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.
