No Meeting for July...but come August we have a full day!

MEETINGS

July  -  No meeting

 

August 2 - 9:30-3:00  This is a wonderful time to work on our Exquisite Corpse together helping each other through inspiration and witnessing this project.
The project will need to be completed by mid-October so they're ready for the November exhibit at Indian Prairie Public Library. Bring your Three Wood Panels and hardware packet
Suggested supplies
Glue that you use         Collage papers

Paint, brushes               Your templates
Drawing materials         Fixative sprays
Table covering               Water bucket
Cutting mats                  Scissors Utility knife etc.
Baby wipes                    Embellishment ex: stencils, stamps

Watch out for the 3Diminsional items as they won't store well. The intention is that it will be a traveling exhibit and will be stored in tubs when not exhibiting.  We would like to use more paint and collage on these pieces.
If you are not making an EX COR, you can come and work on anything you would like. Bring you supplies,  We don't want to leave you out from participating with a group, it might be nice for those that can't make the retreat to have the closeness of the group experience too.
Bring your lunch, drinks and snacks if you plan on staying the whole time.

Past Post about Exquisite Corpse 

Templates  Head, Midbody, Feet 

 

September 7 -  TBA

October - No meeting

November 2 -  TBA

December 7 - Holiday party

 

EXHIBITS

Relational Relevance 

August 29 through October 23 

The Holmstad in Batavia

 700 W. Fabyan Parkway, Batavia, IL

Prospectus, bio and photo of work due: August 10

Drop off date: Saturday, August 29, 10 to 12

Artist Reception: Friday, October 2, 6 to 8pm

Pick up date: Saturday, October 24, 10 to 12

This will be a judged show with 1st, 2nd, 3rd place with monetary awards

 and  honorable mention ribbons. 

 

FALL CREATIVE ARTISTS RETREAT

Registration is now full!

Final payment of $220 for those who paid a deposit of $150 is due on or before July 31.

A  packet of information will be sent  to those attending early August. For those who want to

attend a play:

 

The Blue Gate Theater in Shipshewana will present Love Comes Softly. 

For tickets  https://www.bluegatemusicals.info/  

 

The Round Barn Theater in Napanee was set to open under new ownership when heavy rains 

caused extensive damage. The season's plays are listed but as of this time there is no 

information on purchasing tickets. Keep checking.

 

 

                                                

MEMBERSHIP

Membership for 2026 – 2027   A membership form is attached. 

If you have any questions, please contact Joan at 630-512-0141 or dijitize@aol.com.

 

MCS LEADERSHIP

Thank you to Barb Thomson for taking on Exhibits! We are still in need 

of President and Vice President.  Please consider stepping into one of 

these positions.

 

                                                

MEMBERSHIP

Membership for 2026 – 2027   A membership form tab above

If you have any questions, please contact Joan  dijitize@aol.com.

MCS LEADERSHIP

Thank you to Barb Thomson for taking on Exhibits! We are still in need of President and

Vice President.  Please consider stepping into one of these positions.

Recap from Sunday's MCS Meeting with Jennifer

 

Here is Jennifer Rizzo's Website Members had a great time, what is amazing is the same supplies were given to everyone but the choices of color and placement made them all different and unquie.  

Thank you Jennifer for present this to our group. 

Call for Artists,

 McCord Gallery and Cultural Center

CALL FOR ARTISTS: "Pets-Our Animal Friends Exhibition"

Deadline to Enter: May 29, 2026

Find out more at:  https://www.mccordgallery.org/pets

May's Meeting Kuminimo

 

Basic Kumihimo - the art of Japanese braiding by Betty Kirk.  Joan Lucht runs the meeting.

Learn how to make a braid or two. Examples of many braids will be presented as well as the applications of braids.

Betty taught elementary school art and has taught weaving at Joliet Junior College. She has been a speaker and workshop leader at local guilds as well as at regional fiber conferences. She has won awards for her work and she sells her work at art fairs in the Chicago area. Check out her website https://bbkirk.com

Our members were instructed on how to do the basic of Kuminimo and we all enjoyed it.  Great Job, Betty and great instructions  Thank you,  

May and June's Meeting Information, No Meeting in July

 Meeting Information

May 3 - Noon to 2:30  Basic Kumihimo - the art of Japanese braiding by Betty Kirk.  Joan Lucht runs the meeting.

Learn how to make a braid or two. Examples of many braids will be presented as well as the applications of braids.

Betty taught elementary school art and has taught weaving at Joliet Junior College. She has been a speaker and workshop leader at local guilds as well as at regional fiber conferences. She has won awards for her work and she sells her work at art fairs in the Chicago area. Check out her website https://bbkirk.com

 

 

June 7 Noon to 2:30   Swan Lake Mixed-Media Collage by Jennifer Rizzo 

Jennifer is the artist and creator behind jenniferrizzo.com. She also owns a retail store and art studio space, Jennifer Rizzo Design Company Home + Studio in Lisle IL, where she teaches hands-on art and creative workshops. Jennifer has been teaching art workshops for over 16 years and specializes in mixed-media collage, watercolor, acrylic, and clay. As a content creator, she has been featured in and produced projects for over 20 publications, including Country Living, Somerset Life, Art Dolls, Prims, Sew Somerset, Somerset Home, Romantic Homes, Oprah.com, This Old House, and WGN Channel 9 news segments.
Presentation and workshop: Swan Lake Mixed-Media Collage. Jennifer will provide matboards, vellum, stamps and ink pads, and a packet of ephemera cut-out pieces. 

Supplies to bring: Scissors, glue sticks or other adhesives, plastic tablecloth or large sheet of paper to protect the tables, baby wipes or a cloth for clean up, ruler. Optional: pens, colored pencils. Joan Petranovich runs the meeting.

 

July  -  No meeting

August 2 - Work day 

 

MEMBERSHIP

Membership for 2026 – 2027 renews on April 1. Please make checks payable to Midwest Collage Society in the amount of $20. If you are also interested in joining the National Collage Society, dues are an additional $35.

A membership form is attached. Please send the completed form and your check to:
Midwest Collage Society
c/o Joan Petranovich
1513 Maple Ave
Downers Grove IL 60515
If you have any questions, please contact Joan at 630-512-0141 or dijitize@aol.com.

 

EXHIBITS

Relational Relevance 

August 29 through October 23, at the Holmstad in Batavia. 

This will be a judged show with 1st, 2nd, 3rd place with monetary awards

 and  honorable mention ribbons. 

Bring your bio up to date and be ready to provide a photo of your work for advertising. 

We will need to hang the exhibit ourselves and we are looking for volunteers. 

Adrienne Austin and Joan Lucht will take the lead.

 

Exquisite Corpse

April's Meeting all good standing members of MCS received their free packet of 3 wood panels, 

d-strap hangers and wire with templates. At this point the MCS Board approved the purchase 

for its members to do this exhibit project. If you are a member and didn't receive a packet and

would like to do this exhibition project please contact Laura at lonecrow4@gmail.com to 

pick up one. Not all members need to do this; there may be an opportunity for other collage 

work to be exhibited at Indian Prairie Public Library in November 2026.  Please be aware that 

August's Meeting will be a workday session, 9:30-2:30 for working on any collage work you 

would like including the three panels for the exquisite corpse exhibit. It would be a 

great time to take a peek at what everyone is doing in progress before hanging day.

Your wood panels can have a painted background but we hope that you will be creative as can be 

and collage it.  The side of the panels can be collaged or painted too.

Please remember that this exhibit may travel around to other exhibit opportunities so it's

 important to stick with just papers glued to the board and any items that are 3-D will need to

 be securely adhered.  Best to just stick with collage-papers.

More detail will be put in the newsletter as we get closer to November for the exhibit details.  

It's just time to create.

 

FALL CREATIVE ARTISTS RETREAT

September 23 to 27, 2026 at Camp Alexander Mack in Milford, Indiana

Don't miss the fun and gorgeous sunsets!

Early Bird fee of $370 or a deposit of $150 by June 30, 2026 and $220 due by July 31.

Registration after July 31 will be $390.

Registration form with additional information is attached.

                                                 

IMPORTANT!!!

MCS has been a group of well educated collage artists meeting for over 23 years, exhibiting all

over Chicagoland while educating our viewers about collage as an art form.

At this time we have members who are filling multiple positions and they are in need of a break.

Please consider taking a leadership role:

President, Vice President, Program/Education Chairperson, Exhibit Chairperson

If you have questions about any of these volunteer board positions please see the details under By-Laws on the Midwest Collage Society blog