April 2016 Newsletter

                                    
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Spring Greetings on a Cold Morning!

I'm sure spring is around the corner somewhere and soon we'll have warm days and forget how long it's taken for those balmy days to appear!

For those of you that attended the March meeting and created zentangles, it would be fun to see your finished tile.  Let's bring the zentangles we've done to share at the April meeting! 

April 19th, 7:00pm, TAF,  Jo McGraw will be our guest artist.  She has some very creative approaches to her paintings that you won't want to miss seeing! You can check out some of her work on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jo.mcgraw.737.  Here is a charming turtle she has on exhibit at the Bindery through the end of April (https://www.facebook.com/events/1053497301404656/?ref=22&action_history=null&source=22)

        
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If you are interested in entering "Indiana Now" - the deadline is April 13th - click on this link:    https://www.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=3274&sortby=fair_name&apply=yes

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The May 18th meeting was scheduled to be a critique with Ladonna Vohar and Lorie Amich, but stand by we may have another exciting program instead! Details are being worked out! TBA!!!!

June 18th, the WVAS had scheduled a paint out to Turkey Run State Park, but Jean Jackson,  one of our members made us aware that the Indiana Plein Air painters are coming to town that weekend for a paint out.  So if you would like to have a plein air painting experience here in town, we cancelled the trip to Turkey Run.  Click here for details to participate:  http://www.haanmuseum.org/paintout2016.aspx

Skipping ahead a few months, the WVAS annual juried show will be held in September.  The venue will be Sylvia's Brick Oven this year - more details to come, but begin thinking about what you would like to enter now! 

I think this is a wrap for this edition of the WVAS newsletter.

Happy painting!

Aron Wiesenfeld

I was perusing a Lines and Colors blog about an exhibition in Santa Monica, which led me to check out Wiesenfeld's website. He works in charcoal and in oils. His figures are really evocative and quite wonderful.
http://www.aronwiesenfeld.com/4n2dftk3w8pchwx5v8v3nifv8rbt7v

Zentangles!

Thanks to Jan Wright, we had a very creative evening drawing zentangles on tiles with sharpies.  It will be fun to see what the WVAS members do with this new technique!

March Program - Zentangles!

This Tuesday, March 15th, 7:00pm, TAF, will be a very fun evening! You are welcome to bring snacks to share.

March 15th, 7:00pm TAF,  our special guest presenting the program is Jan Wright, who many of you may recognize from her shop on Main Street, "First Class Clutter."  Jan is truly a renaissance woman, a creative florist, a shop owner, estate sale organizer and artist.  Last summer she taught how to create Zentangles on white ceramic tiles at Fountain Park, Chautauqa in Remmington Indiana. She will lead us in a hands on art experience.  Each person will leave with their own creation of a Zentangle on tile.  Materials will be provided.  Mark your calendars and invite a friend!  

If you are not familiar with Zentangles you might want to check out some web sites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-d2UdXAD7k

https://www.zentangle.com/zentangle-method

http://tanglepatterns.com/zentangles/what-is-a-zentangle

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/arts-and-health/201403/calm-down-and-get-your-zentangle

James Gurney

I don't remember if I've mentioned James Gurney before. He is both a realist painter and an illustrator/concept artist. If you have kids who love dinosaurs, you may have seen his book, Dinotopia.

Link to Gurney's blog: http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.ca/ Lots to explore here!

A recent post on Lines and Colors described Gurney's Fantasy in the Wild vid and provided a link to an earlier discussion and many pics of Gurney's Watercolor in the Wild (downloadable vid):
http://linesandcolors.com/2014/08/29/james-gurneys-watercolor-in-the-wild/

Definitely worth a look if you would like some tips on using watercolor "en plein air."

His book Color and Light is worth looking at as well: http://jamesgurney.com/site/213/color-and-light-a-guide-for-the-realist-painter

Abstract Art with Sara Vanderkleed

Happy Valentines Day!

Tuesday, February 16, 7:00pm TAF:  Sara Vanderkleed will be our guest artist/speaker.  Sara is a member of Artists Own, an independent artist and art teacher, specializing in abstract art.  Last fall Sara was the artist in residence at 

Breckinridge, Colorado.  She gave a workshop there on designing an abstract painting. (http://www.breckcreate.org/event/designing-an-abstract-painting-with-sara-vanderkleed/) 

The explanation of that workshop from the website: Learning to view abstract art is similar to hearing a new language. At first your eyes don’t know what you’re seeing just as your ears don’t know what to hear when hearing a new language. Learning to paint abstractly can be just as challenging. We’ll look at two aspects of abstract painting; what inspires you and how to interpret it. We’ll consider principles of design and trusting your intuition. 

Sara will give a demonstration based on that workshop.  Another WVAS program you don't want to miss!

Lars Lerin

Lerin is a Swedish watercolor artist. He has a new exhibit opening at the American Swedish Museum in Minneapolis. The link is to a gallery that represents him. His work is very atmospheric, and some of the images look like he puts two or more full-size sheets together. I think these would be awesome to see in person.
http://www.larsbohmangallery.com/artists/lars-lerin