Another fun Valley Arts workshop on Friday (June 14). Gwen and Karen introduced techniques for painting with watercolors on crinkled up masa paper for a simple way to achieve a batik-like effect.
Crinkled Masa Paper Class
Author: Karen
A painter for most of my adult life, I was able to finally create time and space for art to occupy the primary place in my life upon retiring and moving to Bellingham, WA, from the Denver, CO, metro area. My work can be seen at the Sudden Valley Community Center and at the South Whatcom Library in Sudden Valley, Bellingham.
Virginia Heaven in the Edmonds Arts Festival
We are pleased to announce that Valley Arts Group member Virginia Heaven has had three watercolor paintings accepted into the 2019 Edmonds Arts Festival, June 14 – 16, at the Frances Anderson Center in Edmonds, WA. The Festival has grown over the years from a small community art fair to one of the most prestigious in the Pacific Northwest, attracting accomplished artists from across the nation and Canada. The Festival galleries showcase fine art from more than 400 regional artists. Juried by professional artists, only the highest quality art is selected to be displayed.
Virginia’s three paintings are variations on a theme inspired by reports of the alleged killing of a mating pair of cougars in Sudden Valley earlier this year. The piece shown here is titled “Karma.”
Congratulations to Virginia for this exceptional recognition. For more information about the Edmonds Arts Festival, click here.
VAG Artists in the Community
Our Valley Arts Group artists have been busy participating in a number of exhibits in the community at large! Stephanie Strong and Karen Peter both had items in the Jansen Art Center’s Spring Juried Show that ended on June 1; Stephanie and Alice Healy now both have paintings showing in the Summer Juried Show that began this week and runs through the end of August. Here are a few of the pieces they have or are displaying.
Danila Van Veen’s paintings are being featured by the Whatcom Art Guild this month at the Village Book Store in Bellingham.
Alice Healy is the Whatcom Art Guild’s featured artist this month at the Colophon Cafe in downtown Bellingham.
Congratulations to all our Sudden Valley artists who have had their talents recognized in the community!
Needle Felting Class
Penny Bamford taught us a new skill during her class on needle felting on May 23.
VAG Out and About
The Camano Island Studio Tour on May 18 was a great success. Members enjoyed visiting a number of Camano Island artists’ studios as well as opportunities to talk with the artists. The day included lunch on the island and a pause for a group photo.
Camano Island Studio Tour
A lovely outing was enjoyed by seven of our Valley Arts Group members on May 11th, when they traveled to Camano Island for the first day of the 20 year Celebration of the Camano Island Studio Tour. The group had time to visit ten artist’s studios (fewer than half the number on the tour!) and enjoyed seeing the work of over 50 artists. It was a full day, including a yummy lunch of turkey sandwiches from the Utsalady Ladies Aid members. We were pleased to learn of artists who are willing to lead classes, plus all the art in so many various media excited and inspired our members to want to go home and create their own new pieces of art! Many thanks to VAG member Gwen Callahan, who organized and planned this fun trip.
Acrylic Pouring Workshop
Denise Champion’s April 28th workshop on acrylic pouring techniques was a great success, with a dozen participants getting “down and dirty” (i.e., making a mess!) to create beautiful abstract canvases of their own. Thanks, Denise, for providing a fun and fantastic creative activity!
Acrylic Pour Demo
Denise Champion’s demonstration of acrylic pouring techniques on Thursday, February 22, was beyond fascinating! All in attendance were enthralled as gorgeous paintings were coaxed into appearing out of a cupful of various paints and additives poured out over canvas. Denise brought several finished examples along and completed three paintings while doing the demonstration. There appears to be interest in having Denise teach a class in this technique, where participants could pour and complete their own paintings. Watch our “Upcoming Events” page for more information as details are firmed up. See more of Denise’s work at the Northwind Arts Center in Port Townsend, WA, opening March 3.
New Classes Added
Check out our new “Upcoming Events” page! We’ve added FUN NEW CLASSES for early 2018, some with limited class size so don’t miss out; check in often to see what’s coming up and save the dates for your favorites!
Holiday Art Trip to White Rock
On December 3, Valley Arts Group President Gwen Callahan led a contingent of VAG members on a tour of two galleries in White Rock, BC. The group spent a lovely afternoon viewing wood carvings, fabric art, ceramics and paintings in oils, watercolors, and acrylics by Arnold Mikelson at the Mind and Matter Art Gallery and then visited the festive Christmas Open House at the White Rock Gallery, where many of the exhibiting artists happily shared their ideas and thoughts about producing the art they had on display. Attendees were greeted and welcomed by a formal doorman and enjoyed complimentary wine and fine food bites while perusing the exhibits. The VAG group enjoyed time to discuss all they had seen while savoring dinner in a local restaurant before returning home. Many thanks to Gwen for arranging and facilitating this holiday trip!
Valley Arts Group 