Bloomington Watercolor Society

State of the Society Year-End Report for 2011

Overview

2011 was a wonderful year for the Bloomington Watercolor Society. We held nine informative monthly meetings, two educational workshops, eight relaxing paint outs, two productive shows, and one elegant and enjoyable holiday party. Many highlights accompanied these events, including those enhancing meeting, outreach, and instructional efforts.  Note that there was no Signature Status Committee formed this year as it meets every other year.

Treasury

Year end count showed a total of 74 members. Carol Rhodes, treasurer, reported that between the beginning and the end of 2011 the treasury had positive income some of which could be attributed to the sale of notecards.

Meetings/programs

·  January 10: Everything you ever wanted to know about shows but were afraid to ask with Tricia Wente

·  February 14: All Shapes and Sizes with Jacki Frey

·   March 14:  Help! with Dan Alexander, Jacki Frey, Jeanne Iler, Linda Meyer-Wright, Carol Rhodes and Vi Working

·   April 11: Plein Air and Beyond: Choosing a subject, focus and composition with Jacki Frey and Nancy Metz

·   May 9: An introduction to Portrait Painting with Tricia Wente

·   June 13:  Painting rocks, pebbles, tree branches and trunks, with Jeanne Vieter

·   July:  No meeting/no program – summer break!

·   August:  No meeting/no program – summer break!

·   September 12: Splattering and Spattering! with Jeanne Dutton

·   October 10: Artist’s Travel Journaling with Cathy Korinek and Jo Weddle

·    November :  Artist Trading Cards with Jerry Harste

·    December:  No meeting/no program – Holiday Party!

Workshops

·     May 28:  Peggy Brown: Watercolor Collage!

·     October 1:  Rena Brouwer: Birds

Paint-Outs

·     April 30:  McCormick’s Creek State Park

·     May 21:  T.C. Steele State Historic Site

·     June 18:  Bloomington Farmers’ Market

·     July 16 :  Debra Rush’s aunt’s farm, Smithville

·     August 20:  The shop fronts at South Dunn Street

·     September 10:  T.C. Steele State Historic Site

·     October 10:  Annual Picnic at Musgrave Orchard

·     Ad hoc: September 8: B-Line Trail Opening Reception at the invitation of the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department

Shows

·     May:  The Venue Fine Art and Gifts: Creative Senior Show. Opening: May 6

·     November – December: Annual Show:  “We Paint… Parks!” at City Hall Atrium. Opening: November 4, closing: December 2. This show was a year-long collaborative project with the Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District and the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.  Forty-six paintings were exhibited. BPR chose three paintings to publish in the Summer program guide. Deborah Rush’s “Playground in Spring” (Bryan Park) was chosen for the front cover and Deloris Schneider’s “Neighborhood Park” (Highland Village Park) and Diane Probst’s (Leonard Spring Nature Park) paintings will be included inside the program guide. Barbara Hawkins’ “Where the Fun Begins” (Allison-Jukebox Community Center), Nancy Davis Metz’s “Griffy Lake” (Griffy Lake Nature Preserve), Cassidy Young’s “Third Street Park” (Third Street Park), and Tricia Wente’s “Winslow Vignettes” (Winslow Sports Park), and Dan Alexander’s “Peoples Park” (Peoples Park) received Honorable Mention.

Holiday Party

·    December 19:  Holiday Party! Meadowood – ATCs, door prizes

Select Highlights

·     Introduced the exchange table, complete with “Free”, “Borrow” and “Try It” sections.

·     Secured new “Bloomington Watercolor Society” signage complete with logos for paint outs and other events.

·    Updated Web site and included new gallery for BWS member’s works, thanks to the efforts of Charlotte Griffin and Carol Rhodes.

·     Added “President’s Column” and “Inspirations”, a place to feature member art, sections to Brushstrokes newsletter

·     Created new Honorary Membership Committee and inducted first member, Heidi Heiser, graphic designer who has created the postcard invitations to membership shows for several years.

·     Added new Scholarships Committee, the goal of which is to research, design and present a scholarship to a high school senior in 2013.

·     Helped members of the public connect with nature by teaching watercolor painting techniques, “Cave Paintings”, hosted by The Venue Fine Art and Gifts.  This was another collaborative effort with the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.

·     Began networking at the state level with the Watercolor Society of Indiana and other watercolor organizations

·     Introduced, approved, and began planning for “We Paint…The Springs” conference, a collaborative effort with Ivy Tech’s Center for Lifelong Learning and French Lick Resort.

Respectfully submitted,

Kriste Lindberg

BWS President 2011