Dori Sullivan – Page 2 – Citrus Watercolor Society

Lionel Sanchez – January 13, 2023

“Bold Lines” Drive Lionel Sanchez’s Paintings

Press Release by Dori Sullivan

Citrus Watercolor Society welcomes back artist Lionel Sanchez to our January 13, 2023 meeting as our demonstrator and workshop leader. Please join us at 11:30 at the Family Center in the First Christian Church of Inverness, 2018 Colonade St., Inverness for refreshments and a brief business meeting followed by Lionel’s demonstration on how his loose style, brilliant colors and clever design create unforgettable watercolor paintings. The demo is free for CWS members and a $5 donation is appreciated from guests.

Lionel’s style and fun workshops have inspired me and I’m really looking forward to being there – what a great way to kick off 2023! For more information and if you’re interested in the workshop, contact Susan Strawbridge at [email protected] or look for a registration form on our website www.citruswatercolorsociety.org . The fee for the two day workshop is $110 for members, $140 for non-members and will be held at Whispering Pines Recreation Building on Jan. 14th and Jan. 15th.

Lionel writes “My passion for drawing and painting drives who I am as an artist and how I view the world around us. My life experiences and challenges are evidenced in my paintings. For over 30 years, I was a draftsman and project manager. Now that I’m retired, I’m a full-time artist and teach watercolor workshops throughout Florida.”

“My mediums are graphite, acrylic, pen and ink, and watercolor with watercolor as my primary medium. I prefer to paint en plein air with photography (and, of course, imagination) as studio reference. Employing the elements and principles of design, I strive for good composition. When viewing my work, you will see sketches with the utilization of abstract shapes. This is the process of my work. My goal is to spark an interest in my art, perhaps the same sense of the wonderment that I feel when I complete what I deem to be a successful piece. I am always eager to share and discuss my paintings with others in hopes that each piece will elicit an emotional response and a desire to investigate the painting further. An emotional connection opens a dialogue between artist and viewer.”

We want to thank you, our friends of CWS, for supporting our “Art in the Wildlife Park” show and sale. What a great turn out of viewers and buyers. A percentage of the artwork sales was donated to the Friends of Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. We were pleased to write a check for over $900 to the park. We are looking forward to another “Art in the Wildlife Park” show and sale in the early Spring of 2023.

The show included judging of a number of our members’ paintings and the following were winners. Best of Show – Curt Bond, 1st Place – Helene Lancaster, 2nd Place Susan Jane Donohoe, 3rd Place Art Estrella, Honorable Mention, Aileen Croly, Honorable Mention, Chuck Chesnul and President’s Choice Award, Helene Lancaster. Congratulations all! Many of the paintings reflected the birds and animals of Florida as well as landscape scenes. Joyce Cusick provided us with painting one of her plein air scenes during the show. All in all it was a wonderful event.

At our recent Holiday Lunch with Tom Jones, a fun time was enjoyed by all. As the year has wound down, CWS presented Barbara Fife, artist and the talent behind our website, with a Lifetime Membership Award. Thank you Barbara for all that you do!

Workshop Memories

Saturday was a value study … burnt sienna only. Sunday was full bloom color. A fun class and Dick Carlton won the drawing for Lionel’s demo painting. I don’t know everyone’s name because name tags were scarce. Everybody was bundled up* I loved the class! Dori

*Florida has had record cold temperatures this weekend!

Dori Sullivan, Judi Snow, Kim Shields, Richard Carlton, Jeannine Cole, Geri Santor, Susan Siwek and Nancy Fisher were scheduled to attend the workshop, plus more!

Tom Jones- Dec 9, 2022

CWS Celebrating the Holidays

Citrus Watercolor Society will be enjoying a special Holiday treat on Friday, Dec. 9th with the member’s annual luncheon at Citrus Hills Golf and Country Club. The festivities include a delicious lunch, Holiday Greeting Card exchange, and many other surprises.

Our special guest will be the popular watercolor artist Tom Jones who will show us some of his latest work and a demo of what’s to come at his two-day workshop, Dec. 10th and 11th. The workshop entitled “Creating Colorful Loose Watercolors” will be held at Whispering Pines recreation facility in Inverness from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM both days. There may still be a space for you in the workshop, and if you’re interested, register at our website www:citruswatercolorsociety.org.

The workshop will include a variety of painting techniques developed by Tom Jones, as well as his hands-on guidance with your individual painting. Students will enjoy instruction with emphasis on developing first wash, values, textures, variety of color, edges and shapes, as well as creating the illusion of light.

This remarkable artist (who is known for his signature Panama hat) paints spectacular watercolors that all tell a story, some with multiple chapters that reflect his love of landscapes or travel experiences. He enjoys creating a series of three to five paintings to complete his story of the subject. He is known for his multi-day plein air painting events for watercolor artists of all levels both here and abroad. We are so fortunate that this talented artist calls Central Florida home.

Tom seeks to make his workshops fun and entertaining as well as to help students leave with fresh ideas for painting in watercolor. He will provide paints by MaimeriBlu and Arches watercolor paper for his students. The workshop fees are $115 for CWS Members and $145 for non-members. A complete supply list and details are available on the CWS website. I hope you will join us.

At the November Citrus Watercolor Society meeting, Polly Boston was awarded first place in the member’s Painting of the Month competition for her portrait of “Margie”. Second place was awarded to Marjorie Bannish for her pelican painting. Congratulations to both of you.

Our CWS membership is growing and there’s always room for more. At last count, we have 85 enthusiastic watercolor artists who welcome beginners and longtime painters to our monthly meetings, shows, demos and workshops. We’re a friendly group looking to share our love of watercolor in a relaxed, fun environment. Annual dues are $35 and our meetings on the second Friday of the month are held in the Family Center in the First Christian Church of Inverness, 2018 Colonade St., Inverness. For more information see our website: www:CitrusWatercolorSociety.org.

Until next time, may your Holidays be filled with good health, friends, family and colorful works of art.

Dori Sullivan

Photos from the December Luncheon; Tom Jones Demonstration

Photos contributed by Dori Sullivan

December 10-11, 2022
Workshop with Tom Jones

at Whispering Pines Park Recreation Center

Workshop photos contributed by Deb Newman

Sue Primeau -Nov 11, 2022

Citrus Watercolor Society November Meeting

Having problems adding life to your painting? We may have the answer.
Citrus Watercolor Society is pleased to announce that well known Florida Artist Sue Primeau will be our November presenter for a demonstration on Friday Nov. 11th as well as a one-day workshop on Saturday, Nov. 12th. Both events will be held at the First Christian Church Fellowship Hall at 2018 Colonade, Inverness.

Sue’s watercolor collage workshop is entitled “How to Resuscitate a Painting”. The demo is free to members ($5 donation appreciated from guests) and the workshop is $95 for members, $110 for non-members. There is still time to sign up for the workshop. You can find a form on our website (https://citruswatercolorsociety.org) or register by emailing Susan Strawbridge at [email protected].
Now for some of the good stuff. Sue Primeau’s art is “abstract realism” … wha?? Yes, she can paint a bunch of grapes, add her own touches of texture, blended colors and even collage to create an exciting painting that will catch the eye of any passerby. And yet, there they are … images of “real” grapes fresh with the morning dew. I’ve been privileged to take several classes and workshops with Sue, and every time I’ve learned so much. She rarely abandons the basics of design, value and perspective. I know you’ll enjoy every minute of her demonstration and be surprised by the results at her workshop.

Sue has painted since childhood although it was only as an adult that she was introduced to the magic of watercolor. She is passionate about the world in which we live and the beauty that surrounds our everyday life. It is this readily available subject where she finds her inspiration. Today, working primarily in watercolor, a medium she prefers not to control, she often begins by letting the shapes and colors occur spontaneously with little or no guidance. She is a master of the “wet on wet” technique. Sue then studies the resulting image to determine how she will continue to develop the painting into something unique. We do hope you will join us for this exciting program.

Sue Primeau, guest artist at the November 11th CWS Meeting

Great News! After a long hiatus we’re excited to announce that the CWS’s Art in the Wildlife Park Show and Sale is returning once again to the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Spring Wildlife State Park on Saturday December 3rd from 9:00 to 5:00 PM and Sunday, December 4th from 9:00 to 4:30. There is no admission charge to the show where original artwork by our artists will be on display. It is a juried show and members may enter their watercolor paintings for judging at a nominal fee of $5.00. The park is located at 4150 S. Suncoast Blvd. in Homosassa Springs. We hope you’ll join us to view and purchase our members beautiful and amazing art.
Also, in December, we will celebrate the holidays with a special luncheon at Citrus Hills Golf and Country Club on Friday the 9th and follow it with a two-day workshop with Tom Jones. More details about Tom’s two-day workshop in December’s column. Keep in touch with CWS in this publication as well as on our website. Annual dues are $35 payable to CWS. Details, including member’s art work, are on our website at https://citruswatercolorsociety.org. New watercolorists and guests are always welcome.

At the October meeting of CWS, Jeanienne Cole’s painting “Hidden Ibis” was voted “Painting of the Month” and Julie Jamieson’s “en plein aire” work was runner up. Every month, members are invited to bring in a piece of their work to our meeting where the membership votes for their favorites. Congratulations, ladies!

Cooler temperatures are in the air. I hope you are well and enjoying this special time of the year to get together and paint! Until next time … Dori

Peg LeFebvre -October 14, 2022

Citrus Watercolor Society Invites You…

Press Release by DORI SULLIVAN

Please join us Friday October 9th at the monthly meeting of the Citrus Watercolor Society at 11:30 for refreshments, followed by a brief business meeting at noon after which we’ll have a demonstration by Peg LeFebvre entitled “Introducing Figures Into Your Watercolors”. The meeting and demo will be held in the Family Center of the First Christian Church of Inverness at 2018 Colonade Street, Inverness.

Color, dimensionality and narrative are the strengths of Peg’s watercolor paintings. And at our next meeting, she will demonstrate how to include figures in your watercolors to add excitement and focus. CWS members and guests will find new ways to put figures in our paintings to add to the story we want our paintings to tell. For example, in your painting with a road disappearing into the forest or the cityscape with empty streets, you will learn how to add images that will enhance your artwork. Sound simple? Well, to some, not so much – but at our October meeting artist, Peg LeFebvre will show us her secrets and you’ll be delighted with the results.

Peg Lefebvre is a well-known, award-winning Florida artist who shared her autobiography with us.

“Brilliant colors are what originally attracted me to watercolor painting. Dad introduced me to the medium at the kitchen table when I was 6 years old. That love of vibrant color is a cornerstone of my work to this day.”

“Sculpting convincing images on a two-dimensional surface is another primary pursuit of my work. Much of my bachelors study was in three-dimensional art. Re-immersing myself in 3-D and mentally seeing the subject in the round helps guide my brush to form sculptural images. One challenge is to avoid sacrificing the vibrancy of the color in the quest of modeling a form.”

“Recently, my work is driven toward telling the story that I see/feel/imagine in a particular subject. I strive to communicate what I found to be important about the person or event. It is exhilarating when a viewer comments on the subject’s personality or occupation, involving themselves in the story that I narrate through paint.”

Peg LeFebvre – Founders’ Award for her watercolor “Puddles”
of a rainy day in Luca, Italy

Peg is also a member of CWS and at our recent “Show and Tell” event was awarded the annual Founder’s Day Award for her painting of a rainy day in Luca, Italy. Her painting of “Puddles” began with an earlier vacation when it rained almost daily. Years later, she re-discovered her work and added improvements that brought out the reflections of that day.

We encourage you to come early to our Friday meetings to mingle with fellow artists and enjoy sharing thoughts and ideas. Guests are always welcome at our demos for the small donation of $5.00. We offer workshops throughout the year with CWS members receiving significant discounts on the workshops. Membership ($35 annually) is available to watercolorists and artists of all levels. For more information about CWS and to find an application for membership, visit our website www.citruswatercolorsociety.org

I’m looking forward to seeing you in October. Stay well and enjoy the cooler weather! Dori

DEMO by Peg Lefebvre

Peg mostly did portraits in 2016, but tired of it and turned to more challenging compositions, focusing on design elements to keep eye within the paintings and concentrated on figures. Peg demonstrated how she obtains skin tones, shading and contrast. She shared her composition board and techniques and mentioned several artists of note for the membership to check out: Carol Carter at the Villages; Ken Call, Ann Abgott, and John Salminen. Peg reminded the group that workshops are invaluable and to invest in ourselves if we want to progress.

A few photos from Peg LeFebvre’s wonderful demonstration about addng figures to our paintings. Thank you, Peg! Awesome!

Show and Tell- Sept 9, 2022

CWS Invites You to Our “Show & Tell”

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 96^th 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!

Exploring Textures in Watercolor August 2022

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

Click below for a 1-minute VIDEA RECAP!

photos contributed by Dori Sullivan and Barbara Fife

Enjoying a Short Break- July 2022

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

CWS Artists’ Paint-Around June 10, 2022

Video of the 2022 PAINT AROUND
with Curt Bond, Polly Boston, Darla Goldberg. Barbara Kerr, and Lionel Sanchez

JUNE 1, 2022 Press Release by Dori Sullivan

Citrus Watercolor Society’s monthly meetings will resume on Friday, June 10^th 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 10^th 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, 1^st V. President: Susan Strawbridge, 1^st V. President Assistant: Helene Lancaster, 2^nd 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 10^th. You’re in for a painting treat! Until the next time, stay well!
Dori Sullivan

Annual Spring Luncheon

May 13, 2022

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

Painting- A Matter of Necessity – March 11, 2022

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