”

As it turned out, the ten students represented a range of artistic abilities and interests, and our instructor, Nancy Murphy Spicer, used her training as an art coach to help each of us shape our Art Institute experience. 

Our mornings started in the studio with Spicer suggesting ways to approach an artwork and different focuses for our sketching. As soon as the museum opened, we had free rein to sketch in the galleries.  After lunch, we worked in the studio on developing our individual projects based on our interests. Spicer and Ishita Dharup, the teaching assistant, would periodically demonstrate charcoal, pen, or graphite techniques that students could join in if they wanted. 

The class wasn’t focused on technique, however. The idea was to tap in to the resources of the Art Institute and build a personal experience from there. I latched on to the idea of finding one painting that captured my attention and visiting it each day. Of course, my first stop was 20^thcentury American paintings where I found works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Charles Demuth, Charles Sheeler, and Edward Hopper. I rounded the corner and there it was: My One – the painting I would visit each day – “Movements” by Marsden Hartley. Colorful shapes spiraled on the canvas, and it looked like rock ‘n’ roll – even though it was created about 40 years before that music genre was invented.

That afternoon, I discussed with Spicer the challenge of creating a back-and-white version of such a colorful painting, and that led us into looking at the painting’s values. The next thing I knew Spicer had me covering a 22 x 30 sheet with solid charcoal and using erasers as my drawing utensils.  The first piece took two days to complete, but after a student critique session, I knew I wanted to see if I could create the negative of the value study I had just done. That took only one day but a lot of concentration. Turning blacks into whites and vice versa is easy; the challenge is in translating those middle values. Having completed two studies using the charcoal erasing technique, I was pretty comfortable in tackling a Marsden Hartley landscape with the same tools. That one took one afternoon. The landscape was necessary to establish how far a departure “Movements” was from the Hartley paintings I was familiar with.

Friday afternoon we hung our show on the studio walls and discussed each other’s works. Spicer had created a community of artists willing to share ideas, suggestions, and materials. Drawings large and small and even a 3-D presentation of classic urns had sprung forth during the week. Some were based on the Art Institute’s collection, some were in-depth studies of a chosen artist, and some were personal subject matter. 

That is the School of the Art Institute of Chicago class in a nutshell. It is only my experience. I know Carol’s journey unfolded differently, and I am confident the other eight students each had unique experiences. 

Here are a few more lessons I learned while roaming the Art Institute:

Lesson #1: Always carry a sketchbook and pencil. In the museum, free yourself from “copying” a work. You can sketch the painting’s composition or make a gestural drawing of a figure in the painting. You can capture the painting’s values.  Make a diagram or notational drawing of the work. Any of these strategies will lead you further into the work. Try to spend 10 to 15 minutes with a piece.

Lesson #2: Don’t be in a hurry. Stand before the work that interests you. What is the affect of the artwork: Do you have an involuntary physical or emotional response? What has the artist made you look at? Move slowly toward it. How does it change as you move closer? 

Lesson #3: Trying a new medium and technique can unlock your creativity. I spent four consecutive afternoons erasing. I was using black instead of colors. I was subtracting instead of adding. For several hours I had to think about everything I was doing. And suddenly, my mind was racing with ideas about how to accomplish the range of values in the piece I was working on, what the next piece would be, and the next one, and so on. 

Lesson #4:  Critiques come in many forms and are often more useful when they have some structure. One of my favorites was a See/Think/Wonder exercise. Each student hung their work from the previous day, and students were given small sheets of paper on which they were to write one See statement, one Think statement, and one Wonder statement for each piece.  Then, each student had a few minutes to talk about their work before receiving their classmates’ critique sheets. Because the comments were written before each artist’s talk and without hearing others’ reactions, the critiques provided a wide range of ideas to think about.

Lesson #5: Drawing is a valuable tool for information gathering. Each visit to Hartley’s “Movements” yielded new information. One day I found circles that had gone unnoticed. Another day revealed proportions were off in my original sketch. Another information gathering operation was my afternoon charcoal-erasing sessions. As the image developed out of the black charcoal, I was constantly adjusting values and, at one point, realized this work I had viewed as a collection of shapes was pretty weak without the carefully placed lines. I plan to adjust my painting process to include some more developed drawings before I start a painting. I might first make a charcoal drawing of my subject matter just to learn about it before I make those sketchy lines on my watercolor paper. 

Lesson #5 is not new. Artists have been doing preliminary drawings forever. But I rarely have done more than a quick thumbnail to work out composition and values, and even those had trailed off in recent years. Of all I learned in my week in Chicago, this is probably the most important. 

Oh yes, I also learned it really isn’t such a good thing to be within walking distance of an art supplies store. Carol and I both had to swear off Blick’s by mid-week.

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If you’re interested in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Continuing Education program, visit continuing studies.saic.edu.

MarySue Schwab reviewed an Honorary Mention for her painting “Secluded Pool” from the Hoosier Salon in New Harmony.

IMO

These questions were posed to BWS members currently teaching courses: 

Question 1:  “What is the best tidbit of advice you give to students in your classes?  

“Let it dry!” Linda Meyer-Wright

 “The first piece of advice that comes to mind, which really seems to click with my high school students, is to avoid falling prey to your mental “autocorrect” while drawing or painting. High school students are very aware of the awkwardness that the autocorrect function can play on their texts and emails and it doesn’t take them long to realize they each have a mental autocorrect too. Their mental autocorrect will start overriding a drawing – telling them what they “should see,” not what they actually see. Doing more work from observation, not labeling objects, and looking for how abstract shapes fit together in a source image all help to develop a larger autocorrect vocabulary and reduce its helpful mistakes. More important is noticing when it kicks in, forgiving yourself when it does, and actively practicing.” Cassidy Young

“ALWAYS do a value painting before doing the completed colored painting.  Make the value painting small, 8 x 10.  Notice the placement of objects in the study. Is there an interesting balance?  If not, change the study. Correct the values. A good study makes a good finished painting. You will have more confidence by doing a value study first.” Jacki Frey 

“I tell students not to worry about finding the “right way” to do watercolor. There are lots of ways to paint with watercolors. Learn the basic washes and brushstrokes and all will reveal itself — if you let it.” Nancy Metz

Question 2: What if any effect has teaching art had on your own artistic process?”

“Teaching keeps me on my toes – I learn new stuff so I can teach new stuff.  I try to stay about 10 minutes ahead of the class.”  Linda Meyer-Wright 

“Active practice and forgiveness are keys to my own art practices. They keeps me from setting down the brushes for too long.” Cassidy Young

“Teaching has helped my own paintings. To have a good painting for my demos I have to be prepared. I put a lot of time into painting for a class. I also learn from what students may paint.” Jacki Frey

“Teaching “Painting Styles of the Masters” has affected my artistic process more than any other class I have taught. Now, when I start a painting, I think how would different artists approach this subject. I might even do a few small painting sketches in the styles of different artists to see what I like best.”  Nancy Metz