The holidays are
gone and we are ready to have some quiet time working on our artwork. We have
snow on the ground as we have had for several weeks so it’s a good time to stay
inside and write or create.
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| Barbara Mann |
Barbara Mann was
in South Bend to give a workshop on Paint Box Flowers early in October and we
enjoyed those two days so very much. I
have said for many years that when I retire, I want to learn how to paint. Barbara was very instrumental in helping me
in that process. Her light hand flowed
across the watercolor paper and made the most beautiful flowers. Thanks so much to Barbara for providing us
with two days of uninterrupted time with our art and our like minded
friends.
Paintbox Flowers, with Barbara Mann
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| How to paint a Poppy |
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| Barbara's Poppies |
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| Maureen |
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| Barbara doing a demo |
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| Sharon's got it! |
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| Book example |
A REVIEW....
Paintbox Flowers, with Barbara Mann
by Barbara Walsh
“If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for a moment.”
― Georgia O'Keeffe
― Georgia O'Keeffe
And that is what we did on Saturday and Sunday, yet we were able to have more than a moment but two full days - capturing the essence of flowers.
While the fall season was upon us and the weather outside was dark and rainy at times, inside the Whispering Pines, it was all sweetness and light. We filled our sketch pads with colorful poppies, pansies, daisies, bouquets and more … we learned and worked on so much in the 2 days that the time flew by. Barbara shared her wealth of knowledge on the paints, brushes, papers and techniques to create these luminous flowers. The colorful handout materials will be a useful reference – including many examples of brush strokes, flowers, and a fun lettering style. It was quite refreshing to start out with a new palette of colors and the rich Sennelier paints. We learned the subtle softness of the Sumi brush stroke, the many uses of the aqua pen, and how to use the wedge brush. We learned how less can be more with the simple wash of irregular paint strokes.
Barbara encouraged us all to continue to play with all we learned, and to allow the painting of flowers to bring happiness and joy.
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| I think Sharon is quite happy with her Poppies! |
I was not able to
attend the November meeting due to my husband and I spending two weeks in Ft.
Myers, Florida sitting on the beach, swimming in the pool and sitting in the
hot tub. Poor me! Oh, and getting eaten
alive by a little bug, no bigger than the head of a pin, called No See
Ems. They are truly so small that you
can hardly see them but you can feel their powerful sting and then itch for
another week.
Sharon Esmont conducted
the November meeting, thanks Sharon, and thanks to Angie West for demonstrating
Versals to the group. Angie’s Versals
are always cheery and colorful! There was a good discussion at this meeting of
things to do for the 2014 year.
We want to extend
our congratulations to Bryan and Amber Schindler on the birth of
their precious baby girl Ella Marie on November 5, 2013 at 6 lbs 19 ¾
inches long. We can’t wait to meet her!
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| Renee, Maureen and Connie |
Our December
meeting was held at the home of Pat West and included 12 members. The carry in was marvelous and our meeting
was fruitful including what we have planned for the rest of the year. Please read below to see what we are doing
month by month. We also had an ornament or card exchange and the creations were
lovely. Thank you Pat for opening your
home to us for several hours and for the delicious ham you provided. Our Christmas meeting is one of the
highlights of our year.
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| Maureen's card |
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| Maureen should demo this!!! |
We also
discussed Moon Tree in Plymouth, Indiana and the dates that we will be setting
up and tearing down our pieces as well as a reception and demonstrations on
April 5. We will be looking for
volunteers for all of those dates, so please put one or all of them on your
calendar for 2014. We want to have a
great exhibit with all our members included!
April 1 – 4,
2014 - Set up – pieces should be to Anne or Ginny before April 1
April 5, 2014- Reception and
demonstrations
May 12, 2014
- Takedown
One of the photos
on this blog is of all the handmade cards that Anna Schlemma received for the
26th anniversary of her 39th birthday. Marianne Burke sent out a secret email to
several of Anna’s friends and fellow calligraphers proposing a surprise “card
party”. Anna was very unsuspecting of
all the envelopes coming her way with a “do not open until November 16. She couldn’t wait to get up on the morning
of her birthday to open them all up and ogle at the beautiful cards. Receiving a hand lettered envelope in the
mail is like receiving a present all tied up with a bow! You hate to open it because it is so beautiful!
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| Anna's Birthday Cards |
The MCG elected
to send donate monies to Christ the King Church, the Northern Indiana Food Bank
and the Midwest Museum of Art.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday
season and that you are ready to resume calligraphic work other than Christmas
cards and gifts and get to work on a piece or two to hang at Moon Tree in April.
Finally I want to
thank the Michiana Calligraphy Board, Sharon Esmont, who always opens the
church early so that we can meet every month; Maureen Trubac, who keeps us up
to date on our finances; Jo McPherson, who sends out many important emails during
the course of the year; Pat West, our new secretary who records all that we
talk about in a meeting and types them up so that we are reminded of what we
discussed; and Renee Tuveson for being the blog coordinator. We couldn’t keep everything organized without
the extra time they put into our organization.
Thanks ladies!
FUTURE WORKSHOPS
Julie Wildman – We have scheduled Julie Wildman from Chicago for our 2014 spring workshop
called Lively Letters. Please put
April 26 & 27, 2014 on your calendar. The workshop cost will be $110. plus
supplies $15. Supply list will be coming soon. Please give your check for $110
or a deposit of $55. to Maureen Trubac to secure your spot in the
workshop. Julie exhibits at the
Newberry Library every year and that is where we talked to her about coming to
South Bend for a workshop. Check out wildmandesigns.com
to see her lovely work. More
information will follow regarding this workshop in the near future. You can give your check to Maureen Trubac
starting at the January 11, 2014 meeting.
All Day Paste Paper
Workshop –
The MCG had originally chosen the Moon Tree reception date to make paste paper, but we have had to change the date to the next Saturday, April 12, 2014, to spend another marvelous day together to make paste papers. The workshop will be from 9 – 5 pm with a short business meeting during our lunch break. Supply list will be forthcoming before the all day get together. There is no fee for this workshop. More information in the near future.
The MCG had originally chosen the Moon Tree reception date to make paste paper, but we have had to change the date to the next Saturday, April 12, 2014, to spend another marvelous day together to make paste papers. The workshop will be from 9 – 5 pm with a short business meeting during our lunch break. Supply list will be forthcoming before the all day get together. There is no fee for this workshop. More information in the near future.
Our workshops seem to have people drop in and out at will. We have been very generous in returning
monies paid for the workshop if someone decides not to attend at the last
minute, but we are going to have a change in this policy. There will be a nominal fee if you drop out
of the workshop. If there would be an
emergency, for instance, a birth of a child or grandchild, illness, etc., then
the board will take this under advisement to decide on a course of action
regarding a refund. Also, if the
workshop is filled and there is someone to take your place, that would also
quality for a refund. So please, if you want to sign up for the workshop, make
sure that you put that date on your calendar as a commitment. We have a small calligraphy group and we
struggle to fill workshops at times. We
need all of you to attend as many as possible so that we can continue to have
quality instructors.
Are you on Facebook?
If so, look up your favorite calligraphers because they are on Facebook also. I like to look at Barbara Close, Reggie Ezell, Julian Waters, John Stevens, Rachel Yallop, Pendragons, Capital City Scribes, Yukimi Annand, etc. There is a lot of beautiful calligraphy on these pages that will get your inspired.
If so, look up your favorite calligraphers because they are on Facebook also. I like to look at Barbara Close, Reggie Ezell, Julian Waters, John Stevens, Rachel Yallop, Pendragons, Capital City Scribes, Yukimi Annand, etc. There is a lot of beautiful calligraphy on these pages that will get your inspired.
PO Box in South
Bend –
Due to a lack of much mail at our Post Office box in South Bend, we will be suspending any mail sent to that address. If you have anything to send to the MCG, please send to Maureen Trubac 50685 Mercury Drive, Granger, IN 46530 or Ginny VanderHey 51854 Stoney Creek Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514. When monies are due for a workshop or dues, they will now go to one of these addresses.
Due to a lack of much mail at our Post Office box in South Bend, we will be suspending any mail sent to that address. If you have anything to send to the MCG, please send to Maureen Trubac 50685 Mercury Drive, Granger, IN 46530 or Ginny VanderHey 51854 Stoney Creek Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514. When monies are due for a workshop or dues, they will now go to one of these addresses.
WEBSITES TO ENJOY)
Festisite.com (click on
CCM: Creative Card
Making (Facebook)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coEMPv5zaVQ (Pat Blair –
miracle wedge demo)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaONvrkAPCk&feature=youtu.be
(Pointed Brush – Reggie Ezzel)
I enjoy sharing new
websites that I have come across in our blog.
If you come across something that you think would interest the whole
group, please email them to Ginny or Renee, and we will get them on
the blog for the next quarter.
American Frame – Just a reminder that
if you order from American Frame, please mention MCG, and they will give us a
small stipend.
MCG Meetings
for 2014
January 11 –
Tool Day – Bring favorite tool or tools you don’t know how to use
February 1 -
10am – 2pm Gwen Weaver writing – bring your lunch
March 1 –
Anna Schlemma will be demo-ing Italic and gothicized italic
April 5 – Reception
and demonstrations at Moon Tree
April 12 –
Paste Paper all day at Christ the King Church 9 – 5 pm
May 3 – Julie
Wildman Show and Tell
June7 – Pat
West will demonstrate Sherri Kiesel letters
July 12 – Different
papers to write on & Barbara Fedder will demo pastels
August 2 –
Picnic at Ginny VanderHey’s – Exchange to be announced
September 6 –
Maureen will demonstrate something she is working on
October –
Calligraflea – Bring tools, paper, etc., no longer used
November –
Holiday/Christmas Card Playtime
December –
Christmas get together
Cut the schedule of
dates in the newsletter out, and put it on your fridge for future reference.
ANNUAL
MEMBERSHIP
Annual dues of $15 are due in July. Our annual dues have not changed in many years and are put to good use for supplies for our make it/take it meetings, annual raffle in August, and, at the end of the year, we give to local charities. Please remember to send your dues to the MCG post office box as soon as possible.
Annual dues of $15 are due in July. Our annual dues have not changed in many years and are put to good use for supplies for our make it/take it meetings, annual raffle in August, and, at the end of the year, we give to local charities. Please remember to send your dues to the MCG post office box as soon as possible.
OFFICERS
Ginny VanderHey, President 574/262-1345 gvanderhey@hotmail.com
Sharon Esmont, Vice President 574/272-5481 Sesmont@aol.com
Maureen Trubac, Treasurer 574/272–0733 maureentrubac@hotmail.com
Pat West, Secretary 574-612-9328 pwpatwest@gmail.com
Ginny VanderHey, President 574/262-1345 gvanderhey@hotmail.com
Sharon Esmont, Vice President 574/272-5481 Sesmont@aol.com
Maureen Trubac, Treasurer 574/272–0733 maureentrubac@hotmail.com
Pat West, Secretary 574-612-9328 pwpatwest@gmail.com
Jo McPherson, Study
Group Chairperson, jobakestwo@centurylink.net
Renee Tuveson – Blog Coordinator
If ever you would like to add to the newsletter/blog, please contact one of the officers, and we will get that information to Renee Tuveson. Something you have done or have seen would be welcomed into our information.
Renee Tuveson – Blog Coordinator
If ever you would like to add to the newsletter/blog, please contact one of the officers, and we will get that information to Renee Tuveson. Something you have done or have seen would be welcomed into our information.
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