Post 577: What's on Your Easel? Why do you Create Art?

What's on Your Easel? 

Most months, I like to ask the Prince William Art Society artists a question to something art related but more often I ask what they are working on, sometimes in various ways. What's on your easel isn't always the right thing for every artist as they work in various mediums or surfaces. Nonetheless, let's see what the artists are doing at the moment.

Take note on the painting styles and process visible in some of the artist's work on how they block in and move through the piece. 

PWAS Member Lizzy Javier

I am responding to your request for photos of current projects. I just finished these four paintings for the Waterford Fair. They are all acrylic on canvas and the first three are 11" x 14" size and the last one is 8" X 10".

PWAS Member Bettie Sperty

I do a weekly workshop/class at Creative Brush in Manassas and classes just started up for the fall.  I had to decide what I would paint - which is a one of the most difficult things of the whole class! I thought I would ease into this session by painting from a photo I took at Virginia Beach a few years ago. It was an overcast day in November. The seagulls were active, the waves were beautiful and we had the beach all to ourselves and was sooooo peaceful.  This is the very beginning of the painting. Mary (owner of Creative Brush and instructor) suggested I place my seagulls using white. That way, if I didn’t like the placement I could blend them back into the clouds and try again (I’m using oils). Brilliant !!!!!!!

Mary Reilly is full of useful tidbits. This is 11”x14” on canvas panel.

PWAS Member Zee Berrios

The title will be "Still Death". The medium is acrylic on canvas. It is a small painting, only 20" X 24".

PWAS Member Donna Liguria

I have a few things up my sleeves for some upcoming opportunities.

 

Peacock Fancy Feather 4x12x1.5 in acrylic in progress

 

Red Cardinal 4x4x1.5 in acrylic Bookcase Art in progress - I should call it Cardinal Caboose

 

Yellow Sunflower 5x7x1.5 in acrylic in progress 

PWAS Member Larry Burch

I did this as part of a Paint Manassas show that is now hanging in a small coffee shop in Manassas.  Organized by MAG and pARTners. 

PWAS Member Michelle Evans

My latest piece- Inspired by an upcoming trip to the Oregon coast!  

Why Do You Create Art?

Almost every month, I like to ask the Prince William Art Society artists what they are working on, or some other question or art tip that they want to share. What's on your easel is an often asked question, but there is a question out for "Why Do You Create Art?" Only 2 responses though...

PWAS Member Donna Liguria

I create art for several reasons and I'm not sure I have answered this question before (although I proposed the Q to the PWAS artists). I'm anticipating answers to range from "because I must" to the "I love the hobby" to "it calms me" types of narratives. I always hope that many members will explain their answers to the questions I offer - sometimes some of them do. Life is busy, I know....

The challenges provided in painting and solving how to capture the right colors, getting the lights and shadows just right, the ability to express myself in the enjoyable "work" of the painting process is addicting. Perhaps I can compare it to reading in a way. When reading a book, you can lose yourself and enjoy the story in another place, in another time, in solving the mystery before you get to the last pages.  Painting is much like that for me. Although the mixing of the paint to get it "just right" is challenging, sometimes perplexing, I can lose myself in the process. 

And I like the push to get it exactly where it should be and that often means adding paint, adding paint, tweak those colors. Keep on going, keeping on pushing. Turn it up-side-down for a different perspective and keep on adding paint. Tweaking is a part of the process.

If you are of an age to remember the commercial, you might remember "Calgon, take me away!" Making art, painting, is a way to relax and enjoy the comfort and ART HUG!

PWAS Member Zee Berrios

Art is an outlet to thoughts, energy, feelings and a view into the soul. As some have said: "to express these inner states and also reflect culture, to evoke emotions, tell stories, to invest into humanity's experience."  

Ok, that's the artists that participated this month, what do you think? Drop a comment below.

 

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Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art. 

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 (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Have an idea for a blog post? Are you a writer and want to help with the blog? Let me know! Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment (below)! ...Remember, comments are monitored so they will not show up immediately.

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Post 576: PWAS Elections Discussion Oct 20 and Nov 24, 2025

Prince William Art Society Elections Discussion Oct 20 and Nov 24, 2025

Yes, it is that time again. The Prince William Art Society will be nominating and voting for a new Board of Directors for the 2026 and 2027 term in our next couple of meetings. In October and November, the PWAS meetings will include the makings of the future of PWAS. It is the people that volunteer that build a vibrant art community, enriching the entire team of artists, encouraging the new members, and communicating the art culture in the community.

The PWAS Art Group in Prince William County

The Prince William Art Society began in 1971. That is a good, long history for an art group, right? Fifty-four years as of this typing. That is a lot of artists joining together for a common cause and love of art - and volunteering to get those causes and projects, art shows and events, meetings and programs, field trips and art classes completed for the benefit of all involved.

Who were those people that led the group? They were all artists the same as you and me. They were all people that jumped in and took charge of projects to get all of our art seen and heard throughout our area, one way or another. 

Volunteering. We may look at that as a bad word, because who has time between family, home, work, and studio time to do anything else? Let alone for FREE. There was a saying a few years ago that might apply - "Everyone wants a piece of me!" Probably true, but time and talent, a desire, loyalty, and determination are what we need.

As you know, when we desire/want to do a thing, we do find a way to do what we want to do. And when we find we must do a thing, we find a way to get it done whether by getting it done ourselves, or directing it done by another.

For a 501(c)3 Nonprofit art group, like the Prince William Art Society, that means that according to the by-laws, that no Board, Committee person, or member is compensated. In plain terminology members are not paid to do the work of the art group. Period. We are a group of volunteers, offering our desire to help the group succeed in our goals and purposes.

Even better if we already have the skill sets to make the job happen. And perfectly fine if we at least have the desire to learn how to make that position work. 

Wherever possible, how to do the job, the position, whatever, is documented. The past members that had those positions are more than willing to help you launch. 

What Do You Want to Get Out of the Art Group?

People join art groups, art communities for a variety of reasons. Here is a list of reasons:

• Inspiration
• Collaboration
• Networking
• Exposure
• Support
• Feedback
• Motivation

Which one are you? What made you join PWAS? In the group we can:

• Celebrate each others successes.
• Build up long time friendships with like minded creative souls. 
• Get out of our comfort zones and take risks, learn something new.
• Organize art challenges, learn a new approach, push our boundaries. 
• We may offer mentorship for someone.
• We may go to places we may never have gone to on our own. 
• Perhaps potentially make money from the things we create with our own hands.

Now, for the big question. What are YOU doing to be a part of your art group?

Unfortunately, every organization that is built by the people that volunteer their time is running into difficulties in having people step up and help. We hear it from other art groups, near and far how difficult it is to find people. There simply comes a time when the next generation of leaders, must arrive and do the work for a thing to continue. 

If there is something you don't like about your art group, if there is something you would like to see improved upon - YOU can be the one to help make that change. You can be on that management team that maintains, develops, and moves the vision of that group.

What are you willing to do? 

• Are you being an active participant?
• Are you sharing your skill sets, your knowledge?
• Are you using your organizational skills?
• Are you being encouraging and supportive of your fellow artists? 

Learn by Doing - Personal Growth

You know, everyone has ideas and suggestions for how to do something or how something should be done. We all do it. We can so easily volunteer these suggestions... We turn that back to you and say, "Great suggestion! Go ahead and get it done".

I've always heard that someone that teaches felt that they learned more about the topic than the students. I think that's true for leaders too. It is an investment in yourself and your own well-being.

You are called upon to step up as the next generation of PWAS Board of Directors. Just be the best you can be by doing the best you can. We believe in you - the next group of volunteers - and we'll all be there for you. You can make a difference.

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan

 

For Further Information 

See 5 Benefits of Artistic Volunteerism for Personal Growth and Volunteer Opportunities in Art Communities in 2024

If you want to learn more about the PWAS Board Positions and their duties, and more about the PWAS Committees, please check out these posts: 

PWAS Board Elections Coming This Fall 

What I Would Like to See at PWAS 

PWAS Group - Something to Think About - Your Board Members

Getting Involved in Your Local Art Group 

See Prince William Art Society (PWAS) for Artists and Art Lovers for the history of the art group.

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Author: Donna Liguria is the Blogmaster for the PWAS Artistry Spin Blog and Donna's Cave Paintings Blog, and an artist member of the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) in Woodbridge, Virginia. And she takes on the PWAS social media duties as well (help me!) Donna specializes in acrylic painting of landscapes, seascapes, historic locations, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com and her Donna's Esty site to shop her art. 

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 (typically, but check the website in case of any changes).

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment (below)! ...Remember, comments are monitored so they will not show up immediately.

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