January Newsletter

January 2011

Calling All Volunteers

The DWS Board of Directors is seeking volunteers to provide some much needed assistance. 

·      We need help searching for and securing new venues in which to exhibit your work;

·      We need members who will work with President Anne Crown-Cyr to seek out and secure award sponsors for our juried exhibitions;

·      We need volunteers to participate in our new quarterly mini -workshops;

·      We need recruiters to help expand our membership base;

·      We need planners and workers to assist in developing plans for our annual General Meeting in June;

·      In short, we need you, the membership, to participate in helping the organization to grow in many directions.

Please consider what you can do to help DWS in one or more of these efforts.  Contact Anne via e-mail at cyrdsgn@comcast.net  or call her at 302 226 7781 to volunteer your services. 

Dues ARE Definitely DUE

By now you should have received a Dues notice in the mail.   If you have already sent in your 2011 annual dues, we thank you for your prompt response.  If you still need to send in your payment, please do so as quickly as possible to prevent interruption of your membership.  The deadline is January 31^st.  Artist members please remember your dues are $30.00 annually, Associate members your dues are $20.00.  Signature members who fail to pay annual dues will forfeit your Artist-level Signature status and will have to reapply to be reinstated at that level.  Please send your checks made payable to DWS to:

Lynn Brittingham, Membership Director

DWS

P.O. Box 94

Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

        

Artist Member Jury

DWS conducted its first Artist-level Membership Selection Process on Jan. 15, 2011.  A jury of five signature members met to evaluate four paintings from each candidate who entered the Selection Process.   A set of rigorous, objective criteria was established by the Executive Board, this was utilized by the Jury to determine if the candidate’ s work met the high standards set by DWS for its Artist-level members. 

This is an event that will be conducted twice each year in January and July on the third Saturday of those months.   The Selection Process is open to members and non-members.  Once a candidate has been selected, he or she must then pay the artist-level dues to finalize the process.   The next Selection Process will be held on July 16^th.  If you have questions about the application procedures and requirement, contact Elizabeth Collard, Signature Coordinator at

 fleur-de-lisstudio@comcast.net  or call her at 302 645 4821.

This is a strictly confidential process and both jurors’ and candidates’ names are withheld.  New Artist-level members will be announced once they have received official notification and have paid the dues required.

Member News

Isabel Pizzolatto had all three of her miniature watercolor paintings accepted into the D.C. Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society’s Annual International Show held in Strathmore Hall In North Bethesda, MD.

Congratulations are in order, Anne Crown-Cyr not only had a painting selected into one of the prestigious Art League of Alexandria shows but also received an Honorable Mention Award for her entry.

Welcome to new DWS Associate members:

• Ms. Siv Spurgeon, NWS, PWS, BWS, PWCS of Swarthmore , PA

• Ms. Nancy Orme Mysak, BWS of Allen, MD

Rosemary Connelly and husband, Bob recently presented a lecture at Mispillion Art League’s “Third Thursdays” titled: Making Art in Italy.  They shared stories about their adventures, with photographs, paintings, watercolor journals and more.

It with sadness that we report the recent death of Julia Morey of Lewes, DE.   She loved being an artist and thoroughly enjoyed every minute she spent painting.  Julia will be deeply missed by her many friends. 

DWS UPCOMING EVENTS

Paint, Paint, Paint -- you need to start now so that you will have entries ready for the upcoming DWS Exhibits that are rapidly approaching.

• Wesley College invites DWS Artist members to exhibit up to three paintings at the Parker Library from March 15-April 25, 2011.  If you are not an Artist member, you can enjoy the show and opening reception on March 17, 3-5 p.m., 120 North State Street, Dover.  For more information, contact Susan Johnston, DWS Regional Director at ssj@wesley.edu or call her at 302 678-3450.

        

• Arrangements are currently being made for a DWS Juried Exhibition in May at the Briggs Museum in Dover, DE.  Watch for updates on this exciting opportunity.

• In July, DWS will sponsor its annual Summer Juried Exhibition at Nassau Valley Vineyards, in Lewes, DE.  Make sure you are ready to submit your best work.

Other venues are presently being assessed.  If you know of any show space opportunities in your area, please forward that information to any of the DWS Executive Board members.

Mini-Workshops

DWS is launching a new educational venture.  Starting in April, DWS will conduct a Saturday Mini-Workshop on a quarterly basis.  Each mini-workshop will have 3 - 4 topics presented from 9: 00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.  Space is limited to thirty participants and a fee of $30.00 will be charge for the day-long educational event.  You will need to provide your own lunch on-site.  The first workshop is planned for early April.

Some topics for the April workshop will center on:

·      Digital Photography and preparing digital photos  for CD or electronic entry into shows

·      How to Mat your Artwork

·      What you need to know about and how you can improve your chances of being Selected for a Juried Show

Website

A Reminder from Patti Bishop, DWS Website Director, to please submit a digital photo of one of you painting for inclusion into the DWS on-line Gallery.    Contact Patti for size and additional information at patti.bishop@gmail.com.

If you have questions or need assistance regarding DWS issues or events please contact one of our Executive Board members (See our website for contact info at www.delawarewatercolorsociety.org/members):

Anne Crown-Cyr, President

Elizabeth Collard, Vice President  

Isabel Pizzolato, Treasurer

Lynn Brittingham, Secretary/Membership

Donald Blow, Workshop Director               

Patti Bishop, Website Director

Sally Culp, Sussex Regional Director

Susan Johnston, Kent Regional Director