Volunteer of the Year !

Our volunteer of the year for 2012 is Lynn Cummings. Many thanks to Lynn for her leadership as Hub Co-Point Person in Burlington/Saint Albans and her extraordinary enthusiasm and energy for local activities. Under Lynn's leadership, and aided by Co-Point Persons Marni McKitrick and Linda DiSante, the Burlington/Saint Albans Hub has visited the View Arts Center at Old Forge, NY, and the Saint-Armand Paper making factory in Montreal. We have had workshops in framing, critiquing, and moving from realistic to abstract painting; four plein air painting events; two Hub shows; a holiday card making event; and an ongoing life drawing group. Upcoming in October is a workshop in which members share their explorations with nontraditional watercolor techniques, in preparation for the juried, VWS Watercolor Out of Bounds exhibition at the Vermont Institute of Contemporary Arts, in September 2013. Other Hub members have helped organize and lead many of these events, but Lynn's energy has set the tone for this level of activity, and her enthusiasm and ideas are keeping the Hub rolling into 2013. Thank you Lynn!!

WANTED: 

Please join us as part of our PR team. This is a way you can make a big difference without a big investment in time. You would write a brief press release for each of our three shows (there's an app. for that), and our fabulous volunteer Kathy Berry Bergeron will send it to media outlets. This job takes only three hours PER YEAR.

Contact Amanda if you are interested. 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

From our Director of Volunteers (soon to be Vice President):   

One of the questions I was asked recently is "What's in it for me?", i.e. why should someone want to volunteer for the VWS? That's a good question, and as I reflected on it, I realized how much I have personally benefited from my two years as Director of Volunteers.   Tops of the list is that I've gained a deep and rich community of fine artists and made some close friendships. That would not have happened if I'd just said "Hi" to you in passing at meetings and exhibitions. From that contact with you, I've grown and an artist. All of our conversations, no matter what the topic, come around to talking about art, about paints, techniques, approaches to work, about the challenges and victories and fabulous learning experiences that this wonderful endeavor of ours brings to our lives. I've also grown professionally, now that I'm looking beyond the walls of my studio to the purpose and goals of arts organizations. And finally, it's personally very rewarding to know that one's efforts are creating and maintaining this organization. None of the activities and friendships of VWS are possible without each and every one of us.

So join us! We need YOUR help with the following team positions and tasks:

• Director of Volunteers (Board Position)
• Helping organize volunteers for exhibitions (can be done via phone or email)
• Helping with writing needs (writing for the newsletter, proof reading)
• Helping identify venues for both statewide and Hub shows
• Helping with Claudia Carl with program team tasks

Many thanks to all our 2012 volunteers! We had an impressive list in our Fall Meeting program. If you missed it, you can check it out on our new website.

Please contact amanda.amend@gmail.com to talk more about how you can help and enjoy the rewards of being involved.

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center     Lebanon, NH

an Open Show:  

 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2012.   

Calendar:

• Entry form deadline: 11/14/2012
• Notification to Artists: n/a
• Show Start & End: 12/4/2012 - 3/2/2013
• Delivery to DHMC Volunteer Services (North Entrance):       11/29/2012, 9 AM - noon; 1:00 - 4:00 PM
• Show Reception: 1/17/2013, 4:30 - 6:00 PM, Chilcott Lounge, Level 4, Rubin Building
• Pick Up from Gallery: 3/2/2013
• Gallery commission:     25%  

Eligibility:

• All current dues-paid VWS Members
• Original works of art painted with water-soluble media that reconstitutes with water: (transparent watercolor, gouache, watercolor pencil, watercolor sticks & watercolor inks)
• Works of art not previously shown in statewide VWS shows
• Works must be professionally framed, with glass or Plexiglas, ready for hanging
• Watercolor paper, canvas, & boards, Gessoed paper & Yupo acceptable
• Top mats must be white or off-white
• Watercolor canvas & watercolor boards do not need mats or glass
• Frames must not exceed 44" on any side
• All work must be for sale

Entry Procedures & Information:

• Entry Fee: n/a
• CD submission not required for this non-juried show

Entry Checklist:

• Entry form                                                        
• VWS label for back of painting

Entry form sent to:

Kate Reeves                                              

 PO Box 471                                  

Woodstock, VT   05091

All work must be picked up by end of business day on the pick up date. VWS and the hospital are not responsible for work left after the pick up date. Please ask a friend to pick up your work if you are not able.

Questions?

Please contact one of the exhibition co chairs:

Name & Email: Lynn Cummings 

Lynn.Cummings@uvm.edu 

Name & Email: Rebecca Gottesman 

Rebecca@rebeccasart.com  

Annelein Beukenkamp is proud to announce the acceptance of her painting "Warm Glow" into The Shanghai Zhujiajiao International Watercolour Biennial Exhibition.  The show is organized by Shanghai Qingpu District People's Government and China Artists Association, co-organized by Shanghai Zhujiajiao Town People's Government and Watercolour Art Committee of China Artists Association, in association with Quanhua Watercolour Art Gallery.  More than 4000 international entries were received from over 62 countries plus 6000 Chinese submissions.  The pieces were juried by a panel of 7 international watercolor professionals and only a few hundred were selected for display.  The show opens November 28th. 

This is the first international exhibition that is dedicated to the watercolour medium held in China. Its purpose and focus is to 'Introduce the Chinese watercolour to the world, introduce the world's watercolour to China, and let the world understand China's watercolour'.  For more information please visit http://www.watercolourbiennial.com/

Her work is also on display at the Shelburne Farms annual Art in the Coach Barn 25th anniversary show until November 4th.  

In other news her work is published in The Artistic Touch 5 (Northlight books), a compilation book of watercolors by a multitude of artists showcasing various techniques.  Her painting "Blonde Ambition" can be found on page 13.

Next year the popular Splash series of books (Splash 14- the Best of Watercolor; Light and Color) will contain her painting "The Storyteller".  Release will be sometime mid 2013.

Artistic Touch Magazine

"The Storyteller" by Annelein Beukenkamp

"Warm Glow" by Annelein Beukenkamp   

From Charles Norris-Brown

Four watercolorists have managed to squeeze into the small-ish studio of Charles Norris-Brown this Fall for five sessions working from live, unclothed female models. We have all been quite happy with the chance to do this and (except for the writer of this piece) are happy with the results. The present writer knows how difficult it is to work from live models in watercolor, so has himself to blame. But, still, he insists on continuing with the VWS figure sessions and is looking for a larger space to work in. This seems like it might become a possibility. Word had gone out already asking for a show of interest, and its seems that, once a larger space can be arranged, an ongoing VWS figure session may become a regular event after the holidays.

We are open to all sorts of ideas about how we could continue. For example, one day could be a female figure clothed in 1890s clothes or a male in a martian space suit, or whatever. The idea is to make the most of the space and Charles' access to models to help us all out at VWS. So, please, send Charles any and all suggestions, wishes, requests, demands, support, hate mail, or whatever suits your fancy. Please let Charles know. It is a great chance to work from live models and we will try to accommodate everyone -- possibly even have some kind of "show" of our work, even if only online.

Charles is Charles Norris-Brown


The ground breaking participants (see photo left to right):

Charles Norris-Brown, Karen Casper, Annelein Beukenkamp, Jean Cannon and Linda DiSante.