October 26, 2013

It's a new term and a time for new beginnings--we're beginning to wear jackets again, beginning to ponder a new class project (more on that next time), and learning a new registration system (don't even get us started on that one!).

While our numbers were small today (we blame the aforementioned new registration system), we had our typically wonderful time. We welcome Tony back and congratulate him on graduating to watercolor paper! Tony's been traveling (you'll notice his painting of an airport!) and has some wonderful new paintings to share. Unfortunately, we didn't get photos today, but keep watching this space for a view of his world.

As for the rest of us, we're into people. Proud people (like Vivian's portrait of Ken...proud of Marina City and proud of his Cubs), fashionable people (Susan's "Geisha Teacher"), fun-loving people (Elaine's portrait of exuberant kids), imaginary people (John's continuing story illustration), and relaxed people (Greeta's painting celebrating summer relaxation on the water). And it wouldn't be fall without Sara's falling leaves and changing colors. Ken and Mark are into colorful architecture—buildings on the river and a Gaudy-esque building in Pennsylvania.

Don't go away yet! Keep scrolling down to see our paintings....followed by artists of the week and a product review.

Artist(s) of the week—Special thanks to our guest librarian of the week, Kris, for today's book selections, Mary Cassatt and Frank Auerbach. Again, rather disparate selections, but very educational. We were especially fond of Cassatt's Japanese print-inspired paintings and Auerbach's portraits. Can't wait to see more next week!

Ken Ellis's painted quilts on display at the Cultural Center

A show to see—If you're in downtown Chicago, drop by the Cultural Center for Ken Ellis' painted quilts (left). They're paintings, they're fabric art and they are softly sculptural. Definitely worth a look!

Product Review—If you've been following us for any length of time, you know we love our gadgets! Okay, not really gadgets....let's call them serious art tools of the trade! One tool that's been intriguing us lately is what we fondly call the "water toilet." It's really a device to provide continuous clean rinse water for painting. You fill a bottle with clean water, invert it over a small well; the well fills and the level self-regulates and stops when it's full. Then, when the water gets dirty, you push a button and the dirty water drains into a holding tank and the well fills with clean water. Saves countless trips to the sink to get new water.

Susan introduced us and Greeta's also been a fan for some time. Elaine got one this week and we're ready to share our thoughts. Needless to say, Susan and Greeta give it a big thumbs up. Susan actively proselytizes; Greeta found hers a bit touchy at the beginning, but is now a fan. As for Elaine? She thinks it's great....in theory...but is afraid hers might be haunted. Maybe it's the season, maybe she's got an overly active imagination (but others saw it too!). She went through nearly a whole bottle of water without once pressing the plunger button. Every so often, the water started gurgling and drained and refilled all by itself. No one was even close! So we either have artificial intelligence or a haunted water bottle. Still, Elaine had to admit her rinse water has never been cleaner....so it's probably found a place in her paint kit. See below for Elaine's brand new one between two well-loved water toilets in action.

Two Rinse Wells in use; one new one still in the box. Read above for a review.

See you next week!