Raritan Valley Arts Association
Newsletter

RARITAN VALLEY ARTS ASSOCIATION est. 1939

Blossoms Bloomin' Greetings!

What a great time of the year! And you will want to extend your pleasure in the season by coming to our next meeting, Monday, May 24, 7:30 pm at the Somerset County Library, for a demo by Pat Burton, a graduate of Pratt, and graphic designer for Rodale, who works with a variety of art media, and who will be coming to demo her work on eggs. If you want to see an incredible preview go to http://www.eggartguild.org/2010_Easton.html and scroll down to the third from the bottom row-you will see 4 pieces of Pat's award-winning work from the International Egg Art Guild's exhibit in March, 2010. Pat writes: "I will be doing a demonstration of Pysanky also known as Ukrainian Easter Eggs. This folk-art technique uses a series of wax & dye layers to build up a design on a real chicken eggshell. I will show how to divide the egg equally, how to apply the wax using a tradition kistky tool, dyeing the egg and, finally, how to remove the wax to reveal the beautiful design. I will also bring my collection of unusual eggs ranging from tiny parakeet to huge ostrich -- all of which can be used for Pysanky!" This will be something very different for RVAA and you won't want to miss it! Geri Oldham and Susan Guss will be doing our Hospitality/Refreshments for May. Thank you, Geri and Susan!

Our April meeting program by author-illustrator Leeza Hernandez was much enjoyed, and some of us even tried hands-on techniques. We were entertained and learned a lot. Leeza gives various workshops and RVAA has received the following note from her:

I am happy to announce a new children's book workshop for beginning and intermediate authors & illustrators. "Breaking Into Children's Books" Wednesday May 19, Fanwood NJ. Pre-registration is required by May 12, 2010 and space is limited, so please contact me at this e-mail if you have any questions. .

Available times: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm and 7 pm to 9 pm. You can download the registration form at www.leezaworks.com/downloads/RegistrationForm_B.pdf .

On Saturday April 26th some lucky RVAA members got to go on the Big Apple Trip. Our considerable thanks to Mary Ann Vaccaro for once again organizing this trip. It was a gorgeous day and we had a gorgeous adventure. So much to see at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, we could hardly contain ourselves. Your editor was so surprised and inspired by the Victorian Photocollage exhibit (photos with ink and great watercolors) that she bought the catalog book (that special exhibit will be there only until May9th). Then we had the lovely American Watercolor Society Show at the Salmagundi Club (and a quick peek at the Forbes Museum). Mary Ann even provided snacks and drinks for our trip home. What a great day! I'm truly sorry so many of you didn't come.

Liquitex is looking for some new innovative artists to feature and promote on liquitex.com. If you would like to be considered, please send a copy of your resume along with images of your studio, your work, and yourself to . The chosen artists will receive FREE Liquitex products as well as spend the day with us and our professional photographer in your studio. Scott D. Present, Sr. Marketing & Social Media Manager C o lArt Americas, Inc. Direct Phone: 732-394-5445, Main Office: 800-445-4278 ext 7245, Email: , Web www.colartusa.com .

Jackie Walker, the owner and Director of the Bucks County Art Workshop, tells us of the workshop taught by nationally known watercolorist Mary Whyte. She will be teaching there June 21-25. You can go to their website www.buckscountyartworkshops.com for information, or phone 1-877-855-BARN (2276) (Editor's note: interesting website and lots of info on the teachers in several media is available).

Juried Fine Arts Competition, October,2010 Enter your original works in the 30th Annual Mountain Art Show & Sale. Win cash prizes. Judging by slides/images. Entry deadline August 27th. Also enter the non-juried "Small Treasures" & Portfolio Exhibit. Low entry fees. For prospectus, send SASE to: Mountain Art Show, 379 Mt. Harmony Rd, Bernardsville,NJ,07924, or visit www.mountainartshow.org.

We have a long lazy summer ahead of us (well, maybe not so lazy) and you may want to check out the really great museums so close to us. These include the Zimmerli Museum in New Brunswick, the Princeton Art Museum on the campus of Princeton University, and the Morris Museum of Arts and Sciences, in Morris Township. Google them or phone them for their current programs, if you wish, and their hours, but they ALWAYS have good shows. Don't forget inspiration waits at Colonial Gardens, especially the Rose Garden which will bloom soon. And then there is the Leonard Buck Garden/Park in Bedminster and the Morris County Arboretum. First step-outside in your own garden or maybe even that sweet garden in Somerville between N. Bridge and Gaston Ave. Have fun!

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS

RVAA was well represented in the juried Bernardsville Public Library Exhibit in April. PAT BARNABEO had a mixed media piece in the show, and ELSA HERRMANN, JUDY HUMMER, JOAN MCKINNEY, and DIANA PATTON had watercolors in it.

The Garden State Watercolor Society Show for Full and Associate Members was recently held at the Prallsville Mills Gallery in Stockton. RVAA members LINDA ARNOLD, JUDY HUMMER, JOAN MCKINNEY, and DIANA PATTON were in it. Diana Patton won the Framesmith Award in the Full Members' Show for her work "Studio Bloom" and Judy Hummer was awarded Honorable Mention in the Associates' Show for her work "Wisteria".

DIANA PATTON has a one-woman show with thirty paintings at Capital Health, Mercer campus, the hospital in Trenton April 26-June 4.

Okay, fellow artists-this is the last Newsletter until September. Please send me your news though, and I will save it in my RVAA September 2010 file. Inquiring minds want to know your news! And have a totally awesome summer!

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