July 6, 2012

MISSOURI WATERCOLOR SOCIETY ONLINE NEWS

http://www.mowsart.com

July 6, 2012 -- "Blackberries are ripening. Chigger bites itch from blackberry picking. Earth is farthest from the sun (Aphelion). Black-eyed Susans bloom. Texas horned lizards bask in open areas on sunny, hot mornings in the southwestern corner of Missouri. Birds and mammals feast on wild fruits."

Missouri Department of Conservation provides this week's quote from their Natural Events Calendar. 

2:48 a.m. CST 

Birthstone: Ruby

Flower: Larkspur

"Most of life ultimately places us in right or wrong, win or lose situations, but play allows us to learn even though we don't succeed…. 'after all, it's just a game!' Life usually imposes a penalty for mistakes. Play imposes no penalty except the time it takes to play...allowing us to learn from our mistakes. ... 

"I'd rather find other employment than paint with sales in mind. Satisfying creative necessities far outweighs producing paintings that may be acceptable to a buyer with money in hand."

-- Miles G. Batt, from his book,  The Complete Guide to Creative Watercolor.

1. Congratulations to MOWS Honor member, John Salminen. John won the Skyledge Award in the Transparent Watercolor Society of America 36th Annual Exhibition held in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

John holds Master Status with this organization.

2. Congratulations to MOWS Honor member, Cheng-Khee Chee. His painting won the Dorothy Driehaus Mellin Foundation Award. Chee also holds Master Status with TWSA.

3. Congratulations to MOWS Signature Member, Fealing Lin. Fealing's painting won the Lehmann Memorial Award.

4. Congratulations to MOWS Honor member, Dean Mitchell. His painting won a Donors Award.

Dean is also holds Master Status with TWSA.

5. Congratulations to all the MOWS members in the 36th Annual Transparent Watercolor Society Exhibition. There were so many that we cannot list the name of each member in this exhibition. Sorry.

6. I received this from a Gold Star mom whose son was killed in Iraq. Some of you might be interested in doing this request: 

I am a Gold Star Mother and I have a question. Do you know if anyone in the art society does any type of sketches or paintings of fallen soldiers from Missouri. I have other Gold Star Mothers who are friends in other states and they mentioned that their state art society or art councils did portraits of their fallen son or daughter. My son, and only child, was KIA on 06/08/11 in Iraq. I understand if you do not do this but it never hurts to ask.

Thank you,

Pamela Hengen -- pamelahengen@gmail.com

7.Believe it or not: Sunday is the 8th day of July. This means you have 22 days left to get your entry for the National Members' Invitational in to the office. September 9, is the opening of the NMI show at the Boone County Historical Society. Remember: This is a "state fair" type of show. YOU select the painting you wish to show. Judging is for cash and merchandise awards.

8. Here is a GREAT reply to my question in last week Online News. It come from MOWS Signature member, Theodora Tilton, who teaches both in Alexandria, Virginia. Here is the question I asked:

 What is the difference between Fine Art (paintings) vs Illustration (paintings)? OR, are they the same?

As a painting and illustration professor: This is the difference between the two that I teach.

It is a matter of intent.

Illustration is not self-expression. It has a very specific purpose, to communicate visually to a target audience. Illustration is mass-produced. It is designed and painted with the idea that the original is not what the majority of people will look at. Illustration is used usually with text. It is used to elucidate text, to visualize text or in place of text.

There are many “fine artists” who illustrated, Winslow Homer, Rockwell Kent, etc.

I think that it’s important to point out that illustration existed before the idea of fine art ever did—that the earliest cave paintings were indeed illustrations. They were painted to communicate a specific idea, not for self-expression or personal commentary. Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Da Vinci all illustrated the Bible. They all had clients who paid for their specific style and talent. They all used models and props for their work. Their work was very much done like the way Rockwell put his illustrations together. Rembrandt actually used his Jewish neighbors for his paintings of the Apostles just like Rockwell used his neighbors in Vermont.

Differences of high and low art are not valid in my opinion. Illustration can cross over into high art and fine art can be narrative. Great painting though goes beyond the time and place of which they were created. There is an immeasurable quality to the painting. They go into your soul.

9. I realize the News is a little long, but here are some more grins from Jan Ross, Kennesaw, Ga.

These are actual comments made by South Carolina Troopers that were taken off their car videos:  1. "You know, stop lights don't come any redder than the one you just went through."  2. "Relax, the handcuffs are tight because they're new. They'll stretch after you wear them a while."  3. "If you take your hands off the car, I'll make your birth certificate a worthless document." (My Favorite)  4. "If you run, you'll only go to jail tired."  5. "Can you run faster than 1200 feet per second? Because that's the speed of the bullet that'll be chasing you." (LOVE IT)  6. "You don't know how fast you were going? I guess that means I can write anything I want to on the ticket, huh?"  7. "Yes, sir, you can talk to the shift supervisor, but I don't think it will help. Oh, did I mention that I'm the shift supervisor?"  8. "Warning! You want a warning? O.K, I'm warning you not to do that again or I'll give you another ticket."  9. "The answer to this last question will determine whether you are drunk or not. Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?"  10. "Fair? You want me to be fair? Listen, fair is a place where you go to ride on rides, eat cotton candy and corn dogs and step in monkey poop."  11. "Yeah, we have a quota. Two more tickets and my wife gets a toaster oven."  12. "In God we trust; all others we run through NCIC." ( National Crime Information Center )  13. "Just how big were those 'two beers' you say you had?"  14. "No sir, we don't have quotas anymore. We used to, but now we're allowed to write as many tickets as we can."  15. "I'm glad to hear that the Chief (of Police) is a personal friend of yours. So you know someone who can post your bail."  AND THE WINNER IS....  16. "You didn't think we give pretty women tickets? You're right, we don't. Sign here."

Have a great week!

May God always keep you on His palette.

Papa