Post 421: PWAS Christmas Party Dec 11, 2023

PWAS Christmas Party Dec 11, 2023

Every year, in the month of December, the Prince William Art Society (PWAS) foregoes their typical fourth Monday of the month meeting format (and date) and pencils in their annual PWAS plus one Christmas party. Everyone brings a dish or other refreshment/nibbles, their glitter and glow and enjoys the camaraderie of getting together with friends.

Special Thanks

A lot of people helped to organize, decorate and setup/takedown of our party and a very special thanks must go to Evelyn Chatters. You go girl!! And to everyone that pitches in with all the to-dos, thank you! We LOVED the color scheme of silver, black and white - great idea!

Our in-house designated official photo taker is Otis Stanley. A BIG thanks to Otis for recording the 2023 PWAS Christmas Party.

On with the show...

 

Anna Gatling (PWAS Membership Chair) and Evelyn Chatters (former PWAS Secretary 2023) get the party up and running

 

Digging in

 

The Christmas party was at the Tall Oaks Community Center at the corner of Hedges Run and Cotton Mill (where we hold our monthly meetings)

 

Fun-do anyone?

 

Richard Tyler, Tom Payne and Rita Nolan

 

Tom Payne

 

CJ Davis and Bettie Sperty

 

More digging in

 

Penny Shaw, Sheri Herrick, Bettie Sperty, Sandra McClelland Lewin, and Staci Blanchard

 

Connie Huebner (new PWAS co-Secretary)

 

Showing off the Creators gift exchange

 

Donna, Bettie, Staci, the Herricks, Robert Dew

 

Jasmin Rashid

 

Elizabeth Stathis (new PWAS President), Mark Murphy (PWAS Treasurer 2022-23) and Mr Stathis.

 

PWAS Band members, Scott, Tom Payne (new PWAS Member Rep) and Brian Sperty. After all, artists typically are talented in so many ways. Great music for all of the members to enjoy.

 

Teresa Jackson, friend of Donna Liguria (PWAS Blogmaster) and Larry Burch (PWAS Webmaster)

 

Mr Herrick and Sheri Herrick in the foreground

 

Bettie Sperty (new PWAS Co-Secretary) and Sandra McClelland Lewin (new PWAS Vice President and former PWAS President 2021)

 

Elizabeth Stathis

 

Staci Blanchard (former PWAS Vice President 2022-23)

 

Helen Burroughs (PWCAC Rep), Evelyn and Elizabeth

 

CJ Davis

 

Anna Gatling and Connie Huebner

 

Teresa Jackson and Richard Tyler

 

Evelyn and Donna

 

Helen Burroughs and Teresa

 

Mark Murphy leading the game, Penny Shaw in the foreground

 

"Just because most of you ARE artists, doesn't mean you can put your Pictionary designs for sale. And NO, you don't need to sign it."

 

One of the most important party duties known to man, opening of the beverages...

 

Another very important part of party particulars is the patient participation of the pause in awaiting the opening of the beverages.

 

The Paynes - Becky and Tom

 

Kathleen Gates, Mark Murphy and Lori Murphy

 

Sandra, Donna and Teresa 

 

That jacket that Tom was wearing deserved another look!

 

A fun time was had by all. It was wonderful to see everyone and if you couldn't be there - we missed you! 

 

Now please help me out here...with a group of over 100 members (and a plus one), I do NOT know everyone. Let alone know the names of the plus people. If you can pinpoint the name(s) to the exact pictures, please let me know and I would be happy to update. And by all means, if I got a name wrong...let me know!

 

---

Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA and Artistry Spin Blog Admin, 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.

Photography/Video Credits: Otis Stanley

---

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

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!

Post 420: PWAS Members Share What They Are Up To

PWAS Members Share What They Are Up To

Several Prince William Art Society Members share what they've been up to and where their art is.

Bettie Sperty

This one is a commission for someone. I hope to finish it this week.
It is a gift for the woman’s husband and is a painting of their dog. The woman is also a quilter and made the quilt for the dog’s bed, so it’s important that I get the quilt accurate, too. It is 11”x14” and done in oil.

Donna Liguria

This painting is in progress and will be called "Last Light Lighthouse NC". It's 24x24 and painted with acrylics on a gallery wrapped canvas. I just did a commission for someone for Christmas, so I can't post that one until after the holidays. I'm going to North Carolina, Harkers Island for Thanksgiving and I hope to be taking this one with me as I'll be setting up for an art show there. Also, was working on another commission that will be called "White House Having a White Christmas".

Find Donna's art here: https://donnaliguriaart.com, on her blog at https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/, on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/donna.liguria. Also, some of my art is in our PWAS Art Shop too!

Sandra McClelland Lewin

SLMLart.com Sandra's website

Bettie, Donna and Sandra are currently part of the GoWell Stonebridge and Warrenton locations committees, have been members of the gallery committee and other PWAS positions.

---

Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA and Artistry Spin Blog Admin, 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

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!

Post 419: Lynn Goldstein Visits PWAS

Lynn Goldstein Visits PWAS

The Prince William Art Society meets monthly on the 4th Monday of the month at 7:30pm and often has a guest speaker. For the October 23, 2023 meeting, a well-known artist, Lynn Goldstein was featured.

A Q&A on Various Art Topics

From Evelyn Chatters, PWAS Secretary:

Lynn Goldstein was our guest artist. She has a stellar resume, including national and international exhibitions. She has taught in France, Italy, and Portugal, to name a few countries. Locally, she is showing at the Workhouse, building #5. She is a graphic designer who works with acrylic and pastels. It was interesting to note that she does not use certificates of authenticity or place watermarks on her art that is displayed on social media. Ms. Goldstein conducts classes with groups overseas. She has a website and a book with her artwork.

 

Photo by Otis Stanley

 

From Emily Hawes, PWAS Program Director:

Lynn gave an overview of her background and development as an artist, her experience and her current endeavors which include teaching, leading art tours overseas and showing in a selection of galleries. Several members of the audience with web galleries or who participate in group online or brick and mortar galleries asked questions about topics ranging from the technical such as underlayments to the best sources for specific mediums.* Several members also offered tips for sources and companies they have dealt with successfully.

 

Photo by Otis Stanley

An evolution in the styles of Lynn's work was clearly visible across the original works she brought and there was some discussion of how an artist can deal with the changes in their customer base as they pursue their own changing interests and push experimentation in a new direction they may feel strongly drawn toward while inevitably some prior customers may prefer their older style. How much should this influence how an artist works, and can an artist expand their base into those who may be more appreciative of their newer direction?

 

Photo by Ana Quispe

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

It shouldn't seem surprising that during a program with a planned focus on best practices for promoting one's art, many questions focused on the guest artist's emotional responses to the subjects of paintings (Lynn revealed that really beautiful old trees can make her cry!), feelings about a range of customer interactions, and artistic enjoyment of various art tour locations, but it could be a natural focus for a group of artists:  Exploring and portraying emotional content. Nor was it particularly surprising that aspects of commercial art work that appealed to one artist were anathema to another - because of course art is also about expressing individuality.

 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe 

 

Photo by Ana Quispe  

*Tip:  Lynn goes to Daniel Smith for her alizarin crimson water soluble oil paints and some of the blues that she feels they offer in a much truer hue.

November 27th General Membership Meeting Program - "Show and Share"

This month, the PWAS meeting is on November 27, 2023 and the "guest artists" will be each and every member or guest who brings one or two works to share with the membership. If you have a completed work you are enthusiastic about or if you have a promising start you have a clear vision for which you want to share, bring it in and allow us all to enjoy it with you. If you have a start you have begun to slow down on and need a few suggestions, bring it in to see if a bit of "brain storming" might provide the right boost to get you going again with enthusiasm. If you have a piece you have completed (no matter how long ago!) but never been entirely happy with, and want to hear suggestions from a variety of other artists on what might correct, improve or just enliven the work, bring it in to share.

Riffle through your stored works, ponder what's on your easel or work table right now, start a new work, or take something right off your walls! Plan ahead to bring something to show and share, and maybe discuss. See you on Monday night, November 27 at 7:30 pm in the Tall Oaks Community Center building, 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA 22192. The public is welcome to attend and non-members are invited to participate if desired by bringing art work as well.

From Donna Liguria:

I was so sorry I missed this meeting and officially meeting Ms. Goldstein. I've seen her online for a couple of years now, especially on Facebook. I signed up for her newsletter though! 

---

Author: Evelyn Chatters and Emily Hawes

 

Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA and Artistry Spin Blog Admin, 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.

Photography/Video Credits: 

Otis Stanley, Ana Quispe

---

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

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!

Post 418: PWAS GoWell Art Display

PWAS GoWell at Stonebridge Art Display

Some pictures from GoWell at Stonebridge and the Prince William Art Society members and art. Photos by Otis Stanley.

 

The GoWell Urgent Care Stonebridge lobby

 

 

Nicole Fisher's artwork selected by George, the owner of GoWell to hang in the lobby

 

Michelle Baker next to one of her art pieces

 

A Hallway view - we imagine and hope that visitors and employees all enjoy walking around the office and taking in all of the art!

 

Imagine being in an exam room...and having some excellent artwork to view

 

 

Sandra McClelland Lewin and Elizabeth Stathis after hanging Fatima Farzana Sumi's artwork

 

Mark Murphy photography and how to purchase the art QR code in the lobby

 

When the viewer uses their smart phone and snaps a picture of the QR code, the Prince William Art Society online art store opens to browse all of the art on display at GoWell - Stonebridge

https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/category/all-products

 

Pierre Georges and Otis Stanley's artwork

 

Hanging artwork in any space is quite the endeavor and most people don't know the time and effort it can take, especially when hanging art for the first time in a space! In an office, it is different than a gallery as you must consider the best pieces according to size of the wall AND what pieces work well together either next to each other or in a single room. And consideration includes the total length and view down the entire hallway.

Whether an office space or a gallery, hanging art is an art in itself. Bringing the whole design together is when you can accomplish telling a story in the display!

Although you may not GO to GoWell, the Prince William Art Society Art Store shows all of the art on display at the Stonebridge GoWell. Have a look at the store today!

---

Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA and Artistry Spin Blog Admin, 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.

Photography/Video Credits:
Otis Stanley

---

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

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!