Julie chairs the meeting at the Maitland Presbyterian Chuch community room.

Julie N. did a great job chairing the last general meeting of our 2022-2023 season. She reminded the members of our society that WE NEED VOLUNTEERS to help out with all of the new leads we have for shows and other community activities. Our group is an active and fun group of folks… so please know volunteering is guaranteed to be a happy and fulfilling experience!  😁

            Also, if anyone has a good experience with a workshop, please send the information to Julie so she can try to contact the artist for next season’s demonstrations.

            Check out our website post on the Avalon Arts & Culture Center: 13013 Founder’s Square Dr. Orlando. That is in Southeast Orlando off of South Alafaya trail. Look for artists calls and if someone would like to organize a small show… that would be great!

Chauncey Nelson came and made an announcement on his show coming up, along with Ken Austin and Glen Ward – “The Gentlemen of Watercolor” that we are sponsors of. Reception: MAY 18 FROM 6-9PM AT THE DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT! GALLERY TALK: MAY 20 FROM 1-2PM same place

Susan Jane D. was asking for volunteers for the Florida Watercolor Society convention in the Hilton Ocala, on September 25th – 28th, 2023. Workshops begin Monday, Sept. 25th. Please contact   [email protected]  to volunteer, or get more information!

Diane D. announces the latest membershiip information.

Diane announced that we now have 130 members. Many have signed up early for $40, and our future annual fee will be $50, after July 1, 2023.

Susan G. announce a SOBO call for artists and encouraged artists to check their website regularly to try out for other art shows. You only pay a fee if you get in the show.

Marcela said we only have one plein air event left… at 10 am, in Maitland, on the beautiful Lake Lily on May 20th. 😎 🌳 🌼

Julie passed the baton to Joan L. who organized our artwork critique called “Share and Care” Here is her recap:

13 artists sharing their recent artwork in our first Share and Care.  They were: Pam C., Thouraya Z., Marcela M., Sharon S., Terri C., Susan G., Sandi B., Roberta Lerman, Julie N., Julie S., and Beverly B.

While the subjects’ matters were diverse, and approaches were personal, here are a few takeaways that may be helpful to us all:

– Consider the use of stronger darks to make the subjects pop;

– Be mindful of subject placement to avoid dividing the artwork into two equal top and bottom parts;

– If applicable, crop the artwork to eliminate weaker or excess elements;

– Add drama to the sky or water if applicable;

We also shared tips on how to bring back the whites using gouache and gesso.

Many artists brought their new or lightly used art supplies to sell or donate.  We raised $217 for the Society.  

We also had a fun time enjoying ice cream and many tasty toppings thanks to Sandi’s hard work.

I also want to thank Mary for coordinating the use of the room.  Nick (a staff at the Church) was very helpful in getting us extra tables as we had so much art supplies to share. 

See everyone in person in September.  Have a great summer. 

Joan 

Pam was first artist in “Share and Care”. Suggestions for her landscape with buildings and barbed wire fence: crop the sky, make sky stronger, don’t divide painting in half, broken fence in foreground or friendlier fence.
Thouraya was helped by Pam. Her painting of flowers, suggestions: more darks, soften some hard edges on the left.
Marcela was helped by Susan Jane who showed her abstract painting. Comments: looks like a Kandinsky, crop, maybe more whites, split it into a diptych.
Susan did poured colors on gesso. Suggestions on the lit laterns were to add an evening color, background darker, complimentary color, may need to lift the orange to add a blue or violet background, darken at the bottom and lighten at the top.
Terri’s painting of bees and flowers, comments were more variation in the yellows and greens, maybe warmer yellows and blues in the greens, more details, maybe a blue sky, more contrast, more darks in the focal area, good composition.
Sandi did gears, comments were more details, add raised letters in some of the gears, add more darks for 3-d effect, spatter some rust in some of the wheels.

Roberta did a beautiful family portrait on bristol board called “hands” which had a moving story behind the imagery. Suggestions, frame and give to the family.
Julie did a lighthouse landscape painting and comments were more shadows in the stones, more darks, maybe add a whale or boat in the water, crop so image is off centered or to reduce water area, maybe add some white foam.
Julie painted a still life of pie, painting and vase of flowers, comments were add shadows gently, lighten the frame on the hanging medallion, the deer painting competes with the flowers.
Beverly painted water lilies, comments were more darks for a 3-d effect, maybe use gesso to paint over some areas and add darks.
Joan announced the final chance to snap up great deals and seconds on the ice cream.
A good time was had by all!

What a fun way to end our season. Finding new teasures, learning how we can improve our paintings, connecting with friends, enjoying cookies and ice cream…. looking forward to enjoying all of these tihings and more next season. See you in September and keep those brushes wet!