Newsletter - Loudoun Sketch Club...LSC Newsletter Online: September/October 2016 Loudoun Sketch Club...
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– Featured Artist – Amy Mann: paintings and drawings by Leanne Fink That’s what her busi- ness card tells you. She understates herself. Recently, I had the pleas- ure of meeting and talk- ing with Amy over lunch. I could wrap it up in one sentence but then you’d never hear the backstory. She does it all . . . and very, very well! Although she was born in Queens, NYC, Amy Mann was raised in Fairfax County, Virginia. Her passion for fig- ure drawing and still life painting culminated in receiving a BFA in Painting from the Philadelphia College of Art. In later years, Amy expanded her art to include plein air. When asked to describe her style of art she said, “I am a perceptual realist. I work from life.” To Amy, the snap- shot is only a compositional tool. She doesn’t believe that the eye should be limited by either the confines of a photo- graph or a view finder tool. “There is a lot to deal with when painting outdoors. The light constantly changes, the wind blows my easel over, the sun burns, the insects bite, the tide rises and falls, the boats come and go, my brushes fall in the water. It’s cold, it’s hot, it’s raining, it’s foggy, it’s CHANGING. Plein air painting is the most exhilarating, the scariest and the most fun. Taking into account and reacting to the changing light and conditions makes each painting a fresh and spontaneous event. Working to get a clear statement out of all the ‘noise’ and distraction that is landscape painting is like training yourself to speak clearly by talking with a mouth full of rocks. Clarity of vision is my goal, and trying to get there is never boring. I generally don’t work from photographs because then I would miss all the fun!” Amy is a registered copy- ist at The National Gallery. On the surface that seems somewhat incongruous com- pared to her belief that art is best achieved from life. But Amy believes that copying at The National Gallery is like plein air painting because of the unpredictable environment, which can include visitors walking around, some stopping to observe, and other distractions. She uses her skills of direct observa- tion in the same way as working outside. As happens with many female artists, marriage and family tend to be their most creative endeavors and can reprioritize their visual art. Throughout some of those years, Amy freelanced in the graphic arts and ran her own com- pany, AIM Graphics. She also took classes at The Torpedo Factory. Still yearning for the opportunity to work from life but closer to home, Amy began her own art league called The Centreville Regional Art Guild (CRAG). The purpose was to allow local artists to share model fees on a regular basis. Over time CRAG evolved and no longer satisfied Amy’s need for figure work. She moved on. Amy has been a Loudoun Sketch Clubber for three years. She has also taken a number of workshops in Canada with MICA’s Sharon Yates. Amy shared Sharon’s concept of pre-mixing colors for the plein air palette. “I felt that it was difficult to keep my colors clean. Before meeting Sharon, I used pastels because of their tonal purity. Sharon directed us to mix a good quantity of our basic color palette before beginning to paint. I found this to be the answer to my stum- bling block. And because a plein air painting should take only a couple hours to complete, there’s very little waste. Sharon has been a key influence on my recent work.” Others whose influ- ence is apparent in Amy’s style are Janet Fish, Fairfield Porter, Alice Neel and Richard Diebenkorn. Recently, Amy has taken a full time position with the Fairfax County Library in Centreville while her youngest son finishes college. Despite a busy schedule, she contin- ues to make time to paint and draw. Currently she is working on a lengthy series of ‘Alphabet’ still life paintings. “My idea of making a still life for each letter of the alphabet is an arbitrary rule, just for fun, and to force me to deal with a large variety of objects that have nothing in common except the letter they start with, and, further, to make it work as a pleasing com- position. I’m hoping that when they’re all done, I can publish a book called, Still Life A-Z.” Visit her website: www.amymann.com to view her complete art collection. Newsletter Creating and Supporting the Visual Arts in Loudoun County, Virginia since 1944 LSC Newsletter Online: www.LoudounSketchClub.com September/October 2016 Amy Mann Warrenton Pole, 24”x24”, oil “A,” 24”x24”, oil “C,” 24”x24”, oil Amy Mann’s studio
Transcript of Newsletter - Loudoun Sketch Club...LSC Newsletter Online: September/October 2016 Loudoun Sketch Club...
– Featured Artist –
Amy Mann:paintings and drawings
by Leanne FinkThat’s what her busi-
ness card tells you. Sheunderstates herself.Recently, I had the pleas-ure of meeting and talk-ing with Amy over lunch.I could wrap it up in onesentence but then you’dnever hear the backstory.
She does it all . . . and very, very well!
Although she was born in Queens, NYC, Amy Mannwas raised in Fairfax County, Virginia. Her passion for fig-ure drawing and still life painting culminated in receiving aBFA in Painting from the Philadelphia College of Art. Inlater years, Amy expanded her art to include plein air.
When asked to describe her style of art she said, “I ama perceptual realist. I work from life.” To Amy, the snap-shot is only a compositional tool. She doesn’t believe thatthe eye should be limited by either the confines of a photo-graph or a view finder tool. “There is a lot to deal withwhen painting outdoors. The light constantly changes, thewind blows my easel over, the sun burns, the insects bite,the tide rises and falls, the boats come and go, my brushesfall in the water. It’s cold, it’s hot, it’s raining, it’s foggy, it’sCHANGING. Plein air painting is the most exhilarating,the scariest and the most fun. Taking into account andreacting to the changing light and conditions makes eachpainting a fresh and spontaneous event. Working to get aclear statement out of all the ‘noise’ and distraction that is
landscape painting is liketraining yourself to speakclearly by talking with amouth full of rocks. Clarityof vision is my goal, andtrying to get there is neverboring. I generally don’twork from photographsbecause then I would missall the fun!”
Amy is a registered copy-ist at The National Gallery.On the surface that seemssomewhat incongruous com-
pared to her belief that art is best achieved from life. But Amybelieves that copying at The National Gallery is like plein airpainting because of the unpredictable environment, which caninclude visitors walking around, some stopping to observe,and other distractions. She uses her skills of direct observa-tion in the same way as working outside.
As happens with many femaleartists, marriage and family tend to betheir most creative endeavors and canreprioritize their visual art. Throughoutsome of those years, Amy freelanced inthe graphic arts and ran her own com-pany, AIM Graphics. She also tookclasses at The Torpedo Factory. Stillyearning for the opportunity to workfrom life but closer to home, Amybegan her own art league called The
Centreville Regional Art Guild (CRAG). The purpose was toallow local artists to share model fees on a regular basis.Over time CRAG evolved and no longer satisfied Amy’s needfor figure work. She moved on.
Amy has been a Loudoun Sketch Clubber for threeyears. She has also taken a number of workshops in Canadawith MICA’s Sharon Yates. Amy shared Sharon’s concept ofpre-mixing colors for the plein air palette. “I felt that it wasdifficult to keep my colors clean. Before meeting Sharon, Iused pastels because of their tonal purity. Sharon directedus to mix a good quantity of our basic color palette beforebeginning to paint. I found this to be the answer to my stum-bling block. And because a plein air painting should takeonly a couple hours to complete, there’s very little waste.Sharon has been a key influence on my recent work.”
Others whose influ-ence is apparent in Amy’sstyle are Janet Fish,Fairfield Porter, AliceNeel and RichardDiebenkorn.
Recently, Amy hastaken a full time positionwith the Fairfax CountyLibrary in Centrevillewhile her youngest sonfinishes college. Despite abusy schedule, she contin-ues to make time to paint
and draw. Currently she is working on a lengthy series of‘Alphabet’ still life paintings. “My idea of making a still life foreach letter of the alphabet is an arbitrary rule, just for fun, andto force me to deal with alarge variety of objects thathave nothing in commonexcept the letter they startwith, and, further, to makeit work as a pleasing com-position. I’m hoping thatwhen they’re all done, Ican publish a book called,Still Life A-Z.”
Visit her website:www.amymann.com toview her complete art collection.
NewsletterCreating and Supporting the Visual Arts in Loudoun County, Virginia since 1944
LSC Newsletter Online: www.LoudounSketchClub.com September/October 2016
Loudoun Sketch Club Ute Gil, Membership Chair20630 Fairwater PlSterling, VA 20165
Amy Mann
Stamp
Loudoun Sketch Club’s
2016 Fall Business Meeting and Luncheon
Saturday, September 17 at 10 am - 2:30 pm
Barre
ls of
Pur
cellv
ille b
y LSC
mem
bers
Nan
Bow
e, M
elanie
Sta
nley,
Lillia
n M
iller a
nd P
enny
Hau
ffe
Warrenton Pole, 24”x24”, oil
“A,” 24”x24”, oil
“C,” 24”x24”, oil
Amy Mann’s studio
LoudounSketch ClubVolunteers
OfficersPresidentLori Goll 571-251-9659
[email protected] Roth 703-250-0641
[email protected] Jordan 703-729-1046
[email protected] Huelsman 703-777-8725HistorianPam De Peña 703-421-0218
Ute Gil [email protected] Concierge
Paul Gesswein [email protected]
Newsletter EditorLisa Zadravec
[email protected] and DesignDana Thompson 540-454-1989
[email protected] thanks to Patrick Roth,
Jessica Wilson forphotos and all who submitted
Outdoor SessionsCommittee
Cynthia McGranahan 703-727-6498Jessica Wilson 301-642-6995Becky Tighe 540-668-6447
Show CommitteeCrystal Jordan 703-729-1046
[email protected] Fink 703-999-5528
[email protected] Baki 540-668-7787
Indoor Sessions andWorkshop Committee
Lorrie Herman 703-906-5815Remington Restivo 703-443-0814Patrick Roth 703-250-0641
WebmasterInessa Lakey [email protected]
–––––––––––––––Would you like to help?
Do you have a suggestion? Let us know.
PLEASE plan to come to the fall general membershipmeeting to meet your fellow members and discuss impor-tant club events. Club officers for the new year will be elect-ed and a quorum is necessary to hold the election. After ashort business meeting we will have have the opportunity tosocialize so please bring food and/or beverage to share (noalcohol). (The Balch Library is the repository for our clubrecords going back to the its founding in 1944.)
Directions: The Balch Library is located in Leesburg on WestMarket Street (business route 7) about two and a half blockswest of the intersection with King Street (business route 15)and across from the Presbyterian Church. There is limitedparking behind the library, street parking across the street, andthe town of Leesburg parking garage (free on weekends) isnearby. The entrance to the library is from the rear of the build-ing. The library meeting room is in the basement.
Hope to see you there! Lori Goll“ ”
A Letter from the PresidentHello Sketchers,My my, what a summer. If you’ve been going out-
side to paint in this heat, you’re tougher than I am!As the outgoing LSC President, I’d like to say
what a pleasure it’s been to meet so many of youand get to know you better. I love the Sketch Club.I love that for over 70 years this group of artistshave gathered to paint, chat, show, and share ourtalents, knowledge, events and experiences witheach other and the community. We have undergonelots of changes, but basically, we’re a bunch of peo-ple who love creating and sharing art and appreciate
the beauty of Loudoun County.We have over 160 members on our roster, and I would truly love to
see you all at the Fall Membership Meeting. We’re going to meet atthe Thomas Balch Library on Saturday morning, September 17th.Come on, make an effort to spend a couple of hours, get up to date onour club happenings, and get to know your fellow Sketch Club mem-bers over a cup of coffee! There are many of you on the roster whomI’ve never met and that is a shame.
I want to thank Dana Thompson for her countless hours spent gath-ering, writing, editing, compiling, laying out, producing, and mailingour wonderful newsletter. After six years of service for the club Danais ready to hand this task over to some other folks. Lis Zadravec, thecurrent Newsletter Editor, needs your help in putting together a newNewsletter team. If you can help in this important and valuable serv-ice for the club, please contact Lis or myself.
Please consider volunteering a few hours of your time this comingyear. We are ALL busy, but right now a FEW folks do most of the workso you can enjoy your newsletter, website, informative emails, work-shops, paintouts and shows. Many hands make light work, my Momstill says, and we have MANY hands!
See you in September, –Lori Goll, President
From the Membership ChairImportant News About Your Membership
Membership renewal is approaching fast and LSC is going green! Thisyear, you can renew your membership on our newly designed website! First,click on the link to fill out the volunteer form and then click on the Pay but-ton. You have the option to pay with PayPal or credit card. Sounds easy? Yes,it is! For those of you who prefer to have a paper copy, just separate the pagewith the volunteer and renewal form from the newsletter and send it to ourtreasurer Steve Huelsman along with your check. Deadline for renewal is September 30. So don't wait, check out our newwebsite and renew today! ~Ute Gil, Membership Chair
Volunteer(s) NeededThe club needs a Show Committee Chairperson to be the point-of-contact
for the public regarding potential future LSC shows. This person will notnecessarily be “in charge” of all shows, but will be a member of the LSCBoard and present potential show opportunities, schedules and statuses tothe Board. This person will also delegate/coordinate tasks such as publicity,hospitality, etc for scheduled LSC shows. Please consider volunteering forthis important position to support your club for one calendar year. ContactLori Goll if interested, at [email protected] or 571-251-9659.
Artful Quote“If I could say it in words there would be no
reason to paint.” ~ Edward Hopper
Lori Goll
Jill Brabant’s painting, Abundancewas juried into the 2016 SalmagundiNon-members Painting and SculptureExhibition in New York. Learn moreabout this important show atwww.salmagundi.org
The Sea - a solo exhibition of Lori Goll’s pastel paintings of thesea and shore opened at FlorisUnited Methodist Church, 13600Frying Pan Road in Herndon, onAugust 26. There will be a public reception on Sunday,October 2 after morning church services (12:30-1:30pm).Come and view Lori’s depictions of the ever-changing seaand shores of the Outer Banks of North Carolina andsouthern Florida. The exhibit will close October 10. See
www.lorigollart.com for more details.
Sarita Moffat was honored with a Bestin Show for her painting, Red Grapes atOatlands this year!
Recent works by Jessica Wilson will beon display at Coldwell Banker in Leesburgfrom mid-September through the firstweek of November. All are welcome to
attend the opening reception Friday,September 16, 5:30 to 7:30pm located at 25 South KingStreet, Leesburg, VA 20175. In addition the show will beopen to the public during Leesburg First Fridays Oct. 7and Nov. 4. Jointly sponsored by FOLPA (Friends ofLeesburg Public Arts) and Coldwell Banker.Leanne Fink is also in the Tryst Gallery Premiere Exhibition,312 East Market St., Suite F, Leesburg. This juried show runsAugust 5–Sep 30 and features selected works from over 25regional artists. Leanne’s work will also be on display atBluemont Fair’s Art Show and Sale September 17 and 18 inthe gallery on the upper floor of the community center.
Also, Leanne contin-ues her workshopseries, A Toast to YourInner Artist, atCorcoran Brewing
Company, 205 HirstRoad, Suite 105 in Purcellville. She is teaching monthlyclasses, each with a different theme and end product.“My goal is to encourage the individual who thinks theycan’t do anything artistic but has an interest and desireto try. I want them to be able to take home their veryown masterpiece that has been fun to create,” saysLeanne. The 2016 classes are as follows: Annie SloanSaloon (September 20) and Silk and Suds (October 18).This art workshop series is open to the public. Ticketsmay be purchased in advance through CorcoranBrewing at https://squareup.com/store/CorcoranBrewery
Lis Zadravec & Leanne Fink hadpieces in Portraits art exhibit atFranklin Park Arts Center, Purcellville.This show ran through August 8-28 andincluded a Portraits in Action Coffeehouseon August 14 . Camp students selectedartwork from the exhibit and broughtthem to life with dramatic reading ormonologue performance.Loudoun Farms and Other Treasures:Oil Paintings by Rebecca Tighe will be
on display at BHHS PenFed Realty from July 18 throughOctober 15, 2016. Please join Becky for her artist’reception on Thursday, September 22, 5-7pm. BHHSPenFed Realty is located at 4 E. Colonial Hwy, Hamilton.
Five LSC members (of a total of 35 localartists) participated in the PaintedWine Barrel project in Purcellville thissummer: Nan Bowe, Penny Hauffe,Lilian Miller, Melanie Stanley andDana Thompson. The barrels arepositioned around Town until 30September and then auctioned off toraise money for future local arts proj-ects. For information on their locations,please visit discoverpurcellville.com
Abundance by Jill Brabant
MemberNews
Red Grapes by Sarita Moffat
The Sea by Lori Goll
Summer Salad by Leanne Fink
Lis Zadravec
“Drink It In” by Dana Thompson and Sign Design’s Patti House
Attention!LSC Fall Membership Business Meeting
Saturday, September 17, 2016, 10am-12:30pmThomas Balch Library, 208 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176
Best Approach to Studio Tours
cont.by Suzanne Lago ArthurWhat was the most memorable interaction you had witha tour goer?JEK: A retired woman visited during WLAST in June as partof a tour bus of visitors from Lansdowne years ago. She wasvery complimentary, but didn't seem ready to buy anything.In November, her son contacted me from New York City. Hewanted to purchase one of my paper constructions, and hadall the details about it. I was surprised -- first, few people askto purchase the paper constructions -- and second, I had noidea she was taking notes! You never can tell when you'll sella piece of wall art.DA: There are so many I can’t remember! I met a couplelocal radio hosts. I often catch up on the latest news fromfellow vendors. I get to shop and trade with the otherartists. But it is talking with people that makes it fun.
What advice would you give to an artist who would like toget on a tour for the first time or perhaps start their own? JEK: I think that it's like teaching -- it's a lot of work to getready the first year, but after that, it gets easier. As far as settingup new tours, I happen to be President of the LAC, and we’vestarted an Art Tour Incubator Program. The Artists of CHAThave shared their work plan for their tour, so interested artistscan take a look at the administrative work involved and see a
timeline and task list. The incubator isavailable to any member of the LAC --visit www.loudounarts.org to learn more.PH: My advice would be to take excel-lent photos of your art work for anytour, gallery or art competition applica-tion. Good diffused lighting that fallsevenly over your art work and makesure the art is square to the camera.It’s the first impression that counts. DA: I recommend checking out the
event first, as a customer, before youdecide. Make sure that your workstands out (are you offering some-thing unique), but is still a good fitfor the event. Do they have good cus-tomer traffic, are people buying, or isit just the sellers standing around? Make sure your work is high qualityand the best of what you do. Have avariety of artwork in a variety ofprice ranges. Your display should
be well arranged, clean, prices markedclearly, business cards/promo materi-al available.
If an artist wishes to start an art tourin their community, I recommend theyat least check out a couple shows first. Ihave a couple friends here that havebeen doing a Holiday Show at theirhome for over 15 years. They invite 4-5artist friends to display their work. It isattractive and festive.❏
From theNewsletter DeskBy the time you receive this issue, I will have
returned from my adventure in the amazingAdirondack mountains of New York. I recom-mend a trip here for anyone who loves to paintbeautiful scenery – in the summer, though. Itwas hard work teaching at camp and a fast andbusy 4 weeks. Do check out Camp Jeanne d’Arc(www.campjeannedarc.com). I thank all whohelped and contributed to this issue. I will soonbe asking for help again. In the coming yearthose who have indicated that they might like tohelp with the newsletter may be tapped for writ-ing articles or helping with layout and mailing.Please check off your interest in those areas onthe volunteer form when you renew your mem-bership. Please continue to send your submis-sions, news, calls for art, workshops, photos et alto [email protected]. The next dead-line is October 1st for the November/Decemberissue. Let us continue to be prompt so we canmake our production deadlines. Thank you inadvance for your submissions. I look forward tohearing from you! Sincerely,
Lisa ZadravecEditor, LSC Newsletter
Here’s the schedule for Newsletter copy and images: Deadlines for submitting info:Issues for 2016:November/December October 1 Issues for 2017:January/February December 1March/April February 1May/June April 1July/August June 1September/ October August 1Lost Your Newsletter? Or maybe you’d likeanother copy to send to a friend? Visit the SketchClub website and download any newsletter youneed. Go to www.LoudounSketchClub.com
Jointhe conversation
on Facebook!–––––––––––––––––––––––––––
And don’t forget to sendyour November/December 2016 news and
images to the LSC Newsletter.E-mail [email protected]
by October 1, 2016.
LSC at a GlanceFrom Sally Mill and Rust Sancturary....
by Penny Hauffe
Steampunk Pug by Dana Aldis
photos by Patrick Roth and Jessica Wilson
by J,ill Evans-Kavaldjian
More ArtisticOpportunities
Upcoming Exhibits Sponsored by Friends of Franklin Park Arts Center
Franklin Park Arts Center has many opportunities forregional artists to show their stuff! They also realize that wewould like to have some advance notice to get our worktogether for theme shows. So here are the upcoming OpenCalls for Entries (see their website for more details):
Sticks and Stones Exhibit September 9 - October 31, Oursecond-year for this outdoor sculpture exhibit, displayingpieces on the walking trails on the perimeter of FranklinPark. Artists assemble work on site beginning Tues.,Sept. 6 through Fri., Sept. 9.Opening Reception: Sunday, September 11 1pm-3pm
Play in the Parks September 23 - October 30, An exhibitand sale to celebrate 50 years of Parks, Recreation andCommunity Service in Loudoun County. Artwork that fea-tures Loudoun County Parks is encouraged. Drop off:Sept. 19 & 20 between 9am and 5pm.Opening Reception: Sunday, September 25, 1pm-3pm
W&OD Show November 4 – December 4, This exhibit willbe on display at the Arts Center for a month and then travelto several other locations in Loudoun County, following theWashington & Old Dominion trail. Drop off: Oct. 31and Nov. 1 between 9am and 5pm. A curated display of
historical artifacts will also be featured in this exhibit.Opening Reception: Friday, November 18, 5:30 – 7pm
“Joy” December 7 – January 8, Artwork should reflectthe theme of “joy”; all mediums accepted. Drop off: Dec.5 & 6 from 9am to 5pm.Opening Reception: Thursday, December 8, 5:30 – 7pm.
Map Your World February 17 – March 12, Friends ofFranklin Park Arts Center sponsor this challenge show forartists to incorporate maps pieces or maps into their artwork.Drop off: Feb. 14 from 9am – 5pm & Feb. 15 from 1–5pm. Opening Reception: Sunday, February 19, 2 – 4pm.
Spring Awakens April 3 – April 30, Works in all mediumsare accepted on the theme “Spring Awakens”. Drop off:March 30 & 31. A collection of decorated eggs, submit-ted separately by local artists (by invitation), will also be dis-played with this art exhibit. The decorated eggs will be auc-tioned off at a fund raising event on Sunday, April 9.Opening Reception/Egg Auction event: Sunday, April 9, 1 – 3pm.
Loudoun Sketch Club Show May 1-21, Theme and details TBA.Botanicals & Bouquets Juried Show May 22 –June 2,
Artists will submit works of flowers, bouquets, floweringplants and other botanicals via email by April 30, 2017.Artwork will be juried, then artists will be notified if theirpiece was accepted by May 12. Drop off: Sunday, May 21from 3 – 5pm and Monday, May 22 from 9am to 1pm.Artwork will be paired with a local florist/floral designerwho will create displays using artwork as inspiration. Allwill be for sale at the opening event.Opening Reception & Sale: Thursday, May 25, 6 – 8pm.
Note! A Request From One of Our HostsThis is for the folks that painted at Buckskin Manor
Contact: Becky Tighe [email protected]. and Mrs. Miller asked for folks who painted at their
home, “Buckskin Manor”, and were interested in sellingtheir work, to please email it to them so they could view it.Their email address is: [email protected]
View from Sky Meadows by Mary Championl
Artistic OpportunitiesWaterford Fair Art Mart &
Art Mart Showcase Important Dates & Changes: The Art Mart is runningas usual but with the stepping down of the Red BarnExhibit chairs, there is no one to run the juried compo-nent of the show. Please contact the Waterford Foundationif you would like to step up and help run this part andbring back the ribbons for next year. This year the ArtMart Showcase will be unjuried, and be the place forworks selling for over $500. No limit to the number ofpieces entered. Drop off: Friday, September 30, orSaturday, October 1 from 10 am to 2 pm. PreviewParty the evening of October 6 at the Waterford Fair!Artists are asked to volunteer for 4-hour shifts inexchange for a day’s ticket to the Fair. Sign up when youdrop off. The 72nd Waterford Fair runs October 7, 8 and 9,from 10 am – 5 pm daily. Pick up: Art must be removedfrom the Barn on Sunday, October 9 between 5 and 6 pmor Monday, October 10 between 10 and noon or 5 and 7pm. Forms and information are online now. You may reg-ister by mail, online or when you drop off your work. Allinformation is at www.waterfordfoundation.org/fair/2016-applications/art-exhibits
“Root to Bloom: The Places Artists Call Home”
at the Principle Gallery Root to Bloom: The Places Artists Call Home at thePrinciple Gallery in Alexandria. DC area, renowned artist
Teresa Oaxaca, will act as a juror for this exhibition. The deadline for submission is Wednesday,September 28, 2016. Root to Bloom: Places Artists CallHome will feature paintings representative of where thefeatured artists call “home.” This theme can be applied toa range of views, from a studio interior to a street scene,from a rural landscape to an aerial view of city or country-side—just to name a few examples. This flexibility alsoapplies to the time in your (the artist’s) life: whether thepainting depicts the location of your birth, somewhereyou spent a considerable amount of time, or the localewhere you currently live, all of these options you are welcome to choose from for your subject matter. Visit the
website at www.principlegallery.com/alexandria and findthe link to enter in the top banner!
Loudoun Sketch Club Show at Aldie Mill
This is a great show annual tradition. Last year we had over500 people sign-in to see the show and 13 paintings weresold! Please get your submissions ready. Aldie Mill is locat-ed at 39401 John Mosby Highway, Aldie, VA Drop offpieces: Tues, Oct. 11, between 10am to 12 and 3pm to 4pm.Pick up of unsold work: Monday Oct. 17, 10 am to 3 pm.Contact show chair, Cynthia McGranahan<[email protected]> 703-727-6498 or TracySullivan <[email protected]>Volunteers are also needed to work the show! Pleasevolunteer to help with drop off, hanging the show, workingthe show days, pick up of unsold work or to be on hand as aPlein Air demonstrator during the Aldie festival. Sign upsheets will be available at our paint outs. Please join thisgreat group of artist who love to paint and be a volunteer.Also, as part of an outreach program, LSC members alsoconduct a couple of art classes for the Aldie ElementarySchool students. As this is a club show we need two sub-committees.Please step up and volunteer!
1. We need a person to chair the artist reception. This canbe Fri. or Sat. night.
2. We need an artist to teach at the mill for the 5th gradestudents. This is usually a 2-hour class and is artist choice.The artist will need one or two other people to help with thisworkshop. Ellie has a simple step by step process to follow ifyou want to use it. She is willing to help with questions.
Artworks in Richmond Artworks in Richmond has monthly All Media shows andyou do not have to be a member to submithttp://www.artworksrichmond.com/CallforEntries.htm
Chesapeake Fine Art Studios Check them out! “We bring the best art instructors fromall over the world!”http://chesapeakefineartstudio.com/workshops-3
2016 Paint the Town Art ShowHistoric Kensington, MD
2016 Paint the Town Art Show Sponsored by TheMontgomery Art Association and the Town ofKensington Labor Day Weekend at the Kensington TownHall /Armory 3710 Mitchell Street, Kensington, MD20895. Come out and paint the historic town ofKensington for the plein air competition or enter yourwork in the Show & Sale. Watch for more information atwww.MontgomeryArt.org. Entries will be made throughwww.entrythingy.com.
by Patrick RothPaul Mellon’s father, Andrew Mellon, built and gave the
nation the National Gallery of Art on the Mall. He then donat-ed his art collection to serve as a nucleus of the Gallery’s col-lection. His son, Paul Mellon, continued his fathers associationwith the Gallery providing financial support and leadershipuntil his death in 1999. He served as the first president of theNGA board, overseeing construction of the National Gallery(it opened in 1941) and, along with his sister Ailsa MellonBruce and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, funded con-struction of the East Wing. Over the years, Paul Mellon andhis wife Rachel “Bunny” Mellon have also contributed a signifi-cant portion of their art collection to the Gallery.
As part of the National Gallery’s 75th Anniversary, and inrecognition of Paul Mellon’s Contributions, the NGA is stagingIn Celebration of Paul Mellon. Of course, Paul and BunnyMellon’s collection is spread throughout the museum. Itseems there is hardly a gallery room without something fromtheir collection including the largest collection of Degas sculp-tures existent.
The current show is somewhat different. It consists entire-ly of workson paper,even oncardboard(Picasso’sDeath of aHarlequin.)For me, the“hit” of theshow is sixwater mediapaintings byWinslowHomer.Fresh as theday they
were painted, they are Boys Wading (1873); On the Stile (1878);Native Hut at Nassau (1885); Berry Pickers (1873); In theGarden (Rustic Courtship)(1874); and The Sick Chicken (1874).
I learned reams about theuse of gouache with water-color studying these paint-ings. Interestingly, mychoice of these paintings tobegin this discussion mightbe vindicated by BunnyMellon. Most of the draw-ings and paintings in theshow were donated in the1990s. The Homers came to
the National Gallery in 2014upon Bunny’s death.
I assume they were among her, andPaul’s, favorites.
This show has something for every-body. There is a wall of stunning por-trait drawings including several byIngres, and self-portraits by Cezenneand Matisse. They make you blushgiven the skill involved! The showincludes wonderful Degas’; a superbMary Cassatt pastel, The Black Hat(1890); some really neat Turner water-colors; an number of Van Gogh’s; somemagnificent paintings by Jacques Vullon;Degas; Braque and Picasso cubist col-lages; George Bellows lithographs andmany, many more. That’s just whathanging on the wall. Look down and you will find illustratedmanuscripts by Cezanne, Pierre Bonnard, and others.
Paul Mellon stated that “our pictures…are lived with, con-stantly enjoyed, and loved…they have become our compan-ions and friends, andare part of the life livedin the house, part ofour lives. I neverbought pictures as aninvestment, except asan investment in pleas-ure, as treasures to theeye.” He also went onto say “it is impossibleto describe…in relationto my habits of collect-ing…how muchBunny’s imaginationand visual acuity haveinfluenced me.”Maybe the showshould be entitled “InCelebration of Paul andBunny Mellon”.
In Celebration ofPaul Mellon
Loudoun Farms and Other Treasures
at Berkshire Hathaway Home ServicesPenFed Realty in Hamilton
Loudoun Farms and Other Treasures: Oil Paintings by Rebecca Tighe
is on display through October 15, 2016. Please joinBecky for her artist’ reception on Thursday,
September 22, 5-7pm.
BHHS PenFed Realtyis located at
4 E. Colonial Hwy in Hamilton.
If you have interest in displaying your work in this
lovely office space, contact Leanne Fink.
What To Do, What To Do...at theNational Gallery of Art6th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC
Through September 18, 2016West Building, Main Floor, Galleries 72–73
Rebecca Tighe
The Sick Chicken by Winslow Homer, 1874Watercolor, gouache and graphite on paper
Pablo Picasso, Spanish, 1881 – 1973, The Death of Harlequin,1905, gouache over charcoal.
Paul Cézanne, French, 1839 –1906, Self-Portrait,
1880 /1882, graphite.
Winslow Homer, American, 1836 – 1910, Onthe Stile, 1878, watercolor and gouache overgraphite.
View from Sky Meadows by Mary Championl
Artistic OpportunitiesWaterford Fair Art Mart &
Art Mart Showcase Important Dates & Changes: The Art Mart is runningas usual but with the stepping down of the Red BarnExhibit chairs, there is no one to run the juried compo-nent of the show. Please contact the Waterford Foundationif you would like to step up and help run this part andbring back the ribbons for next year. This year the ArtMart Showcase will be unjuried, and be the place forworks selling for over $500. No limit to the number ofpieces entered. Drop off: Friday, September 30, orSaturday, October 1 from 10 am to 2 pm. PreviewParty the evening of October 6 at the Waterford Fair!Artists are asked to volunteer for 4-hour shifts inexchange for a day’s ticket to the Fair. Sign up when youdrop off. The 72nd Waterford Fair runs October 7, 8 and 9,from 10 am – 5 pm daily. Pick up: Art must be removedfrom the Barn on Sunday, October 9 between 5 and 6 pmor Monday, October 10 between 10 and noon or 5 and 7pm. Forms and information are online now. You may reg-ister by mail, online or when you drop off your work. Allinformation is at www.waterfordfoundation.org/fair/2016-applications/art-exhibits
“Root to Bloom: The Places Artists Call Home”
at the Principle Gallery Root to Bloom: The Places Artists Call Home at thePrinciple Gallery in Alexandria. DC area, renowned artist
Teresa Oaxaca, will act as a juror for this exhibition. The deadline for submission is Wednesday,September 28, 2016. Root to Bloom: Places Artists CallHome will feature paintings representative of where thefeatured artists call “home.” This theme can be applied toa range of views, from a studio interior to a street scene,from a rural landscape to an aerial view of city or country-side—just to name a few examples. This flexibility alsoapplies to the time in your (the artist’s) life: whether thepainting depicts the location of your birth, somewhereyou spent a considerable amount of time, or the localewhere you currently live, all of these options you are welcome to choose from for your subject matter. Visit the
website at www.principlegallery.com/alexandria and findthe link to enter in the top banner!
Loudoun Sketch Club Show at Aldie Mill
This is a great show annual tradition. Last year we had over500 people sign-in to see the show and 13 paintings weresold! Please get your submissions ready. Aldie Mill is locat-ed at 39401 John Mosby Highway, Aldie, VA Drop offpieces: Tues, Oct. 11, between 10am to 12 and 3pm to 4pm.Pick up of unsold work: Monday Oct. 17, 10 am to 3 pm.Contact show chair, Cynthia McGranahan<[email protected]> 703-727-6498 or TracySullivan <[email protected]>Volunteers are also needed to work the show! Pleasevolunteer to help with drop off, hanging the show, workingthe show days, pick up of unsold work or to be on hand as aPlein Air demonstrator during the Aldie festival. Sign upsheets will be available at our paint outs. Please join thisgreat group of artist who love to paint and be a volunteer.Also, as part of an outreach program, LSC members alsoconduct a couple of art classes for the Aldie ElementarySchool students. As this is a club show we need two sub-committees.Please step up and volunteer!
1. We need a person to chair the artist reception. This canbe Fri. or Sat. night.
2. We need an artist to teach at the mill for the 5th gradestudents. This is usually a 2-hour class and is artist choice.The artist will need one or two other people to help with thisworkshop. Ellie has a simple step by step process to follow ifyou want to use it. She is willing to help with questions.
Artworks in Richmond Artworks in Richmond has monthly All Media shows andyou do not have to be a member to submithttp://www.artworksrichmond.com/CallforEntries.htm
Chesapeake Fine Art Studios Check them out! “We bring the best art instructors fromall over the world!”http://chesapeakefineartstudio.com/workshops-3
2016 Paint the Town Art ShowHistoric Kensington, MD
2016 Paint the Town Art Show Sponsored by TheMontgomery Art Association and the Town ofKensington Labor Day Weekend at the Kensington TownHall /Armory 3710 Mitchell Street, Kensington, MD20895. Come out and paint the historic town ofKensington for the plein air competition or enter yourwork in the Show & Sale. Watch for more information atwww.MontgomeryArt.org. Entries will be made throughwww.entrythingy.com.
by Patrick RothPaul Mellon’s father, Andrew Mellon, built and gave the
nation the National Gallery of Art on the Mall. He then donat-ed his art collection to serve as a nucleus of the Gallery’s col-lection. His son, Paul Mellon, continued his fathers associationwith the Gallery providing financial support and leadershipuntil his death in 1999. He served as the first president of theNGA board, overseeing construction of the National Gallery(it opened in 1941) and, along with his sister Ailsa MellonBruce and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, funded con-struction of the East Wing. Over the years, Paul Mellon andhis wife Rachel “Bunny” Mellon have also contributed a signifi-cant portion of their art collection to the Gallery.
As part of the National Gallery’s 75th Anniversary, and inrecognition of Paul Mellon’s Contributions, the NGA is stagingIn Celebration of Paul Mellon. Of course, Paul and BunnyMellon’s collection is spread throughout the museum. Itseems there is hardly a gallery room without something fromtheir collection including the largest collection of Degas sculp-tures existent.
The current show is somewhat different. It consists entire-ly of workson paper,even oncardboard(Picasso’sDeath of aHarlequin.)For me, the“hit” of theshow is sixwater mediapaintings byWinslowHomer.Fresh as theday they
were painted, they are Boys Wading (1873); On the Stile (1878);Native Hut at Nassau (1885); Berry Pickers (1873); In theGarden (Rustic Courtship)(1874); and The Sick Chicken (1874).
I learned reams about theuse of gouache with water-color studying these paint-ings. Interestingly, mychoice of these paintings tobegin this discussion mightbe vindicated by BunnyMellon. Most of the draw-ings and paintings in theshow were donated in the1990s. The Homers came to
the National Gallery in 2014upon Bunny’s death.
I assume they were among her, andPaul’s, favorites.
This show has something for every-body. There is a wall of stunning por-trait drawings including several byIngres, and self-portraits by Cezenneand Matisse. They make you blushgiven the skill involved! The showincludes wonderful Degas’; a superbMary Cassatt pastel, The Black Hat(1890); some really neat Turner water-colors; an number of Van Gogh’s; somemagnificent paintings by Jacques Vullon;Degas; Braque and Picasso cubist col-lages; George Bellows lithographs andmany, many more. That’s just whathanging on the wall. Look down and you will find illustratedmanuscripts by Cezanne, Pierre Bonnard, and others.
Paul Mellon stated that “our pictures…are lived with, con-stantly enjoyed, and loved…they have become our compan-ions and friends, andare part of the life livedin the house, part ofour lives. I neverbought pictures as aninvestment, except asan investment in pleas-ure, as treasures to theeye.” He also went onto say “it is impossibleto describe…in relationto my habits of collect-ing…how muchBunny’s imaginationand visual acuity haveinfluenced me.”Maybe the showshould be entitled “InCelebration of Paul andBunny Mellon”.
In Celebration ofPaul Mellon
Loudoun Farms and Other Treasures
at Berkshire Hathaway Home ServicesPenFed Realty in Hamilton
Loudoun Farms and Other Treasures: Oil Paintings by Rebecca Tighe
is on display through October 15, 2016. Please joinBecky for her artist’ reception on Thursday,
September 22, 5-7pm.
BHHS PenFed Realtyis located at
4 E. Colonial Hwy in Hamilton.
If you have interest in displaying your work in this
lovely office space, contact Leanne Fink.
What To Do, What To Do...at theNational Gallery of Art6th Street and Constitution Avenue NW Washington, DC
Through September 18, 2016West Building, Main Floor, Galleries 72–73
Rebecca Tighe
The Sick Chicken by Winslow Homer, 1874Watercolor, gouache and graphite on paper
Pablo Picasso, Spanish, 1881 – 1973, The Death of Harlequin,1905, gouache over charcoal.
Paul Cézanne, French, 1839 –1906, Self-Portrait,
1880 /1882, graphite.
Winslow Homer, American, 1836 – 1910, Onthe Stile, 1878, watercolor and gouache overgraphite.
2 Loudoun Sketch Club Loudoun Sketch Club 3
www.loudounsketchclub.com
It’s time to renew your membership in the Sketch Club!
Your annual dues of twenty dollars ($20.00) are due by September 30, 2016. There is no graceperiod this year!
Please renew by deadline or risk going on the Wait List to rejoin.Also be so kind to fill out the volunteer form. The Sketch Club is an all-volunteer club and membersare encouraged to participate at some level in the running of the club, whether administrative, orga-nizational or other assistance. Your help is needed, even a small donation of your time is greatlyappreciated.This year you may either pay your dues by check or pay with Paypal by following the link on ourLSC website. Whichever method you choose, please remember to return the volunteer form.
Thank you!Ute Gil, Membership Chair
Please Renew my Loudoun Sketch Club Membership until September 2017! PLEASE CHECK HERE IF YOUR INFORMATION HAS CHANGED!
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Phone(s): ____________________________________________________________
Email ____________________________________________________________
Website: ____________________________________________________________
Art Medium(s): ____________________________________________________________
Please fill out both sides of this form and return with your check (payable to Loudoun Sketch Club) to our Treasurer:
Steve Huelsman, Treasurer, 360 Deer Path Avenue SW, Leesburg, VA 20175Or:
Renew at Loudounsketchclub.com with Paypal or credit card
by Suzanne Lago ArthurYou dear artist, have been at this art game for X amount of
time. You have created beautiful works of art that you hopewill find a home other than on your studio walls. Perhaps youhave been wondering what is the bestway to get your name out there in theart community? Participating in a localstudio tour can be just the answer anda great next step in your artistic career!
But which are the best strategies toemploy when planning for a studio tour?The following advice has been gener-ously given by local studio tour veter-ans: Jill Evans-Kavaldjian and PennyHauffe. And to help broaden our per-spective outside of the local Loudoun artscene, I have asked painter Dana Aldisformerly of Sheperdstown, WV to helpround out the advice.
What artist studio tours have you been part of? JEK: Western Loudoun Artists Studio Tour orWLAST (nine years) and Catoctin Holiday ArtTour, or CHAT (five years).PH: The WLAST tour is the only tour I’ve par-ticipated in.DA: Early in my art career, I participated inthe Over The Mountain Studio Tours inJefferson County, WV. I have also participatedin art festivals in Seattle (Bumbershoot, UrbanCraft Uprising, Phinney Ridge Winterfest,Fremont Sunday Market) as well as in Idaho(1912 Center Wintermarket, Moscow Art Walk,Lewiston Art Walk)
What kind of work sells best in this envi-ronment? At what price points?JEK: In the summer tour, it's hard to predict.Lots of the tourers are sightseers, and bysmaller items primarily, but occasional-ly you’ll sell a larger piece. On the holi-day tour, we notice folks are comingwith gift giving in mind, so ornaments,and other gift-able items sell well. Forboth tours, most of the items sold areunder $60, with an occasional purchaseabove that.PH: Art work that reflects the charm ofthe local environment tends to sell well tovisitors to this area, and anywhere under$200 seems to fit the category of the casu-al art lovers 'impulse buy'. DA: In the end, any artwork will sell ifyou can entice your customer with aprofessional, personal, eye catching dis-play. But, if you sit and don’t interact with the potential cus-tomers, you will most likely not make a sale. Customers arebuying a moment, a memory from meeting you. Make it mem-orable. I talk constantly about how I create my artwork, how Icome up with ideas, where I find my materials.
As for price points – consider a wide range, heavier on thelower end items, such as folded card sets, small prints, jewelry,magnets, ornaments ($35 and under), small to medium origi-nal artwork, but also include a small selection of higher priced
works. Some artists might not sell a lotduring the show, but receive manycommissions from meeting new cus-tomers at events.
What combination of ingredients doyou believe makes for the perfectart studio tour “recipe”?JEK: Get a great partner in anothermedium whose work complementsyours to join you in your studio! Thecustomers love the variety of work, andwe have a great time talking about eachother’s work, as well as our own, andhave back-up for sales, wrapping, etc.
We make my studio into a little gallery, withgood lighting, snacks, music, and decorations.Set up your studio so there is good flow, andpeople don’t feel trapped or cramped. We alsorecruit family members to act as designatedcashiers, so folks don't have to wait to pur-chase items.PH: I try to think of the tour experience fromthe visitor’s point of view. If they find it easyto locate studios, speak with several artiststhat they like, grab a few snacks along theway and perhaps purchase a piece of artwork that speaks to them, then it’s the per-fect recipe. DA: My friends from the Over The MountainStudio Tours once told me – (tour held inmid-November) “The perfect tour weather:Mostly sunny (but not too sunny), cold butnot too cold (brisk)”. The goal is to get the
customer to your location, come in andstay awhile. It’s a little bit of perform-ance, a little bit of salesmanship.
Can you think of a mistake youmade when preparing for a tourthat you would avoid making again?JEK: My first tour, I had few small orinexpensive items for sale. Also noteverything needs to be beautifullyframed. Unframed works allow collec-tors to buy your work affordably.PH: Beware which photos you submitfor the tour. Make sure they are repre-sentative of work that you are current-ly most excited about. This is hard for
me as I work in a variety of media and subject matter.DA: Not making a checklist a couple days prior to the event, orslacking on packing up the day before. Or running to the bankthe day of the show because you forgot to make change!
Best Approach to Studio Tours
Penny Hauffe and friends
Jill Evans Kavaldjian’s studio
Dana Aldis
Best Approach to Studio Tours
cont.by Suzanne Lago ArthurWhat was the most memorable interaction you had witha tour goer?JEK: A retired woman visited during WLAST in June as partof a tour bus of visitors from Lansdowne years ago. She wasvery complimentary, but didn't seem ready to buy anything.In November, her son contacted me from New York City. Hewanted to purchase one of my paper constructions, and hadall the details about it. I was surprised -- first, few people askto purchase the paper constructions -- and second, I had noidea she was taking notes! You never can tell when you'll sella piece of wall art.DA: There are so many I can’t remember! I met a couplelocal radio hosts. I often catch up on the latest news fromfellow vendors. I get to shop and trade with the otherartists. But it is talking with people that makes it fun.
What advice would you give to an artist who would like toget on a tour for the first time or perhaps start their own? JEK: I think that it's like teaching -- it's a lot of work to getready the first year, but after that, it gets easier. As far as settingup new tours, I happen to be President of the LAC, and we’vestarted an Art Tour Incubator Program. The Artists of CHAThave shared their work plan for their tour, so interested artistscan take a look at the administrative work involved and see a
timeline and task list. The incubator isavailable to any member of the LAC --visit www.loudounarts.org to learn more.PH: My advice would be to take excel-lent photos of your art work for anytour, gallery or art competition applica-tion. Good diffused lighting that fallsevenly over your art work and makesure the art is square to the camera.It’s the first impression that counts. DA: I recommend checking out the
event first, as a customer, before youdecide. Make sure that your workstands out (are you offering some-thing unique), but is still a good fitfor the event. Do they have good cus-tomer traffic, are people buying, or isit just the sellers standing around? Make sure your work is high qualityand the best of what you do. Have avariety of artwork in a variety ofprice ranges. Your display should
be well arranged, clean, prices markedclearly, business cards/promo materi-al available.
If an artist wishes to start an art tourin their community, I recommend theyat least check out a couple shows first. Ihave a couple friends here that havebeen doing a Holiday Show at theirhome for over 15 years. They invite 4-5artist friends to display their work. It isattractive and festive.❏
From theNewsletter DeskBy the time you receive this issue, I will have
returned from my adventure in the amazingAdirondack mountains of New York. I recom-mend a trip here for anyone who loves to paintbeautiful scenery – in the summer, though. Itwas hard work teaching at camp and a fast andbusy 4 weeks. Do check out Camp Jeanne d’Arc(www.campjeannedarc.com). I thank all whohelped and contributed to this issue. I will soonbe asking for help again. In the coming yearthose who have indicated that they might like tohelp with the newsletter may be tapped for writ-ing articles or helping with layout and mailing.Please check off your interest in those areas onthe volunteer form when you renew your mem-bership. Please continue to send your submis-sions, news, calls for art, workshops, photos et alto [email protected]. The next dead-line is October 1st for the November/Decemberissue. Let us continue to be prompt so we canmake our production deadlines. Thank you inadvance for your submissions. I look forward tohearing from you! Sincerely,
Lisa ZadravecEditor, LSC Newsletter
Here’s the schedule for Newsletter copy and images: Deadlines for submitting info:Issues for 2016:November/December October 1 Issues for 2017:January/February December 1March/April February 1May/June April 1July/August June 1September/ October August 1Lost Your Newsletter? Or maybe you’d likeanother copy to send to a friend? Visit the SketchClub website and download any newsletter youneed. Go to www.LoudounSketchClub.com
Jointhe conversation
on Facebook!–––––––––––––––––––––––––––
And don’t forget to sendyour November/December 2016 news and
images to the LSC Newsletter.E-mail [email protected]
by October 1, 2016.
LSC at a GlanceFrom Sally Mill and Rust Sancturary....
by Penny Hauffe
Steampunk Pug by Dana Aldis
photos by Patrick Roth and Jessica Wilson
by J,ill Evans-Kavaldjian
More ArtisticOpportunities
Upcoming Exhibits Sponsored by Friends of Franklin Park Arts Center
Franklin Park Arts Center has many opportunities forregional artists to show their stuff! They also realize that wewould like to have some advance notice to get our worktogether for theme shows. So here are the upcoming OpenCalls for Entries (see their website for more details):
Sticks and Stones Exhibit September 9 - October 31, Oursecond-year for this outdoor sculpture exhibit, displayingpieces on the walking trails on the perimeter of FranklinPark. Artists assemble work on site beginning Tues.,Sept. 6 through Fri., Sept. 9.Opening Reception: Sunday, September 11 1pm-3pm
Play in the Parks September 23 - October 30, An exhibitand sale to celebrate 50 years of Parks, Recreation andCommunity Service in Loudoun County. Artwork that fea-tures Loudoun County Parks is encouraged. Drop off:Sept. 19 & 20 between 9am and 5pm.Opening Reception: Sunday, September 25, 1pm-3pm
W&OD Show November 4 – December 4, This exhibit willbe on display at the Arts Center for a month and then travelto several other locations in Loudoun County, following theWashington & Old Dominion trail. Drop off: Oct. 31and Nov. 1 between 9am and 5pm. A curated display of
historical artifacts will also be featured in this exhibit.Opening Reception: Friday, November 18, 5:30 – 7pm
“Joy” December 7 – January 8, Artwork should reflectthe theme of “joy”; all mediums accepted. Drop off: Dec.5 & 6 from 9am to 5pm.Opening Reception: Thursday, December 8, 5:30 – 7pm.
Map Your World February 17 – March 12, Friends ofFranklin Park Arts Center sponsor this challenge show forartists to incorporate maps pieces or maps into their artwork.Drop off: Feb. 14 from 9am – 5pm & Feb. 15 from 1–5pm. Opening Reception: Sunday, February 19, 2 – 4pm.
Spring Awakens April 3 – April 30, Works in all mediumsare accepted on the theme “Spring Awakens”. Drop off:March 30 & 31. A collection of decorated eggs, submit-ted separately by local artists (by invitation), will also be dis-played with this art exhibit. The decorated eggs will be auc-tioned off at a fund raising event on Sunday, April 9.Opening Reception/Egg Auction event: Sunday, April 9, 1 – 3pm.
Loudoun Sketch Club Show May 1-21, Theme and details TBA.Botanicals & Bouquets Juried Show May 22 –June 2,
Artists will submit works of flowers, bouquets, floweringplants and other botanicals via email by April 30, 2017.Artwork will be juried, then artists will be notified if theirpiece was accepted by May 12. Drop off: Sunday, May 21from 3 – 5pm and Monday, May 22 from 9am to 1pm.Artwork will be paired with a local florist/floral designerwho will create displays using artwork as inspiration. Allwill be for sale at the opening event.Opening Reception & Sale: Thursday, May 25, 6 – 8pm.
Note! A Request From One of Our HostsThis is for the folks that painted at Buckskin Manor
Contact: Becky Tighe [email protected]. and Mrs. Miller asked for folks who painted at their
home, “Buckskin Manor”, and were interested in sellingtheir work, to please email it to them so they could view it.Their email address is: [email protected]
– Featured Artist –
Amy Mann:paintings and drawings
by Leanne FinkThat’s what her busi-
ness card tells you. Sheunderstates herself.Recently, I had the pleas-ure of meeting and talk-ing with Amy over lunch.I could wrap it up in onesentence but then you’dnever hear the backstory.
She does it all . . . and very, very well!
Although she was born in Queens, NYC, Amy Mannwas raised in Fairfax County, Virginia. Her passion for fig-ure drawing and still life painting culminated in receiving aBFA in Painting from the Philadelphia College of Art. Inlater years, Amy expanded her art to include plein air.
When asked to describe her style of art she said, “I ama perceptual realist. I work from life.” To Amy, the snap-shot is only a compositional tool. She doesn’t believe thatthe eye should be limited by either the confines of a photo-graph or a view finder tool. “There is a lot to deal withwhen painting outdoors. The light constantly changes, thewind blows my easel over, the sun burns, the insects bite,the tide rises and falls, the boats come and go, my brushesfall in the water. It’s cold, it’s hot, it’s raining, it’s foggy, it’sCHANGING. Plein air painting is the most exhilarating,the scariest and the most fun. Taking into account andreacting to the changing light and conditions makes eachpainting a fresh and spontaneous event. Working to get aclear statement out of all the ‘noise’ and distraction that is
landscape painting is liketraining yourself to speakclearly by talking with amouth full of rocks. Clarityof vision is my goal, andtrying to get there is neverboring. I generally don’twork from photographsbecause then I would missall the fun!”
Amy is a registered copy-ist at The National Gallery.On the surface that seemssomewhat incongruous com-
pared to her belief that art is best achieved from life. But Amybelieves that copying at The National Gallery is like plein airpainting because of the unpredictable environment, which caninclude visitors walking around, some stopping to observe,and other distractions. She uses her skills of direct observa-tion in the same way as working outside.
As happens with many femaleartists, marriage and family tend to betheir most creative endeavors and canreprioritize their visual art. Throughoutsome of those years, Amy freelanced inthe graphic arts and ran her own com-pany, AIM Graphics. She also tookclasses at The Torpedo Factory. Stillyearning for the opportunity to workfrom life but closer to home, Amybegan her own art league called The
Centreville Regional Art Guild (CRAG). The purpose was toallow local artists to share model fees on a regular basis.Over time CRAG evolved and no longer satisfied Amy’s needfor figure work. She moved on.
Amy has been a Loudoun Sketch Clubber for threeyears. She has also taken a number of workshops in Canadawith MICA’s Sharon Yates. Amy shared Sharon’s concept ofpre-mixing colors for the plein air palette. “I felt that it wasdifficult to keep my colors clean. Before meeting Sharon, Iused pastels because of their tonal purity. Sharon directedus to mix a good quantity of our basic color palette beforebeginning to paint. I found this to be the answer to my stum-bling block. And because a plein air painting should takeonly a couple hours to complete, there’s very little waste.Sharon has been a key influence on my recent work.”
Others whose influ-ence is apparent in Amy’sstyle are Janet Fish,Fairfield Porter, AliceNeel and RichardDiebenkorn.
Recently, Amy hastaken a full time positionwith the Fairfax CountyLibrary in Centrevillewhile her youngest sonfinishes college. Despite abusy schedule, she contin-ues to make time to paint
and draw. Currently she is working on a lengthy series of‘Alphabet’ still life paintings. “My idea of making a still life foreach letter of the alphabet is an arbitrary rule, just for fun, andto force me to deal with alarge variety of objects thathave nothing in commonexcept the letter they startwith, and, further, to makeit work as a pleasing com-position. I’m hoping thatwhen they’re all done, Ican publish a book called,Still Life A-Z.”
Visit her website:www.amymann.com toview her complete art collection.
NewsletterCreating and Supporting the Visual Arts in Loudoun County, Virginia since 1944
LSC Newsletter Online: www.LoudounSketchClub.com September/October 2016
Loudoun Sketch Club Ute Gil, Membership Chair20630 Fairwater PlSterling, VA 20165
Amy Mann
Stamp
Loudoun Sketch Club’s
2016 Fall Business Meeting and Luncheon
Saturday, September 17 at 10 am - 2:30 pm
Barre
ls of
Pur
cellv
ille b
y LSC
mem
bers
Nan
Bow
e, M
elanie
Sta
nley,
Lillia
n M
iller a
nd P
enny
Hau
ffe
Warrenton Pole, 24”x24”, oil
“A,” 24”x24”, oil
“C,” 24”x24”, oil
Amy Mann’s studio
