Raritan Valley Arts Association
Newsletter

RARITAN VALLEY ARTS ASSOCIATION est. 1939

Happy New Year to you all!

Fresh Start Salutations! 2010 - don't we all remember the brouhaha about the coming of the new millennium such a short while ago (it seems!)? And this new millennium is now ten years old... let's celebrate this by going to our first demo of the year, Monday, January 25th, award-winning watercolorist Robert Heyer will be demonstrating for us, 7:30 pm, at the Somerset County Library. We have enjoyed watching Bob before; we will learn a lot as this expert in fresh transparent watercolor paints for us. Don't mind the cold; this demo will warm and inspire you! At this meeting also, the Winner of the Community Favorite Award from our Bernardsville Public Library Show will be announced, and Chairwoman Judy Hummer will present the prize to the winner. Yes! Come!

Because of holiday closings and other things our February meeting will be Monday, February 8th. Our own Doug Axmann will be doing an airbrush and mixed media demonstration. We don't often get to see an airbrush demo so you will really want to come, all of you! Doug always astounds us with his versatility and originality and you won't want to miss this. Doug will also have his new calendar of art prints there. Because our February meeting is only 2 weeks after the January meeting, there will be no newsletter before it. Please jot it down on your calendar now-February 8th-7:30-Doug Axmann.

RVAA also wants to thank Doug for arranging our annual Holiday Dinner December 14th at McCarthy's Restaurant. Once again it was warm-fuzzy time for those RVAAers attending. What a lovely time we had, with ever-so-much good food-from hors d'oeuvres/appetizers to the massive and delectable salad bar, right through our choice of entrees and through desert. We enjoyed Ruth Wilson's rendition of "The Night before Christmas", Eleanor DeMott's story of how the poinsettia came about, plus her candy canes and that story, and your editor's original Christmas tale "Blessed from Birth". We also had our grab bag Christmas gift passalong, and most of all, lots of good conversation and laughs. It's a very fun time, and thanks again, Doug, for setting it all up.

Merry-Makers at McCarthy's

Our Holiday Show and Sale at the Somerset County Library was truly a thing of beauty. Fifteen artists exhibited: Doug Axmann, Susan Boyd, Mary Creasy, Alka Dalal, Amy Erdman, Bill Gilbert, Rita Gorky, Mary Lou Guididas, Linda Lam, Joan McKinney, Marge McGovern, Diana Patton, Donna Souren, Peggye Cole Tombro, and Rosemary Zangara. Your editor (and show chairperson) thanks Mary Creasy for her all her help during Receiving, as well as her posters, and thanks to Doug Axmann for loaning his screens. Also thanks to Barbara Fiorentino, our Treasurer, who will be making out the checks based on all the white slips she received. Their help was invaluable! I am extremely sorry to say that this was our lowest sales year ever, as we only took in $198. and all but $25. of that was actually earned by the showsitters with their cards, matted works, etc. (i.e. only one $25. work sold from the actual show). We're going to gift the library with $35. however, instead of the usual 10%, which would only be $19.80. I showsat three Saturdays (9-1) and while there were lots of people at the library, it is obvious to me that the economy is still hurting. However-our work looked GREAT, we had favorable comments, and we look forward to next year. We are thinking of spicing up the mix next year with an online auction (with reserved prices) and preview at our website. This (Bill Gilbert's idea) might generate some excitement/publicity/sales.

Library Show

Member News

LINDA ARNOLD, ALKA DALAL, MARY CREASY, and DIANA PATTON are in the juried Art for Paws, currently at the Somerset County Library until January 21st. 50% of the proceeds goes to the Somerset Regional Animal Shelter, which is a wonderful clean and healthy environment for the animals (I've been there). (you could come a tad early to our meeting January 25th and see the show---just a suggestion)

ALKA DALAL sold a print of her commissioned water color painting at FOSRAS in November, 2009. She has recently completed two certifications in "Professional Home Specialist" which uses Acrylic paints for Murals and Borders. The second certification is in Clay which is "Studio Home Clay Certification" for a variety of clay projects for home and more. If anyone is interested in classes, please contact Alka at 908-304-3278.

RITA GORKY was awarded 3rd Place Landscape, for "Wash Day in the 1800's" in the Tewksbury Historical Society Juried Show.

JOAN MCKINNEY was awarded First Place Buildings, for "#813" in the Tewksbury Historical Society Juried Show. Joan was also presented with the Jack Richeson Award at the New Jersey Water Color Society's Full Member Show at the Clifton Art Center for her abstract painting.

PLEASE REMEMBER that our February meeting is Monday, February 8th, but there will be no February Newsletter. So-email or snail mail me YOUR NEWS' and I will put it in the March Newsletter. Thank you!

Previous Newsletters

Click on the newsletter you want to view.