June 29
Hinkle-Garton Farmstead Open Day
Features BWS Art Exhibit, Gallery Sale
This month’s Museum Open Day at the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead features “Plein Air Artists’ Lovely Renditions of the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead” June 29 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Members of BWS, its Upland Plein Air Painters, and artists from Brown County Arts Alliance created images of spring at the Farmstead in May. These paintings include images of two historic homes, farm land, gardens, and outbuildings. These artistic creations will be displayed and available for purchase inside the 1892 Queen Anne style home at monthly Farmstead Open Days through Aug. 31. Individual artists will donate 25 percent of the proceeds from art sales to pay for restoration of the Hinkle-Garton Farmhouse.
In addition, visitors can enjoy the plants, trees, and the beauty of the volunteer garden. A variety of plants will be available for purchase as well as jams, jellies, and maple syrup produced by volunteers. Friday Musicale and The Bloomington Old-Time Music and Dance Group with Mark Weidenmayer will be hosting music in the parlor. Volunteers will give Farmhouse tours.
The Farmstead, located at 2920 E. 10th St., is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned and maintained by Bloomington Restorations, Inc. It is free and open to the public the last Saturday or most months. For more information, call BRI at 812-336-0909 or visit its Facebook page www.facebook.com/Hinkle-GartonFarmstead.
Top: Carriage House at Farmstead/Watercolor/Andy Roberts. Morning at the Farmhouse/Oil on canvas/Henry Leck. Shine On/Oil on panel/Anne-Karine Bley. Bottom: Spirits of the Past/Oil on canvas/Katya Alexeeva. Daisy’s Dairy Barn/Oil on canvas/Francita Agostino. Barn at Hinkle-Garton Farmstead/Watercolor/Linda K. Branstetter
2018-19
State of the Society
By Kitty Garlock, BWS president 2018-19
Last year when I was asked if I would be president of this organization, I was stunned. I feared I did not know enough about how it all worked to be able to do the job to the level I had already observed in others. I soon found out it had nothing, well very little, to do with me. To use Jane Matranga’s words, “It is a well-oiled machine.” The thing that makes this society great is its people and their willingness to step up and do the work that keeps our group strong and vibrant.
I am now going to mention many of the things we have done this year, and even though I cannot take the time to mention everyone involved , if you were involved in any one of these things, when I am done I will ask you to stand.
Of course, our board and leadership team confronted some big issues this year: our move to St. Mark’s, forming a finance committee, weighing the idea of adding a portrait group involving nonmembers, and letting go of our beloved plein air group, to name a few. Not all turned out the way I personally wanted, but – as it turned out – the decisions that were made benefited all because of generous attitudes and staunch ideas as to what this society’s focus truly is.
I want to mention a few people by name. We want to thank Claude Cookman, Barbara Edmonds, and Carla Hedges for helping to put into action our biggest change, that of moving to SMUM and opening our treasury to more empowering things. Kathy Truelove Barton, Carol Rhodes, and our brand new member Mark Seaman were immediately willing to help form the Finance Committee. Our Nominating Committee, which included Meri Reinhold, Barbara Edmonds, and Jacki Frey, not only helped find a new president, but also a new secretary, treasurer, show chair, publicity chair, and gave a few ideas for a Brushstrokes co-editor. All said “Yes” immediately to my request for help. And on top of it all, the great thing is people were willing to step up and take most of these positions. Six members – some teaching twice – were willing to present all of us with wonderful programs to fill our calendar with inspiring lessons. They are Suzanne Thorin, Nancy Metz, Carol Rhodes, Jane Matranga, Claude Cookman, and Stephen Edwards.
This organization is blessed with many people who made it work. Members of the Upland Plein Air group hosted venues to paint or coordinated an entire season of paint-outs. Volunteers produced our member show, “We Paint … the Past, Present, and for the Future,” and Taste of Chocolate’s “We Paint … the Blues.” Others got involved with Peden Farm, card painting at College Mall, organizing the Hinkle-Garton paint-out and show, and arranging our participation in the Garden Walk. Members were willing to share their time or home to make a success of our annual Holiday Party and Year-end Picnic, the most recent one at May Creek.
There are also those who worked so hard to bring us the workshop by Judy Mudd and those who participated so it could go ahead. Our signature members spent months to get their work displayed at the Indianapolis Airport. Many others won awards and recognition for their work that spreads the word about BWS.
Yes, I was stunned to be asked to represent you as your president, but by accepting the challenge I have been truly honored and now deeply know what an amazing group we really are!
BWS Officers 2019-20
Summer Paint-outs with Upland
Come out for summer painting adventures with your painting buddies. Upland summer event coordinators are Jacki Frey and Babette Ballinger. Email upland@bloomingtonwatercolor.org for more information.
Friday, June 21, Mary Hartle’s house and barn, hosted by Betty Wagoner
Tuesday, June 25, Detmer Park, hosted by Candi Bailey
Tuesday, July 9, Bean Blossom Bridge, hosted by Lory Winford
Garden Walk
BWS painters participated in the June Garden Walk again this year. Floral arrangements were available at the Monroe County History Center for painters not wanting to dodge the rain storms, and private gardens like the one pictured on the right provided great subject matter.
Member News
BWS members Anne-Karine Bley and Eric Brock are two of four artists featured in the group show “Expressions in Harmony” at the Hoosier Salon in New Harmony, Ind. Each artist contributed between 15 and 20 works. Many of Anne-Karine’s and Eric’s paintings were done plein air, often inspired by Upland locations. The last day to see the show is July 7.
Cassidy Young will be at the Arts Fair on the Square June 22, the Fair of the Arts (Farmers’ Market) July 13, and the Garlic Fest Aug. 31 to Sept. 1.
Stephen Edwards’s “Backdoor at Draper’s Farm” is one of 45 paintings that will make up the 2019 Watercolor Society of Indiana’s 36th Annual Exhibit. The paintings were juried by Don Andrews, AWS.
“Buddy Guy Plays the Blues” by Meri Reinhold has also been juried in to the 2019 WSI Annual Juried Exhibit. The show will hang at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields from Aug. 4 to Sept. 28.
“Rurification,” a solo exhibition of Robin Edmundson’s works depicting rural Indiana, hangs at the Gaslight Art Colony in Marshall, Ill., till July 12. For more information about the exhibition, see Robin’s blog post at https://rurification.blogspot.com/2019/06/upcoming=show.html.
Joanne Baum is exhibiting pastels and oils – some from around Bloomington, others in Florida, Colorado, and the Carolina lowlands – in the windows of Darn Good Soup in its Darn Good Art Gallery until June 27.
Beyond BWS
July 1 is the deadline for entering the Kentucky Watercolor Society’s 2019 Aqueous Show. Previous prizes annually have averaged $10,000 in cash, materials, and purchase awards. Paul Jackson will be the juror for the show. The Aqueous USA 2019 Exhibition will hang at the Actors Theatre of Louisville Sept. 6 to Oct. 31. To enter, download the prospectus from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bb4e1e892441b44de9c89e9/t/5cab5075e4966bd72edad4bc/1554731130918/2019+KWS+AQUEOUS-PROSPECTUS.pdf.
Lawrence County Art Association announces its Fifth Annual Midsummer Judged Art Exhibit June 28 to July 20 at the Wiley Art Gallery in Bedford, Ind. Any artist over 16 years old may enter up to three artworks. The cost of entering is $5 per work of art. Art must be no larger than 36” X 36”, including the frame and have a wire hanging on the back. Art is due June 26 between 2 and 4 p.m. with Deb Weld, a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, doing the judging June 27. The reception and awards event is scheduled for Friday, June 28, 5 to 7 p.m. All art must be picked up July 20 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. For more information contact Sammie Justesen at 812-675-8053 or sammie@norlightspress.com.
All artists in the Midwest are invited to enter Anderson Museum of Art’s 8th annual “Figures of Speech” competitive exhibition, which runs Aug. 2 – Sept. 22. This is your opportunity to turn classic figures of speech into memorable and interesting works of art such as “She sells seashells” (alliteration), “A little thin on top” (euphemism), “I’ve told you a hundred times” (hyperbole), “All the world is a stage” (metaphor), “Jumbo shrimp” (oxymoron), or “Wise as an owl” (simile). Digital entries will be accepted no later than July 8, and accepted entries will be due July 26. The artist reception will be Aug. 2, and pick-up will be Sept. 23 – 28. Works on paper, paintings, photography, mixed media, and sculpture are acceptable. For more information, see https://andersonart.org.
IMO
Social media users recognize IMO as an abbreviation for “In My Opinion,” and each month we close by giving you the chance to share your opinion on a specific question. This month’s question is in preparation for the coming year:
What do you want to ask your BWS colleagues? I’ve been writing most of the questions for the last two years (with an occasional welcome assist from readers/leaders). So now it is your turn. Ask about subject matter, inspiration, techniques, supplies – just keep it watercolor-related, please. Your questions will appear in this column in the coming year.
Send your 1- to 3-sentence response by July 14 to Nancy Davis-Metz. Please use IMO as the subject line of your email.
