Punta Gorda, Florida
Several members of CWS attended the FWS convention in Punta Gorda. Aileen Croly sent a few pictures that she took of our members at the Paint Around. Aileen commented: “And great job, Lionel!! We love watching you paint — like a maestro conducting an orchestra!!” We all agree!!!!
Next year… FWS comes to Ocala!!!!!
Press Release by DORI SULLIVAN
Citrus Watercolor Society will meet on Friday, September 9th at the Family Center of the First Christian Church of Inverness at 2018 Colonade Street, Inverness with light refreshments at 11:30AM and the CWS General Meeting at noon. In September, we host our annual “Show and Tell” event where all members are asked to bring their latest works of art.
It’s one of my favorite programs. I really enjoy seeing the creativity of our members! Everyone is encouraged to bring in their artwork and I hope you will join us. What did you create over the summer? Was it a beach scene, Florida wildlife, a city scape from your travels? No matter, we invite you to bring it to our September meeting so you can not only show your painting but tell us what special techniques you used or what inspired you to create this particular subject.
There will also be an opportunity for those who wish to enter the “Painting of the Month” contest where members will vote for their favorite. The Founder’s Award (a cash prize) will go to the artwork with the most votes from our members.
Looking ahead, our scheduled demonstrations and workshops for the 2022-2023 year include some great local and nationally known artists. In October, Peg Lefebvre will demo how to introduce figures in your watercolor painting. In November Sue Primeau will be the guest artist for our Friday demo and that’s always a surprising, fun program. December brings back Tom Jones with a demo at our Holiday Luncheon followed by a 2-day workshop. In January Lionel Sanchez will also provide a 2-day workshop based on his Friday demo. Abstracts are the subject for the demo and two-day workshop by Bev Yankwitt in February. In March Darla Goldberg will demo “Using Brusho”. Please check in with our website to see details about these programs and future programs. Our website is www.citruswatercolorsociety.org or look for news in the Citrus Chronicle publication. Our meetings are always on the second Friday of the month and if classes are scheduled, these are usually held in Whispering Pines at the recreation center for the day(s) of the workshop.
We encourage you to come early to our Fridays and enjoy light refreshments while mingling with your fellow artists. Guests are always welcome at our demos for a small donation of $5.00. The fee structure for the workshops varies with members receiving a significant discount. Supply lists and details are available when you register.
One more thing! Congratulations to CWS members for being juried into the prestigious Florida Watercolor Society Annual Convention competition. They are Judy Callison for “Red Storm Rising”, Nancy Dias for “Endeavor” and to Roberta Romeo for “Casting Shadows”. Barbara Fife was selected as an alternate. The convention and exhibit will be held in Punta Gorda FL, September 22-25, 2022.
I’m looking forward to seeing you at our “Show and Tell” meeting September 9th. Until then, stay healthy and keep painting! Your work reflects the exciting world you live in!
Dori
Photos below courtesy of Dori Sullivan
SHOW & TELL; Founder’s Day – Article by Deb Newman
There were 13 entries for Show and Tell, and the membership enjoyed hearing from their fellow artists regarding inspiration and techniques. Some of the highlights include:
Julie Jamison, a former sign painter whose thoughtful watercolor floral cards will be presented to her neighbor on her 96th birthday.
Dori Sullivan, our publicist took Lionel Sanchez’s workshop and learned the importance of thumbnail value sketches. Her photo of an old Georgia shack was accepted into the Virtual Art Society of Ocala exhibit.
Dick Carlton, Facilities – was Darla Goldberg’s neighbor and she invited him to take classes at the Franklin Gallery where he began his watercolor journey.
Gerri Santor, is new to watercolor. She took a series of photos of covered bridges and has learned from making more than one attempt at a subject.
Marjorie Bannish – after taking Susan Jane Donahoe’s texture workshop, was inspired to paint a cute hairy sloth using the techniques she picked up in class.
Gingi Martin – presented a plein air monochrome value study. She finds focusing on the subject, the light and values instead of color matching to be liberating and allows her to explore depth and value.
Ellen Hines – Don’t be afraid to use other mediums, such as colored pencils, pen and ink to enhance your watercolors. Don’t give up, keep trying!
Ron Lancaster – fell in love with abstracts at an artist’s demo, and she inspired him to produce 40 paintings in one month. Not all were masterpieces, but the perseverance helped him learn and progress.
Susan Strawbridge – shared her from a series of 20 paintings of leaves with the focus on color and light.
Peg Lefebvre – While on vacation in Luca, it rained daily so she made the best of it and sketched and painted. Coming back to the piece years later, she worked on making improvements, and succeeded.
Mel Rustom – Retired from snowy New York, Mel presented silhouetted palm trees against a beautiful sherbet orange Key West sky.
The membership voted on all the pieces, and the winner was Puddles, by Peg Lefebvre. Peg was awarded a cash prize in honor of our Founders Day, who graciously donated it back to the club. Thank you, Peg!
Press Release by DORI SULLIVAN
Mark your calendars today! Friday August 12, 2022, the Citrus Watercolor Society will meet at the Family Center of the First Christian Church of Inverness at 2018 Colonade Street, Inverness with
light refreshments at 11:30AM and the General Meeting at noon. Following the meeting is a demonstration by SusanJane Donohoe who will give us a sneak preview of what’s in store for our
one-day workshop Saturday, August 13, 2022 at the Whispering Pines recreation center. From 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM at the workshop artists of all abilities will have a productive day that is sure to
add to your art repertoire.
SusanJane sent me a brief outline of her workshop “Exploring Textures in Watercolor” and I can’t word it any better than she does.
“– this is a day of exploring a number of ways to lay down the paint, simulate texture on a 2-D surface and master the water in watercolor. A variety of unusual tools and techniques will be used to achieve textures. My Mission is to help the student to improve their watercolor skills so that they can create their own unique masterpieces, not just copy the works of others. I also hope to instill in them the confidence they need to achieve this goal.
Leaving my workshop with a beautiful painting should not be the students’ expectation. I prefer that they use our time together to make as many mistakes as possible so that I can help them repair, redirect and move forward in confidence.”
SusanJane considers the Twin Cities, MN. and San Francisco, CA. as her hometowns, having spent half her life in each metro area. Today, however, she calls Florida home. Early careers in sales, counseling and as an award-winning Kitchen & Bath Designer demanded that she understand the human psyche in order to satisfy the needs of her clients. SusanJane uses that same ability now to interpret her subjects in watercolor. She finds it mesmerizing to watch the vibrant pigments mingle on the paper as the liquid travels across the shapes that it is bringing to life.
Be sure and check out her website www.susanjaneartist.com where you can see how her paintings include whimsical creations that make one smile, compositions that comment on the issues of today’s world, and others that are simply recording the beauty that surrounds us. Her vibrant use of color adds to the personalities in the characters she paints and the stories being told.
You can sign up for the CWS one-day workshop by contacting Susan Strawbridge at [email protected] or look for a registration form on our website www.citruswatercolorsociety.org under “Workshops” on the menu. The fee for CWS members is $95 and for non-members $110. When you are signed up, you will receive a full supply list and any additional items you will need for the workshop.
When I read thru the supply list, I realized I have most items in my “paint box” but was stymied by some of the extras on her list. Salt? A feather? Saran Wrap? Can’t wait to see how these are going to add impact to my painting skills! It will be interesting to see what SusanJane has in mind – the workshop certainly sounds like fun and I hope you will join us.
Until the next time, stay well and enjoy your adventures in Art. Dori
photos contributed by Dori Sullivan and Barbara Fife
Hurrah! It’s the middle of Summer in beautiful Central Florida! I see life slowing down a bit, not quite as many cars on the roads, not much of a wait at restaurants and even Citrus Watercolor Society is taking a break. There will not be a meeting of CWS in July! Now don’t you wonder just what our watercolorists are doing during this “vacation”?
I, for one, am trying to get my studio organized. I have no idea when that cyclone swirled thru my art supplies and put them into such a mess. So instead of exploring my favorite plein air sites, I’ll stay in my air-conditioned home and “clean house” so I’m ready for the next workshop sponsored by CWS in August.
If you can’t wait, I’ll tell you this much. Susan Jane Donohoe will be the featured artist and she’ll have a brief demo at our Business Meeting Friday, August 12th with a one-day workshop Saturday, August 13th. You may register for the class now. Simply contact Susan Strawbridge at [email protected] to get on the list. I’ll have more to say about upcoming demo and workshop in my next article. Yes, in August we will be at the First Christian Church and the one-day workshop will be at Whispering Pines Park. Details like the subject matter, the supply list and fees will be included next time.
Another “down time” activity that you might consider is trying out some of the newer techniques and “tricks” you’ve learned over the past few months from our demonstrations and classes. These may add new sparkle to your artwork. Enhancing various textures to backgrounds or even placing more dark values in old paintings can give your artwork a whole new look. The lazy days of summer may be the ideal time to “putter” with old paintings or try a whole new approach to your latest creation. Relax and have fun, no matter what you do!
The CWS Paint Around held in June was a really enjoyable experience. Not only was it fun to watch the artists add their special touch to the paintings, we had time to look over their shoulders and see how they bring their work to life. Barbara Fife has created a brief video that shows the “Paint Around” every step of the way. Check it out at https://citruswatercolorsociety.org
Citrus Watercolor Society meets the second Friday of each month (except July) in the Family Center of First Christian Church of Inverness at 2018 Colonade Street, Inverness FL with light refreshments at 11:30 AM. The meeting and demonstration begins at noon. In addition to our regular demos and workshops by well-known nationally and local watercolor artists, members also enjoy “Painting of the Month” competitions, the use of our library, scheduled plein air outings, and more. Annual dues are $35 payable to CWS. Guests are always welcome! (Please sign in when you arrive. A $5 donation is appreciated).
I’m looking forward to the August programs at CWS. I do plan on taking the workshop and hope I see you there. Have a wonderful July – enjoy family, friends and beautiful Central Florida. Until next time, stay well – Dori
JUNE 1, 2022 Press Release by Dori Sullivan
Citrus Watercolor Society’s monthly meetings will resume on Friday, June 10th at noon at the Family Center in the First Christian Church of Inverness, 2018 Colonade Street in Inverness. Guests are always welcome and I hope you’ll drop by to see what we have in store for CWS members and friends.
Ever hear of a “Paint Around”? Five artists come prepared with a concept, 12 x 16 paper and supplies, to set up at the appointed hour. They start their painting. For the next ten minutes they add color, define shapes and begin painting their individual design. But wait! After 10 minutes, volunteers take their paintings and pass them on to the next artist so he (or she) can add their special touches. Around the room, from one easel to the next, the paintings fly – from one gifted artist to another. Then the magic begins to really show. Details are added, colors are deepened, perspectives become apparent! The artist who has a love for landscapes is suddenly adding their “flare” to a floral arrangement or a still life. After each artist has had a go at every painting, the circle is complete and the initial artwork is returned to the original artist who has the final 10 minute segment to add their final touches.
What’s next? The paintings are signed (by all five artists) and matted. Drawing tickets are sold (this event is a fund raiser for CWS) and one lucky ticket is drawn for each painting. The winners get to take home a unique original watercolor painting.
Our artists this year include: Darla Goldberg, Lionel Sanchez, Curt Bond, Barbara Kerr, and Polly Boston. These amazing artists have tremendous talents and you’ll have a great opportunity to see them create great artwork from beginning to end. I hope you will join us on Friday, June 10th at noon. You’re invited to come a little early (11:30) for light refreshments and to meet your fellow artists and members of CWS.
At the Spring Luncheon and Installation of the 2022-23 Citrus Watercolor Society board, the following members have volunteered to work together to make the “friendliest watercolor society” even better. President: Marjorie Bannish, 1st V. President: Susan Strawbridge, 1st V. President Assistant: Helene Lancaster, 2nd V. President: Jan Kuukari, Treasurer: Aileen Croly, Recording Secretary: Deborah Newman, Corresponding Secretary Gingi Martin; Director, Facilities Coordinator TBD, Assistant Terrance Carter, Director, Ambassador Darla Goldberg and Director, Member Delegate: Ellen Hines. Congratulations all!
For more information about CWS check out our webpage at www.citruswatercolorsociety.org. I hope you will be able to join us June 10th. You’re in for a painting treat! Until the next time, stay well!
Dori Sullivan
Thirty five members attended the Annual May Luncheon at Citrus Hills Golf and Country Club on May 13, 2022. Many thanks to those members who contributed to a successful luncheon:
Aileen Croly, Susan Strawbridge, Darla Goldberg, Barbara Fife, Sandra Copenhaver, Jackie Cash, Jeanne Conrad, Helene Lancaster, and Terry Carter.
Special thanks to Jackie Cash and Sandra Copenhaver for coordinating luncheon reservations; and Terry Carter for setting up the Demonstration Equipment.
Thank you to Polly Boston for her gracious watercolor demonstration.
Darla Goldberg presented Joyce Cusick with a Certificate of Life Membership for her dedication and invaluable contributions to CWS throughout her long membership.
Citrus Watercolor Society Update
The Citrus Watercolor Society will not be hosting its regular monthly meeting in Inverness nor providing a workshop for its members and guests in May. It’s time for the membership to celebrate a new President and Board at the Annual Spring Luncheon held at the Citrus Springs Golf & Country Club. Included in the May festivities is a demonstration by CWS member, Polly Boston.
Demonstration:
“Troubles, Tips, and Technique for Painting Orchids”
Orchids are a lovely and popular subject for paintings. Polly guided us through the many decisions she makes in planning and painting her compositions.
Polly is a retired music teacher who always liked to draw and discovered watercolor when she moved to Florida. In Bradenton she studied with several excellent teachers (particularly Anne Abgott) and began entering various juried watercolor competitions. Polly won membership in the statewide Florida Watercolor Society for three straight years as well as awards in their yearly competitions. Her painting style is colorful and realistic and encompasses a variety of subjects. In 2016 Polly traveled to France for a watercolor class with Judy Morris. Since moving to Citrus County in 2017, she joined the Citrus Watercolor Society and recently won first place in the CWS competition at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. Polly now limits her media to her favorites, watercolor and scratchboard. Commissioned paintings also rank high on her list of favorites because this involves studying subjects that she would not ordinarily think of to paint, from grandbabies to grizzly bears! We are eagerly awaiting her
demonstration at our luncheon and expect to gain new insights to her artwork.
As promised last month, I want to share a little more about the CWS plein air artist, Joyce Cusick who has a passion for painting the great outdoors and its fascinating wildlife. Always inspired by color and
light Joyce has been a professional artist for more than 50 years. Joyce taught drawing and painting to children and adults in the City of Hollywood, Florida (1973—1977) and teens at Loch Haven Art Center, Orlando (1977—1978). Her resume includes President of Historic Preservation, Inc., (1986—2003), author, designer, and illustrator of Crafting with Lace published by Sterling Publishing Co., New York,1993 and contributing designer for many other books.
Joyce leads the Citrus Watercolor Society Plein Air group and belongs to Plein Air Florida and Ocala Plein Air Painters. She studied at Rhode Island School of Design and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Miami with a major in painting.
Last month she coordinated a trip for the CWS painters to explore the views of the Indian mounds at the Archeological State Park in Crystal River. Thank you, Joyce. You are such an important part of Citrus Watercolor Society and we appreciate all you do.
At the May Luncheon President Darla Goldberg presented Joyce Cusick with a Certificate of Life Membership in CWS for her dedication and invaluable contributions to Citrus Watercolor Society throughout her long time membership.
CWS’s monthly meetings will resume on June 10th at noon at the Family Center in the First Christian Church of Inverness, 2018 Colonade Street in Inverness. On the agenda is a “Paint Around” … details about this fun art experience in our next column. Guests are always welcome. For more information about CWS, check out our website at www.citruswatercolorsociety.org.
Until next time, stay well and enjoy all we have. Dori
APRIL 8, 2022 Press Release by Dori Sullivan
Friday, April 8th, at the Citrus Watercolor Society meeting, Darla Goldberg will present a demonstration showing her unique “Emphasis on Backgrounds”. Very often we paint the perfect bird, flower or animal but then are stymied with the emptiness shown in the background. You’re invited to see Darla present ideas about textures, color and techniques that will complete your painting and not only enhance your image but add excitement to your artwork. She will introduce several methods of creating those attention-grabbing backgrounds including Brusho, a powered watercolor ink, to further develop color and texture.
Darla Goldberg is not only our featured artist in April, but also serves as the current President of CWS. Darla is an artist who has always painted, drawn and even sculpted since early childhood, eventually, she focused painting in oils. Originally from Pittsburgh, Darla moved to Florida when she retired in 2001. Shortly after settling in Citrus County, friends invited her to Citrus Watercolor Society meetings where she was so impressed with the friendly people and dynamic workshops, that watercolor and CWS soon became her passion. After taking many workshops, attending demos and entering various competitions, Darla set her goal to become an artist who shares her talent thru teaching. She is a member of the Florida Watercolor Society as well as Citrus Watercolor Society and hangs her paintings in the Frank Anderson Gallery in Crystal River.
Professionally, Darla was an Ocularist who designed and fitted artificial eyes. She followed her designs to the lab where the eyes were manufactured; and then fit them for the patients. When you look at her paintings of animals and birds be sure to take note of the realistic eyes that capture light, shape and realism.
The Citrus Watercolor Society (CWS) monthly meetings are held at noon on the second Friday of the month at the Family Center in the First Christian Church of Inverness, 2018 Colonade St., in Inverness. Guests are always welcome. CWS welcomes all ages, men and women, beginners as well as long time painters. See our website for more information: www.citruswatercolorsociety.org.
Prior to the business meeting, members have the opportunity to vote for the “Painting of the Month”. Winners are selected by popular vote for the artwork brought in by members. Congratulations to our March artists, first place winner was Peg LeFebvre for her “Traveling Bright” watercolor painting and second place winner Polly Boston for “Bricks”. All CWS members are encouraged to bring in their work to show during the meeting.
With spring in the air, you might want to consider joining CWS member, Joyce Cusick, on one of her fun “Plein Air” outings. Monthly, on the Tuesday following the CWS business meeting, Joyce selects a local venue and invites those interested in painting “what you see” at that particular site. We arrive at a time when the light is interesting (9:00 – 9:30 AM) and finish up our painting before noon. Joining together at a local restaurant for lunch adds to the fun. Check out details at the CWS website. Joyce is probably the most devoted of plein air painters I know. It’s rumored that she’ll even paint during a rainstorm, in her car, of course! Joyce and her enthusiasm for painting on location is remarkable. Thank you, Joyce, for sharing your love of “en plein air” with us.
All are welcome at the Citrus Watercolor Society monthly meetings. I hope to see you there! Until next time, stay well – enjoy a colorful Spring.
Dori
March 2022 Press Release by Dori Sullivan
I’m so excited about the Citrus Watercolor Society’s guest artist in March! Lionel Sanchez is an award-winning Florida artist who paints en plein air (on location) using photography, sketches and of course, his imagination as his studio references. His choice of color, detail, perspectives and visions of “his world” are a delight to any viewer. His paintings are simply incredible and when he shares his visions with you, his art will become an essential part of your painting experience.
Lionel’s workshop will be held Saturday March 12 and Sunday March 13 in the Whispering Pines Recreation Building from 9 AM to 4 PM. The workshop fee is $110 for CWS Members and $140 for non-members. To register for the workshop or for more information email our Contact Person: Susan Strawbridge at [email protected].
You can also find more information regarding workshops and other opportunities on the CWS website https://citruswatercolorsociety.org/workshops
From his artist’s profile, we learned that Lionel’s older brother would draw for him when he was a child. He was fascinated with what his brother could do with a pencil and that fascination grew into a passion, and soon, a necessity for seeing his life in his art. You’ll find his experiences and challenges are brilliantly portrayed in his paintings. For over 30 years he was a draftsman and project manager, and since retiring from the business world, he’s now a full time artist and teaches watercolor workshops throughout Florida. Watercolor is his preferred medium, but he also has worked in graphite, acrylic, pen and ink.
Lionel strives for good composition and employs the principles of design in his stunning work. When you, the viewer is drawn to his paintings you may see sketches with the use of abstract shapes in the process he uses to develop what he deems a successful piece. He is both a teacher and artist who is always eager to talk about his art with others knowing that each painting will elicit an emotional
response and a desire to create a connection between the artist and you.
Personally, I’m really looking forward to the workshop and I hope you too will consider signing up for this motivating weekend. There’s a bonus that comes with the CWS Workshops … As participants, we
always enjoy the positive energies that come from a workshop filled with talented, like-minded people! In fact, on Lionel’s supply list, some of his important “materials needed” are “enthusiasm and humor”. I’m looking forward to a fun filled; inspiring weekend and I hope you will join me!
CWS will have its regular Business Meeting at noon on Friday March 11th and immediately following that, Lionel will give a short demonstration about his work as a preview of what’s to happen in his workshop the following two days. The demonstration will be held at the Family Center in the First Christian Church of Inverness, 2018 Colonade Street, Inverness FL at noon. Guests are always welcome.
Citrus Watercolor Society is a friendly collection of artists, both beginners and experienced watercolorists, who will enjoy meeting you and welcome you to our monthly meetings. Annual dues are only $35 – the benefits are many. We meet on the second Friday of every month, except July, at the Family Center in the First Christian Church of Inverness, 2018 Colonade St., in Inverness at noon. Come and see what we’re all about!
Until next time, stay well – keep your brushes wet and colors bright!
Enjoy all we have!
Dori Sullivan
It is so exciting when we get to enjoy one of the spectacular Florida sunsets or see the striking variety of shades of green and bright golds popping up within the wonderful landscapes found in our own back yard. No wonder artists from all over come to our communities to create beautiful paintings. The Citrus Watercolor Society is pleased to invite you to the February monthly meeting of CWS where you can see noted watercolor artist, Kathy Durdin, demonstrate how to expand your color palette and apply what you learn to working from photographs. This demo and meeting of CWS will be held Friday, Feb. 11 at the Family Center of the 1st Christian Church of Inverness, 2018 Colonade Street, Inverness, FL at 12 noon. Guests are always welcome.
The demonstration will be followed by a two day workshop entitled “Loosening Up and Seeing Color Everywhere” on Feb. 12 and 13 at the Whispering Pines Recreation Building from 9:00 to 4:00 PM (including a lunch break). The workshop fee is $110 for CWS members, $140 for non-members – checks are payable to Citrus Watercolor Society. To register for the workshop or more information, email Susan Strawbridge, at [email protected].
Kathy Durdin is a national award winning watercolor and mixed media artist. She has exhibited across Florida, as well as from New York to California. She also teaches classes and workshops inspiring her students to loosen up their work and enhance their skills. Watercolor provides her with a medium that allows her to create work quickly and create paintings with freshness and immediacy as she expresses herself. Her style is loose, to take advantage of the characteristics of the medium. Her work needs to be viewed from a distance – small and large areas of color make up her images.
Workshop attendees will also work on creating focus, simplifying, and using photographs as a starting point to explore color and lost edges. There will be time to work on finding centers of interest and focusing detail in the area of the center of interest. You don’t want to miss this exciting workshop and the opportunity to paint with Kathy Durdin.
On a personal note, I can’t thank Norm Fryer enough for his dedication and talent that has been the backbone of “getting the word out” about CWS. These are big shoes for me to fill. I’m relatively new to watercolor painting and love painting “en plein air” (on location) around the area. For the past couple of years, I have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences with Citrus
Watercolor Society and its caring, friendly membership. I do hope you will become a part of this dynamic group of artists. Until next time, stay well and add brilliant color to your life!
Dori Sullivan
[email protected]