September 10, 2016

Summer is over and we are back—with so much new to share that we'll get right to it. Keep reading to greet returning friends, meet new friends (we're excited to say we have four new students), and get news of upcoming exhibits. Oh, and one more thing—Pat, our teacher, had a little "welcome back"
twist.  She gave us all nicknames. Some were alliterative, some were rhyming; all were funny! Now, let's get to it.

First up.... Bodacious Bill, back from a vacation in Ireland, as you can see from all the paintings. We love the water, the stone buildings, and, of course, the many varieties of green.

Can't you just feel the atmosphere here?

We are especially enamored of the water here.... although the sky and trees are also beautiful!

Here's the only painting where anyone had a question. We all loved the composition and the beautifully drawn perspective. But some questioned the green trees, if any such shade existed in nature. Bill (and others who had visited Ireland) assured us that reports of the many shades of green were not exaggerated at all. This shade exists... and it's spectacular!

More Irish green.... this time, Bill paints a horserace. He's developed a fascination with horses. We may be seeing more soon; we can't wait!

Finally,  this work in progress is a street in Ireland with a lovely café. We love the watercolor feel and the brilliantly minimal use of colors.

Are you tired of green yet? We certainly aren't! Next up is Maid Madeleine—so nicknamed probably because she too just returned from Ireland, wore a beautiful Sherwood-forest-green top, and painted the many shades of Irish green. Notice the different cast to the greens in her palette, though. Unlike Bill's clear hues, Madeleine's greens have a golden hazy feel.

Another Irish scene by Madeleine, this is classically composed and wonderfully deep and atmospheric.

But Ireland is also about the people. Here Madeleine paints locals at a pub....

 

 ... along with her grandsons (and travelling companions). If you can't guess at the destination from the caps, the background gives it away.

Isaac, the Master of Icons, is back. Here he is working on composition, combining a tulip and a teacup (no, it's not an Irish cuppa). The yellow is where he's masked the subject while he works on the deep, rich background.

We're also delighted to have Glen back. In fact, Pat was so delighted she forgot the perfect nickname she had and blurted out Giddy Glen. We'll correct that when she remembers his "real" nickname, but meanwhile, we are giddy with joy at his painting below. We love the combination of a girl with balloons on Bourbon Street. And the colors just make us happy.

Sassy Sara just spent some time in northern Wisconsin. Here she is painting the cottage she stayed as a thank-you to the hostess. It's a beautiful house and a beautiful painting. Makes us want to have her over for a visit!

Rebellin' Ellen also spent time in northern Wisconsin and managed to see the Northern Lights. Here are two exquisite paintings, one with stars looking like fireworks against the brilliant colors....

...and another with more movement and fewer stars. Both are beautiful and both are accurate.

And here, Rebellin' Ellen is beginning a painting of a gondolier (not from northern Wisconsin). Interesting to note is that she begins with all the light warm colors. We know she'll be adding darker, richer colors and are eager to follow her process.

This riot of color is Sunny Susan's documentation of our Sketch Club outing. We met at Steve's backyard (and yes, it is that lush and verdant!) and had a wonderful time. You can see Ken enjoying himself sketching.

You may wonder if we got the right painting below. But rest assured it does belong to Aloha Steve.... the very same Steve with the tropical paradise of a garden above. Not far from the garden (but half a year away), is this exquisite winter wonderland. The soft colors and crisp clear air take our breath away.

Elaine, who looks for Excellence, also is painting close to home. Below she finishes a sketch of a detail of a neighborhood church. Despite sticking to a minimal palette and testing a different sort of paper, there is a lot of detail here. If you're interested, the paper is Masa paper. It has a very interesting texture—very soft, yet very strong. Sort of like the anti-Yupo.

Upcoming events!

See who inspires us.
Today, talk turned to what makes a "watercolor" painting. We decided to bring in paintings or books or screenshots of artists who inspire us. Join us next week and see who we admire. The only criteria are that the artists have to be watercolor artists and relatively famous (or at least not totally obscure). Should be interesting! We will also correct any nicknames that were mis-remembered.


You're invited
October is Artists Month in Chicago so keep your calendars handy!

Next week we'll give you more information on Bill and Madeleine's show at Ten Cat.

Meanwhile, you are cordially invited to an opening reception of an exhibit celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. It is curated by Erika, one of our new members. The show will be at a coffee shop near the Patio theater and will run from September 16 through October 16. You are invited to the opening reception. Details below:

Perkolator; A Shot of Art

Friday, September 16, 2016, 4–6pm

6032 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago