A New Year, A New PWAS Board
After all the candy canes, hot chocolate, Christmas cookies, Christmas ham, Christmas turkey and the Roast Beast; after the New Year's Champagne and black eyed peas and football, are you all ready to start painting again? I know I am. And to start thinking about a list of art shows to get involved in. But first things first. Let's introduce you all to the new Prince William Art Society Board Members - just recently voted in. See all of the important notes at the end too.
The Prince William Art Society
Also known as PWAS (pronounced "P-whaaz") is a Prince William County art group that began in 1971. Doing the math, that means PWAS will celebrate its 53rd birthday this year! We are a 501(c)3 non-profit art group and I'll send you over to the PWAS website to find out the details on what we do and I'll also recommend this blog post on our history. Now, let's meet our new Board, right here, right now...
PWAS President: Elizabeth Stathis
Elizabeth Stathis is a native of Philadelphia, PA and became interested in art at a young age watching her mother sketch. After jumping from Art I to Art Major in High school, completely skipping Art II, Elizabeth then began taking classes at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia before she even graduated high school. Her work was selected to be exhibited in the MCA boardroom as she was handed her acceptance letter. She graduated with a BFA from Moore and moved to Vermont where she continued to study art at local colleges.
She became a co-owner of a Monument business where she designed and etched personalized monuments for 27 years. She also worked freelance for individuals and businesses alike, while building her own art studio. Once completed she produced art for galleries up and down the east coast and taught art to private students as well as students in private school settings.
In 2004 she moved
to be near DC and worked in art galleries located in McLean and Fairfax, VA and one in DC.
Elizabeth’s continued juried art entries awarded her several awards for First place, Second
place and Honorable mention in several east coast galleries.
PWAS Vice President: Sandra McClelland Lewin
Sandra Lewin began painting after retiring as a graphics artist with the government. Her work has been exhibited and won awards in several juried shows throughout the Northern Virginia area and in online juried shows. She has served as President of the Prince William Art Society and is currently Vice President of the organization. She has been a member of the Prince William Arts Council and Arches Gallery at the Lorton Workhouse Arts.
PWAS Secretary (2!):
The PWAS Nominating Committee developed the idea of splitting the volunteer positions to make life easier for those involved. We are very glad to announce that we now have 2 persons that will share the Secretarial duties.
Bettie Sperty
Bettie Sperty is a local artist who enjoys working with a variety of mediums. Her painting style runs from fun, colorful and whimsical to the fine detail of Tromp L’oeil (photo realism). Bettie’s hand built pottery pieces are just as colorful and creative and showcase her attention to detail.
Bettie creates her pieces for her own enjoyment and is always happy if someone else enjoys them, as well. In her own words she says, “I don’t try to make a statement with my artwork. My goal is simply to bring a smile to a face, touch a heart or make your eyes happy with the art I create.”
Connie Huebner
I started taking pictures when my dad bought a Minolta X-700 for my grandparents’ 50 th wedding anniversary party and he realized he didn’t know how to use it. Dad handed the camera to me and said, “make this work.”
I ended up keeping his camera and after only one photography class, I was hooked. I found ways to spend free time in the darkroom and even taught photography at summer camp. Unfortunately, the cost of the film and processing was kind of burdensome and I spent less and less time with my photographs and more time focusing on my career.
Fast forward a number of years (no I’m not saying how many) and a couple of pretty impactful life events, I found myself missing “me”. Fortunately, a very special someone suggested I start taking pictures again and bought me a new digital camera.
I am now taking pictures all the time and it brings me so much joy. I take my camera on neighborhood walks and exotic vacations. I challenge myself with “assignments” and continuously strive to improve my art.
PWAS Treasurer
Again, we would LOVE to split the Treasurer position into 2 PWAS Members. Can you be one of them?
The Interim Treasurer is Elizabeth Stathis until a PWAS member steps into the spot.
PWAS Member at Large: Tom Payne
Tom is a retired Maryland Fine Arts and Gifted Education program administrator (Howard County), now living in NOVA and pursuing his love for creating art and music. Tom is the owner of his small business, Payne Relief Artworx. He is an avid nature and wildlife photographer who enjoys singing, songwriting, painting, playing guitar, and boating. He currently spends his days transforming his photographs into works of art, creating digital paintings, and writing songs.
His photographs, photoartistry, and digital paintings "evoke emotion, stimulate thought, and uplift the human spirit". Tom’s work has been exhibited at the Maryland Federation of Art, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, the Annapolis Maritime Museum, the Himmelfarb Gallery at Maryland University of Integrated Health, and the Open Space Arts Gallery in Woodbridge, Va.
Representative to the Arts Council: Helen Burroughs
Helen Joyce Burroughs has a versatile palette and enjoys painting in different mediums—oil pastel flowers which provide a sense of joy; oil landscapes for peaceful meditation; and the excitement and challenge of creating multi media acrylics.
Helen is a native of California, and a graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles. Her world travels, in her career in international trade, have influenced her use of vivid colors. She lives in Northern Virginia. Her work has been shown in Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., Indiana and California.
At this time, Board members serve for 2 years. Congratulations to the New PWAS Board and we look forward to a GREAT 2024-25!
PWAS Stuff to Know Notes
- Next PWAS Meeting Date: January 22, 2024 at 7:30pm at the Tall Oaks Community Building on Cotton Mill Road. Open to the public. The guest program will be given by Janet Stoeke.
- PWAS Membership: Annual membership fee can now be paid online on the PWAS website. I did it! It's easy! Go to the "Join PWAS" button on https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
- Have something you want the Board to know? Have an idea to share? Tom Payne is who you contact with your suggestions! He is your advocate, your go-to, your "who ya gonna call?" Drop him a note at memberatlarge@princewilliamartsociety.com
- PWAS Committees: Nothing in an art group happens without YOUR participation and help. Start thinking about where YOU can BE involved and/or talk to Tom Payne. I tell you, I have learned so much about the art world because I jumped onboard!
- PWAS Events: The Board is already working on new events and ideas for the PWAS Membership! I hope to have some information to relay to you soon. I know of at least TWO new events for 2024...maybe even 4 or 5! I've certainly heard some awesome ideas! And you know...getting involved in committees and positions gets YOU in the KNOW...
- Local Art Shows page is updated, see https://artistryspin.blogspot.com/p/call-for-artists-nova.html
- PWAS Members Chatting in a Facebook Group? Let me know your Facebook profile - we have a new place to chat! (Private and for PWAS members only of course!)
Further reading on the PWAS Board Duties and the PWAS Committees. As we go through the year, we hope to update these docs as needed too.
PWAS Artistry Spin Blogmaster and an artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA since 2021, specializing in acrylic painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com, her Donna's Esty site and her Blog at Donna’s Cave Paintings.
Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm
Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership
Congratulations to the new Board! I am very excited to see what all of you will do and looking forward to an awesome 2024-2025. True, we will need PWAS Members to step up into the various committees to help make it all a success, but we do have a lot of terrific members that pitch in and do all kinds of things in the background all the time too. Perhaps we need to ensure that our goals and mission, the plans are well laid out so everyone knows where we are going - as well as plans in place on how to get there.
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