March 16, 2012

MISSOURI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY ONLINE NEWS
http://www.mowsart.com
March 16, 2012 -- "Male red-winged blackbirds begin to set up territories. Greater prairie-chickens 'booming' through mid-April. Wild turkeys gobble through early May. Spring peeper calling is at its peak. Muskies begin spawning. Spicebush blooms through mid-April. Watch for the fiddleheads of ferns. Elms begin blooming. Red cedars release pollen. On warm days, watch water striders on streams. Raise purple martin houses today."
Missouri Department of Conservation supplies this bit for the News.
3:17 a.m. CST -  St. Pat's Day is tomorrow- Top of the morning to ya!
Birthstone: Aquamarine
Flower: Jonquil
 
"I may shock some by saying this, but I strongly feel that an artist should improve and enrich his strong points and not waste time trying to improve his weak points along a broad front. If you do not draw cows well, there is little to be gained in taking great pains to become a painter of cows. Put them in deep grass or forget them . . . You should aspire to improve your own strengths to the point that what you already do well, you will do better than anyone else in the world."
-- Edward Betts, from his book, Master Class in Watercolor
 
 1. Watercolor Missouri National will open April 1, 2012 in the National Churchill Museum's Anson Cutts Gallery. Awards will be presented at 2:00 p.m. If you can get a group together to share the cost of gas, please join the MOWS Board of Directors and other MOWS members for this opening. Juror of Selection Cheng-Khee Chee, AWS d.f., NWS, MOWS-HR, has picked an outstanding exhibition of national painters; many are from Missouri. Juror of Awards Robert Lee Mejer, NWS, MOWS-HR, will have the job of selecting the award winners before the exhibition opens. Visitors/viewers to this exhibition will rate it as one of the finest watermedia exhibitions in Missouri for 2012. 
 
2. Point of Interest: MOWS will only allow professional artists with Signature Status in either the National Watercolor Society, the American Watercolor Society, or both, to serve as jurors for Watercolor Missouri National. These professional artists must have an established national and international exhibition record of substance. Simplistically: They can paint at the national level and they can prove it!
 
3. This is the week we unpack the shipped painting for Watercolor Missouri National 2012. Robert Lee Mejer (Bob), NWS, MOWS-HR, will select the winners on Saturday, March 24.  The winners will be posted in the gallery April 1 before the reception. The awards will be made at 2 pm. PLEASE,  do not call Juror of Awards, Bob Mejer, to see if you won an award. Bob will not tell you. Do not call the National Churchill Museum: they will not know who won awards. Do not call Laura King: she will not know. That leaves me!  You got game?  
 
4.  Yesterday we said good-bye to a few artists who did not pay their dues. We wish them well and great success.
 
5. It has been interesting to watch from afar various individuals and organizations try to copy what we do because of our national and international success. MOWS does have a huge advantage. As Missouri folks say, a ringer! So what's the difference? Very simple. Other organizations do not have access to a world-class museum which carries the name of a great world leader: Sir Winston Churchill.  . . . A world leader who loved to paint! And he had a famous wit.  Here is an example from the Quotable Winston Churchill edited by Richard J. Mahoney with Shera Dalin:
 
While attending a reception during a speaking tour in Canada, a Methodist minister refused a glass of sherry offered by a waitress, saying "Young lady, I'd rather commit adultery than take an intoxicating beverage."
Churchill hailed the server: "Come back Lassie. I didn't know we had a choice."
 
Have a great week!
May God always keep you on His palette.
Papa
 

March 9, 2012

MISSOURI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY ONLINE NEWS
http://www.mowsart.com
March 9, 2012 -- "Barred owls are nesting. Wood ducks nest around wooded ponds and backwaters--time to put up nest boxes. Red maples begin to bloom. Wild onion and garlic are greening in pastures and woods. Eastern cottontail rabbits bear first litters this week. Bald eagle chicks begin hatching in southern Missouri. Bluebirds begin nesting. Time for ticks to appear. Field sparrows are arriving. American woodcocks begin courtship in northern Missouri."
Missouri Department of Conservation supplies this bit for the News.
3:17 a.m. CST - Purim began on Wednesday. 
Birthstone: Aquamarine
Flower: Jonquil
 
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS ON SUNDAY-- SPRING AHEAD ONE HOUR!
 
"An interesting method for growing as a watercolor painter is to stop worshiping at the altar of your favorite painter and move on. Amazingly, many watercolor painters, especially during their formative years, surrender the opportunity to grow creatively by hanging on to the smock strings of their favorite instructor or painter until they have lost all hope of self-identity. The penalty always imposed on such unthinking behavior is to be forever labeled as 'looking like ______,' - you fill in the blank."
-- Miles G. Batt, A.W.S., from his book, the complete guide to Creative Watercolor .
 
1. Congratulations to MOWS member, William Curtis of University City. The St. Louis Sunday Post-Dispatch carried an excellent article of Curtis' paintings of the famous Tuskegee Airman. He has done 18 oil paintings, two watercolors, and several drawing of the famous World War II airmen. A number of these paintings will be shown at the Scott Air Force Base Library. William's exhibit will coincide with the release of the George Lucas film "Red Tails," about the Tuskegee Airmen. 
Point of Interest: One of the Purple Heart airmen is now 89 and lives in St. Louis: Christopher Newman. He said Curtis' portrait of him "made him look better than he did at the time."
 
2. New members of the Board of Directors. Bess Duston of Kansas City and Brenda Beck Fisher of Hannibal  (nominated and accepted) will serve a four year term. The board will meet at 10:30 in the Churchill Library/Board Room before the opening of the National on April 1.  
 
3. Attention: Unfortunately, a number of artists have not paid their dues. Unless the office is notified or we receive dues of $25, their names will be dropped from the MOWS members list. A number are signature members. Unless dues are paid, they may not use our letters (MOWS) in any manner.
 
4. You can make it happen! March is our membership drive month. It's very, very easy. Just ask a friend to join MOWS. We are a state organization with a national membership. I just received an "aloha and mahalo" from a member living in Hawaii. The larger our membership, the more art activities we can offer. Here in the office, we just can't do it all, but you can do this. It's very easy: Just ask a friend to join MOWS.
 
5. MOWS and the staff of the National Churchill Museum thank all the artists who are using the Airfloat Strongbox or something similar. A few paintings have arrived early. It takes the staff 3 to 5 minutes to unpack a Strongbox and tag them with the proper identification. Homemade nightmare boxes take from 15 to 25 minutes of frustration, carefully unwinding -- trying to save the packing materials. Suggestion: Do everyone involved with national shows a big favor and volunteer  for the job of repacking a national show with 100 homemade boxes with paintings wrapped in bubble wrap. THEN, you will appreciate the Airfloat Strongbox.
Oh yes, if you have a painting packed by a UPS store or a Kinkos for FedEx, and they used foam peanuts, your painting will remain in the box and will not be shown at the National Churchill Museum.
 
6. A few artists have a hard time understanding that being accepted for Watercolor Missouri National exhibition at the National Churchill Museum is not like showing at the local bank or some local gallery. The museum has certain requirements we must follow: e.g. In addition to being a museum and a gallery, it is first The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, so we must avoid scheduling activities on Easter since the college has services in the church. These requirements cover all aspects of mounting an exhibition in the Anson Cutts Gallery: shipping, unpacking, hanging the paintings, tags, painting height from floor, etc. These are the reason for our two pages of directions to each accepted artists.
We are showing in the  Sir Winston Churchill Memorial: or, the NATIONAL CHURCHILL MUSEUM!
 
Have a great week!
May God always keep you on His palette. 
Papa

March 2, 2012

MISSOURI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY ONLINE NEWS
http://www.mowsart.com
March 2, 2012 -- "Opossum young are born and climb into the female's pouch. River otter litters are born now through late March. Boxelder bugs are seen on warm days until April. Watch for the flap and glide of mourning doves' courtship flights. Ducks and geese migrate north through mid-April. Harbinger of Spring blooms in moist woods. Muskrats breed through September. Great blue herons begin arriving at heronries."
Missouri Department of Conservation supplies this bit for the News.
3:17 a.m. CST - Trout season opened yesterday in all Missouri trout parks.
Birthstone: Aquamarine
Flower: Jonquil
 
"Get rid of your brown paint, especially raw umber. Burnt sienna is very useful, but the clumsy use of raw umber has ruined more student paintings than I care to think about. Remember: the first color the Impressionists discarded from their palettes was brown. 
… Contemplation -- condensation -- transformation -- revelation."
-- Edward Betts, N.A., A.W.S., from his book, Creative Landscape Painting.
 
1. Congratulations to MOWS Signature member, Teri Kay Willett. Teri has a new book out which is a compilation of her poetry and paintings titled, TULIP TREES IN WINTER. The book is available in the Kansas City area at certain galleries and bookstores. Unfortunately, our not-for-profit status will not allow me to promote a commercial item. You can email Teri for that information: twillett@stmhs.org
 
2. Congratulations to Sue St. John. Sue St.John's painting has been awarded the Paul B. Remmey, AWS, Memorial Award in the 145th Annual American Watercolor Society exhibition in New York City.
The award will be presented april 20th in NYC.
 
3.The Spring MOWS Members’ Online Show is now posted on our website.  This show makes up the slideshow on the homepage. You can see the entire show two ways: either click on the “galleries” link at the left of the screen and then click the painting at the top of the list (current members’ online show), or use the quick text link on the homepage above the slideshow. That will take you directly to the gallery page.  Enjoy! Thanks to all who participated.
 
4. The opening of Watercolor Missouri National 2012 is April 1, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Awards will be at 2 p.m. If possible, please try to attend. A very small number of folks who are connected with the museum are not happy with the MOWS exhibition being shown in the Anson Cutts' Gallery. This is interesting: They think the concentration should be on Sir Winston Churchill as a great leader who rallied the free world in a time of crisis. However, what the aforementioned folks do not realize is that he was also a very fine artist and traveled with his paints, chair, easel, and a large black umbrella. Two of his paintings hang in the front room of the museum. Be sure you see them before you leave the museum. The museum has a charge of $6 to get in; however, there will be no charge after 1:30 p.m. on April 1.
 
5. With the above said: On March 4 the National Churchill Museum will present the Kemper Lecture at 1p.m. by noted British author, lecturer, and television commentator, Sir David Cannadine. His topic I hope will wake up a few folks. "Winston Churchill: The Statesman as Artist."
 
6. The month of March is our drive for new members. Please ask some of your artists friends to join, then share the cost of gas, and come to the opening of Watercolor Missouri National 2012 on April 1. 
 
7.  Thank you so much for sending in your dues ($25). MOWS understands the great pressure to pay dues to all the organizations some of you belong to. You have to decide which organization is worth the money to you. You do receive a lot of opportunities from MOWS:
1. Watercolor Missouri National exhibition held in a world-class museum: The National Churchill Museum.
2. National Members' Invitational held in the very large Boone County Historical Society's Montminy Gallery.
3. Four Members' Online Exhibitions: one each quarter, seen by thousands of online visitors around the world.
4. A national award wining website with access to personal galleries.
5. A well-known online magazine, Watercolor Studio, with great articles by our members.
6. Weekly Missouri Watercolor Society Online News
7. A chance to meet and rub elbows with some of American's top watermedia artists.
 
Unlike a number of societies, we have tried to hold all our costs down and keep the organization's dues within the means of all the artists. Unlike many local organizations, MOWS now has national and international recognition by artists and the publication media. Did you know MOWS has signature members in Hawaii? We are truly a state organization with a national membership.  Also, MOWS is recognized each year by the national magazine, Watercolor Artist, as one of the societies producing the "best" paintings in that year. By maintaining your affiliation with MOWS, you are a very important link in this fantastic journey of the Missouri Watercolor Society. YOU ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN!
 
8. This has nothing to do when art, just fun. Jan Ross sent this.
            After 35 years of marriage, a husband and wife came for counseling . When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a tirade listing every problem they had ever had in the years they had been married. On and on and on: neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of unmet needs she had endured. 
            Finally, after allowing this for a sufficient length of time, the therapist got up, walked around the desk and after asking the wife to stand, he embraced and kissed her long and passionately as her husband watched - with a raised eyebrow. 
            The woman shut up and quietly sat down as though in a daze. 
            The therapist turned to the husband and said, "This is what your wife needs at least 3 times a week. Can you do this?" 
            "Well," replied the husband. " I can drop her off here on Mondays and Wednesdays, but on Fridays, I fish." 
 
Have great week!
May God always keep you on His palette.
Papa
 

February 27, 2012

MISSOURI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY ONLINE NEWS
http://www.mowsart.com
February 24, 2012 -- "Turkey vultures begin arriving. Coyotes breed through March; listen for howling. Chipmunks come out of hibernation.  Walleye move onto shoals for spawning through April. Spotted salamanders move to breeding ponds this week. Flying squirrels begin breeding. Skunks breed through late March. Killdeer begin arriving. Listen for western chorus frogs; sound is like a thumbnail run along a comb."
Missouri Department of Conservation supplies this bit for the News.
3:17 a.m. CST - This is a leap year, so February 29 is called "Leap Day."
Birthstone: Amethyst
Flower: Violet
 
"After you have read and studied and absorbed other artists’ words, taken workshops, and tried other artists’ discoveries, you can find your own voice again through experimentation. It should lead you to where your own interests lie."
-- Nita Engle, from her book, How to Make a Watercolor Paint Itself.
 
1. With great appreciation! As the executive director of the Missouri Watercolor Society, I wish to express my gratitude to Debra Sutherland for her work as a member of the MOWS Board of Directors. Debra is stepping down. From all the members: Thank You!
 
2. Repeat: If you have a painting selected for Watercolor Missouri National 2012, DO NOT ship your painting early. Dr. Rob Havers, executive director of the National Churchill Museum has asked that all shipped work arrive during the week of March 12 to the March 16, because the very large Smithsonian exhibit is up until March 10. We are on a very thin timeline this year. 
 
3. Ovations and huzzahs for everyone connected with the new issue of Watercolor Studio. Laura King did a fine job organizing all the information. Many thanks to everyone for their work putting the magazine to bed: Miles Batt, Debi Watson, Jane Hofstetter, E. Jane Stoddard, and all the members listed in Art Y'all.
 
4. Two days left to send in your images for The Spring Members’ Online Show! This is your chance to have your paintings seen on our website by a worldwide audience. No judging here, no worrying whether you’ll get in – if you are a MOWS member, you are welcome to show as many paintings as you like. This is the exhibition that makes up the slide show on our home page, and can also be found in our gallery section. Just send .jpg files to Laura King at laura@laurakingstudio.com. The fee is $7 per digital image, paid to Laura and mailed to 1513 Thoroughbred Circle, Columbia, MO 65202. Laura will also accept slides and photos at that address, at $10 each. Digital images should be sized at roughly 4” x 6” (horizontal) or 6” x 4” (vertical). If that exact size doesn’t work for your painting, the rule is that the smallest dimension should be 4”; the largest can be longer than 6”. The deadline for entries is February 26, and the show will be posted March 1st.
 
5. Dues! You still have time to get your dues in. We will start removing artists the first week in March. Know someone having a hard time? Be a friend and pay their dues.
 
6. A member wanted to know. "I'm new. I was reading the online magazine and I came to the section where members list what they have done. Where did the title "Art Y'all" came from?"
Fair question. A few years back, Mom and I were going through Jackson, Mississippi and they were having a jazz festival with banners flying all over the city saying, Jazz Y'all.  I liked the concept. That stuck in my brain - even as small as it is. So when we decide to have a magazine with a section listing members’ accomplishments, I used it for the section's title. However, not everyone was as thrilled with the witty Art Y'all title. So, Laura King, being the diplomat, added, Members Making News. This pleased the more sophisticated members. However, believe it or not, when I get emails from across the big pond, one of the things they enjoy reading isn't "Members Making News" … it's … are your ready?  ART Y'ALL!!! 
As one American artist living in Australia put it, "Y'all must be from southern Missouri."
 
Have great week!
May God always keep you on His Palette.
Papa

February 17, 2012

MISSOURI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY ONLINE NEWS
http://www.mowsart.com
February 17, 2012 -- "Tiger salamanders’ courtship begins. Watch for otters on frozen water, and look for animal track in new snow. Opossums begin breeding in wooded areas along streams. Least shrews are born in late winter. Rabbit reproduction is triggered by weather above 60 F; males begin fighting and chasing. Look for large flocks of robins this week. American woodcocks begin courtship in southern Missouri; at dusk, listen for ‘penning’ in brushy fields."
Missouri Department of Conservation supplies this bit for the News.
3:17 a.m. CST - Washington's Birthday - Mardi Gras - Ash Wednesday - all next week!
Birthstone: Amethyst
Flower: Violet
 
"After a lifetime of commercial art and fine art painting, I have never found a formula for producing a masterpiece. I still have to struggle through every painting, as I never repeat any given one. Consequently, new challenges are always appearing. Therefore, the more I learn, the more I have to struggle."
-- Roland Roycraft, from his book, Fill Your Watercolors With Nature's Light
  
1. Congratulations to Cheng-Khee Chee, AWS, NWS, and Robert Lee Mejer, NWS. Both men will join the esteemed group of artists who have served as jurors for Watercolor Missouri National. Here is the entire Honor Roll:
Phillip Hampton, Jonathan Knight, Paul Jackson, Hugh Greer, Kent Addison, Dean Mitchell, H. C. Dodd, Jerry Ellis, Bill James, Edwin Johnson, John Salminen, Marlin Rotach. Chris Krupinski,  Mary Lou Corn, Jerry Stitt, Stephen Bates, Cheng-Khee Chee, and Robert Lee Mejer.
 
2. Congratulations to the 11 artists who achieved Signature status by being selected for Watercolor Missouri National 2012. This gives them the right to use MOWS after their names. Here are the new Signature members:
Bess Duston - Kansas City, MO
Jerome Harste - Bloomington, IN
Catherine Hearding - Lake Elmo, MN
Norma Herring - Leawood, KS
Barbara Lindsey - Jefferson City, MO
Thomas MacDonald - Lawrence, KS
Elaine Nunnally - Leesburg, VA
Brian Paulsen - Grand Forks, ND
William Perry - Harmony, PA     
Valda Robison - Overland Park, KS
Nancy Stark - Roanoke, VA
 
3.  Aw shucks. Come on you guys! Some of our art friends in Europe are waiting to see The Spring Members’ Online Show. This is your chance to have your paintings seen on our website by a worldwide audience. No judging here, no worrying whether you’ll get in – if you are a MOWS member, you are welcome to show as many paintings as you like. This is the exhibition that makes up the slide show on our home page, and can also be found in our gallery section. Just send .jpg files to Laura King at laura@laurakingstudio.com. The fee is $7 per digital image, paid to Laura and mailed to 1513 Thoroughbred Circle, Columbia, MO 65202. Laura will also accept slides and photos, at $10 each. Digital images should be sized at roughly 4” x 6” (horizontal) or 6” x 4” (vertical). If that exact size doesn’t work for your painting, the rule is that the smallest dimension should be 4”; the largest can be longer than 6”. The deadline for entries is February 26, and the show will be posted March 1st.
 
4. The magazine, Watercolor Studio, is online. Here is the link:
http://www.mowsart.com/Documents/WatercolorStudioWinter2012.pdf
 
5. We are early! Because of Monday's snowstorm, we sent ALL notifications to the Post Office on Sunday in hopes they would leave Missouri before February 14, and not get caught in this large snowstorm which moved in from Texas.
 
6. If you have a painting selected for Watercolor Missouri National 2012, DO NOT ship your painting early. Dr. Rob Havers, executive director of the National Churchill Museum has asked that all shipped work arrive during the week of March 12 to the March 16, because the very large Smithsonian exhibit is up until March 10. We are on a very thin timeline this year. Unfortunately, the NEW curator/archivist who schedules the exhibits has the idea that all shows - including MOWS' - should arrive in one large box.
 
7. Sidebar: This is a fun thing and it's about art! Way back in 2007, I received this from Bob Robertson -- one of America's top western sculptors. Someone sent it to him, etc. Original credit source: unknown (San Francisco Chronicle, Feb. 1st or 8th). 
Family stunned when grandma's painting sells for $600,000 - OAKLAND, Calif. - A woman who auctioned an old painting hoping to get a few thousand dollars toward her daughter's college tuition was stunned when the picture fetched $600,000. "This was a surprise to all of us," the seller, who asked to remain anonymous, told the San Francisco Chronicle in a story published Thursday. "It still hasn't registered yet. We're all in shock." The picture sold Sunday by Clars Auction Gallery in Oakland to an unnamed New York dealer has no title or signature and staff of the gallery couldn't determine its origins. Redge Martin, president of Clars, said Thursday he doesn't know why the painting brought in so much money but the buzz in the art world is that someone thinks it's the lost work of a 17th-century Italian master, Pier Francesco Mola. Paintings by Mola hang in several museums. The highest price paid for his work appears to be $2.8 million, although several have sold for $100,000 or less, Martin said. The painting shows a gray-haired, bearded man working on papers with an armillary sphere - an instrument used in ancient astronomy - in the background.
The seller inherited the painting, which had been given to her grandmother as a gift and hung for years in her home in Pisa, Italy. The seller stored the painting for several months in her Southern California garage and eventually hung it over her piano. When the family's oldest daughter was accepted to the University of California, Berkeley, the seller decided to see what it would bring. She found out in dramatic fashion when the auction, which was also carried online at eBay, began. "I heard a shout and went to see what happened," the seller said. "I went in the other room, and my husband had fallen out of his chair. We watched the price go higher and higher. We couldn't even say anything because it didn't seem real." In Oakland, patent attorney Ted Bielen, who was in the audience, said jaws dropped and there was a collective "whoa!" as bids came in. "People were saying, 'What's going on here?'" he said.
Competition between American and some European bidders drove the price to $300,000 and then the New York bidder took the price higher. That bidder fought off a French bidder until the price hit $560,000. Final selling price, with the buyer's premium, was $620,900. Martin said the check hasn't come in yet, but the buyer is an established dealer and he does not anticipate a problem. The family plans to use the money for tuition and perhaps pay off the mortgage. Near where the painting once hung, the seller put a photograph of her grandmother on the piano. She kisses the photo and says, "Thanks, Grandma" several times a day. 
Have a great week!
May God always keep you on His Palette.
Papa

February 10, 2012

MISSOURI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY ONLINE NEWS
http://www.mowsart.com
February 10, 2012 -- "Cackling geese migrate through Missouri. Watch for pintails and mallards migrating north. Great horned owls are incubating eggs. Screech owls search for mates this month. Mink begin breeding. White-tailed deer feed in groups this month. Northern cardinals sing on sunny days. Maple sap flows best now; freezing nights and thawing days cause the change."
Missouri Department of Conservation supplies this bit for the News.
3:17 a.m. CST - Lincoln's Birthday is Sunday - St. Valentine's Day is Tuesday.
Birthstone: Amethyst
Flower: Violet
 
"Artists have defended their right to artistic license for generations. More than four hundred years ago, the sculptor Michelangelo is said to have answered complaints that his statue of Giuliano de' Medici did not resemble him with 'A thousand years from now, nobody will want to know what he really looked like.' … Most important of all is the creation of a delicate balance between what is represented in your painting and the dynamics of the watercolor paint. Thus, let a completed work rest, ..."
-- Inessa Derkatsch, from her book, Transparent Watercolor: Painting Methods and Materials
  
1. Notification for Watercolor Missouri National will be in the mail by February 15. This year we will have a very tight shipping schedule due to the Smithsonian exhibition in the gallery. instructions will be give to all selected artists. Do not follow the dates in the prospectus. The Smithsonian exhibit lasts until March 10. 
 
2. April 1 (All Fools Day) is the opening of Watercolor Missouri National at the National Churchill Museum. (No fooling!) The reception begins at 1 p.m., with the awards at 2 p.m. Cheng-Khee Chee has selected an outstanding exhibition. We are asking the membership, if at all possible, to please support the opening of this fine collection of paintings. If your local art group is looking for something to do, suggest the opening of the National. This exhibition has been ranked 11 times as one of the outstanding watermedia exhibitions in the the U.S.A. by Watercolor Artist magazine. Join us and meet many of the MOWS membership.

Here is a brief comment from Juror of Selection, Cheng-Khee Chee, AWS, NWS, MOWS-HR:
"I think it is a wonderful show, represented by many masters in our profession! I am deeply impressed by the diversity and quality of the works submitted. It is one of the best that I have the privilege and pleasure of serving as juror."
 
3. There will be a Board of Directors meeting at 10:30 a.m. in the Winston Churchill Board Room. Members will be sent an agenda.
 
4. It’s time to send in your images for The Spring Members’ Online Show! This is your chance to have your paintings seen on our website by a worldwide audience. No judging here, no worrying whether you’ll get in – if you are a MOWS member, you are welcome to show as many paintings as you like. This is the exhibition that makes up the slide show on our home page, and can also be found in our gallery section. Just send .jpg files to Laura King at laura@laurakingstudio.com. The fee is $7 per digital image, paid to Laura and mailed to 1513 Thoroughbred Circle, Columbia, MO 65202. Laura will also accept slides and photos at that address, at $10 each. Digital images should be sized at roughly 4” x 6” (horizontal) or 6” x 4” (vertical). If that exact size doesn’t work for your painting, the rule is that the smallest dimension should be 4”; the largest can be longer than 6”. The deadline for entries is February 26, and the show will be posted March 1st.
 
5. Dues invoices were sent out February 3 and are due by March 1. We will drop folks after March 7, 2012. If you have attained signature status, you must pay dues to use MOWS after your name.
 
6. Attention: Once again some klutz is using my name -again!!!- to send out junk mail selling worthless junk. If an email is from me, it will have MOWS or Missouri Watercolor Society at the beginning of the subject line. If you do not see either, delete.
Another oldie that fits in here: 
As a cowboy once told his girlfriend when a buffalo wandered onto her yard on Valentine's day, 
"Honest Clementine, it ain't from me!"
 
Have a great week. Don't forget the candy for someone special!
May God always keep you on His palette.
Papa
 

February 3, 2012

MISSOURI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY ONLINE NEWS
http://www.mowsart.com
February 3, 2012 -- "Ducks and geese migrate north through mid-April. Muskrats breed through September. Great blue herons begin arriving at heronries. Begin setting up bluebird nest boxes. Harbinger of spring blooms in moist woods."
Missouri Department of Conservation supplies this bit for the News.
3:17 a.m. CST -  Yesterday was Phil's day, or Groundhog Day.
Birthstone: Amethyst
Flower: Violet
 
"Jurors' tastes are not always as narrow as might be supposed, so all you can do is submit what you know to be your best recent work and not try to predict what the jury will go for. Being represented at your best should be your main concern, not guessing games."
--Edward Betts, N.A., A.W.S., from his book, Master Class in Watercolor
  
1. Congratulations to MOWS member, Grace Swanson. Grace has a very fine article in the winter issuer of Watercolor. Her article is titled "Enjoying the Journey," and can be found on pages 70 to 77.
Other MOWS artists in the Magazine:
Ali Cavanaugh - page 13
Z. L, Feng - page 16
Bill James - page 19

2. Aw come on! Help us celebrate the coming of spring! The Spring Members’ Online Show. This is your chance to have your paintings seen on our website by a worldwide audience. No judging here, no worrying whether you’ll get in – if you are a MOWS member, you are welcome to show as many paintings as you like. This is the exhibition that makes up the slide show on our home page, and can also be found in our gallery section. Just send .jpg files to Laura King at laura@laurakingstudio.com. The fee is $7 per digital image, paid to Laura and mailed to 1513 Thoroughbred Circle, Columbia, MO 65202. Laura will also accept slides and photos, at $10 each. Digital images should be sized at roughly 4” x 6” (horizontal) or 6” x 4” (vertical). If that exact size doesn’t work for your painting, the rule is that the smallest dimension should be 4”; the largest can be longer than 6”. This show was originally slated to be posted on the MOWS site February, but due to the entry period for the National coming at the same time, we have backed it up a month. The deadline for entries is February 26, and the show will be posted March 1st.

3. A Need to Know! This time of year we are all looking forward to having spring appear just like magic. Well, that magic does not apply to the Online News. Unless you send me information about your publications, awards, etc. I can't give you recognition your accomplishment deserves. With that said, some items generally go in the "Art Ya'll" section of Watercolor Studio Online. Here are the things I use:
* A national award for one of your paintings
* A new art book you have authored.
* A feature about you in a magazine or book.
* Other national art activity.

If you're not sure, email it to me, I'll look it over and I'll let you know if I can use it in the News. Please do not send information on Facebook nor Twitter-twitter. I do not have the time to answer either. Also, please do not send information on workshops. You may take an ad out in Watercolor Studio to advertise your workshop. We now have 1o3 artists who give workshops. or do some type of teaching.

4. DUES! The invoices for dues will be mailed this week. If you have pained your dues and still receive an invoice, don't go bananas, just disregard. If you are a signature member, you must pay dues to maintain the privilege of using our letters: MOWS.

5. Here are Papa's recommendations for NATIONAL exhibitions for February: MOWS is an organization of artists involved in the profession of watermedia painting. We have a large membership that covers all of Missouri, plus goes from Alaska to Hawaii to Florida to California. Therefore, we only recommend national and international exhibitions -- or our own! -- dealing with watermedia as part or all of the exhibition. We do not promote crafts nor craft organizations. To earn the MOWS recommendation, shows must be judged by professional artists with national standing, belonging to the American Watercolor Society or National Watercolor Society as signature members. 
 
The 28th National Exhibition. Illinois Watercolor Society, Dixon, Illinois. Dates: May 4 to June 1, 2012. Entry deadline: March 5, 2012. Juror: Donna Jill Witty. Awards: Cash/merchandise. For Prospectus: www.illinoiswatercolorsociety.org
 
Southern Watercolor Society 35th annual Juried Exhibition. Sautee Nacoochee Center, Sautee Nacoochee, GA. Dates: June 9 to July 7. 2012. Entry deadline: March 20 2012. Juror: Frederick C. Graff. Prizes: Awards: Cash/merchandise. Eligibility: Must live in one of the states in SWS. For prospectus: www.southernwatercolorsociety.org  
 
Texas Watercolor Society 63rd Annual Exhibition. San Antonio Art Museum. Dates: June 1- June 30. Entry deadline: April 1, 2012. Awards: Cash. Juror:Steve Doherty. For prospectus: txwatercolorsociety.org
 
Red River Watercolor Society 19th National Juried Watermedia Exhibition. Dates: June 17 - September 16, 2012. Juror: Donna Zagotta. Entry deadline: April 1, 2012. Prizes: Cash/merchandise. For prospectus: #10 SASE to RRWS, P.O. Box 1656, Fargo, ND 58107-1656, or redriverws.org

31st Annual Adirondacks National Exhibition of American Watercolors. Old Forge, NY. Dates: August 11- October 8 2012. Entry deadline: April 9, 2012. Juror of Selection: Pat San Soucie. Juror of Awards: Paul Jackson. Awards: Cash. For prospectus: 315-369-6411, or Info@ViewArts.org
 
Have a great week!
May God always keep you on His palette.
Papa