Raritan Valley Arts Association
Newsletter

RARITAN VALLEY ARTS ASSOCIATION est. 1939

Pre-Holiday greetings to all!

We know you missed us all in October, so be sure to come Monday, November 23rd, at 7:30 pm for an oil demo by Seppo Siimes, who says, "I love to paint on location. This brings a sense of immediacy and creativity to the canvas that would not ordinarily be experienced in studio work. As the painting develops, the scene is constantly shifting and changing. One element of the painting may be emphasized over another at a given time and then that relationship might equal or even be reversed a half hour later. It is a truly dynamic experience! As the sun moves, a cloud passes by, a haze lifts or the wind shifts; the colors, shadows and reflections all change." Seppo will be painting a painting from a trip he took to Italy a few years ago. His show "Travels with Seppo", an exhibit of 40 paintings, will be on display through November in the Johnson & Brady meeting rooms at the Clarence Dillon Public Library. The paintings portray locations from the artist's many travels, including his trips to seven national parks and 10 states, and include scenes from Hawaii and the Grand Canyon. We are in need of Hospitality Volunteers for this meeting; please call President Linda Arnold at 908/647-3610 to volunteer.

Our show at the Bernardsville Public Library is up and running-until pickup November 30th. It's a lovely show with 43 splendid works of art. RVAA gives great thanks to Judy Hummer for chairing this show. If you were at the reception November 8th you saw all the food and the handsome floral arrangement Judy made. We were very festive indeed. THE SHOW IS BEAUTIFUL-PLEASE GO AND BRING A FRIEND OR TWO. RVAA artists in the show are Linda Arnold, Ken Bernhard, Kathy Blair, Susan Boyd, Mary Creasy, Sherry Engelberg, William Gilbert, Rita Gorky, Mary Lou Guididas, Susan Guss, Judy Hummer, Linda Lam, Joan McKinney, Geri Oldman, Diana Patton, Nancy Peer, Elizabeth Ryman, Donna Souren, Peggye Cole Tombro, Maryann Vaccaro, and Rosemary Zangara. Judy, who did a tremendous job, wishes to thank the following: " The people who helped at receiving: Donna Souren, Rosemary Zangara, Maryann Vaccaro, Linda Arnold, Rita Gorky, Mary Creasy, Peggye Cole Tombro; at the reception; Linda Arnold, Susan Boyd, Diana Patton, Donna Souren, Maryann Vaccaro, Kathy Blair, Mary Creasy, Rita Gorky, Rosemary Zangara, and finally for pickup, William Gilbert and Nancy Peer (November 30 between 10- 12)."

Judy Hummer, Linda Arnold, Kathy Blair		Rosemary Zangara
		Maryann Vaccaro

Your presence is requested. JOIN THE FUN The holidays mean celebrating with our friends and so you won't want to miss RVAA's FANTASTIC HOLIDAY DINNER, Monday, December 14th. Doug Axmann has once again kindly agreed to chair the event (thank you, Doug!). It will be at McCarthy's, which we always enjoy. From 22 East you turn right onto Finderne Avenue, and when you get to the second light you turn right onto Main Street and McCarthy's is almost immediately on your left. We all are full of holiday spirit; togetherness with our artist buddies reigns! Guests totally welcome! Cash bar plus appetizer platters start at 6:00; dinner 7:00ish. You can choose your menu when you get to the restaurant, with beef, seafood, and a vegetarian dish all part of the offerings. Of course this is all prefaced by a humungous all-you-can-pile on your pre-chilled plate salad bar. Coffee, tea, and desert after. Yes, we will have our infamous white elephant or similar gift exchange, that is, a white elephant or gift worth $5. - $10., gift-wrapped, and ready to party on home to your house. A little entertainment/diversion will be provided by a couple of our members, maybe you? Any members who wish to share a holidayish bon mot or two, please do! And the Community Favorite Ribbon from our Bernardsville Show will be presented. All this for only $28.00. Please send a check made out to RVAA to Doug at 16 Schoolhouse Lane, Somerville, NJ. 08876 by December 9th. (Thank you, Doug, for chairing this!) You all simply must come for good talk, good food, and surprises.

Lots of HOLIDAY DOINGS going on in December (note that this Newsletter serves both months). You will find the rules for our month long show at the Somerset County Library at the end of this Newsletter. You can have small works and large. Lots of people come to the library; inevitably some buy. As usual, we need showsitters and there are always more hours than showsitters, so feel free to volunteer even more time. It happens each year - an impulse buyer will find no one at our desk, and then the impulse to buy leaves. And while you showsit you can bring your cards and prints to sell (originals only for hanging and the display cases, except for two prints in each category). MARY CREASY will be helping me again this year and I thank her for that!

Of interest to some of you

The Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a Division of County Government, in collaboration with the Somerset County Planning Division, is seeking artists' submissions of images of original artwork representing "images of community" featuring multi-ethnic/multi-cultural individuals/populations (adults, including seniors; teens; children; &/or babies) originally executed in any one of the following media: acrylics, pen & ink, watercolors, photography, oil; charcoal; pastel; or printmaking.

The selected artwork will be featured in an official mass produced poster campaign which will be widely distributed and displayed throughout all 21 municipalities in Somerset County to inform and educate local populations of the importance of responding to the upcoming U.S. Census 2010, and helping to encourage completion and return of a very simple, but vital census questionnaire.

In addition to one artwork being selected and featured on the official poster for countywide distribution, the juried process will also include selection of 20+ other artists' submitted artworks to be featured in a public exhibition, which will include an artists'/public reception.

Questions? Call Pat McGarry at 908-203-6020; or Cynthia Mellusi at 908-231-7110
The deadline for submissions is December 7.

Of interest? There will be a warehouse sale open to the public with frames as low as $1.99, a readymade frame closeout sale, Saturday, November 21st from 9-3. This takes place at MTN Frames, 65 Walman Ave., Clifton, NJ. 3% service charge for credit cards; checks not accepted. Frames from 5 x 7 to 24 x 36, woodtones, black, white, raw wood, gold, silver, shadow boxes, and custom moldings. (if any RVAA Newsletter readers go to one of their sales, your editor would appreciate a "review" by phone or email).

! Digital Photography for the Studio Painter...or... Everything You Never Thought You Would Need to Know or Were too Afraid to Ask About Digital Photography! Nancy Ori, who talked to us last year about digitally enhanced art will be teaching this. You may contact her for the details on this November happening by going to email: or phone: 908-790-8820

Member News

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

Our first meeting in 2010 will be January 15th!

Holiday dinner form

Check for $28.00 made out to RVAA for each person, and mailed to Doug Axmann, 16 Schoolhouse Lane, Somerville, NJ, 08876 RVAA HOLIDAY DINNER for:
 
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Phone_________________________

"Holiday Collection" and Members Show

Receiving dates:
For racks, screens only-Tuesday, December 1st 6 pm.
For paintings, Wednesday 5:30-7:00 pm, December 2nd (as long as you check in by 7; you can take your time hanging; I teach at 7:30). Takedown December 31.

YOU DON'T NEED TO OWN SCREENS; SCREEN OWNERS WILL SHARE THEIRS WITH YOU. Your screen place is assigned according to a floor plan IN THE ORDER IN WHICH YOUR FORMS ARE RECEIVED. I need to know how many screens will be brought in to share. All artists need to bring drapery hooks or s-hooks for their own works on screens in library.

RULES---PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

1. Pre-registration by Monday, November 30th (easy to remember; it's pick-up time at the Bernardsville Library, as well!)
2. Membership dues must be paid. Fee for the show is $10.
3. Small works, 8 x 10 and under, will be put in the display cases on a space available basis, and should have a small easel or support, marked with the artist's name and NFS (not for sale) All works should be original, except for a total of 2 works which can be prints in each category (large and small)
4. Larger paintings will hang on screens on space available basis. Standard screen panel is 36" by 72", and if space permits (depends on how many screens are loaned), screen owners should have 3 sides and non-screen owners 1-2.
5. Screens, and all parts of screens, should have owner's name on them.
6. All paintings must be properly wired, numbered, & priced, with small labels
7. Bring list of paintings (even if only one work) on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, plus a copy for you. Name and address and phone number should be on these.
8. There will be a book at the showsit table with each artist's list of paintings and prices in it. The paintings that are sold may be replaced, but new paintings with their prices and numbers must be recorded in the book. Please read the instructions in the book before you sell a painting.
9. Every painting sold must be recorded. Somerset County Library receives 10% of all sales. At the end of the show artists will receive a check from RVAA for their total sales, less 10%. Anything small sold during your showsit time must be recorded also.
10. All paintings must be for sale (except one, marked "not for sale").
11. Artists who display paintings on the screens must volunteer six hours of show sitting time. Artists who enter only one or two paintings volunteer two show sitting hours. Sign up for show sitting on Wed. eve, 5:30-7. FEEL FREE TO SIT MORE; WE LIKE TO BE THERE FOR IMPULSE BUYERS.
12. You may display your portfolio and/or small works, notecards, etc. on the showsit table while show sitting.

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Please mail form. with $10. check made out to RVAA (show fee), to Diana Patton, 497 Stony Brook Dr, Bridgewater, 08807.

Name________________ _______________________________________

Is entering the Holiday Show.

I have (# of) ______________________screens to share.(delivery 12/1)

Phone_________________

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