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Baltimore Watercolor Society

A Mid-Atlantic Organization of Watermedia Artists

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Highlights Newsletter NovemBER 2022

President's Palette

Photograph of BWS president Sherry Morell

Got Ideas??? Please Share Them With Us!!

The Baltimore Watercolor Society is about 670 members strong and there are 20 members on the BWS Board, including Committee members. You have all probably heard the old joke that – “in any organization 10% of the people do 100% of the work” – well, in BWS it is 2.9%. And we need some new ideas.  

Some on the Board have been in their positions for many years, so new blood is needed with fresh ideas and methods of working that will bring BWS to a new level. We’re willing to consider splitting positions up with someone who provides oversight working with a committee of volunteers to get the job done in smaller bites. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Make a proposal describing what you are able to do. Redefining and dividing jobs is always an option, so don’t hesitate to make suggestions. We’d love to hear from you.

Jobs have been redefined in the past. For example, previously the Membership Chair took care of both the day to day Membership activities, plus the semi-annual Jurying of new Signature Artists. Now this is divided into two separate positions. There are other examples, so trust us; we will listen to new ideas.

Currently our 20 Volunteers:

  • Collect and manage funds, pay bills and instructors;
  • Organize/manage the 3 and 4 day workshops (plus evening demos);
  • Organize/manage the 1 and 2 day programs (plus new free demos); 
  • Organize/publish 11 digital newsletters/year (some groups have 3-4); 
  • Organize exhibits - venues, registration, installation, jurors & awards;
  • Jury new members 2x/yr. with digital sessions, criteria and critiques;
  • Mid-Atlantic Exhibit: seek venue & juror, manage exhibit, installation, jurying, reception, awards presentation, catalog publication;
  • Mid-Atlantic Awards: solicit monetary and goods donations from sponsors/donors for Exhibit winners, reception;
  • Publicize BWS programs & events in print and social media;
  • Maintain web presence with information, event registrations, images;
  • Manage membership information, operates as an interface to members for contact and interest changes, provides communications via email, and maintains statistics;
  • Organize/provide hospitality at events, Mid-Atlantic reception, annual member meeting, and Board dinner;
  • Manage archives, manage Zoom meetings & events, record minutes and much more… 

WE NEED HELP TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES TO ALL OF YOU.
 Several positions are open and available, specifically the Secretary, who takes minutes at our monthly meeting, and the Mid-Atlantic (Chair and committee members). We proposed at least two committee members but it could be more. The Secretary, because it is an Officer position, must be a Signature Artist, but the Mid-Atlantic Chair and Committee members may be either Associate or Signature Artist members. It is also good to note that all monthly Board meetings are on Zoom – no travel required.

So what do you get in return for your work?  I agree with and would like to quote Sharon Green, our “retired” Mid-Atlantic Chair, who eloquently voices the feelings of almost everyone on the Board – “As the longest serving member of the Board, I have had the joy of connecting with a large, vibrant, talented and diverse community of artists. My closest friends in Baltimore are my artist friends that I have met and worked with over the years. We have shared each other’s delights and sometimes sorrows, and we have taught each other more about watercolor than a dozen workshops. Come and join us.” 

In order for BWS to survive, we must have help and BWS members to fill the vacancies – without help there will be no 2023 Mid-Atlantic Exhibit and possibly other events. It is up to you – the BWS Members. Can you help? Do you know someone who could? 

We’d love to hear from you – email slmorell12@gmail.com or speak to someone on the Board that you know. 

Your BWS Board


    BWS Signature Member Exhibit is LIVE! 

    53 artists • 100 pieces

    October 17 - December 17, 2022

    Hereford Branch, Baltimore County Public Library
    16940 York Rd • Monkton, MD 21111

    Reciprocal Award Donors

    In the world of BWS Mid-Atlantic awards, there are three types of donors: Corporate - awards donated by corporations such as Dick Blick or Cheap Joe’s; Memorial/Honor - awards donated by individuals or groups in memory or honor of someone; and Reciprocal - awards exchanged with other watercolor societies.

    The awards team call the watercolor societies who exchange awards with BWS ‘The Reciprocals’. BWS is part of a group of Midatlantic region watercolor societies who support each other by funding awards in each other’s major exhibitions.

    The BWS Reciprocal group consists of the following: The Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, The Philadelphia Watercolor Society, The Pittsburgh Watercolor Society, The Virginia Watercolor Society, The Potomac Valley Watercolorists, The Delaware Watercolor Society and the New Jersey Watercolor Society. There is one larger society that participates with us - the International Society of Experimental Artists (ISEA).

    Through mutual agreements, BWS and the Reciprocals fund an award in each other’s major exhibition. This is done by trust, in that no money is exchanged. In order to simplify things for everyone, each society agrees to fund an award for the other (reciprocate).    

    We recently received thank-you notes from the Pennsylvania Watercolor Society and ISEA. We also send thank you notes in return for all the donations sent to fund the Awards for our Mid-Atlantic winners.

    Thank you letters from PWS and ISEA

    Upcoming Events

    Note: The above Upcoming Events summary only displays the start date for each event. For full details please click on the event, or visit the Events page.

    New Way to Support BWS with your Amazon purchases

    Amazon has provided a wonderful way to contribute to Baltimore Watercolor Society, the AmazonSmile Foundation, set up specifically to benefit non-profit organizations. When you shop online, instead of using Amazon.com, use AmazonSmile at our custom link https://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-1164539. When you make a purchase via AmazonSmile, AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible purchase to the charitable organization of your choice. Set up your AmazonSmile charity now, before you start your Holiday shopping, by selecting The Baltimore Watercolor Society, Inc.

    If you shop using the Amazon App you can select your preferred Charity under Setting > AmazonSmile.  You may have to periodically refresh this setting within the App.

    If you need to locate our BWS Custom link in the future you will find it on our website’s Donate page at https://bws.wildapricot.org/Donate.

    member News

    BWS members may submit a 60-word announcement gratis to be listed under the heading "Member News." Images will be included as space allows. Submissions are due by the 15th of the month preceding publication date, and may be edited for length or clarity. Please e-mail your submissions to the Newsletter Editor at devin.lulu@gmail.com.

    Boxed off featured ads are available for $25 and may include up to 100 words and one image. Contact the Newsletter Editor at devin.lulu@gmail.com for details.

    Annie Strack won the M Graham Award in Northeast Watercolor Society 46th International Juried Show and Commissioner’s Award in Worcester Plein Air in Maryland. Her paintings were also juried into Society of Watercolor Artists Exhibit, Philadelphia Watercolor Society 122nd International Exhibit, and Pennsylvania Watercolor Society 43rd International. She was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Watercolor Society. (Congrats, Annie!)


    Watercolor painting by Kathy Daywalt, "Winter Formal"



    A Kathy Daywalt Solo Exhibit, “Painting with Pattern” is being held at Benfield Gallery, 12-5pm, Monday through Saturday. Benfield Gallery: 410-544-2299, 485 Jumpers Hole Road, Severna Park, MD 21146. "Winter Formal"  Watercolor on YUPO, 24x18" (shown)

    Board Officer Position
    BWS Secretary Position Opening

    Deborah Cohan, our dedicated BWS Secretary, will be retiring from the position after 7 years of faithfully serving on the Board.  As a result, we are seeking someone to take over the duties of the office - which are to Record, Finalize (after a draft is proofed), and then Distribute the Board minutes of each regular monthly or special meeting.  Since this position is a BWS Board of Governors Officer, our Bylaws require that it may only be filled by a BWS Signature Artist.  For more information and/or to apply, please contact Sherry Morell, BWS President, at slmorell12@gmail.com.

    “Lessons We Picked up Along the Way”

    Hi fellow artists, me again. This column is a place for sharing art related tips. Any time you come across a great product, website or technique that seems useful pass it on to the rest of us. If we have to rely on me alone to come up with ideas this column will not last long. Send your tip to Dana Kleinsteuber at kleinstk@verizon.net. I will post them here so we can all benefit. The tips are for all levels of painter so some things you may already know and some may be a revelation. The idea is that we can all share great ideas. Some examples are below.

    1. The incredible Mary Whyte, portrait artist extraordinaire, has a show at the National Museum of the Marine Corp in Triangle, VA. It is an hour and 21 minutes from Ellicott City. The show will be there until January 2023 so it is time to see it before it is gone. “The exhibit features portraits of Veterans from every part of the country and every facet of our society, telling their stories through her art.” usmcmuseum.com

    2. Grafix Wet Media Dura-Lar 004 is a clear film that will accept watercolor. Think of the possibilities. You can include it in mixed media art or just use it to see what color you want to layer on top of something without putting it on your paper. I will be using it to try out background alternatives. The paint will wipe off and you can use it multiple times or let it dry. This Dura-Lar film is archival. Some Dura-Lar films are not.

    3. Value sketches are a helpful tool for working out your painting. They can be done in many ways. Dave Daniels discussed how thinking through a painting by doing value sketches and planning a color pallet, before you start, can help a painting to go smoothly. To make a value sketch you can just use a regular pencil, water soluble pencil, gray markers.  You can paint a small value sketch using neutral tint or some other color. There are endless tools for the value sketch.

    4. What can you do with a piece of window screen? Load it with paint and blow through it to make splatters, load it with water, blow through it and dab or rub lightly to make a dark color lighter.

    5. Masking fluid can be applied with many tools besides a brush, anything can be used to apply masking. Try a ruling pen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvl7sxSTtcY

    6. Want to watch a great demonstration? Hopefully you saw the Leslie Lambert Demonstration or watched the video. It is available for 90 days as a benefit for BWS members. The video link has been emailed to BWS members, and is only available until January 14, 2023. 

    Be sure to sign up for the Liz Walker Demonstration that will be in January: https://bws.wildapricot.org/event-4900631/Registration

    Examples of Liz Walker's work:

    Watercolor by Leslie LambertWatercolor by Leslie Lambert

    Strathmore logo

    Strathmore Juried Exhibition Call for Entry

    Dear Artists,

    Strathmore is pleased to announce a call for entry for the 31st Annual Juried Exhibition: Play. 

    Play is a pathway to connection, innovation, and renewal. We use play to sustain our creativity, build relationships, and cultivate a love of life. Play can be done in isolation or in groups. It means action in athletics, rehearsal in music and in drama it is the material to be animated. Play works with restrained rules, or it can be the act of breaking rules. It can be formula and pattern, or it can be experimental and adaptive. Play transcends age and species, occurring shortly after birth and is observed in animals of the earth and ocean. We invite artists to “play.”

    For the full prospectus and entry please visit: https://www.strathmore.org/events-tickets/exhibitions/artist-opportunities/

    The deadline for entries is January 21, 2023.

    Pittsburgh Watercolor Society logo

    2023 Exhibit at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

    PWS reminds you of our very special, year long, collaborative project with Pittsburgh Botanic Garden!

    The Project has two parts, the first being site visits to sketch, photograph or paint en Plein Air, and four onsite workshops lead by some of our very best watercolorists.

    Part two will include a  3-month exhibit at the Main Gallery, located in the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Welcome Center.

    The exhibit will run from March 2 through June 24, 2023 in the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Welcome Center Gallery.

    You must pre-register by 2:00pm on the Wednesday prior to the workshop.  
    To register, please go to the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden website: https://pittsburghbotanicgarden.org/


    Welcome New Associate Members

      Diana Aliberti, Medford, NY

      Donna Clement, Pedricktown, NJ

      Judith Fulton, Hanover, PA

      Ann Gordon, Garrett Park, MD

      Janet Kyle, Lancaster, PA

      Brian Mason, Silver Spring, MD


      Workshops

      Dave Daniels' workshop in October was a real success.

      Group photo from Dave Daniels workshop


      We now have contracts for two 2023 workshops. Our workshops fill quickly and most of the time Non-Members, who have to wait two weeks, do not get registered because it is sold out. You can become a Member for $30 a year.

      April 3rd-6th with Joe Cibere: "Mid-Tone Crisis" where he uses inks and watercolor.
      Registration for Members opens January 7, 2023
      Non-Members January 21, 2023

      June 19th-22nd with Alicia Farris: "Faces and Figures" 
      Registration for Members opens March 25, 2023
      Non-Members opens April 8, 2023


      Board of Governors and Committee Chairs
      Baltimore Watercolor Society, a 501c3 Nonprofit Organization

      Please note: Multiple names are listed for several positions as both the outgoing current Board Member and the new member in training are included.

      President: Sharon Morell, slmorell12@gmail.com, 443-465-1863

      Vice President:

      Secretary: Deborah Cohan, 301-977-6212

      Treasurer: April Rimpo, bwsocietytreasurer@gmail.com, 443-766-0148

      Assistant Treasurer: Ruth Lampi, rthlampi@gmail.com 240-515-0552

      Mid-Atlantic Co-Chair (outgoing): Sharon Green, bwsmidatl@gmail.com, 410-363-1922

      Mid-Atlantic Committee: Susan Bradley, 301-525-6303

      Workshops: Sabine Yeager, bwsworkshops.sabineyeager@gmail.com, 410-245-0366

      Programs: Dana Kleinsteuber, Kleinstk@verizon.net, 410-917-7935

      Webmaster: Bob Coe, 410-877-3730

      Newsletter Editor: Devin Lulu, devin.lulu@gmail.com, 302-690-8635

      Archivist: Karen Norman, 301-318-2224

      Hospitality Chair: Karen Schuster, 410-531-5768

      Hospitality: Joan Orcutt, 240-381-9309

      Membership/Database: Janice Hendra, bwsmembership@gmail.com, 410-271-4943

      Membership/Jurying: Kathleen Gardiner, 410-991-1183

      Mid-Atlantic Awards: Janet Arsenault, 410-713-0248

      Mid-Atlantic Awards: Janet Freeman, 410-299-3906

      Exhibits Chair: David Drown, 410-971-9769

      Exhibits: Kathy Daywalt, 410-507-1662

      Publicity/Social Media: Jennifer Murtha, 443-834-4160

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