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. 

Welcome - Susan diRende

Hometown: Bethesda, Md

Media and subjects: I have two different styles of work. I create miniatures in ink on the small polyvinyl panels used for credit and ID card printing, and I create larger works in acrylic on paper and canvas. The miniatures are mostly representational landscape and nature images. The acrylic works tend to be abstract and focused on shape and color.

Why you joined MAA: To connect and find a community to share ideas and philosophies of art and the artist’s life.

Something fun about you: I was a clown in the circus when I was in my 20s.

Website:  susandirende.com

Social media:  

Insta: http://www.instagram.com/susandirende/

FB: http://www.facebook.com/SusandiRendeAuthor

Twitter: @sudi

Artist Biography:

Susan diRende — writer, artist, filmmaker, and clown— founded the Broad Humor Film Festival in 2005 for comic films by women.  She grew up in Montgomery County.  Her family moved here when she was entering junior high, and although she has traveled and lived in many places over the past fifty plus years, Susan keeps coming back to this area.  In 2015, she sold everything and took off for a vagabond year of wandering the world with laptop, paints, and camera. The year has somehow stretched into 5 until the pandemic grounded her. Her series of daily artwork, A Year in Miniature, has had exhibitions in Seattle, Wellington, Brussels, and Chapala. Her comic science fiction/fantasy novella, Unpronounceable, was awarded the 2017 Special Citation for Excellence by the Philip K Dick Awards. She continues to write, paint, and clown around from her home base in Bethesda while waiting for the world to open back up for wandering.

Please enjoy viewing a sample of her wonderful work. 

    

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 concept of renewal. Scroll down to enjoy a lovely array of ideas!

Christopher Hoppe, "Southwest Sunrise" (24x30", oil on canvas)

When I did this oil painting, I just started dating my wife. She renewed my faith in love and relationships. So this painting symbolizes renewal to me.

Joyce Koeneman, "Spring Forward" (11x14", acrylic on canvas)

The beginning of spring, the early flowers peeking up through the remains of winter debris.

Martina Sestakova, "A Fresh Start" (10x8", acrylics on yupo)

"A Fresh Start"... This painting ponders the value of our past and the value of leaving it behind. Focusing on the present moment - and dreaming of a good future - is healing, isn't it? Filled with colors, there are a lot of textures and details in this piece.

Rosemary Behizadeh Yue, “Radiance” (16x20”, acrylic on canvas)

This took 3x to get right but I always feel hopeful when I see it.

Dora Patin, "Vernal Harbinger" (8x10", oil)

I love to see daffodils pop up everywhere as the weather warms up. It’s such a happy sight.

Lesley Anne Hansley, "Dulcimina" (24x36”, acrylic on canvas)

A current painting with a character from my past.

Anastasia Walsh, “Maine Cabin” (9x12”, watercolor)

The sunrise revealed this paradise white cabin on a remote island off the Maine coast. Each day is a renewal and resurgence of hope.

Jenny Wilson, "Spring Flowers" (6x8", pastel)

Liz Zadravec, "Something in the Air" (8x10", colored pencil)

Things will start to bloom, a buzz is in the air, something to sing about.

Sue Fierston, “Spring Color Change (10x8", hand printed gyotaku, Akua ink on paper)

The energy of the spring pinks and greens brought this fish’s expression to life.

Alan Rich, "Rain Barrel" (2014 commissioned installation at Willey Farms in Townsend, DE. Fluid pour skins glued to plastic 55 gallon barrel)

In November 2018, a massive fire burned it to the ground. Miraculously, the first phase rebuild and reopening was late 2019 and there was still building going on in 2020. Sadly, the barrel is lost forever, but a renewed spirit has emerged.

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. 

We are excited to announce the lineup of artists for our special evening of art and storytelling on April 12. More than a dozen artists who are participating in MAA’s current online exhibition “Our Stories, Our Journeys” will show their works and share the stories behind their art in an inspiring online event on Monday, April 12 from 5-6 pm ET.

Participating artists are: Blandine Broomfield, Stephanie Gustavson, Hiral Joshi, Mita Lazarte, Miguel Mitchell, Lesley Riley, Martina Sestakova, Fran Simon, Joyce Smith, Kathleen Tevnan, Alexandra Treadaway-Hoare, Marti Wells and Lis Zadravec.

The event is free and open to the public. Advanced registration required.

Sign up today