Two classes/workshops coming in 2014

December meeting and Members News

Our December potluck is fast approaching!  We will meet on Sunday, December 1, from 12:30-3:00 pm at the Darien Municipal Center to share our traditional holiday meal and enjoy lots of time to chat with fellow artists.  In order to help our Hospitality Coordinator Barb Arntzen plan, please RSVP to her at jarntz@wideopenwest.com to let her know what dish you will bring for the potluck.  We will also have a gift swap, so bring a small, wrapped handmade gift or art item if you'd like to participate in the exchange. We also need several people to help set up the tables and chairs and to return the room to normal at the end of the meeting.  Please let Barb know if you can help.

2.  JANUARY MEETING
Instead of a January meeting, we have been invited to meet with the Book and Paper Arts Guild at the Lisle Public Library to begin a collaborative project.  Below is their invitation (please read carefully and note day and time):

The Book and Paper Arts Guild

 

Invites the members of

 

The Midwest Collage Society

 

To join us in each making an envelope book at

our January meeting, Thursday, January 9, 2014

from 7-8:30pm at the Lisle Public Library.

If you care to come early, we set up the room at

6pm and have a short meeting at 6:30.

 

Please bring along scissors, a piece of handmade

Paper 6” x 15” for the cover, another coordinating

piece of handmade paper 4 ¼ x 11 ½” for the inside

cover, scissors, 12” ruler,  glue stick and tacky glue.

We will have extra of these for those who

need them. All other supplies will be provided.

 

Please RSVP so we have an idea of how many

are attending or if you have any questions, contact

Mary Warner at m.warner5@sbcglobal.net

or 630-833-0125.

3.  FEBRUARY MEETING
Our February meeting will be held on the SECOND Sunday of the month, February 9, from 9:30 am - 3:00 pm at the Darien Municipal Center.  The morning will consist of open work time and the BPAG will join us in the afternoon to create collages to go in the envelope books that were created in January. 

4.  CALLS FOR ART
4ArtInc in Bridgeport has put out two themed calls for art that are very interesting!  Check them out here:http://www.4artinc.com/submission.htmAnd here are direct links to the entry forms:http://www.4artinc.com/OMG_submission_Form.pdf
http://www.4artinc.com/eggsistential_submission_Form.pdf
5.  HELP NEEDED!
We need several members to serve on the nominating committee again this year.  Our elections will be coming up in the spring, and we need to identify candidates and determine the slate.  We've found that 3 people is ideal for this committee, so if you are willing to serve, please contact me.  This committee works entirely by phone or email, so no traveling is needed.

6.  MEMBER NEWS
Nancy Staszak has a solo show at the Woodridge Library for the month of November.  Join her for the reception on Friday, November 22, from 7:00-8:30 pm.The Bendi Dolls Project (with work from many of our members) is on exhibit until December 30 at the Indian Prairie Library in Darien.
Congratulations to Eve Ozer who won First Place at the Elmhurst Artists' Guild Winter show for her piece "I Had to Go There to Come Here #2."  She also sold her piece "Yearning" to an art consultant.

Members Exhibit-Nancy Stazsak and "Pop up" Class

Nancy Stazsak has her work on exhibit at the Woodridge Public Library now till the end of November. Reception is Friday November 22nd from 7:00-8:30. Or stop in and view the artwork during Library hours.

Also Nancy is Teaching a Pop up Class on Gelatin Prints and Making a small book  at Naperville Fine Art Center and Gallery Next Tuesday November 12th from 12:30 - 3:00 Address 508 N. Center Street, Naperville.

You will need to bring:
An apron, scissors, Glue stick pencil, optional bring any pressed plants or stencils to print, Bring any paper you love to print.

$25.00  to be paid to Naperville Art League,
and $5.00 supply fee to be paid to Nancy Stazsak

Nancy will supply the gelatin trays, paints, plants, papers and cardboard for the little books.

Call Naperville Art League to register, (630)355-2530
 

November and Decembers Meeting Agenda

1.  NOVEMBER MEETING
Our November meeting is this Sunday, November 3, and we'll meet as usual at the Darien Municipal Center, 1710 Plainfield Road, Darien, from 12:30-3:00 p.m. A $5 studio fee will apply. Feel free to bring items for the swap/sale table (if you are selling items, please mark them clearly so there are no misunderstandings).

Our guest will be Ginni Guzior, who will lead us in creating paper angels just in time for our holiday decorating.  Please bring the following supplies with you:

Cutting mat

Sharp scissors (tiny ones if you have them, like embroidery scissors)

Craft knife (exacto knife) with extra blades

Pencil

Watercolors, colored pencils, markers

Wide container for water (like a container for Cool Whip)

 

Optional:  decorative paper punches, metallic markers

2.  DECEMBER MEETING
We'll meet Sunday, December 1, from 12:30-3:00 p.m. to share our annual holiday potluck lunch and some quality time with each other. We'll be asking you soon what dish you plan to bring for the potluck. As always, we encourage you to bring a wrapped, handmade item for the gift swap (it can be handmade by you or someone else). We will also need several people to help with moving tables and chairs both before and after the meeting. If you are willing to help, please email me!

3.  MEMBER NEWS

Maureen Gasek has a solo show opening this Friday, November 1, at If These Walls Could Talk, 32 South Stolp Ave., Aurora, IL 60506  Call 331-212-5962 for more info.  Reception is Friday, November 1, from 7:00-11:00 p.m.

Dennis Salaty and Dianne Martia each won awards at Art in the Barn. Dennis won Best Mixed Media category, and Dianne won 3 Purchase Awards, one from Good Shepherd Hospital Medical Staff and 2 from Good Shepherd Hospital Auxiliary. The annual juried art show is held on the grounds of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington.

If you've been juried into a show, won an award, sold a piece or are teaching a class or workshop, please let me know so I can share your news with the rest of the members!

4.  EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

These two classes are being taught by Maureen Gasek in her home studio in Aurora.
****

Fumage  Painting with Smoke

Saturday November 9 & Sunday November 10, 2013
Space Limited Only 10 students allowed
Saturday 10:00-3:00pm Sunday 10:00- 2:00pm
Learn about the art of fumage, painting with smoke. Get hands on experience and experiment using fumage in combination with other media on paper, canvas and other substrates. Students will be working in combination with other media to create works of art. Acrylics, inks, pastels, pencil, marker and more. This workshop is about the process and experimentation to stretch your creativity. (Supply list upon request).

$125.00 Supplies included. $100.00 Bring supplies + $5.00 additional supply fee
Master Card, Visa, Discover Accepted.
Special Student Rate. Please inquire (Must be a Open Studio attendee )
To Sign up: email: maureen@epsilondesign.net or call 630-251-6631

History: Wolfgang Paalen, the father of fumage, quickly progressed toward using fumage as a catalyst for his artworks, the seed from which the whole work would spring forth. With the fumage work providing his starting point, he would then add layers of oil paint, for example, to fully express his artistic vision. In the course of his association with the Surrealists and their attempts to transform automatic writing into drawing and painting, he created fumage – a technique for generating evocative patterns with the smoke and soot of a lit candle.
Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray and Salvador Dali were artist also influenced by this technique and experimented with it.
(NOTE: 48 hour cancellation required for full refund due to space and supplies purchased. No refund if less than 48 hours.)
Students should bring a snack or lunch

****

The World of Mediums, Acrylic Paints, Peels, Pours and More

Saturday November 16 & Sunday November 17, 2013
Space Limited Only 10 students allowed
Saturday 10:00-3:00pm Sunday 10:00- 2:00pm
Mediums, Paint, Digital Grounds and More

Get a better handle on how mediums work and how to incorporate them into your work. This two day workshop will go over new techniques, mediums, paints, peels, pours, glazes digital transfers using digital grounds and more from Golden Artists Colors and a few other unique artists supplies. i.e refillable markers and more  We will cover a variety of techniques, surfaces, transfers, peels, pours and more. 

$135.00 Supplies included.
Master Card, Visa, Discover Accepted.
To Sign up: email: maureen@epsilondesign.net or call 630-251-6631

(NOTE: 48 hour cancellation required for full refund due to space and supplies purchased. No refund if less than 48 hours.)
Students should bring a snack or lunch

Call for Artists

CALL FOR ARTISTSPainters, Photographers, Sculptors, Illustrators, Crafters and all other forms of creative being,

We have an opportunity to “pack” Aurora’s new food pantry! The Aurora Food Pantry and If These Walls Could Talk are hosting the “PACK THE PANTRY PROJECT”

 

The project aims to inspire you all to do something positive for your community by expressing yourself creatively. We challenge you to take an ordinary paper bag and use it to create your art with. You can paint it, write on it, glue stuff to it, stuff things inside of it, cut it up and collage it; “Art” it however you please (staying in “bag” form is not required”.)  A $5 donation (the proceeds of which go to the Food Pantry) lets you choose your paper bag(s) to “art” with. Bags are available starting September 13.  Return your newly re-envisioned bag to If These Walls Could Talk by November 17.

 

There will be a First Friday opening silent auction December 6 from 6-11pm. Bidding on the art starts at 7pm and ends at 9:30pm.

 

More details are to come but we just wanted to give you a shout out to give you plenty of time to get those creative juices flowing.

 

Tim Frederick & Jennifer Rauch
If These Walls Could Talk Custom Framing & Gallery, 32 S. Stolp Ave. Aurora, IL 60506

(331) 212-5962

wallstalk@itwct.com

www.itwct.com

October 6th Meeting Recap

 Dianne Martia demonstration some Book folding to create a 3-D book that can hang on the wall. 

 Everyone listen with all ears

 Oh June's have a good time...

 Barbs on a roll with the folding.

 

DeeDe, is listening to the last instruction before the folding begins.

 

 Tania's Showing us She did it...Great Job there..

 Mary and Debbie having some good old fashion fun.

 That's right Tania get that fold just right...Focus...There you go~

 Oh some great smiles there.

 Maureen's got it working with both hands.

 The President, Jerri and Marguerite trying a different technique.

 Great group today.

 Mary Beth got it going.

 Nancy's books got a uniformed look to it.

 the photo went side ways....suppose to be lengthwise...silly Blogger...but you get the idea with Dianne's piece.

 If you want to display the back you can add the wood with screws that are hide behind the pages.

 this book is available at the library to check out...kind Cool...

And Our Mary has got fold crazy with her book...but oh so nice.

 

Sample folded book sculpture for October meeting

Here is an example of a folded book sculpture that instructor Dianne Martia made.  We can expect to create something similar at our October meeting.  Refer to our newsflash for the supply list and other details!

 

Supply List

• Hardcover book in good condition with sturdy spine, about 200-250 pages
• Decorative paper to line the inside front and back covers (optional)
• Glue and glue brush to affix the decorative paper
• Metal ruler (optional)
• Pencil
• X-acto knife
• Bone folder or something to burnish page folds

Dianne will bring everything needed to attach a hanger to the back of the book for wall mounting. She'll also bring some extra books just in case.