By John MacArthur
MAA Plein Air Chairperson

One of the biggest plein air events in Montgomery County Maryland, is just around the corner. Our Paint the Town Labor Day Show in Kensington will be held over Labor Day Weekend, September 4-6, and it includes a plein air competition on Saturday, September 4. 

On Saturday, the 4th, participants will get their canvas stamped in the morning and head out to capture a plein air painting within the Kensington town limits. Take a look at our plein air competition page to read the rules and sign up. Then show up and get your "Art On!!!"  

If you are new to this method of painting, this is a good event to get your palette wet. People in Kensington are aware and supportive. You have a wide range of subjects from Antique Row to St. Paul's Park. There are lovely older homes. There are gardens. Why, there is even a train station. The choice is yours. Here is a link to a map with the borders of Kensington clearly defined.

Competition Rules: Your canvas or paper must be stamped on Saturday, September 4. Doors open at 7 am for this purpose. You must return your artwork for judging and sale by 3 pm the same day. (Note: If you do not wish to mark your piece for sale, you may note "Not for Sale"). 

Aha, you have eight hours to complete your masterpiece. Your personal time begins when you get your support stamped. Successful artists in the past have had a good idea of where they wanted to set up before they got their canvas/paper stamped. You have a few weeks to decide. It is worth a trip to check out the area and make a decision about where you would like to set up.

Experienced plein air artists that have participated in other "Quick Draw" events should not confuse Paint the Town with those events. The Montgomery Art Association's focus is on inclusion and the experience of painting plein air. The clock is not ticking away a two- or three-hour deadline. You do not have to use all eight hours--they are just there if you need them. 

New to painting outside? It has been a joy since pigs bladders were replaced with tin containers. It became very popular in the mid 1800s and was the hallmark of the Impressionists. Post Impressionists also found the outdoors the place to paint. Cezanne painted Mont Sainte-Victoire from dozens of angles and in every season. In a letter to his sister, VanGogh shared, "No matter what people say; we painters work better in the country, everything there speaks more clearly, everything holds firm, everything explains itself...".

And now, some tips from an old plein air guy ...

Once you have chosen a scene, block in the large shapes. Squint your eyes so details fade. You are looking for composition and value. Keep stepping back from your work. I usually prefer working back to front or distance to up close. 

You are outside, so remember atmosphere blues things down as they are farther in the distance. Things that are closer are usually a darker value than things that are farther away. Use a tighter palette. 

Colors? Most plein air artists work with a cool and warm of the primary colors and white. Depending on my subject, I add two or three other colors that I will need in the painting. For me, working analogously helps tie the piece together. Colors mixed from the base colors in the painting often work better than a stray color from a tube. Black? Sometimes I use it and other times I find a mixture of alizarin and viridian is more vibrant. Greys? Always use the complement of a nearby color. Greys should be alive and not dull. 

Light is so important. The impact on your painting is important. Know your light source and make sure you have it represented by shadows falling away from the source. It illuminates everything receiving direct light. Shadows are impacted by reflected light. Plein air is not a black and white world. 

Remember. You are painting outside. The area around you is your studio and leaving it as you found it is your responsibility. When packing up your gear, don't forget to include a trash bag. 

It is a wonderful way to spend a day. Art on!!!

Photos by Martina Sestakova

By Blandine Broomfield
MAA Member

Have you ever been standing next to your painting at a show and had someone say, “So tell me about your painting?” The next words that come out of your mouth could cause that person’s eyes to sparkle with interest or glaze over with boredom.

During a recent MAA webinar, Esther Choy of the Leadership Story Lab challenged participants to come up with a way to introduce their paintings as a story, like “Have you ever been in a car crash?”  The listeners lock in your story as it relates to his experience. Of course, not many of our paintings are about car crashes, and you have to concisely relate the fascinating story of what your specific art is about.

Choy felt that having a story is essential in so much of life, from resumes to art shows. She talked about a technique she called "IRS":

• Interesting beginning: Quickly get people curious.. Tap in to a universal experience that your audience can relate to. But also make them wonder what they'll find out next.
• Riveting middle: Keep it interesting! Add some tension, too -- that will keep their attention.
• Satisfying end: Make sure you wrap up the story. Know how you want the person to feel in the end? Happy? Surprised? Shocked?

With the following painting in mind, I’ll now have a go at that:

Have you ever seen something on the news that made you cry? A few years ago in the Italian Alps, there was an avalanche that flattened a hotel.  I happened to see it on the news as the rescue efforts began. New to painting, I had never painted a large piece, but I was immediately consumed with the desire to depict what I saw.

However, I had recently been told in art class that one does not use people’s photos without permission and credit. Therefore, I combed through the news on the internet trying to find the little names and copyright symbols around the edges of the photographs. I discovered that CNSAS Italian Mountain and Cave Rescue Corp., as an organization had most of the attributions. I looked them up and wrote to their PR director. 

After a few weeks I received an email from Italy (just as exciting as the old days with international air mail). They graciously sent me a link to all their photos and videos on Google. And so, among other pieces, I created this. 

It shows some of the heroic efforts of a huge group of men who toiled through six-foot snows up the mountain to try to pull people out of the wreckage of the Hotel Riggopiano.

And that's my story. How did I do?

By Judith Levine
Education and Children’s Activities Chair

MAA is proud to sponsor annual scholarships in cooperation with the Montgomery College Art Foundation, awarding it deserving Montgomery College students. This year’s scholarships went to two students with international backgrounds: Rahela Majidi, originally from Afghanistan, and Phaedra Askarinam, who was born in Iran before her family fled to Israel in 1991 when she was 19. Their stories parallel growing up as children in countries where girls are rarely encouraged to get an education beyond the most basic needs, and where studying the arts has been forbidden.

Rahela Majidi was born and raised in Afghanistan, a country that is steeped in conservative traditions and is now controlled by a group that opposes educating girls. Coming to the US was a long-standing dream. She was fortunate enough to attend school when a less repressive leadership was in power, allowing her to get a degree in English and Literature in 2012.

She was not allowed to follow her interest in art, which began as a 12 year old. “My only ‘training’ was finding a Bob Ross CD in a bookstore,” she told us.

She has completed 25 credits towards her Associate Degree in art at Montgomery College; her goal is to complete this and the go on to university to obtain a BFA in Studio Art.

Phaedra Askarinam, meanwhile, was born in Iran, her family feeling from there to Israel when she was 19. In Israel, she met the American who would be her reason for coming to the US, where they would marry and raise 2 sons. Her sister and mother still live in Israel.

Though she has drawn her entire life, she only took her first formal art class in 2010. The mother of one of her son’s friends told her she taught private art lessons and encouraged her to take some. That was the start of the journey that took her to Montgomery College, where she completed her Associate Degree. Now, at the University of Maryland, she is studying with hopes to complete her BFA in the Spring of 2022.

She works in acrylic, oil, mixed media, wood, steel, and clay; her pieces include both painting and sculpture. She also enjoys practicing yoga, and she is a certified yoga instructor. She also enjoys large family gatherings for which she is known to prepare Persian food for crowds of 30 or more!

MAA has a long history of providing scholarship money to deserving students. Changing the course of a student’s life is a special feeling, one that every member of our organisation is responsible for. So here’s to our most recent scholarship winners, Phaedra and Rahela, and to every one of you has helped make their dreams a reality.

Membership Chair Kathy Tynan contributed to this feature.

by John MacArthur
Plein Air Activities Chair

So you've decided that the weather is nice and you would like to venture out and paint. En plein air is a phrase used to describe painting outdoors. The very thought of standing out there, attempting to create a masterpiece ( or at least something that will not bring laughter), quite "naked" can be intimidating. I know that I was lucky. I began plein air painting at a very young age. I used berries and tea. Nothing created lasted long enough to hang on a refrigerator door much less be framed and hung. I painted because it was wonderful to be outside and attempt to replicate the world around me.

The practice of plein air didn't really take off until tin paint tubes were created. It made it easier for an artist to take his tools outside. The world of plein air started with the Barbizon School and then exploded with the Impressionists and the Post-Impressionists. Art aficionados are familiar with Constable, Bonnington and Turner. The world knows Monet, Manet and Renoir. Almost everyone has seen a replication of a VanGogh or Cezanne. Plein Air forever changed the landscape of the art world.

Your experience will be greatly enhanced if you show up prepared to paint. Sure, you need canvas, paint and brushes but what else will make your day smoother? I have some suggestions, things I have learned through years of experience. I have painted in all types of weather and dealt with all the perils of being in the elements. I have realized there is a happy medium between bringing all you need and bringing everything you can carry. Pack it all but pack light.

What do you need? First, you will need pochade box or plein air easel, paints, a drying box to keep your paintings from touching each other while they are still wet, an umbrella for protection from the sun. Sounds like a lot and it could be if you just blindly began assembling supplies. In the beginning, you may wish to use a "French Easel." It is a pochade box, easel and place for paints and brushes all in one. You can go to Amazon and find one or you can go to Jerrys Artarama and review what they have. (I am a big Jerrys Artarama fan) There are several products you can purchase to carry wet easels. Now this is only an issue if you are painting with oil. Acrylic and Watercolor dry quickly and they are easier to transport back to your home/studio. I have found that the best wet paint carrying device is a used pizza box. I prefer Ledos because they still use the old sturdy pizza boxes. The flimsy cardboard boxes just don't work as well.

It is important to understand that you will be outside, possibly for a few hours. Choose your location with a few things in mind. One, who will paint with me? It is a good practice to always have a "plein air partner." If you have to leave your spot, you really don't want to have to pack everything then return and unpack everything. It is a sad commentary, but being alone in a secluded area is just is not safe anymore.

Two and more, where is the nearest public restroom? How much foot traffic or motorized traffic is close by? Is there parking? Do I have permission?

Know the weather!!! How cold or hot will it be when you are outside? As Clint Eastwood famously shared, "A man's got to know his limitations." In the sun, you need a hat and if possible a stationary umbrella. It will keep you cool and the umbrella will reduce glare on your canvas. Sunscreen and bug spray are an absolute necessity. You can get so lost in the process, you won't realize you are baking or that maybe a mosquito is feasting on your leg. Protection is called for! Free heads up -- cold and warm, wet and dry are all manageable. Wind is not your friend. If winds are forecast to be 20 mph or greater, it may be a better day for yard work or watching a movie. Wind is not your friend. Over the years, I have had many easels blow over, paintings go sailing or entire palettes splash to the ground. Avoid the pain. Wind is not your friend.

As always, art on!

By Martina Sestakova

Members of Montgomery Art Association come from all walks of life and their artworks and creative processes reflect this wonderful variety. In this blog, we invite you to enjoy a selection of pieces that explore the power of the color orange. Scroll down to enjoy a lovely array of ideas!

Martina Sestakova, Touch the Earth (26x20", acrylics/watercolors on yupo). This painting's title is inspired by a line in Mary Oliver's poem, "Song for Autumn". Aerial view of Earth? Maybe. More like the coolness of grass, the dirt on my fingers, the warmth of sun rays, gentle footsteps, dandelions swaying in the wind. Touching the Earth is splendid. I so enjoyed adding orange into the field of greens. That colors wakes up the piece.

Pritha Srinivasan, Fiery Heart (12x16”, watercolor). This is my portrait of rockstar Shirley Manson, with her vibrant orange hair!

Jenny Wilson, Daylily Garden (20x30", acrylic on canvas). 

Fran Sokol Simon, Night Falls in the Garden (11x14", acrylic and crayon on paper).

Rosemary Behizadeh Yue, Rice Lake Sunset (16x20”, acrylic on canvas painted with palette knife). My good friend sends me photos from her vacations and I really loved this one. I originally started correcting the orange to pink as cameras often turn sunsets orange, but she said the sunset was actually bright orange.

Shayne Heller, Orange Squeeze (6x6", fused glass tile). Inspired by our vintage glass citrus juicer. Ahh! Fresh-squeezed orange juice. 

Alan Rich, Orange You Glad I Didn't Say Banana? (3.5x5", pen and watercolor on toned paper).

Karen Merkin, Florida Orange (12x12", oil on board).

Jamie Downs, Hibiscus (30x30", acrylic on deep canvas). Inspired by flowers on Sanibel Island.

Anastasia Walsh, Escape to Creek (12x12", alcohol inks on plastic box). During the pandemic, I witnessed more families enjoying time together along the Northwest Branch creek. Usually hikers and joggers stay on the trail, but last summer and fall families picnicked along the creek.

Elizabeth Levine Steel, Blue Rising, Orange Going Down (20x16", acrylic mixed on canvas). Created November 8, 2020. 

Dora Patin, Last Act (9x12", oil on panel). My painting "Last Act" is a reference to the presidential election 2020. The orange represents the 45th president. The orange is in the limelight on a stage. The stage is a cutting board and the orange is being peeled to be consumed. The curtains are closed which signifies the end of the performance. The surroundings are different shades of blue, the color of Democrats. Blue also happens to be the opposite of orange. I finished this painting on the day of the election not knowing the outcome, but hoping for a change.

Mary Jordan, F*** off ED; It's an Orange, not Poison (9x12"; mixed media/acrylic on canvas). When struggling with an eating disorder (ED), to choose an orange as a snack, to eat it (not just 1/2 a slice but the whole orange) and to savor the juiciness, the tart sweetness - that it is an act of defiance.

Eva Zang Tkatch, Gathering Romance (12x12", cold wax and alcohol inks on deep canvas). Since the pandemic, I have been painting more and more abstract florals. I love the uplift it gives to me and hopefully, the viewer.

Kim Williams, At River's Edge (16x20", acrylic on canvas). I am drawn to the water because it is a place to reflect.

Thank you for stopping by and enjoying the artworks of our members! Be sure to check out our other blogs as we celebrate the unique artworks of DMV-based artists. 

The following works were the award winners of our Creative Expressions 2021 exhibition. Our judge was artist Diane Wilson of the Washington Studio School.

See a PDF of all award-winning works

Landscape

• 1st place: At Rest by Terry Pellmar 
• 2nd place: October River by Jenny Wilson
• 3rd place: Morning Light, Winter by Mary Ellen Simon
• Honorable mentions: Fermenting Storm by Rodney Mayer; Almost There by Christina Haslinger 

Still Life

• 1st place: Caring the Angel by Edward Johanson
• 2nd place: First Cup by Erik Ramsey
• 3rd place: Days Promise by Leslie Kraff 
• Honorable mentions: Farmer's Market Finds by Jennifer Crouch and Cumpleaños by Susan Sinclair Galego 

Abstract

• 1st place: Infrastructure 111, Purple Bridge by Rosemary Fallon 
• 2nd place: Light at the End of the Tunnel by Marcia Bhorjee
• 3rd place: Bold and Gold by Mari Craig
• Honorable mentions: Tunes Without Words by Karen Egbert and Urban Destiny by Sandra Edmonson

People Portraits

• 1st place: Weathered by Ellen Yahuda 
• 2nd place: Amazed by Miguel Mitchell 
• 3rd place: Paris Chef by Barbara Mandel 
• Honorable mentions: Peer Pressure by Karen Lantner; Waiting by Joyce Koeneman 

Animal World

• 1st place: Dog Contemplating Reality by Jean Finkleman
• 2nd place: Happy Goldfish by Sarah Clayton Davis
• 3rd place: Wash, Rinse, Repeat by Jamie Downs
• Honorable mentions: I Am Not Squeezing Him Too Tightly by Mary Jordan; Cat in Space by Rahela Majidi

By Diane Wilson
Judge, Creative Expressions 2021

It's a privilege to participate in this show, though I'm deeply conflicted about judging art. Painting is a process, not a product, and it doesn't yield to quantification or to the merit system.

To not see your work in person is a loss. After all, the subject of painting is the physicality of the paint itself.

Painting derives its energy from unresolved conflict. It has the capacity to make us nervous. Your work has made visible a broad range of precarious emotional and spacial ambiguity. The subject of painting is the paint itself. Without a subject that gnaws at us, we easily succumb to decoration.

Ultimately, painting returns us to the vulnerability of the human condition.

Please welcome one of our newest members - Jennifer Crouch

Lives in:   Rockville, MD

Media:  Acrylic and Oils

Subject:  Abstracts, Florals, Landscapes

Website: https://linktr.ee/JenniferCrouchArt

Social Media:  @cloverandpaint(instagram)

Why you joined MAA:   My husband likes to joke that I “paint in secret”.  I joined MAA to express confidence in my art and engage with the local artist community (and prove my husband wrong!).

Something fun about you: I have visited 40 of the 50 states.

Artist Biography:  Jennifer Crouch is an interior designer by day and an artist by night. She has taken numerous painting and art classes over the years and holds an M.F.A. in Interior Design from George Washington University. In her words, “For me, painting is as much a source of therapy as it is a joy.” Jennifer is a native of the DC-area. When not painting or designing, she can be found chasing after her toddler and two rescue dogs.

Please enjoy a few of Jennifer’s works. 

   

MAA members in good standing are voting this month on candidate for our 2021-22 Board of Directors and on changes to our bylaws. We ask that members please vote no later than Friday, May 28 at 5 pm.; please refer to the email that was sent to you for a link to the ballot.

Updating the Bylaws

The past year has made us realize that our Bylaws were out of date. We are using this opportunity to modernize them, and we present for your consideration updates to 21 sections. In this PDF, you can review all of the changes; the existing language is in the left column and the proposed new language is to the right.

Board of Directors Candidates

The following candidates are running for the 2021-22 Board of Directors. Note that no position is contested, and all of our officers are running again. We also have some vacancies. If you are interested in a vacant position, please contact Alan Rich. 

Officers

• President: Alan Rich
• Vice President, Programs & Activities: Jen Barlow
• Vice President, Shows: Cecilia Tobler
• Vice President, Communications & Marketing (pending approval of Article 5, Section 5.1.2): Elissa Poma
• Secretary: Kathy Tynan
• Treasurer: Anastasia Walsh

Committee Chairs

• Program/Activities Committee Chair: Hiral Joshi
• Plein Air Activity Lead: John Macarthur
• Children's Program Activity Lead: Judith Levine
• Marketing and Publicity Chair: Martina Sestakova
• Hospitality Committee Chair: Miguel Mitchell
• Equipment Committee Chair: Joyce Koeneman
• Membership Committee Chair: Kathy Tynan
• Paint the Town Committee Chair: Anastasia Walsh
• Communications Chair: Vacant
• In-person Shows Committee Chair: Vacant
• Online Shows Committee Chair: Vacant
• Finance Committee Chair: Vacant
• Volunteer Committee Chair: Vacant

By Martina Sestakova

Members of Montgomery Art Association come from all walks of life and their artworks and creative processes reflect this wonderful variety. In this blog, we invite you to enjoy a selection of pieces that explore 'memories'. Scroll down to enjoy a lovely array of ideas!

Alexandra Treadaway, Covid-19 Mona Lisa (watercolor, 15x11"). A walk in Brookside Gardens with a friend that I had not seen in over a year!

Sue Fierson, Sunrise 5AM, Ft. Sewell (watercolor and ink, 10x8"). The tree featured here blew down in a northeaster in 2019.

Judith Levine, Pointe Shoes (watercolor and conte on paper, 9x12"). I was drawing in a dance class and a friend had dropped a pair by her dance bag. I recall looking at these fragile shoes and thinking of how much beauty a dancer makes using them.

John Mac Arthur, Daddy’s Little Girl (watercolor, 8x10"). I used a photograph that was taken of me sound asleep while making sure my daughter, Molly, didn’t roll out of the bed taking a nap.

Christopher Hoppe, DC Blossom Stroll (oil on canvas, 16x20"). This painting depicts the moments during the Cherry Blossom time when I would meet my wife in DC after work and it would be a rainy day and she would have her baby blue rain boots and rain gear and I would see her in the distance. Beautiful memories.

Rosemary Behizadeh Yue, Family Vacation (acrylic on canvas, 16x20”). This painting hangs on my office wall. It’s my husband bringing in my youngest from playing in the waves. You can see the careful way he’s holding him.

Anastasia Walsh, My Brother's Room (alcohol inks on glass, 16x13" framed). This little painting is based on an old photo from when I was about 6; playing with my brother and two friends. One thing I felt I captured so well was my character looking sideways, longingly, at the older girl on my right, wanting so much to get her approval. Also, my blond brother's portrait shows him as I remember him, deeply concentrating.

Fran Sokol Simon, Ode to the Magic of My Gifts (acrylic resist, 9x12"). This is in memory of my heart donor (I am a transplant recipient) and in honor of my husband, the two most precious gifts, inspired by a night of dancing and music I realized I might not have experienced if it were not for the magic of both of those two generous people.

Jean Fin, A Church in the Grand Tetons (oil on canvas, 16x20”). I took a wonderful cross country bus trip to view the solar eclipse in 2017. This little church was my idea of the perfect place to live.

Marti Wells, Seagull (watercolor, 12x15"). This little laughing gull lives on Lake Zürich. Wonderful outing with my Brother, the last one in Zürich. He is moving to another country.

Heather Pattee Medrano, What it Means to Us (mixed media on canvas, 16x20"). A painting from a family photograph. Memories of a redeployment arrival home from Iraq. The look of relief on his face still chokes me up and was my main focus on this one.

Ann Terbush Schaefer, Embracing Memories (oil on linen, 24x24”). This piece celebrates the beautiful Denzel carousel at Glen Echo Park, where so many memories have been made over the years.

Sarah Renzi Sanders, There's  No Place Like Home (acrylic mixed media, gold leaf, embroidery thread on canvas, 36x48"). My first memory of fear: being separated from my twin sister on the first day of kindergarten.

Leslie Kraff. This is a memory dear to my heart. Baking cake with my children. And the best part: licking the bowl!

Karen Cohen, Sunset in the Mountains (watercolor on yupo, 5x7"). Amazing colors fill the sky and ground when the sun sets in my country home, which happens to be almost heaven. 

Thank you for stopping by and enjoying the artworks of our members! Be sure to check out our other blogs as we celebrate the unique artworks of DMV-based artists.