BWS Business Meeting and Program — March 13
BWS’ March Meeting will be held in the Great Hall at First Christian Church beginning at 6 p.m. Enter through the Washington Street door; the door code will be send by email. The meeting will not be on Zoom.
Program: Painting a Still Life
Bring your paints and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! After a short business meeting, we’ll share our time and talents as we paint a still life “set up” featuring flowers, shamrocks, and other things Irish. And, hopefully, enjoy Jo’s famous homemade shamrock sugar cookies.
Some words of inspiration!!
“My still-life painting has more to do with light and shadow than with the objects themselves ”
— William C. Wright
“I love painting still life because there’s a feeling of musical, flowing experience. The drawing doesn’t matter as much – what you’re really after is a feeling of clarity and beauty.”
— Jacob Collins
“Memories are like still life painted by ten different student artists: some will be blue-based; others red; some will be as stark as Picasso and others as rich as Rembrandt; some will be foreshortened and others distant . Recollections are in the eye of the beholder; no two held up side by side will ever quite match.”
— Jodi Picoult
Remember to bring painting supplies!!
Inside BWS
We Paint….Monet and More!
BWS’s show We Paint…Monet and More is currently at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage. It is scheduled to run through March 27. The show benefits Bloomington’s Teachers Warehouse.
The winter benefit show for Teachers Warehouse opened with its first reception during Gallery Walk on February 3 and was well attended with over 50 people enjoying the exhibit. Needless to say, there were many favorable comments from visitors and fellow artists and, again, it’s an exhibit of which BWS can be proud. Congratulations to Barbara Epperson on the sale of her painting.
Twenty-two artists entered paintings in varying adaptations of the impressionist style, a school of art fathered by Claude Monet. Those paintings were considered by three judges, taking into account technique, presentation, and relevance to the theme of the show. The winners are Jo Weddle, Silver Second, for her painting “Loving Lilies,” and Rose Brenner won Best of Show for her work, “Fish Pond.”
It takes a full team of folks to make an exhibit happen, and many thanks are due to many people…just too numerous to mention! But Gabe Colman gets a special round of applause for rounding up the judges, interacting with Teachers Warehouse, inspiring Rotary North to sponsor the YouTube video, and being emcee at the reception. His daughter, Stella Rose, age 4, was also a big help with the drawings for the door prizes which were won by: Sharon Parsons, a Monet tote bag from Newfields; Kathy Barton, a Monet coloring book; and Jo Weddle, a 2023 calendar featuring many of Monet’s famous paintings.
Take a virtual tour of “We Paint…Monet and More!” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDSp5ZZg528
Or wander through the BWS SmugMug Gallery at
https://bloomingtonwatercolor.smugmug.com/We-PaintMonet-and-More/n-WZgvfG/
Second Reception: “WE PAINT..Monet and More!”
Please Join Us!!
An Exhibit & Event to Benefit Teachers Warehouse
Friday, March 3, Gallery Walk 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
The exhibit may be viewed now through March 27 at The Vault at Gallery Mortgage, 121 E 6th Street, Bloomington. Gallery Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Please call ahead at (812) 334-9700.
Available for Purchase: Fine Art! Prints!
Unique hand painted and crafted original greeting cards are $10 each with 100% of the proceeds going to Teachers Warehouse. Proceeds from paintings are shared 50/50 with Teachers Warehouse and the artist. For further information contact Jeanne Ellen Dutton, Teachers@BloomingtonWatercolor.org
A Request From BWS’ Historian
Linda Branstetter, BWS Historian, wrote to say “I would be happy to receive flyers, postings, notices of member shows, and other materials that document the work of our watercolor society. These items will be collected and placed in BWS’ History Binders. Mail materials of this sort to my address. I do not have a printer.”
Outside BWS
Viridian Moon Art Gallery
Rose Brenner, Susan Savastuk, and Henry Leck have teamed together to present an art show called “The Beauty of Nature” from March, 1 to March 25 with the opening reception on Saturday, March 4th, from 3 to 5 pm. https://www.viridianmoon.art/events
Additionally, the Viridian Moon Art Gallery is fully funding an effort to help pay the tuition of 16 students at the Art Academy in Kyiv, Ukraine by selling 11×14 prints of their work– for $35 each. Attached are some examples of their art pieces, which Irina Shishova has printed and prepared with mats.
Irina says:
“Dear Bloomington friends! We are so excited to let you know about an opportunity to help these amazingly talented art students from Kyiv, Ukraine complete their education under the most challenging circumstances. Please come check out their prints on sale at our community art gallery starting Saturday, February 18th, to show your support! 100% of the print sale’s proceeds will benefit the Art Academy’s students.
Thank you very much!”
See the academy’s website at https://mixmd.edu.ua/en/holovna-english/
Viridian Moon’s website with hours and location are at http//viridianmoon.art
BWS artists support the Cancer Support Community
Thanks to a conversation between staff of the Cancer Support Community for South Central Indiana and BWS member Jeanne Dutton, any BWS artist has the opportunity to present a two-month solo exhibition at CSC offices at the corner of Landmark Avenue and West 3rd Street. Artists donate 20 percent of their proceeds to CSC.
The program started in September of last year. So far BWS artists Meri Reinhold, Laura Brown, and Rose Brenner have participated. Participating artists have so far generated sales that have enabled them to donate $397 to CSC.
CSC provides support groups for cancer patients, family, and caregivers; wellness programs such as yoga, chi kung, nutrition, and art therapy; education; and social opportunities, as well as access to extensive information resources. Exhibition space is open to any BWS member. Call Stephanie Shelton at CSC at 574-606-7687 to inquire about openings in the exhibition schedule.
The Cancer Support Center will feature the work of Sara Steffey McQueen in March and April. Two posters are attached. While they look alike, one is a bio and the other a description of the show.
Sara wrote to say, “The works in this show are being made into an Intuitive Inquiry Oracle Deck.” The third images is an example of what one of the cards in the Inquiry Oracle Deck looks like.
Sara concluded her note saying, “I hope to see some of my BWS, Upland and Portrait friends at the Reception.”
Opening reception March 10, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Calling BWS Artists: An Invitation
The Cancer Support Center is needing a BWS artist (or small cadre of BWS artists) to exhibit their work for September/October and November/December. If interested please contact Stephanie Shelton at stephanie@cancersupportscin.org. Stephanie extends her thanks for allowing CSC to host our artists and says that if anyone has any feedback about the CSC/BWS arrangements, comments are welcome.
IVY Tech to Host Avon Waters Workshop
Join artist Avon Waters in learning how to work with pastels in a new way, applying velvety rich color using soft pastels along with various liquid blending mediums. This special method, called “wet pastel” is applied in a repeated “construction and deconstruction” process, which allows the painting to guide YOU to its conclusion.
The Avon Waters workshop includes two days of instruction (March 24-25) in pastel techniques along with encouragement to help climate and conservation efforts. Enrollment fees will go to three nonprofit organizations. Featured will be a short discussion about what we can do to help the environment and a brief presentation by a representative of Sycamore Land Trust, who will talk about the organization and its efforts.
See more details at Painting Nature in Wet Pastel by Avon Waters: Two-Day Workshop – Artists for Climate Awareness
(https://artistsforclimateawareness.org/event/wet-pastel-workshop-by-avon-waters/)
When: March 24, 9am to 4pm and March 25, 9am to 3pm
Where: Ivy Tech Bloomington (in-person)
Cost: $140
The workshop is appropriate for both beginners and improvers. In this workshop you can explore new pastel techniques or refine those you already use, while learning how you and your art can help conservation efforts. If you are new to pastels and want to explore them, don’t worry about the investment. Inexpensive soft pastels from various craft stores and popular online stores will work well.
Indiana Watercolor Society.
Between now and April 28 members may enter the Annual Membership Exhibit which is scheduled to be held at the Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis and the Annual Juried Exhibit which will be shown at Newfields in the Indianapolis Museum of Art from May 13th to July 21st.
Both exhibits are on display for more weeks than last year and both venues are working with WSI to help increase exposure and sales!
Follow these links to see deadlines, details, and apply online:
Membership Exhibit Online Registration
Juried Exhibit Online Registration
Arts of the Earth Day
On Saturday, April 22nd, T. C. Steele State Historic Site will hold its fifth Arts of the Earth Day. Cate Whetsel, the Steele Historic Site Program Developer, asks that If anyone from BWS would like to come out to the site to paint or otherwise work outdoors on the 22nd, they would love to have them!
The site will waive regular day admission for everyone visiting outdoors that day. Building tours (10:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m., and 3:15 p.m.) will still cost site admission ($10/adult; $8/senior 60+, $5/youth ages 3-17). Artists who wish to work outdoors will work between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on site the day of the program. Cate says, “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. Although we cannot guarantee it, it’s likely the daffodils will be in bloom!
Artist wishes to participate in Arts of the Earth Day should email Cate (museumcommunication@indianamuseum.org) with their name and times during which they will paint (ex. Name: Cate Whetzel, painting from 12-3 p.m.). Cate says she will create a guest list of participating artists for check-in at the Visitor Center. As a thank you for visiting and sharing their art making, artists will be have complimentary coffee, water, and soda available to them.
Additionally, the staff at the Steele Historic Site will be offering the Teddy Bears’ Picnic for kids and families from 1 to 2 p.m. on Arts of the Earth Day. The cost is $4/child with a limit of 20 children. Cookies and lemonade will be served in the garden, accompanied by a reading of the Teddy Bears’ Picnic. Pre-registration is required, as ticket sales for the picnic will end on April 19. Tickets can be purchased over the phone, in person, or online.
museumcommunication@indianamuseum.org
Local Artist Showcase
From 2012-2016, Bloom Magazine sponsored The Local Artist Showcase, an event featuring artists from Monroe, Brown, Green, Lawrence and Owen counties. This year The Local Artist Showcase will by held on April 23 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Monroe Convention Center. All artists and galleries are welcome. There is no jurying. Booth fees are $120. Space is limited. Deadline for artist registration is March 10th. Reserve your booth by February 28th to get a discount and receive preferred placement.
Artists for Climate Awareness Gallery Show
As of this writing, six members of BWS who are also members of Artists for Climate Awareness will be displaying their artwork in the Education Room at John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut St., Bloomington, IN 47404 from March 3 – April 7, 2023. The show is in conjunction with a show upstairs named “Climate Shock”, in which Kriste Lindberg will also be showing her work.
The show in the Education Room is called “Elements: An Exhibition by Eight Artists on Climate Awareness.” It features Bess Lee, Joe Lee, Jo Weddle, Carol Rhodes, Meri Reinhold, and Sara Steffey McQueen. Two other artists (Craig Barton and Anita Names) are also in the show but are not members of BWS.
Opening Reception: Friday, March 3rd, 5-8 pm (First Friday)
Attached: Joe Lee, “Save the Animals, Save Yourselves.”
Painting Deserts in Watercolor: Workshop Report
On Saturday, February 25, several Bloomington Watercolor Society members and others attended a daylong workshop hosted by Artists for Climate Awareness, at Ivy Tech’s Bloomington campus and online. The workshop, “Painting Deserts in Watercolor,” featured an art project and an environmental education component. Nancy Davis Metz led the demonstration and art portion, and the educational component was led by Carol Rhodes. After a rocky technological start, the participants painted a desert sky and simple landscape using granulating paints and then painted an adobe building in the desert.
Emeriti House Art Show
Members and their partners of the Emeriti House retirees and Indiana University Retiree Association are invited to submit artwork to the 20th Annual Art Exhibit at the Emeriti House on IU’s campus. Artwork must be submitted by April 24. The opening reception will be on Friday, April 28, from 5 to 7 p.m..
Membership News
Timothy Lewis
Several items of note:
- I received a Distinction Of Merit for my watercolor, “Crab Bounty”, at the Brown County Art Guild’s Annual Patron Show which ended February 18th.
- My watercolor, “Obed River”, was accepted into the 2023 Annual Juried Art Exhibition to be held at the Hamilton County Artists’ Association Gallery, 195 S. 5th Street, Noblesville, IN from March 1 through March, 31. Only 45 out of 327 entries were accepted.
- I have two watercolors I completed recently:
- “Isle Of Palms 2022” is a 16” x 12” watercolor inspired by a photo taken on vacation at Isle of Palms, SC in 2022.
- “Sunlight Came Softly” is a 15” x 22” watercolor inspired by a bouquet sitting on our dining room table in direct sunlight.
Phyllis Taylor
I have three works accepted into the juried art show “Figure & Face” at the Cannon Beach Art Gallery in Cannon Beach, OR. This show runs from February 17 – March 26, 2023. (https://www.cannonbeacharts.org/current-exhibit-1)
The group I belong to in Oregan just had the artists reception last Friday. It was fun to meet artists from all over the state. A nice mental boost during these gray winter days.
I have two watercolors and a Prismacolor sketch accepted in the show. See attached.
Tricia Heiser Wente
Tricia Heiser Wente sent her good wishes and invited everyone to her new show in Salem, OR.
Carolyn Rodgers Richards
The only relevant news is that I will have some of my paintings in our cooperative Hoosier Artist Gallery’s booth at the Local Artists Showcase on Sunday, April 23rd at the Convention Center. Below is an image of one of my painting for the Local Artists Showcase. It is called, “Summer Bouquet” and was done in acrylic and acrylic compatible cold wax.
Christine Peterson
I’m a fairly new member of BWS. I received the BWS email regarding the venue at Cancer Support Community, and today they signed the contract with me to have my exhibit there for the months of May and June! The show will be called, “The Spice of Life.” I will have cards and prints available of the 30 to 40 paintings I will be hanging. Attached are samples of my work and a statement about me and the show.
“For the past fifteen years or so, Chris Peterson has enjoyed studying many techniques for painting inwatercolors, acrylics, encaustic, and most recently oils. Every year she has attended a workshop or two with different artists in many locations. These experiences have resulted in this exhibit of extremely diverse works including portraits, abstracts, still life, and a few landscapes. She continues to learn and paint, and will probably never settle on one style. “Spice of Life” offers variety in mood, subject and atmosphere.”
Kathleen Truelove Barton
MarySue Schwab
Bill Schwab
MarySue Schwab, Bill Schwab and myself, Kathy Truelove Barton will be participating in a show that will hang for the month of April in Viridian Moon Gallery here in Monroe County. This exhibition featuring work in various media. Paintings capture the “spirit of place” with Central and Southern Indianan being the focus. It is a unique collection of work representing places we have traveled and recorded in paint. Painting together does not mean seeing in the same way, and we think this show is a wonderful view into the eye of the artist. The show will be at the Gallery from March 29th through April 22nd.
Lynne Gilliat
I’m happy to report that I won first prize in the “Let It Snow” Show at the Viridian Moon Gallery. My painting was done in pastel on sandpaper and was entitled, “Prayer Flags in the Snow.”
Jerome Harste
I have been playing, trying new techniques and styles. The painting I submitted to our Historical Bloomington show is shown below (Painting 1) and was entitled “Building America.” I wanted to honor Bloomington’s limestone industry and its impact on architecture throughout the nation. Painting 2 is an attempt to redo that first painting in more whimsical style using patterns upon patterns. Painting 3 is my attempt to take a small section of Painting 2 to create an abstract which, of course, I also ended up embellishing.
Kitty Garlock
In January a friend of mine who lives in Australia contracted me to paint a picture for her mother-in-law’s 60th birthday present. She sent me a couple photos of their home to choose from and I fell in love with this one. I told her I had never done anything bigger than 7.5 x 9.5 and wondered if that was ok…they thought they would rather have a larger one. So this is my foray into the largest piece I have ever done…10.5 x 13.5! Finished mid-February and should be arriving in Australia any day now! My friend said…”Oh she is going to cry when she sees this!” Making someone cry may not sound right but it sure made me feel good!!
Now I am doing another one contracted by a friend and I have decided to make it the same size!!
Susan Savastuk
Three items:
*Team Show with Rose Brenner and Henry Leck at Viridian Moon Gallery. Opening reception Saturday March 4, 2023. 3-5PM
* Preparing for a July show at Gallery B in Bloomingfoods West. It will be a series of portraits in pointillism with marker.
*Showing in the John Waldron Art Center Spotlight Gallery March – April. Opening night reception for Gallery Walk will be March 3rd from 5-8 PM.
Rose Brenner
Rose Brenner took best of show award in the Patron category at the Brown County Art Guild in Nashville, Indiana on February 17th!
Jacki Frey
We are in San Miguel de Allende, here’s my night scene.
Nancy Metz
My painting of Molnar’s sculpture, “The Light of the World,” that stands over the south door of the Monroe County Courthouse has been juried in to the 2023 Kentucky Watercolor Society AquaVenture Show. The show hangs from March 17 to April 27 at the Lyric Theater, 300 E. Third St., Lexington, KY.
Charlotte Griffin
Charlotte sends greetings from Vero Beach, Florida.
Calendar
Now — Support Ukrainian art students’ by purchasing reprints at Viridian Moon Gallery.
March 1 to 25 — “Beauty of Nature” Show, Viridian Moon Gallery, Bloomington.
March 1 to 31 — Annual Juried Exhibition, Hamilton County Artists’ Association, Noblesville.
March 3 — Second Reception, “We Paint…Monet and More,” The Vault, Bloomington, 5 to 8 p.m.
March 3 — Opening Reception for Sara Savastuk, Spotlight Gallery, Waldron, 5 to 8 p.m.
March 4 — Reception, Susan Savastuk, Rose Brenner, & Henry Leck, Viridian, 3 to 5 p.m.
March 10 — Deadline for registering for a booth at the Local Arts Showcase.
March 10 — Opening Reception, Sara Steffey McQueen, Cancer Resource Center, 4 to 7 p.m.
March 13 — March BWS Meeting, First Christian Church, Bloomington, 6 p.m.
March 24 and 25 — Avon Walters Workshop, IVY Tech, Bloomington.
March 27 — Last day to see “We Paint…Monet and More” Exhibition, Vault, Bloomington.
Month of April — MarySue Schwab, Bill Schwab, & Kathleen Truelove Barton Exhibition, Viridian Moon Gallery, Bloomington.
April 22 — Art of Earth Day, T. C. Steele Historic Site.
April 22 — Teddy Bear’s Picnic, T. C. Steele Historic Site.
April 23 — Local Artist Showcase, Monroe Convention Center, Bloomington.
April 24 — Last day to submit artwork to the 20th Annual Art Show at the Emeriti House, Bloomington.
April 28 — Last day to enter WSI’s Membership and Annual Juried Exhibitions, Indianapolis.
April 28 — Reception, 20th Annual Emeriti House and IURA Art Exhibit, 5 to 7 p.m.
Months of May and June — “Spice of Life” Exhibition, Cancer Support Center, Bloomington.
