BWS November Meeting — November 8, 6 p.m.
Attention: The November Meeting will be a Zoom Meeting. To attend the meeting via Zoom, look for the link in an email from Joanna Samorow-Merzer or from Carol Rhodes.
Program:
At the November meeting Cassidy Young will be highlighting photoshop tools and techniques. She will be going over the most commonly used reasons 2D and traditional artists use photoshop and she will compare photoshop with other free or low-cost apps and websites that provide similar tools.
Inside BWS
Announcements
President Joanna Samorow-Merzer wants to remind members that volunteers are needed to serve on the Ad Hoc Nominating and Publicity Committees (either full-time or single assignments).
Jeanne Dutton wants to remind members that they can display a piece of art or sets of cards for sale on the FMCCS online auction site. All that is needed is a good photo and a description. Seventy percent (70%) of any sale goes to our BWS scholarship. Contributions are due no later than November 22. The auction, itself, will be held November 29. Contact Jeanne Dutton for assistance at jedutton@att.net
New: A BWS Meeting Ride-Share
Some of our members have difficulty driving at night and getting to the in-person meetings during the winter. To make it easy for these members, Carol Rhodes came up with a plan to create: carpool@bloomingtonwatercolor.org. People can now write to that address asking to join and Carol will subscribe them. Those who sign up will get alerts about new subscribers, and as more accumulate, the members can start chatting with each other about ride-sharing.
Visit the BWS 2021 Membership Show
The BWS Member Show opened at the Viridian Moon Art Gallery on October 1 and will be open for visitors until November 13.
Everyone in BWS, including our President Joanna Samorow-Merzer, wants to thank the committee for organizing the show: Jacki Frey, Kathy Barton, Cathy Korinek and Andy Roberts. Joanna adds, “Special thanks for designing the flier to Tim Lewis and Kathy Barton. I want to thank Carol Rhodes and Charlotte Griffin for creating our online exhibit at SmugMug gallery and many thanks to Irina Shishova and Katya Alexeeva for making it possible for BWS to have the exhibit at the Viridian Moon Gallery. Congratulation to the award recipients and to all members who provided artwork.”
Representing the Show Committee, Kathy Truelove-Barton, declared that there were 15 attendees at the Opening of the Membership Show held on October 9. She congratulated the following members who won awards for the works they were showing:
- Jacki Frey, First
- Mary Sue Schwab, Second
- Philip Bowsher, Third
- Gallery Choice went to Susan Savastuk, with the runner up award going to Barbara Coffman
Please Take Note: Pick up date for the BWS show is November 17th between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
BWS’ Annual Holiday Party
Your Participation is Important
Our Annual Holiday Part will be held Monday, December 13, at First Christian Church, 205 East Kirkwood, Bloomington. Starting time: 6 p.m.
There is no cost to attending this year as all expenses are being covered by BWS. Please feel free to bring your spouse, a partner, or a guest. The only requirement is that you register by December 1 as BWS needs a count. Joanne Weddle, Program Chair, explains this year’s holiday swap:
“First you may create one or two watercolor postcards in a design of your choice. People can make their own postcards from just a sheet of watercolor paper (4″x6”). If we meet face-to-face, I will have postcards at our November meeting for people to pick up and use.
Second, members can create a “structure” out of watercolor paper such as a Christmas ornament or a Christmas decoration. Little wooden easels are available from Etsy.com. They promise 24 hour delivery.
Remember to register for the Holiday Party by December 1 by sending an email to jweddle2@comcast.net
Support the BWS Scholarship!
Jeanne Dutton submitted this report.
This past spring 2021, we weren’t able to award our scholarship to a deserving MCCSC senior. Getting the word out was a bit difficult. But with students back in the classroom and communication support from Teachers Warehouse, perhaps we can make the award in 2022!
Here are two ways you can help bolster the scholarship fund.
1, Make a tax deductible donation to the Foundation for Monroe County Community Schools! Just go to Donate to Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools and fill in the form. NOTE: In the comments section, please say, “For the Bloomington Watercolor Society Scholarship.” Easy peasy!
2, The FMCCS online auction! The 2020 auction raised $190 for the BWS scholarship fund, as FMCCS directs 70% of whatever a piece of art sells for to our fund. Please consider offering a piece of art, original greeting cards, or print. Items are due by November 22. The auction, itself, takes place on November 29. For more information on how to offer an item for the auction, please contact Jeanne at info@bloomingtonwatercolor.org, or Cyrilla Helm at FMCCS, mhelm@mccsc.edu.
Thank you in advance!
Announcing the BWS Benefit Exhibit
February & March 2022
“We Paint…Van Gogh’s World!”
Stars! Swirls! Sunflowers! Self Portraits! Vibrant Colors!
What does the man, the artist, his work, inspire in you??
The Vault at Gallery Mortgage once again welcomes BWS for our annual benefit exhibit.
Any 2D medium is welcome in this show, so get creative! Three judges will determine who wins the cash prizes for Best of Show and Silver Second. Artists who enter a painting will have their name put in a hat for the drawing for door prizes donated by none other than Andrew Preston of Preston Arts Center. (Heads up! The grand door prize is a Sienna Pochade Plein Air Paint Box Medium, value $156!)
This year, our BWS show will benefit an outstanding organization, one which touches all of our lives in one way or another…Teachers Warehouse! Founded by the Rotary Club, TW served over 2,200 teachers from across five counties in 2020-2021. Check them out at https://teacherswarehouse.org/
Watch your email this week for all the details and the full prospectus and video links that will certainly inspire you. Here’s one now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxHnRfhDmrk
Delivery is Tuesday, February 1, 10-12.
Deadline for photos for the SmugMug gallery and publicity is January 10.
Questions? Email Jeanne Dutton at Teachers@BloomingtonWatercolor.org
Outside BWS
NEW! Show Calendar
As a service to its members, BWS is initiating a show calendar project – a listing of upcoming shows that may be of interest to BWS members. We want our exhibitors to have an easy way to find upcoming opportunities, and we want to encourage those who are less experienced or new to exhibiting.
The show calendar will be updated and sent to you every month as an attachment to the email announcing the publication of Brushstrokes.
The November update to the Show Calendar is attached as an email to this Newsletter. This is a list of upcoming shows and exhibition opportunities that may be of interest to BWS members. To suggest additions to the show calendar, send a newsletter, web site, email – whatever – that includes a link to the prospectus to showinfo@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.
The following announcement (Art Illiana Gallery — Call for Entries) is an example of the type of information that is available on the November Show Calendar.
Portrait Group featured in Herald-Times
The Bloomington Portrait Group, which shares many members with BWS, was featured recently in a Herald-Times article accessible at this URL:
https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/news/local/2021/11/02/pdvnch-models-bloomington-portrait-group-first-session-since-covid/6181908001/
The model was Bloomington poet and designer PDVNCH, who performed a poem he wrote about his experience modeling for the group in early 2020.
With fall’s cooler weather, BPG has moved indoors, meeting every other Thursday afternoon at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage 121 East Sixth Street. All are welcome. For more information, contact Claude Cookman at ccookman@indiana.edu
Art Illiana Gallery — Call for Entries
Teachable Moment — JCHarste
Art Illiana Gallery (26 N. 6th Street, Terra Haute) has an open call for entries to “The Crow Show.” Entries can be submitted between now and December 24. The show will run from January 7 through March 18. Entries must be original works in any art medium and completed within the last 5 years. For more information see the prospectus.
Look for other opportunities to show you work at the email attachment to this Newsletter!!
77th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition
Opening Reception andAward Ceremony
Friday, November 5th, 5pm – 8pm
Join us this Friday, November 5th for the opening of the 77th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition! We will be hosting a reception from 5pm – 8pm on the 3rd floor as part of First Friday to celebrate the featured artists and their works. Be among the first to check out the exhibition on the 2nd floor. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres from Gingersnaps Coffee House & Cafe and a cash bar from Verve Cocktail Lounge. Stick around for the awards ceremony to hear a word from juror Drék Davis about the 77th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition and the outstanding works included.
Hancock County Art Gallery
Sandy P. Hall wrote to say that she is offering one hour sessions at the Hancock County Art Gallery during the month of November. The subject is still-life and the theme is “birds.” Sessions average five participants with supplies provided by the gallery. The charge for each session is $30 with proceeds going to paying the heating bill for this non-profit gallery. Contact sandyphall13@gmail.com for more information. The Hancock County Art Gallery is located at 20-A North State Street, Greenfield, Indiana 46140.
Sandy Hall Sandy Hall
Sandy Hall sandy Hall
Sell Your Art at Holiday Fair
There is still room in the Holiday Shows every weekend during the month of November at the Arts Alliance Center in the Bloomington College Mall. Booth fees start at $50 for the weekend. Artists can share a table with a friend(s). For more information contact coordinator.space@bloomingtonarts.org
Upland Plein Air Show
Consider yourself invited: The second opening of the 2021 Fall Member Exhibition of Upland Plein Air is November 5 from 5-6 p.m. at the Vault, Gallery Mortgage, 121 East Sixth Street, Bloomington, IN, 47401.
Member News
Zain Mackey Zain Mackey
Welcome Zain Mackey!! Zain is a new member of the Bloomington Watercolor Society.
On behalf of the organization we look forward to getting to know you and appreciate your sharing two of your latests works (above).
Jacki Frey. Here is a couple of recent works:
“Red barn ..Vermont” (above) is going to the Indiana Pein Air Painters member show. The show is at the Harrison Art Center, 1505 Delaware Street, Indianapolis and runs from November 5 through December 31.
The yellow house (see opening of the Newsletter), located in a westside neighborhood of Bloomington, was painted yesterday and today.
Steven Edwards. Only two items to offer for the newsletter. The Award winners for the Philadelphia Watercolor Society’s 121st Annual Works On Paper were announced on October 24th. It is with great pleasure to announce that “Looking For Patch” was given the “Award for Excellence in Water Media”. The show was juried by Ray Balkwill for selection and Mary Whyte for awards. The exhibit will be on display at the Community Arts Center, Wallingford, PA now thru November 23rd. Here is a link to the exhibit:
Philadelphia Water Color Society – Home (wildapricot.org)
Also “Soulmates” was accepted into the 77th Annual Wabash Valley Exhibition by juror Drék Davis. The exhibit will be on display at the Swope Museum in Terre Haute Indiana, November 5th thru January 6th. Awards and reception to be held on November 5th.
Steven Edwards Steven Edwards
Timothy Lewis. I will be delivering my watercolor, “Inflation”, to Fishers City Hall Art Gallery next week for the Watercolor Society of Indiana show there running from November 4th through the 28th.
Timothy Lewis
Among my paintings in October I did a three painting series on the driftwood we saw along the beach on Pockoy Island, a part of the Botany Bay Plantation Preserve in South Carolina. These are only three of the dozens of dead trees bleached along that beach.
Timothy Lewis Timothy Lewis Timothy Lewis
Barbara Coffman. My ink and watercolor portrait was accepted into the 77th Wabash Valley Exhibition at the Swope Gallery in Terre Haute. The exhibition opens on Friday, November 5. This is my first juried show!
The painting – “Conscience of the Congress” – is my tribute to John Lewis, U.S. Congressman from Georgia, who passed away last year.
MarySue Schwab. When I wrote to Mary Sue asking if she had a photo of the painting she submitted to the BWS Membership Show for publication in this Newsletter, she asked that I remind members that she gives private art lessons to anyone interested. With some 40 years of teaching experience and her artistic acclaim this is a great opportunity to learn from one of our best. MarySue also announced that she and her husband, Bill, both had paintings juried into the 2021 Richmond Museum Art Show in Richmond, Indiana.
Jerome Harste. I want to share a new children’s book that I think bears your attention. In my estimation it is children’s literature in a new key. This book is written so that it allows readers to use their iPhones to point at QR codes and hear the music that accompanies the text. The url below takes you to a video that allows you to experience what I see as a breakthrough in an art field close to lots of members’ hearts. I also see it as a possibility for artists of all ilks to add a new dimension to their work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QsrRBkzOmo
Dates to Remember
- November 8 — BWS November Meeting via Zoom, 6 p.m.
- November 17 — Pick up paintings — BWS Membership Show.
- November 22 — Last day to submit item to the FMCCS Online Auction.
- December 1 — Deadline for registering for BWS Holiday Party.
- November 1 and December 13 — Make a card or “structure” for BWS Holiday Party.
- November 1 to December 31– Make a 2021 tax deductible donation to BWS Scholarship Fund.
- November 1 to February 1– Create a painting for the BWS Benefit Show (Delivery of painting will occur on February 1; Photos for SmugMug Gallery are due January 10).
- December 13 — BWS Holiday Party, First Christian Church.
- December 24 — Last day to submit paintings to “The Crow Show” in Terra Haute.
Remember: “Every artist was first an amateur”
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
