May News for WOWS
May 1, 2024
Hey WOWS, Happy May Day!
Do you have plans to sing and dance around the Maypole today? Yeah...me neither. But I do hope you are at least able to enjoy the warm spring weather. I started my garden seedlings last month, and I hope to have a good crop of tomatoes and peppers this summer! I've also been doing my best to keep that ol' paintbrush moving amidst all the tasks to be done in my new role.
I'd like to recap our 50th Anniversary Celebration with a few notes, and some photos from the event. Firstly, what a great party! The place was filled with members and guests who enjoyed snacks and beverages, a slideshow and photos albums from days gone by, generous door prizes donated by vendors and members, and a raffle drawing of a valuable painting won by Lana Kim. Congratulations to all the winners!
During the event, we also had a short business meeting where the new Executive Board members were introduced, the Board was voted into office, the minutes from the last business meeting were approved, and the finances were reported.
Lana Kim, winner of the Mary Ann Beckwith painting raffle
Below are a few photos from the celebration;
more can be found on the Activities page.
Upper left: Past and Current Presidents; Upper Right: A good turnout of members; Lower left: Connie Gifford introduces new President Tessa Kalman; Lower Right: Your Executive Board for the past 2 years.
News
Congratulations are in order!
Some of our members have enjoyed success recently in their artistic endeavors:
- Eight WOWS members were accepted into Watercolor Ohio 2024, the annual juried exhibition of the Ohio Watercolor Society, which will be held in Middletown this fall: Shirlee Bauer, Aileen Cave, Billie Dickson, Jeanette Ferguson, Yuki Hall, Diana Hoke, Tessa Kalman, and Donna Pierce-Clark.
- Rhonda Sloan won a first place award at the Tipp City Area Arts CouncilFine Art Exhibit for her painting "Lancaster Thoroughbreds", an Honorable Mention for "Peaceful Pastures", AND won a third place award at the Springfield Museum of Art 78th Juried Member Art Exhibit for her painting "Cliffside Haven".
Remember, if you'd like a mention in the newsletter for your newsworthy accomplishments, please send an email to wows4info@gmail.com or call Tessa at (937) 902-2579 a few days before the first of the month.
May WOWS Meeting and Demo
Demo for our upcoming meeting on Tuesday, May 21 will be presented by Jane Halliwell Green. One of Jane's specialties is botanical painting - we'll send more info on Jane and her demo closer to the meeting date.
Fairborn Art Association Members Fine Art Show
Quite a few of our WOWS members have works on display at the FAA gallery this month. The gallery is open on Sundays: May 5, May 12 and May 19 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Visit the show and admire the many wonderful works on display! Tell your friends and neighbors! Buy a piece of art!
Workshop Opportunity
Yuki Hall will be offering a 3-day watercolor workshop called “Capturing the Light in Watercolor” from July 15 to July 17, 2024, 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM at the Fairborn Art Association Gallery. In this 3-day workshop, students will learn how to transform an ordinary scene into a memorable watercolor painting that speaks the language of light. Students will learn by focusing on shapes, tonal values, edge qualities and color temperatures, to bring out the true beauty of the watercolor medium such as spontaneity, and fluidity. Strong emphasis will be placed on how to create a powerful yet pleasing composition as well as the economy of brush strokes. Each day will start with a brief discussion of important concepts and a demonstration, followed by students’ own painting time with individual assistance from the instructor.
Yuki is an award-winning watercolor artist known for her loose style and spontaneous approach to working with the medium. She is a signature member of Transparent Watercolor Society of America, as well as Ohio Watercolor Society. Her work has been accepted into prestigious national & international level watercolor juried competitions including the National Juried Exhibition of Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Watercolor West International Juried Exhibition and National Watercolor Society annual all members exhibition. Her works also have been published by highly competitive national art/watercolor publications such as Watercolor Artist Magazine and Splash – the best of watercolor.
The cost for this 3-day workshop is $175. To register, please send the payment along with your name, address, phone number and email address to Yuki Hall, 4136 Fox Fern Ct., Beavercreek, OH 45432. For any questions regarding this workshop, please call, text or e-mail Yuki at (937) 679-2464, yukihallfineart@gmail.com
Worthy of Repeating
2024 WOWS Members Watercolor Show
July 3, 2024 through July 29, 2024
Dayton Metro Library
215 E. Third Street, Dayton, OH 45402
Show Reception, Saturday July 6, 2024, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm (Awards ceremony at 3:00 pm). Open to all Western Ohio Watercolor Society members. A non-refundable fee of $10 for each entry, limit of 2 paintings. Deliver artwork with labels attached to the back of each work with the entry form. Make checks payable to Western Ohio Watercolor Society. The prospectus can be viewed here.
Membership Renewal
Please remember to renew your membership now, if you haven't done so yet. The dues payment deadline for you to be included in the yearly Member Roster is June 30. The cost is $25 and you can download a membership form by clicking here, or scrolling to the bottom of the Welcome page of our website, here. You can also pay for your membership dues at the upcoming May meeting.
Cheers,
Tessa Kalman
Our meeting address is:
FAA Gallery (Fairborn Art Association) ~ 221 North Central Avenue ~ Fairborn, OH 45324
Greetings from the President of WOWS,
Hello everyone, my name is Tessa Kalman and I would like to introduce myself as the newly-elected President of this wonderful organization. But first, I'd be remiss if I didn't bring to everyone's attention the incredible job that our Past President Connie Gifford did for us during the past 4 years. She masterfully steered our group through the challenges of Covid, and then took us to new heights with the help of the Board; increasing membership, finding an outstanding facility for our meetings, getting a workshop from a nationally-recognized artist, and celebrating our 50th Anniversary are just a few of WOWS' accomplishments during her tenure.
Connie's "swan song" event, the Tea Party, was a great success, with many members and guests in attendance. The afternoon was spent reconnecting with acquaintances and friends, sharing stories and memories, looking at WOWS remarkable history, and enjoying delicious food and drink. Bravo to Connie and the WOWS Board for pulling this event together so well! See the Activities page for photos and a WOWS history video from the event.
I also want to recognize outgoing Board members Sue Konek (Treasurer) and Mary Foreman (Membership). WOWS could not have grown and prospered as it has without these two dedicated women filling these vital roles. Thank you so much, Sue and Mary; you will be missed.
I am very happy to announce two new members coming on board: Julie Shuman (Treasurer) and Terri Anderson (Recording Secretary). Welcome to the Board, and thank you for stepping up and contributing your time and energy to our group.
A little of my background: I became the Recording Secretary for WOWS in June 2022, not long after I had joined as a member. Before my retirement, I enjoyed a 31-year career at the Dayton VA Medical Center where I served as the Medical Illustrator/Graphic Designer in our visual communications department. Along the way, I enjoyed doing all kinds of art in my spare time, especially painting, drawing, sculpting, and photography. My main "fan club" is my husband Craig, my daughter and son-in-law, and 2 grandchildren.
The newly-elected and re-elected members of your Board are excited to continue the mission of our organization and look forward to our next big event: The 2024 Members' Show in July at the downtown Dayton Metro Library! See the Shows page for the details and prospectus.
Cheers to All,
Tessa Kalman, President
“To create one’s own world takes courage” – Georgia O’Keeffe
From the President