February Brushstrokes

Judy Mudd will teach March 31

 Portrait Workshop.

In this issue

Feb. 13 meeting

Portraits Workshop

We Paint … the Springs registration

Member News

Beyond BWS

Opportunities

Feb. 13 meeting

Tricia Wente tackles three topics

Tricia Wente, BWS show chair, will present a three-part program  Monday, Feb. 13, at the monthly meeting of the Bloomington Watercolor Society.

First, Signature status steps you up a level as a watercolor artist by acknowledging your experience, education and body of work. But how do you accomplish that level? This session will offer you hints and help to achieve Signature status with BWS.

Second, to become a Signature member, it’s important to enter juried shows. Scary? You bet – especially for those of us who haven’t ever done it! But it doesn’t have to be scary. Tricia will discuss the pros and cons of entering shows, what to look for, what to do and what not to do.

Third, if you’re entering shows you have to frame your own paintings. Tricia will show you the economical and easy  process of  using a metal frame.

by Judy Mudd

Portraits in Watercolor

A workshop by Judy Mudd

Several of you asked for it and now the opportunity has arrived!  Judy Mudd will be here March 31 to teach us about painting portraits in watercolor.  She’ll cover the following topics:

·         The advantages and disadvantages of painting from photos

·         Design layouts and where to place the figure

·         The importance of color shifts in portraits

·         Skin tones and how green and violet can make a difference

·         How to make eyes watery, full of color, yet transparent

·         How to paint hair without making it look like a “cap” or “strings” using the “tree” approach

·         General information regarding facial features and how to paint them

Judy is an accomplished artist and an experienced instructor, currently teaching at the Preston Art Center and Lake Forest Lodge in Louisville.  You can view her work at JudyMudd.com.

Cost of the workshop is $55 for members, $65 for non-members. Breakfast bagels and coffee are included. An optional lunch from Roly Poly is $5. 

Important workshop dates:

Feb. 13 – Enrollment opens at the BWS monthly meeting.  This workshop is limited to 15 members, so do not hesitate!

March 13 – Enrollment opens to non-members.

March 17 – Last day to cancel with a refund.  After March 17, no refunds will be given.

March 31 – Workshop, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., First Christian Church

To enroll after Feb. 13 or for answers to your questions, please email members@BloomingtonWatercolor.org.

Registration opens

for French Lick conference

You can now register for the Sept. 21-23 watercolor conference, “We Paint … the Springs,” by calling Ivy Tech at 812-330-6041. Conference brochures and registration forms will also be available at the February BWS meeting. The registration form will also be available on the conference Web site (see below) within days.

The registration fee for the full weekend conference is $179 if paid before April 15 and $199 after that date. In addition to the workshops and paint out, the fee includes a Friday reception, Saturday breakfast, lunch and social hour, and a Sunday lunch.

Saturday only registration is $169 if paid before April 15 and $179 after that date. The fee covers the workshops, breakfast, lunch and social hour. Sunday only registration is $40 and covers the paint out registration and lunch.

Please register early for the conference. We need to reach our minimum number of registrants by April 15. Otherwise, the conference will not happen. We negotiated a no-penalty cancellation date with the hotel so that we could avoid putting BWS’s finances in jeopardy. However, that cancellation date pushes us to reach our minimum numbers months before the conference. Don’t wait!

The Saturday workshop schedule is as follows:

For Beginners: 9 a.m. to noon; 1 to 4 p.m

Give it a try!

Jeanne Ellen Dutton and Nancy Davis Metz

This all-day, step-by-step session will provide beginners with the basic techniques and tools of watercolor painting. Participants will create several small paintings ready to mat and frame. All supplies provided.

For Intermediate/Advanced: 9 a.m. to noon (Choose one on-site)

We’ve Got a Stamp for That!

Linda Meyer-Wright

The design element of texture is explored through stamping, including the use of everyday materials, such as leaves, plastic, wax paper and sponges.

Managing Color to Create Better Art

Carol Rhodes

Understanding color is essential to watercolor painting. Topics will include saturation, tonality, key and purity of colors.

Concept, Not Technique

Sara Steffey-McQueen

Inspire design ideas using a mandala, a visual tool that uses radial symmetry and symbolism to facilitate reflection and contemplation.

Workshops with featured artists: 1 to 4 p.m. (Choose one on registration form)

Watercolor Landscapes en plein air (William Borden, ASW, WSI)

Watercolor Florals: Up Close and Personal (Cathy Hillegas)

Sunday will feature a daylong paint out with 8 a.m. registration, a box lunch, 2 p.m. judging and 3 p.m. awards presentation.

For more information, go to http://www.bloomingtonwatercolor.org/conference or email members@bloomingtonwatercolor.org.

Member news

Jacki Frey will have a workshop Friday, Feb. 24, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a showing of the paintings at 2 p.m. The theme is the Spanish Pavilion in Seville, Spain. If you’d like Jacki to email you a photo image ahead of time, contact her at 320-6745 or email her at jackifrey@hotmail.com.  The workshop costs $40; please RSVP is you plan to attend. Jacki’s address is 5024 West September Drive. Bring along a sack lunch.

Linda Meyer-Wright and Carla Hedges will have booths at “The Local Artists Showcase” Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Monroe County Convention Center. Ivy Tech Community College and Bloom magazine are sponsoring the one-day “art show with a difference.” The $2 admission fee will be used to purchase local art to be displayed at the Convention Center. Show hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Carolyn Rogers Richard has paintings at the Hoosier Artists Gallery in Nashville and hand-painted fabric/fiber art at the Ferrer Gallery, also in Nashville.

Beyond BWS

The Visual Arts Guild is planning a Bloomington Open Studio Tour, June 2 and 3. Participants’ studios will be identified on a tour map. The event will be widely publicized and has the support of the Bloomington Visitors Bureau. Several artists can share one studio for the event. Of course, it will be a good time to have art for sale and visitors will enjoy watching artists at work. If you would like to participate contact joanneshank@juno.com. The planning team would like to know who wants to participate by the end of February if possible. More information will be available at bloomingtonvague.com

Gallery North is moving to the Main Street Shops on Old School Way in Nashville and will be opening March 10. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. The Gallery has room for more artists Anyone who is interested should contact Cathy Korinek at catkorinek@aol.com.

Sarah Hedges will be having a cheesecake and canvas program March 10 at J.K.s cheesecake cafe at Morgan and Jefferson streets on the

Martinsville square. The $35 fee pays for all supplies, cheesecake, and drink. Contact Sarah A. Hedges at 765-792-0328 or email indystar3@comcast.net.

To celebrate Women’s History Month in March, Lt. Governor Becky Skillman will again acknowledge the contribution Hoosier women artists make to our state. Female artists from Indiana are invited to submit their original artwork for consideration. Art professors from IUPUI’s Herron School of Art and Design will assist in selecting the 2012 winning art pieces, which will then be on display in the Lt. Governor’s office until the end of the year. Many of you will remember that BWS Signature member Jeanne Iler was one of the honorees a couple years back, and her painting of the Indiana state bird, the cardinal, hung in the lieutenant governor's office all year. The opportunity awaits you! Find all the details at http://in.gov/lg/3106.htm.

The Speed Museum in Louisville has a special exhibit “Renoir to Chagall” Feb. 3 to May 6. More information can be found at http://www.speedmuseum.org/exhibitions/Renoir_to_Chagall_The_Allure_of_Color. Anyone wishing to arrange a field trip should contact Jacki Frey at jackifrey@hotmail.com or call 320-6745.

Opportunities

Since the February program is about entering shows, this list of deadlines from Jerry Harste is especially pertinent.

The 28th National Exhibition. Illinois Watercolor Society, Dixon, Illinois. Dates: May 4 to June 1, 2012. Entry deadline: March 5, 2012. Juror: Donna Jill Witty. Awards: Cash/merchandise. For prospectus: www.illinoiswatercolorsociety.org

Texas Watercolor Society 63rd Annual Exhibition. San Antonio Art Museum. Dates: June 1- June 30. Entry deadline: April 1, 2012. Awards: Cash. Juror: Steve Doherty. For prospectus: txwatercolorsociety.org

Red River Watercolor Society 19th National Juried Watermedia Exhibition. Dates: June 17 – Sept. 16, 2012. Juror: Donna Zagotta. Entry deadline: April 1, 2012. Prizes: Cash/merchandise. For prospectus: #10 SASE to RRWS, P.O. Box 1656, Fargo, ND 58107-1656, or redriverws.org

31st Annual Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors. Old Forge, NY. Dates: Aug. 11- Oct. 8, 2012. Entry deadline: April 9, 2012. Juror of Selection: Pat San Soucie. Juror of Awards: Paul Jackson. Awards: Cash. For prospectus: 315-369-6411, or Info@ViewArts.org