August 2012 Newsletter:
Bess Blogett (left) and Emily Clark (right)
Our friend and fellow watercolorist Emily Clark died at home on August 3, 2012.
Among all of her other achievements, Emily will be remembered by the Santa Cruz watercolorists as a unique and creative force who was always willing to share her techniques and “secret” tips with other painters.
Emily was a student in Dave McGuire’s watercolor class at Cabrillo College and from there she joined his weekly critiques. When the critiques moved from Cabrillo, Emily would join in at the new venue bringing her lovely landscapes. Eventually the group started meeting at the Santa Cruz Art League and Emily would often stay on for critique after attending Linda Lord’s watercolor classes. She was always striving for new ideas and methods to add to her knowledge of the medium. Many of her memorable paintings graced the calendars that she would create for her children with each month having an original painting. Quite an annual achievement!
For many years Emily would host the annual Santa Cruz Watercolor Society meeting and potluck. We were able to admire her unique home filled with art as well as the surrounding gardens which were mostly Emily’s handiwork, her artistic talents spilling over into her love for plants.
As we paint it would be helpful to remember one suggestion made by Emily: “Always leave a little mystery in your painting”. We will miss her creative energy and kindness to all.
Nancy Howe
The photograph of Bess Blodgett and Emily Clark was taken at a Santa Cruz Watercolor annual show at the Santa Cruz Art League by Aimée Nelson. The date of the photo is unknown.
Weekly critique group: Tuesday 1PM at the Santa Cruz Art League
526 Broadway, Santa Cruz
Plein Aire: Thursdays (Call Shirley for location and time.)
If you would like to receive the membership newsletter for contact information on Plein Aire and other membership events, please refer to ‘contact page’ and become a member.
($25 yearly)
Member News:
Nancy Riedell has acquired a studio at the 17th Ave. Studios. Her new address is: 17th. Ave. Studios 980 17th. Ave. (back building) Santa Cruz. Nancy (recently retired) will be spending the majority of her time at her new studio painting. Visits to her studio are by appointment only, but she will be having a grand opening in August (details later.)
Members Exhibits:
Pat Towery’s exhibit at the Santa Cruz County Government Center will take place August 20th through October 15th. It is on the fifth floor. The reception will take place on the First Friday of September from 5 – 8 pm. The subject is: “Sumptuous watercolors capture the spirit of the Rainbow Goddess, Iris, from Greek Mythology. Patricia’s colorful paintings of Irises pay homage to the many gardens she has visited and painted in all over Santa Cruz County”. There will be approximately 18 – 20 paintings on display.
The Cultural Councils annual: Open Studios Art Tour will take place:
South County: Oct. 6 & 7; North County: Oct 13 &14; Encore: Oct. 20 & 21
Santa Cruz Watercolor Society members who are participating are:
Pat Michaud-Towery South County,- Oct.6,7,20 and 21 at the 17th Ave artist complex
Carol Riddle (Carol will be exhibiting with Peggy Snyder and Dyann Paynovich at 680 Meder Street, Santa Cruz) North County-Oct 13, 14, 20 and 21.
Susan Hancy
Aimée Bagur Nelson will be exhibiting North County -Oct. 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 229 Fridley, Santa Cruz
For more information on our members Open Studio exhibits, please go to the events/activities page
Opportunities to Exhibit:
WASCO
Watercolor Artists of Sonoma County
The Watercolor Artists of Sonoma County (WASCO) is hosting their 18th annual “Aqua Areas” art show at Coddingtown Mall, Santa Rosa, California, for ten days from September 7th-16th. This is the largest “all watercolor” showcase in the North Bay. Exhibiting consistently high quality paintings, this long-running show has developed a faithful following of art lovers. This impressive juried and judged show is a display of some of the best watercolor paintings in our area. This popular show is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Live watercolor demonstrations will take place Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 p.m.
This year’s show will be dedicated to Susan Adams, a fellow artist and amazing watercolor teacher who contributed so much to WASCO and the art community in general. She passed away on July 19, 2012, and will be greatly missed. A special section of the show will be entitled “In Appreciation of Susan’s Teachings”, inviting former students of Susan’s to submit up to three of their favorite paintings that were done with Susan or reflect her unique teaching style. (Call Grace Cunningham if you would like to contribute, (707) 228-0777.)
The opening reception and awards presentation will be held on Sunday, September 9th from 4-5:30 p.m. and is open to the public.
For further information contact Joan Wale, WASCO Aqua Areas Show Chair, mjwale@aol.com, (707) 433-6714 or (707) 799-7189 or LuAnn Steele, luannst@aol.com, (707) 696-8044.
Exhibits Around Town:
UCSC:
Natural Discourse: Artists, architects, scientists and poets in the Garden.
An exhibition at the UC Botanical Garden
July 14, 2012–January 20, 2013
This is a collaborative project between the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley and a multi-disciplinary group of artists, writers, architects and researchers who have been invited to spend time in the Garden’s extraordinary collection of plants, engage with the horticulturalists and develop site-specific work.
Santa Cruz Art League: Fiber Art Aug11- Sept. 2, 2012
Coming to MAH (Museum of Art and History) August 11- November 25: Rose Sellery- Passages Get ready for a thoughtful exhibition that makes a lasting impression. Passages is a dark fairy tale with a happy ending. The whole-gallery installation walks the visitor through a narrative that describes the life of a woman who longs for a husband, marries an abusive man, loses herself, finds herself, escapes, and, ultimately, lives happily ever after with a loving partner. Works include a rug made of baby shoes, a bed made of bones, and an installation reflecting on vanity and aging that includes a pair of “Gray Haired Mules”. The works in the exhibition are stunning and provocative, taking the viewer on an unforgettable emotional and visual journey.
Rose Sellery is a noted Santa Cruz artist, assistant director of the Cabrillo College Gallery, and 2011 Gail Rich award winner. She works in the materials essential to the piece; from metal to bone, cigarette butts to rose petals, fabric to photographs, creating humorous, thought-provoking and occasionally disturbing objects.
UCSC- Lewis Watts: New Orleans Suite
+ new work from Cuba October 3- November 21
Reception: October 3, 5:00-6:30pm followed by artist talk
in the Digital Arts Research Center DARC 108 from 6:45-7:45pm
This exhibition brings together photographers, jazz musicians, and discourse surrounding Hurricane Katrina and life in New Orleans and Cuba.
Forthcoming book New Orleans Suite by Eric Porter and Lewis Watts University of California Press.
Monterey Bay: Land, Air and Sea. Aug 30-Oct 7–Reception Sept 9, 2-4
Bay Area/San Francisco shows you might not want to miss:
Asian Art Museum:
Phantoms of Asia- through September 2-bold new art along with objects from the museums own collection, explores spirits, spirituality, cosmic order, and the afterlife. This is a provocative interplay of 150 artworks from past and present, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, site- specific creations, and more by artists from all over Asia. www.asianart.org/Phantoms
Legion of Honor:
René Bouche (1905-1963): Letters from Post -War Paris
July 14- October 14
In 1940, art director and fashion illustrator René Bouché (1905-1963) left war-torn Paris for New York and became a regular contributor to Vogue magazine. In 1945, Vogue commissioned Bouché, who was an art director and fashion illustrator in Paris before World War II, to cover the first post-war couture shows in Paris. The trip to Europe was traumatic for the artist, who discovered a people struggling to regain normalcy after the war. This exhibition contains his “letters”—some of which were published in Vogue—illustrated with sketches of Parisians: poignant observations of young girls on bicycles, women waiting for their bread rations, black marketeers, American GIs amid crowded theaters and cafés.
De Young Museum:
The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier through August 19
Opening September 15: A Taste for Modernism includes works by Matisse, Picasso, Cézanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Derain, Gauguin, Rouault, Bonnard and Vuillard.
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