Spring Has Sprung!! by JCHarste
(Currently on display at the Emeritus House on IU’s campus.)
BWS Meeting: May 8
BWS’ May 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 sent by email. The meeting will not be on Zoom.
Program: “Watercolor Painting with Framing in Mind”
Our May 8th BWS program will be given by Matthew Schnaars, a custom framer of Framemakers. Let Joanne Weddle know if there are specific topics or things you would like him to address in this session so she can pass them on to Matthew. The May 8th program will not -be available on Zoom.
Program synopsis: Matthew Schnaars, a Bloomigton picture framer currently working at Framemakers, will give a presentation on best practices for presenting and preserving watercolor paintings in a frame. He will discuss topics such as mounting options, working with watercolor paper as a framer, different framing styles, and ways to keep costs low when framing. Matthew will have some examples of all of the above to view, and will be happy to answer as many questions as his experience and time will allow.
Michael will be bringing a few small framed pieces as well as some smaller examples of materials that people can look at or touch if they want.
Note: Our BWS Historian, Linda Branstetter, wanted to let members know that she will be bringing BWS’ Historical Binders to the meeting so as to give members an opportunity to browse them.
Inside BWS
Encore!! “We Paint Historic Bloomington”
by Jeanne Dutton
Historical Photo: Bob and Mary Jo Kent, original owners of “The Old Homestead.”
The encore exhibit of “We Paint…Historic Bloomington!” opened with a well-attended reception on Friday, April 28, at the Monroe County History Center (MCHC). New paintings from various BWS members have been added. Hosted by curator Hilary Fleck, the show drew several new visitors including the Monroe County historian.
On exhibit now through July 8, the MCHC hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 – 4.
Hilltop Garden and Nature Center Paint Out
by Patty Uffman
Saturday, May 20, 2023
10 am-2pm
Hilltop Garden and Nature Center
2367 E. 10th Street in Bloomington
There is a profusion of flowers at this time of year as well as sunny and shady spots waiting for you to paint!
Please join us if you can. If you have questions, feel free to call or text.
Painting in New Harmony
by Betty Wagoner
In March, New Harmony was the site of the First Brush of Spring Paint-out, cosponsored by IPAPA and the Hoosier Salon. It was 4 days of gorgeous spring weather. Spring flowers were blooming in the yards of charming 19th century homes, as well as flowering trees. I concentrated on sketching for the 2024 Field to Finish exhibit. A great find was a wonderful alley next to a church. There was a pink Redbud, a Pink Dogwood and a Viburnum, all in bloom. I did a fairly detailed value study in preparation for an acrylic painting. (Both images are included above). I wish I had paid more attention to the value study. The lightest items in the scene were the Redbud followed by the fence and the blooms of the Viburnum.
Unexpectedly, the fence became the focus of the painting in competition with the Redbud. Studying again the value sketch, it occurs to me that the fence and the Redbud, being the lightest in value, are of nearly equal value. I will do another painting following the value sketch closer while using warmer and cooler colors to create distance. The Redbud is further in be background and therefore would be cooler in color. Stay tuned.
Monroe County and Brown County BWS and Upland painters were well represented, including: Katya Alexeeva, Kathy Barton, Kitty Garlock, MarySue Schwab, Bill Schwab, Betty Wagoner, Anne-Karine Bley, Ellen Cramer, Clenna Perkins, and Lory Winford.
Painting at T.C. Steele
by Betty Wagoner
The T.C. Steele State Historic Site celebrated Earth Day with an Arts of Earth Day Celebration. Artists were invited to paint at the site for free. The site was beautiful with great scenery for painting. But, there was a cold and blustery wind coming over the ridge, making it uncomfortable for plein air painting. The House of the Singing Wind lived up to its reputation. Plein air artists must tolerate all sorts of weather conditions, but a cold wind is as difficult as pouring rain. Sketching was all that I was able to finish before retreating to a warmer place. Intrepid BWS and Upland artists, in true plein air fashion, actually got some painting done. Those attending included: Andy Roberts, Kathy Truelove Barton, Patricia Rowbottom, Anne-Karine Bley, Clenna Perkins and Betty Wagoner. Unfortunately for Clenna, the wind blew over her easel and painting.
Cancer Support Center
Christine Peterson will be the featured artist at the Cancer Support Center from May through June. The reception for Christine’s show will be on May12 from 4 p.m. to 7p.m. The Cancer Support Center is located at 1719 West Third Street, Bloomington. Christine is hanging the show on May 1. In addition to the paintings she will have prints and cards available for purchase.
Shows at the Cancer Support Center are a collaborative effort between the Center and BWS. Plan now to attend and show your support.
A Little History & A Interesting Story
by MarySue Schwab
My dad was a master watercolorist. He painted this scene as a very young soldier in the army during WWII. This is one of the native’s huts on the island of Samoa. The collection includes paintings of giant trees and lush vegetation next to a soldier’s tiny tent, beach scenes and even other soldiers. Since paper was scarce, my dad often painted on both sides of the paper. I have a whole album of these wonderful pieces, a little bit of history captured in art!
Outside BWS
Viridian Moon Gallery
Irina Shishova, announced that in May the Viridian Moon Gallery would be hosting a solo show of Kem Cotton’s art. This is Kem’s first solo show. .The details about the event are here: https://www.viridianmoon.art/events
Irina would very much appreciate BWS members help in getting the word out about this show.
–
Artist for Climate Awareness
by Carol Rhodes
Call for artists for and upcoming gallery show, “Conserve Bloomington” May 10-June 11, 2023
An exhibition to provide environmentally themed music and art to the Bloomington Community.
A gallery exhibition, coordinated by Artists for Climate Awareness, hosted by Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington, with creative input by the Conserve Bloomington project, will be displayed Arts Alliance Center in College Mall, Bloomington.
This gallery exhibition is open to all artistic mediums that depict aspects of nature, environment, and climate change. Carol Rhodes with Artists for Climate Awareness is organizing the display of art, while IU Jacobs School of Music students working on the Conserve Bloomington project will debut their musical composition comprised of nature sounds recorded in and around Bloomington, IN. The music has been developed in conjunction with an innovation grant. In addition, a watercolor workshop by nature watercolorist Rena Brouwer will take place on May 13, and a reception for all events and activities will be on Friday, May 12 at the Arts Alliance Center in College mall.
Artwork from all members of Artists for Climate Awareness and Bloomington area artists is welcome. There is no entry fee; 25% commission on sales. All work must be for sale. For submission information and more details, email Carol Rhodes.
Open to all members of Artists for Climate Awareness, Bloomington Watercolor Society, Upland Plein Air,Bloomington Portrait Group, and Arts Alliance.
Entry specifications:
- Nature, environment, climate related works
- All mediums accepted
- No entry fee, 25% commission on sales. All work must be for sale.
- All artwork should represent your original best effort without an instructor Each artist may submit up to two pieces
- All hanging art must have attached wire with D shape hooks on back Every artwork must have one label attached to the back or underside
- Depending on total quantity of works, all may not be accepted. Please number your labels with your priority for displaying: 1 and 2
Schedule:
- Drop off: Sunday May 7, 3:00-5:00pm
- Opening Reception: Friday May 12, 6:00-8:00 pm
- Show Dates: Friday May 12 – Sunday June 11
- Pick up at Arts Alliance: Thursday June 15, 11:00am-3:00pm
“From Watching Birds to Sketching and Painting Them” by Carol Rhodes
On Thursday, April 27, internationally known bird artist Alex Warnick delivered a workshop called, “From Watching Birds to Sketching and Painting Them.” 15 Bloomington Watercolor Society members plus 11 others attended. The event was sponsored by Artists for Climate Awareness, Sassafras Audubon, and Ivy Tech. In the 2 ½ hour workshop, Alex’s presentation and demonstration largely focused on artistic technique: how to observe birds, the art of quickly documenting what you see, getting body shapes right, understanding head and wing formations, journaling, and more. In addition to that, Tom Ashcroft of Sassafras Audubon (often known as “SAS”) delivered a short presentation on the things SAS is undertaking for bird conservation and activities they are hosting in to boost bird appreciation in the community. During the workshop, there were also conversations about being connected to nature, how we can help wild birds, as well as the importance and interconnectivity of birds with the environment.
Juniper Art Gallery
Featured Exhibit: Cross-Country
Recent paintings by Wyatt LeGrand
The Juniper Art Gallery (615 W Kirkwood AveBloomingto https://juniperartgallery.com) will have an opening reception of Wyatt’s work, May 5th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m with special music by Sarah Flint.
This exhibit highlights the talents of Wyatt LeGrand. When he is not teaching art at Bloomfield High School, he packs up his traveling art-mobile and ventures cross-country in search of inspiration. Featured is a diverse collection of scenes from across the U.S. plus familiar rural Indiana farms and landscapes.
The gallery is pleased to have this special exhibit of Wyatt’s work on display May 1 – June 25, as well as his on-going inclusion in the Paul & Margaret Sweany Legacy Room (main gallery) as part of their year-round Regional Artists’ Exhibit. See the paintings on display, and read more about Wyatt here.
Looking for a New Place to Exhibit Your Work?
By Northstar Watermedia Society
Lena Wendel wrote to say that The Northstar Watermedia Society has announced its 9th Annual National Juried Exhibition.Entries open on May 1 at www.callforentry.org and close at midnight on July 1.
This year’s exhibition will be at the stunning Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson WI. With its museum-quality galleries and lighting, the Phipps ensures optimum exposure of each selected entry!
Juror for the exhibition is Dan Mackerman, a nationally acclaimed artist and teacher. As in the past, there will be at least $3,000 in cash awards, as well as a host of non-cash awards such as gift certificates and painting supplies.
Inspiration: 12th Annual “Figures of Speech by Anderson Museum of Art
The Anderson Museum of Art are seeking paintings that capture a classic figure of speech, such as “It’s raining cats and dogs!” Art work must be accompanied by a statement about how or why this work inspires them. Entries are due June 2. The show will run June 7th through September 7.
Art Alliance of Greater Bloomington
by Henry Lack
- Coming up this Saturday:
Wordplay: Crafting Spring Haiku
Saturday, May 6th, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Arts Alliance Center Flex Space, 2894 East 3rd Street, Bloomington, IN 47401
- On Friday, May 12th we will be hosting the premiere performance of a music composition which began by collecting environmental sounds around the city of Bloomington.
- Also on the same weekend will be debuting a new exhibit sponsored by the Artists for Climate Awareness, which will include art from the Bloomington Watercolor Society and Upland Plein Air. On Saturday AAGB is sponsoring an environment focused watercolor workshop with Rena Brouwer from Delphi, Indiana.
This has been an amazing spring! Recently the AAGB merged with Arts Forward. On Tuesday, April 11, The AAGB/Arts Forward, in cooperation with The Waldron Arts Center, sponsored a Bloomington Mayoral Candidate Arts Forum. It was a very successful event with over 100 people present. Supporting and maintaining a vibrant arts community is part of the mission of the AAGB. In addition to this event, we have held nearly a dozen workshops this spring, including photographing your art, (which is available on our website) painting, concerts, mediation, Tai Chi and portraiture. The Arts Alliance Center at the Simon Mall gives over 30 artists the opportunity to market their art. We have changing monthly art shows involving various topics, ages and experience. (high school, undergraduate, community). We feature emerging and youth artists in the Arts Center. Last fall we supported Paint Bloomington which involved classes for all ages and over a hundred local painters, and we are in regular dialogue with the city arts leaders involving upcoming arts projects.
To know what is happening just go to “bloomingtonarts.org”. If you are an artist and haven’t already done so, we encourage you to sign up in the “Arts Directory”, check out Connie Shakalis’s blog, and look at the Arts Events calendar. You can also sign up for our newsletter. Keeping the arts vibrant in our city, requires community support. If you are already a member, Thank you !! If you haven’t, please consider joining the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington!
It’s easy…. just go to this link: https://www.bloomingtonarts.org/membership
Thank you for helping us with our mission of supporting and sustaining a strong arts community in Bloomington.
Membership News
Zain Mackey. Attached are my April watercolors, “Chemical Sunrise” and “Tornado Tree.” I joined Artists for Climate Awareness and I’ve been thinking a lot about the climate changes we’ve experienced over the last 10 years. These will be on display at the Arts Alliance in May.
Andy Roberts. Here are two of my most recent paintings: “Beck Chapel from Memorial Union” and “Red Sun Morning.”
–
MarySue Schwab. This watercolor painting will hang in the Annual Membership Exhibit at Second Presbyterian Church, 7700 N. Meridian St, Indianapolis, from May 13 to July 21. I’ve entitled it, “Mandevilla in Bloom!”
Calendar
- May 1 – July 8 — We Paint….Historic Bloomington Exhibit at History Center.
- May 1 to July 1 — Entires due to Northwest Watermedia Society.
- May 1 to June 3 — Entries due to Figures of Speech Exhibition, Anderson Museum of Art.
- May 7 — Drop off paintings for Conserve Bloomington Exhibit, Art Alliance Center.
- May 8 — BWS May Meeting, First Christian Church, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- May 10 to June 11 — Conserve Bloomington Exhibit, Art Alliance Center.
- May 1 — Kim Cotton’s Exhibition, Viridian Moon Gallery (Ending TBA).
- May 12 — Reception for Christine Peterson’s Exhibition at the Cancer Support Center (Exhibition will run May and June).
- May 20 — Hilltop Garden and Nature Center Paint Out.
