All systems go! Lovely day. And there are still tulips:
Time to get outside and paint. Generous Gardeners planted 30,000 tulips along The Boulevard in Gloucester and the bulbs are getting ready to put on their show. Sort of a flash-mob plein air, let’s convene at the Fishermens’ Wives Memorial statue around 11 AM on Wednesday and Thursday, May 12 & 13, to put the show on canvas, sketchbook, paper or pad.
Watercolor Tulips, by Joyce Roessler
We’re asking for a $20 donation, to be split between Rocky Neck Art Colony and Generous Gardeners. No instruction. Just bring your enthusiasm.
Check back here for more updates and last-minute info (like rain).
If you’re interested in printing, you’ll want to take Maria Malatesta’s Gelli printing class focusing on Mixed Media. It runs the weekend of March 13-14. Get more info and sign up here
Block printing is the domain of Mary Rhinelander. She asks that you have previous experience to join this class. This’ll be a fun workshop, running for five Saturdays, starting the first day of spring! Get all the info here
Soon to be added: Need a little nudge to get your sketchbook practice under way? Artist Loren Doucette is the master nudged with feedback, prompts and loads of encouragement. Class runs four Tuesdays, from noon-1:30, starting March 9. Sign-up here
I first met Erica Beade in a very quiet room tucked into the second floor in the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Of course it was quiet — it was full of taxidermied birds and small animals. Erica was teaching a class on drawing birds, and I’ve been hooked on her calm and patient style ever since.
Although I haven’t taken her popular Mindful Drawing class, I’m very glad to offer it at RNAC (virtually, of course). And, it’s not just for artists. Got a pencil? Get mindful.
The class is one morning only, Wednesday, March 3, from 9:30 to 11:30. Cost is $40 for RNAC members, with a limit of 10 students. Don’t miss this one!
But, wait: There’s going to be more. Loren Doucette will lead a class on the Sketchbook (get yours ready!), from noon – 1:30 on Thursdays. Lunch with Loren! Link coming soon!
Martha (Marty) was RNAC’s Artistic Director for the past 8 years and we thought this would be a great way to honor all she’s done for Rocky Neck — and all the art directions she’s explored.
So…what’s in your sketchbook? Send submissions to RNAC.workshops@gmail.com, be sure to include a brief bit about what we’re looking at. And your name, of course.
From Judythe Evans Meagher
Some years ago, my husband and I spent a couple of weeks in France. In our absence, it rained for days on end, and I was happy to hear it because my new garden was getting watered without me. When we returned home, however, we discovered that our sump system had failed, and a large inventory of watercolor paintings were sitting in water even though they were raised above the floor.
My flood experience put a damper (no pun intended) on my use of the sketchbook, but after watching [the RNAC Members Meeting], I dug out some of them, rippled as they are. Now I am resolved to return to painting in them again, and I thank the art colony members for giving me the inspiration and the motivation to do so.
Here are some pages from the books I was able to salvage. —Judythe Evans Meagher
Ed. Note: Be sure to drop by Judythe’s studio on Rocky Neck this summer.
From Linda Bourke:
Several years ago my house burned to the ground. I lost everything, but what I mourn most is the loss of over 150 sketchbooks. Luckily, one of the qualities of keeping a daily practice is that it doesn’t stop. Since the fire, I have filled dozens of sketchbooks– various sizes and bindings. My sketchbook of choice has good quality black paper… — Linda Bourke
From Pamela Stratton:
This was a sketch for a mosaic honoring my ceramic pot that I purchased from Ruth Worrell. It is the inside of the vessel.
—Pamela Stratton
From Lynda Fatalo
These are drawings from my drawing-a-day 2020 (366 leap year!) series. The first group are drawings from the alphabet series. The second group are drawings from the number series (1-100). I posted a drawing a day for the year on instagram @artonomous_art I’m continuing posting a piece a day this year as well . — Lynda Fatalo
My “First Page” is attached. The fun has begun! My sketchbook medium is digital, using the painting tools in Adobe Photoshop 2021 – Matt Cegelis
From Neta Goren:
In Italy, 2019Ruins in Brit-She’an, looking east towards the Jordan mountains, 2017Umbria, Italy, 2019The 3rd Lockdown, 2021 (all images by Neta Goren)
I am a compulsive scribbler. And am particularly inspired by the small scale — these three are sample books of different types of Legion drawing papers. Who couldn’t be inspired to fill a 2.5X3-inch book of cats, whatever, or a month of sunsets?—Janice Brand
Here’s a special offer for members of Rocky Neck Art Colony: Let’s block print some holiday cards, together, apart.
Block Prints, by Mary Rhinelander
This year, whether socially distanced or locked down, keep pandemic panic at bay by joining artist Mary Rhinelander for three, one-hour get-togethers on Zoom.
Under Mary’s direction, we will design, carve and print. Mary will make her own card alongside us, available to answer questions and give advice. This is not a formal class, but rather a goodwill gesture to get us all organized and motivated to make an extra special card for our friends and family, many of whom we have been unable to see and spend time with. Plus, you can support the Post office by buying stamps!
Block Print, by Mary Rhinelander
Three get-togethers, one-hour each on December 2, 4 and 9. Cost for each is zip. Nil. Nada. Rien. Exclusive for Rocky Neck Art Colony Members. Happy Holidays, and let’s kick 2020 outta here!
Each online gathering starts at 10 AM.
You will need the following:
Blank cards and envelopes (smooth paper is easier to print)
Linoleum, sized accordingly
Carving tools and x-acto knife
A Sharpie
Ink (Mary recommends oil-based with soap and water clean up)
Putty knife
Brayer/roller
Plexiglass to roll ink on
Baren or wooden spoon
Rocky Neck and Mary will offer a follow-up in the New Year, so if you invest in these ingredients, you will have the opportunity to use them again.
Join us by sending an email to RNAC.Workshops@gmail.com. First 15 members to do so will receive confirmation and the Zoom link before the gathering begins. There will also be a link to Dick Blick for the suggested supplies, as well as a YouTube video of technique.
A little different this time. Instead of you creating a new piece of art, look around your house or studio — which one piece is your absolute favorite, the one you would have a hard time living without. It could be a piece done by you, your kids, your favorite artist. It just has to be really important to you.
For this “Share,” you can add a few words about why it speaks to you. But try to keep it to under 50 words. Send to RNAC.workshops@gmail.
Ken sent this in without a title. But do you really need one? By Ken King
Drawing, by Jake
This charcoal/pastel drawing was made by my son, Jake, many years ago. It shows the strength, balance and resilience that has made him into a fabulous, caring adult!
—Karen Ristuben
Happy Baby Car Ride, Gerardo Ortega
I was touring artists residencies in California when I met a family of potters from Jalisco, Mexico, who made beautifully unusual works. The entire family works together and was enjoying the Montalvo residency in Santa Clara. The father, Gerardo Ortega is the heir of three generations of potters and is considered a Grand Master of Mexican folk art. I fell in love with this joy-filled car depicting Mary, Joseph and the three kings taking the happy baby Jesus out for a ride.
—Kathy Archer
The Celeste Burrill, by Arthur V. Gregory
Painted in 1897 in Australia by marine artist Arthur V. Gregory, it shows my sea captain great grandfather, my great grandmother, and my then 9-year-old grandfather aboard the ship Celeste Burrill. From Australia to Nova Scotia to Minnesota and now to Massachusetts, it connects me to 10 generations of mariners.
— Paul Trefry
Petie
This is a taxidermy bird I love. I’ve painted it many times. His name is Petie. Looks exactly like my childhood pet bird.
— Joyce Roessler
Storm Warning, by Kevin Magnan
This is a painting by my son Kevin Magnan. He grew up around the ocean and has painted a number of seascapes, capturing many different moods. This is one of my favorites.
—Ray Magnan
Walt Whitman Portrait (1969, 4/25), by Antonio Frasconi
I fell in love with this the minute my father brought it home. Walt’s been with me a long time, and so have my favorite lines of his:
O to be self-balanced for contingencies,
To confront night, storms,
hunger, ridicule, accidents, rebuffs,
as the trees and animals do.
We’re at 25+ weeks of Art Challenge, which has been a great run. I’m sensing a lessening of enthusiasm or at least of submissions, so I’m going to ease up for a while and consider this the Fortnightly Art Challenge. It’s getting colder and there’ll be fewer options for distractions, so maybe things will pick up.
So, you’re not off the hook yet! This fortnight (two weeks), draw with white on a black surface. Simple, but powerful.
Rules are simple:
Black & white (okay, I added some color)
2D or 3D
Any surface, any medium
Draw from direct observation preferred where possible
Deadline is November 7. Send submissions to RNAC.workshops@gmail.com. If you have some killer ideas for new Challenges, send those along too!
“Who are we, where are we from, where are we going…” to paraphrase someone else, by Ken KingBlack Self Portrait, by Joyce RoesslerEbb Tide, by Pat CollinsSeptember 30, by Linda BourkeWet Street, by Pat CollinsFloaters, by Matt CegelisCharles River Bridge, by Ray MagnanWhite on Black Paper, by Neta GorenBuster, by Janice BrandWiggy, by Linda Bourke
In a summer that wasn’t great for much else, the artists of Rocky Neck fought back with some terrific work at a bunch of plein air workshops. Here’s a sampling:
Ron Krouk’s Two Day Workshop on the Figure (Aug. 26 & 27)
Loren Doucette’s Poetic Landscape Class (Sept. 19)
RNAC Workshops 