President's Palette

Getting Back to the Future (Normal)

It is January and a whole fresh, New Year is in front of us.  We pray that it truly will be a normal new year with activities going off “as usual” and in-person. We look forward to painting together in the big room at Hawthorne and learning the newest techniques and tips from our visiting Artists. Yes, some things will be different: there will not be a fancy spread in the “break room” – instead there will be the individually packaged snacks and bottled water (members have said they are “more comfortable” with this offering) and we will not gather around the instructor’s table to look over their shoulder – we will be watching every move on the video projection. All for the purpose of keeping you safe and healthy.

One thing that we have learned over the course of the past 2 years is the incredible value of Zoom. Utilizing it, artists have been able to survive the pandemic. We have migrated all of our Board Meetings to Zoom as Board members reside from the Eastern Shore (both MD and DE) to Western MD – some have even lived in PA and VA. Zoom has also enabled us to provide free demos by distant artists, to our members in their own homes and even online videos of some of our exhibits. All organizations have come a long way in their use of this technology. Our next free Zoom demo will be Liz Walker on January 10th (when last I looked, we had 139 enrolled, so if you aren’t signed up yet - there is still time and space) and over the next year we will be expanding our number of free Zoom demos for our members as we are able and as funds become available from other events.

One favorite in-person activity, that we dearly missed and are looking forward to this year, is returning to New York City to see the 156th American Watercolor Society International Exhibit. It is scheduled from April 3-28th at the Salmagundi Club and we are in the planning stages of arranging a bus tour again during that time frame. In years past, we made a second stop at the “Met” for several hours, but this year we are looking at a different stop at one of the other NYC museums and with slightly different scheduling. More information will be forthcoming as the plan comes together. 

And just wait till you hear who will be the Mid-Atlantic Juror/Instructor this year… but my lips are sealed. Shhhh…

Sherry Morell
BWS President

All images are the property of the artists and protected by copyright. No image can be used without the written permission of the artist.

Workshops

The announcement and registration for Joe Cibere's "Mid-Tone Crisis - Ink First" workshop will open on January 7th.  Don't wait too long to register as this is expected to fill up quickly. bws.wildapricot.org/event-4997042

Opportunities

The Watercolor Art Society - Houston (WAS-H)
The 46th International Watermedia Exhibition
WAS-H Gallery
Houston, TX
https://watercolorhouston.org/International-Watermedia-Exhibit/
Entry Deadline: January 13, 2023

Taubman Museum of Art
65th Annual Sidewalk Art Show
Roanoke, Virginia
https://www.taubmanmuseum.org/signature-events/sidewalk-art-show/
Entry Deadline: March 13, 2023

Winter Scene Paintings Wanted

We'd like to dress up our emails with some of your artwork. The theme this month is Winter scenes. Could be realism or abstraction, whatever your interpretation of Winter is. We will use a few in our emails and will publish all in the February newsletter to share the variety of our members' artwork. Send a clear photo of your best winter scene painting, along with your name and the painting title and size, to the Newsletter Editor at devinlulu@gmail.com by January 10, 2023. We look forward to seeing your entries!

Please be sure your image only shows the painting image, no mat or frame. The files should be 600 pixels in the longer dimension. If you are uncertain how to size your images refer to our website page, bws.wildapricot.org/Preparing-Digital-Entry-Images.

Membership Dues

Thanks to all who paid their dues between October 1st and now. The dues notice was sent in early December and it was great to see that as of mid December, 48% of Signature Artists and 42% of Associates had already paid 2023 dues. 

It is suggested that you pay your dues online to expedite processing, but you may also pay your dues by check. Log in to the BWS website and visit bws.wildapricot.org/Sys/Profile to pay online. 

Mail checks to:
Janice Hendra - Membership
103 Avondale Circle
Severna Park, MD 21106

For those who have not yet paid dues, please remember payment should be made by January 31st to be considered on time.

Welcome New Signature Members

Robert Bowden, Pittsburgh, PA

Matthew Fenton, Baltimore, MD

Mike Flynn, Manassas, VA

Hima Jain, Ellicott City, MD

Elin Kim, Centreville, VA

Welcome New Associate Members

Susan H. Branch, Edina, MN

Christine Corbitt, Baltimore, MD

Reanne Singer, Hillsboro, OR

Lisa Thompson, Baltimore, MD

Nancy Webert, Minnetonka, MN

Congratulations to New Signature Life Members

Susan Bradley, Gaithersburg, MD

Diane Dunn, Columbia, MD

Stewart Emmerich, Perry Hall, MD

Janet M. Epstein, Leland, NC

Karen Frattali, Unionville, PA

Susan Herron, Olney, MD

Elaine Hoffman, Bethesda, MD

Alice Kale, Alexandria, VA

Jody Karantonis, Fallston, MD

Nancy Kautz, Harpers Ferry, WV

John Lockwood, Sykesville, MD

Isabel Pizzolato, Milton, DE

E. Jane Stoddard, E. Amherst, NY

Donna Sturm, Alexandria, VA

Katherine Sullivan, Arlington, VA