|
|
|
|
MAY 2003 NPWS NEWSLETTERPRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Members and Friends, Your Board has been very active over the last months in preparation for the 2003 show in September. We are finalizing the details for this year's show and workshop. I am excited because we have added a new dimension this year by having a slideshow and critique the night before the judging and opening reception. Our juror will be able to discuss slides and explain techniques and values before the actual judging takes place. From the artistic standpoint this is very satisfying compared to trying to hear over the large crowd in the small gallery. Judy Morris will be focusing on texture and
light techniques. She has a positive attitude and great sense of humor and is
looking forward to her first trip to the Black Hills. Keep painting outside the
lines and don't forget to enter the show. NPWS MEMBERSHIP THE PIECE DE RESISTANCE First, the picture inside was wrapped in bubble wrap. No, it was not wrapped. It was plastered. Actually, patched would be the most accurate word, but the negative connotation of patched would not be fitting for a prize work of art. So we're back to plastered. All sizes and shapes, scraps and morsels, to be specific, of bubble wrap haphazardly sealed with Scotch tape. The tape and the bubble wrap clung to my sleeves and hands as I removed them. Next were pieces of another kind of wrap, kind of like bubble wrap minus the bubbles. However, they weren't really NEXT. They were taped to the bubble wrap and to the frame and to the glass in the frame wherever the bubble wrap was missing. with tape. Yards of tape, which I considered to be wrap number 3. Last came the newspaper stuffed into the box like socks stuffed into a stuff bag when there is NO MORE ROOM. Do you know what NO means? The dictionary says: "not any; none; opposite of yes." Pulling out the first piece of newspaper was a Herculean task. The pressure on it from all its intimate neighbors in an enclosed place where there was NO MORE ROOM was like a bomb. It almost knocked me over. But I'm the kind of person whose determination increases in direct proportion to a challenge, so I stood my ground with sheer will power and pushed on. When I finally pulled the picture from the box, the floor was strewn with
enough paper to fill a refrigerator. An NPWS member then informed me, "You
have to save all the stuffing so you can use it to repack the picture for its
return trip to its proud, anxious owner." That was when I decided not to
show up on repacking day. PAST PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE I truly appreciate all the hard work that has gone into the past competitions, and I especially appreciate all of those who worked hard last year to put it all together. We are indeed fortunate to have the wonderful gallery at Prairie Edge to display our work. There were many comments about the marvelous historic building. The staff is so helpful and they work extremely hard in the hanging of the show all the way through to the packing and shipping the paintings back to the artists. A special thanks to Brenda Beal for all of her help. The community support and sponsors have been wonderful, and we want to thank Kelly Whitley for her help in getting sponsors for the prize money. We awarded over $5,000 in prizes this year. We attained non-profit status last year, which will help our sponsorships even more in the future. Our aim is to continue to use this show as a way for regional artists to learn about entering competitions. As we view the slides of all the entrants and realize how important the quality of the slide is to the acceptance of the work into the show, and as we unpack the paintings and understand the problems associated with poorly packed paintings, we come to understand that producing a good painting is just the beginning. This is a priceless educational
experience each step of the way. That is why being involved with this
organization has been very valuable to our growth as artists. We hope more of
you will join in the fun in the coming months. Come to a meeting and enjoy the
association with fellow artists.
WORKSHOP REFLECTION Everyone agreed that St. Martin's
was a great place for a workshop, and those who stayed there were very satisfied
with the accommodations and meals. The short day on Monday was the only part of
the workshop that was considered a drawback. Be sure to check the information on
the workshop with Judy Morris included with this newsletter, as well as the
offering below. DRAWINGS FOR PRIZES NPWS BOARD MEMBERS
|
|
|
Northern
Plains Watercolor Society