LAKEWOOD ARTS COUNCIL'S

A Look at Andy McKelvy's Art by Cindy Haase

2012-01-13T11:03:00.000-08:00

Botanical in Black and White

Solar Power

I was at the Art Center on the 8th for our January LAC Board meeting. A painting caught my eye, and I knew immediately it was the work of Andy McKelvy. She's one of the artists at LAC whose work I greatly admire.

Why do I admire her art? Of all the art concepts: value, shape, color, texture and line....Andy uses shapes and values expertly. If you look at her "Botanical in Black and White" piece, I think you will see that her composition was well thought out to take advantage of the contrast of shapes and the values to make her drawing come alive. She didn't have color as a tool, and while texture and line are used they are not her major tools in this piece. It's the shapes, some small and delicate, some large and solid.

Looking at "Solar Power", again she has used shapes and value to her advantage. The white shapes virtually pop out of the painting when contrasted against the dark negative shapes. This time she did employ the tool of color, texture and line, but the painting is really not about the color...its' about the glorious shapes. If I look at the painting and then close my eyes.....my memory of the painting is about the shapes and value/contrast.

Notice I haven't talked about the media at all....here it's not really important. It just goes to prove a point I believe. Good art is good art no matter what the medium. These pieces would work in any media. They are very strong. Well done Andy!!

Postscript...If you want to see some fabulous line work take a look at Katy Haas' wire sculptures.

Artists Statement

2011-12-08T08:06:00.001-08:00

Who has taken the time to write a really super artist statement? Let's see the hands...anyone? Anyone? I was asked to write one in less than a day for the Randy Higbee Fall 6" Squared Exhibit in Costa Mesa. What I submitted was a concoction on the fly of a past interview and how I was feeling that day.

Here is what I sheepishly submitted:
Artist Statement: In my approach the work comes first then the concepts. I don't wait for inspiration, my inspiration comes from just painting. Working mostly in still life I start by arranging objects, classically lighting them (from the left), and moving them about until the lighting creates an abstract structure. It's not about the objects for me, it's about how the light reveals the form, separating the scene into light and dark structures. It's the drama of the scene I crave, not so much to render an apple (or any object) correctly.

I've been sleepless at night since then thinking about artists statements...and have been reading artists statements. I'm not talking about a bio, or a CV (resume), or testimonials....just a good old solid, true and real artist statement.

Here are a couple of really good articles I found on the internet and will be tackling a new artist statement in the next week. I'll share some of my thoughts and work as I go along. Hopefully this will inspire you to take a look at yours or even think about having one.

How to Write an Artist Statement by ArtBusiness.com

How to Write and Use an Artist Statement by Molly Gordon

HolidayParty

2011-12-04T10:09:00.001-08:00

...Oh the weather outside was frightful
But our party was still delightful
We decked the halls - ho! ho! ho!
Way to go! Way to go! Way to go!

Our end of the year party was great fun! Despite cold temperatures and snowflakes, a nice group of members and friends gathered on Saturday for our annual holiday party. Everyone was in a holiday mood and all dressed up for the season (loved Susan Gordon's beautiful holiday coat - and Melinda Fiscus found a perfect pair of earrings to match her outfit). We all enjoyed the yummy chili made by Jan Casper, Loraine Miller, Barbara Tobiska and Marje Walsh. Top that off with a glass of wine, some flavored coffee and lots of delicious cookies and you have a perfect holiday treat. The afternoon was filled with laughter, good conversation and some fun shopping.

Happy Holidays everyone! Be sure to stop by the LAC Art Center before we say goodbye to 2011.

Afternoon Critique by Ann Quinn

2011-11-22T08:40:00.001-08:00

Once again, Kathy Berls led a fun critique session at the gallery, where twelve artists presented over 21 works of art for review. The comments by Kathy and the attendees were upbeat and well taken. Many of the art pieces were still works in progress. Comments about composition, color, framing, and “where does this line lead your eye? “were all clues about how to improve. Some artists were trying new approaches (Barb Tobiska and her intriguing abstract), while others had older works that they just wanted to make better.

The LAC provides a great place to learn in a supporting atmosphere. Critique comments are suggestions and meant to be taken in a positive light, so watch for the next critique session and bring in your work! Everyone is welcome!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2011-11-11T09:24:00.001-08:00

The holidays have definitely arrived at the LAC Art Center & Gallery! From the glittering jewelry downstairs to the completely transformed upstairs, the place is colorful, fun and full of wonderful treasures ...judging by the early bird shoppers who were there on Monday, it's definitely not to soon to get started with your holiday shopping! Kay Alexander and Barbara Mantei got first pick at the popular gift baskets which are still priced at $15 each. Susan Gordon and Lynnette Kupferer also stopped in, saying they like to "support the local artists". It seemed busy through out the day, with people in a happy and festive mood - good to see all the familiar faces such as Barb Tobiska, Jean Barringer and Mary Elgandour.

Of course all this is the result of almost five days of intense preparation - getting the old exhibit out, moving the display panels and bringing in tables and other props to get things ready. Extra big thank you to all the helpers, including Gene Smith, Gail Firmin, Jan Casper, Beverly Zeromsky, Rosalie Metzker, Barb Benik and Marcia Nowak.

Tell your friends about us - we're looking forward to seeing all of you over the holidays.

Election Results for LAC Board

2011-11-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our new LAC Board for 2012!

Thank you to everyone who sent in their ballots - and to the volunteers who have agreed to serve.
(not pictured - Warner Reeser and Shizuko Barbara Hanson)

Member at Large, Marcia Brill (left)
New President, Barbara Benik

New Vice President, Ann Quinn
Founder, Barbara Tobiska
Member at Large, Marge Walsh

Member at Large, Cindy Haase
Member at Large, Charlie Casper
Treasurer, Loraine Miller

Member at Large, June Davis
Member at Large, J Bisant
Secretary, Karen Hoff

Planning Meeting for 2012

They're HERE!

2011-11-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

Small works now in the LAC Member's Gallery

A special section of black and white work.
Pictured are drawings by Barbara Benik and digital by Charlie Casper.

A wonderful pastel rendering by Lynnette Kupferer.

A very special collection of small works created by the members of the LAC Co-Op Gallery are now on display at the LAC Art Center. Priced from $15-$125, it's the perfect time to purchase an original work by one of your favorite artists. Included in the collection are works by Cindy Ahrenkiel, Kay Alexander, Barbara Benik, Charlie Casper, Jane Dorsey, Gail Firmin, Katy Haas, Lynnette Kupferer, Anita Lamprell, Loraine Miller, Ann Quinn, Gene Smith and Barbara Tobiska.

The Red Hat Cats by Jane McFadden Dorsey

A lovely pastel by Gene Smith

Fun events at the LAC Art Center today!

2011-10-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Loraine works with student Jan Kitchell

Saturday watercolor class hard at work

It was a lively day at the gallery today with a couple of different activities going on. Loraine Miller's watercolor class was having a great time painting florals and landscapes. She is a patient teacher who emphasizes the fun of working in watercolor. Each of her students gets special attention as she helps them find their own style of painting.

As soon as the class ended, the classroom was reorganized to get ready for a calligraphy demonstration presented by Wendy Wham Mills. Wendy is a co-owner of pARTiculars co-op gallery in Old Town Lafayette where she teaches and exhibits her calligraphy, oil painting and jewelry. She had lots of interesting and helpful information to pass on to the group about the art of creative lettering and manuscript illumination. She is a warm and friendly person who speaks with enthusiasm and knowledge. The group enjoyed the afternoon which included refreshments of pumpkin muffins and cinnamon flavored coffee. Yum! Visit Wendy's website at www.WendyWhamMills.com.

Wendy Wham Mills visits with LAC member Lynnette Kupferer following the program.

Throughout the day, several visitors came in to see what is new at the gallery as well as view the "Spotlight on Colorado Artists" show upstairs. This is the last week for this exhibit so be sure to stop by before it closes. There is also a lot of new work in the Co-Op gallery on the main floor. A new exhibit of small works arrives in the LAC Member's Gallery on Monday - just in time for the big Holiday Arts and Crafts Show coming on November 8th.

Birdhouse Workshop – 10-14-11 by Ann Quinn

2011-10-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

Adult ‘play-days’prevailed once more at the Gallery with a fun crowd attending the latest craft workshop on Friday. After a wonderful lunch (thanks, Kathy!) of croissant sandwiches, spicy soup and salad, Kathy gave a welcome to all. Ann shared a collection of birdhouse ideas, as well as a review of the materials available to complete everyone’s ideas. Anxious to begin, we all got down to the business of decorating our birdhouses! Some of the artists brought special tools and materials, while others came with their painting aprons, prepared to get serious! Several crafters opted to create decorative indoor birdhouses, using bright colors, stickers, knobby leg parts, and painted shingles, while others were creating “for the birds” with sticks and natural colors. There was even a Halloween themed birdhouse complete with a swirling ghost overhead! The creativity and individuality that developed was amazing! These photos tell the real story! Several more crafting sessions are planned for the coming year, so watch for future announcements!

Interview with Juror Joanne Burney

2011-10-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

“Plane Tree II”, oil, 30x20”
Joanne Burney

When you jury an exhibit what is the first thing about a painting that jumps out and says "I deserve an award"?

Paintings have presence. They say, “Look at me!” Once a painting gets your attention, you check to see if it is worth an award. (See my criteria below.)

Knowing you teach at the Denver Art Students League, what do you find the most rewarding as a teacher?

Being able to share what I know about art. I was very fortunate to have an exceptionally good art education. I went to good schools and studied with great artists and teachers. I feel I owe it to them to pass it on.

Your work with trees is amazing. What are the things you have learned about your subject and about yourself with this intimate focus?

Trees have something to say. They are not just fillers in a broad landscape, but are individually worthy of study. They may represent strength, or reaching for the sky (symbolically as well as physically), or silent suffering or abundant beauty – anything. I’m not interested in painting vistas, but as a portrait painter I am interested in character, and trees have plenty of that. At first I was intimidated by their complicated branch structure, foliage and unfamiliar attributes. But I learned that if I stayed with it, I could paint them.

What does a day in the life of Joanne Burney look like?

I get up, have coffee and make my husband’s lunch. I exercise, walk the dog, do chores and go to work (paint/art business/teaching). Then I make dinner. After dinner I relax a little and do more “stuff”. Then I walk the dog. Some days I teach all day and into the night. My day looks pretty much like anybody else’s, unless anybody else has kids, servants or no dog.

Do you spend time marketing? What activities have you found useful in marketing your art.

Artists have to spend a lot of time marketing. I enter shows, send out newsletters, advertise my classes and workshops, read trade journals and check out galleries.

6. Do you set goals for your artwork? What are two of your goals for next year?

I do set goals. Currently I am looking for another gallery and am doing more portraits.

7. Any comments you have about the LAC exhibit in general would be most interesting to our readers.

The LAC show looked good right from the start. I wish I’d had more awards to give. While subject matter per se and medium per se are not considerations when I choose a work for award, I was impressed with the range of subject matter and the range in mediums, and the quality throughout, that serendipitously provided me with such variety in the award winners.

Any comments for the award winners?

When I give awards I judge for several things –

1. Form and function (does the piece communicate something and do it appropriately with the composition and materials chosen?),

2. Technique (does the piece show good technique, and do it in such a way that you don’t notice technique, i.e. does the artist make it look effortless and natural – not belabored?),

3. Use of formal elements (has the artist taken full advantage of the use of line, shape, proportion, value, color, texture, gestalt). Whether representational or abstract, the piece has to use them well.

4. The “surprise” (does the piece show something new or something old in a new way?) This does not mean that the piece always is pleasant or communicates a happy mood. It means it touches us in a meaningful way.

The Best of Show had all of those and what a surprise! You just don’t see a piece like that every day.

The 2^nd place oil had a sense of lush technique and great shapes and color, showing wonder at the plays of light and beauty of the flowers.

The 3^rd place had killer color and design, and the surprise that it was a photo of a wall.

The Marge Steinbach award – the patterned integration with the subject of butterflies and background was so perfect to both. The piece had great color and movement and was an inspiration, much as Marge herself must have been to inspire that award.

The Merit Awards

- The Acrylic Landscape had an exceptional moodiness and a unique look that supported/created it.

- The Abstract Acrylic also had mood and flow and space, integrating the black into the otherwise colorful piece very successfully.

- The Pastel had a lovely, contemplative mood and a beautiful handling of the pastels, especially used to create the various objects in the still-life.

“Ponderosa - Light on the Morraine”, Pastel, 20x16”
Joanne Burney

Spotlight on Colorado Artists Installed

2011-10-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Juror Joanne Burney, instructor from the Art Students League, was happy to know she wouldn't have to reject any entries. She diligently set about selecting the award winners.

Article by Kathy Berls

Wow - what a show! I'm happy to say that the new exhibit is now up and ready for the opening on Thursday, Oct 6th. For awhile there, there was some doubt as to whether it would all fit. When all the registrations came in, we noticed that there were several three dimensional pieces. Since they don't take up wall space, Barbara Tobiska, exhibits co-chair and I decided we'd take a chance and accept all the entries. We knew it would be a big show, but seemed a great way to end our juried exhibits line-up for 2011. Little did we know that many, many of the works would be really, really, really big! Needless to say, once it was all up, I breathed a sigh of relief. The challenge is always how to group the works together so that each piece has a chance to shine. Grouping the pieces according to color harmony, taking into account sizes and dimensions, the artwork is first placed all around the room to see where it will fit. But, it's not until I actually start hammering in the nails that I can be sure. Now it's done and the results produced a wonderful, exciting and diverse show that is not to be missed. Thank you to all the artists who supported this exhibit and a special welcome to those of you who have entered for the first time.

The winners circle

Best of Show winner: Dragon Tails, a stunning wood piece by Arvada artist Jeff Herring.

A Special memorial award was presented this year in honor of past member Margwyn Steinbach. The award went to "Flutterflies" by Andy McKelvy.

The walls are full of wonderful artwork, including many 3-d pieces.

Boy, could he make that violin sing!

2011-09-24T17:22:00.000-07:00

Violinist Johnny Neil gave us an outstanding show on Friday night at our "Wine, Cheese, and Music" event. Trained as a classical violinist, Johnny is equally proficient in classical music and good ole cowboy foot-stompin tunes. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the violin and it's history. What was scheduled as a one hour performance turned into an hour and a half....and nobody was ready to go home even then. Johnny's fingers lightly danced along the strings as he created music that ranged from selections that made you dreamy to sad to full of joy. He has had an amazing career, from playing with symphonies, to western bands, to appearing in movies. If you missed this event, you really missed something special!

Supper Night at LAC

2011-09-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

It was a great party!

Give us a good assortment of delicious soups and a glass of wine (or two or three) and we will definitely be in a party mood. Add in the incredible talents of magician Jim Wright and the evening is sure to be spectacular. Our wine and soup tasting event is quickly turning into an annual affair. Many of those attending had joined us last year and they said they could hardly wait for it this time. People arrived early and stayed late - there was lots of laughter, "tasting" of the goodies, and rousing conversation. One of the most fun things to watch was the expression on faces as Jim performed his magic - lots of "Oh my gosh" and "How did he do that??"

Jan Casper

Ann Marshall and Nancy White

John and Mary Edgar

Magician-Jim Wright

Ann Quinn (left) and her Mother-In-Law (right)
Lynnette Kupferer and Cindy Ahrenkiel (back)

Ted Kupferer, Jan Casper, Dick Berls, Charlie Casper

Walshes (front) Marge and Glen

Hi Ladies in the back!!!

Special thanks to all our board members who provided the soup and wine - boy do we have good cooks

Wire Sculpture - not as easy as it seems!

2011-08-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

Katy and her creations

What a great time we all had on Saturday as artist Katy Haas showed us how she creates her intricate wire sculptures. Not only did she explain her process but she also challenged each of us to create a "simple" piece ourselves. Explaining that this process is largely one she developed on her own, she told us about the different wires and tools needed to bend and twist the wire into a recognizable shape. She works from her own designs, creating a contour drawing of the subject to use as a pattern for each sculpture. As her agile fingers make the wire conform to the pattern, it seemed so easy to get all the little shapes needed. But then it was our turn - we each had a pattern for a bear to work from. It became very obvious from the start that bending that wire to fit this shape was not so easy. Sometimes it seemed as if we were all thumbs, but we kept at it until amazingly the creature began to take shape. There was lots of laughter and excitement and sharing of the experience as Katy patiently worked with us individually to get the desired results. By the end of the hour we could all proudly display our little wire critter.

Thanks, Katy, for providing us with such a wonderful demonstration!
Cindy Ahrenkiel and friend

Beautiful work!

LAC Co-Op Meeting

2011-08-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Co-Op members had a short meeting Wednesday at the Gallery to discuss upcoming changes in the next year. In anticipation of increased expenses for next year, Kathy has been doing her usual creative thinking and has developed a Member’s Wall within the classroom area at the gallery. This wall will be available for rent to members wanting to display their work..what an exciting idea! Sort of like a personal gallery! It’s available for viewing now, so come take a look. The first members’ exhibit will be up soon! (See the exhibit area to the left and right of the photo)

As Co-op members we will be hanging more work in less space, so there will be some interesting changes when the gallery items change in October!

We are also beginning to think about the fall and winter activities, so Kathy is asking for donations to our Green Rack at the rear of the classroom area plus items for the ever-popular gift baskets for the holiday season. Keep your eyes open for great things to donate!

I am woman...hear me roar!

2011-08-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

All the ladies attending the August 20th luncheon stood a little taller after hearing the presentation from guest author Charlotte Waisman about her book "Her Story - A Timeline of Women Who Changed America". This well informed and entertaining speaker presented many stories of women who made an impact on American history - both big and small. Some are relatively unknown but their accomplishments were great. Do you know why Lane Bryant first created her line of clothing? Or who the woman was who identified the HIV virus? Along with co-author Jill Tietjen, Charlotte has created a chronoligical order of women and their achievements in a largely pictoral format. Not only did we hear about these interesting people, we learned how the book came into being, how the two women met, and the problems they faced in getting their book published. Many of us bought an autographed copy of the book to take home and enjoy - but it can also be found at your local library. The feeling was this book should be part of the school curriculum and would make a perfect gift for any young woman starting college.

The delightful afternoon included the usual delicious lunch and time to relax and enjoy a conversation with friends.

Children's Exhibit Brings in the Crowd!

2011-08-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

This show just keeps getting better every year. We had a huge crowd at the opening reception on August 11, attended by proud kids, parents, grandparents and friends! They were all having such a good time and the excitement was contagious. Both floors of the gallery were filled to capacity with folks even congregating in the parking lot. And the show is worth all the attention. If you want to lift your spirits and get your creative juices flowing, be sure to stop in and see this wonderful exhibit of colorful dragons, flying people, carefully formed pottery, interesting cartoons, colorful paintings and sensitive charcoal portraits. A special thank you to Jim Olsen and the City of Lakewood for bringing this very special show to our gallery.

A Garden Party! by Ann Quinn

2011-07-24T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Best

This spring Kathy Berls asked if I’d like to help with a garden party get- together involving lunch and crafts at the gallery. Always up for pretending I’m back in kindergarten, I said sure! What fun we had today! A small group of eight had a wonderful lunch, thanks to Kathy (salad, sandwiches, fruit tart, and her famous chocolate pie for dessert)...and a little wine, too (I never had that in kindergarten!) We each had a clay pot to decorate and a garden hat to embellish, using a huge table of every add-on imaginable: feathers, paint, bees, bugs, nests, birds, butterflies, ribbon, raffia, glue, fabric, chalkboard paint…well, you get the idea…With lots of talking we all set to work ...what fun! You can see the results: creative pots, (there was a take-home plant to put in each pot), and a best hat contest, which we narrowed down to three winners…they were all too original! To accentuate the hats, we all painted our fingernails to match! Even Kathy got over her “I don’t do crafts” and made a pot and a hat worthy of prizes! And Barb Tobiska created a hat to match her summer green outfit! We all agreed that we should have a garden party again…perhaps embellishing birdhouses? Look for details later…

Posing Pretty!

Going to Pot(s)!

Hats! The Whole Gang

Aurora Artists Guild Exhibit

2011-07-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

For the month of July, we are pleased to welcome the members of the Aurora Artists Guild to our Art Center for their annual member's exhibit. The show is colorful and diverse, showing the wide range offered by this group of approximately 75 members. The opening reception, held on July 10 was fun and well attended. You could tell this group enjoys each other and is very supportive of everyone's work. Under the good organizational direction of chairman Andi Sahlen, the show was installed with ease and the reception was a fun event. Andi often exhibits her beautiful digital photos in other LAC Exhibits. Her husband, Dan Fyles is the featured artist during the show, exhibiting a collection of his fanciful mixed media paintings on the community wall downstairs. Be sure to stop by to see the exhibit before it closes on August 5.

July Member's Breakfast - A Fun Party!

2011-07-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Well, no-one's ever said that the members of the Lakewood Arts Council don't know how to have fun! The recent member's breakfast was no exception as members and their guests gathered for a delicious breakfast provided by the LAC Board. People were greeted at the door by LAC Vice President June Davis and Board Member Warner Reeser. Their warm welcome set the tone for a fun and friendly morning of lively conversation, event updates and the always popular games. One game tested everyone's powers of observation - Leslie Bitgood proved the best at solving such challenging questions as "Name as many things as you can find in the classroom that are green" (everything from a green sponge to a green roofed birdhouse) and "How many things can you find that start with the letter B" (this included everything from Barbara to boobs!). New friends were made and old ones renewed. We're looking forward to our next gathering on Saturday, July 23 - a garden themed party and luncheon. We plan to decorate garden hats, paint colorful pots...and even paint our fingernails an assortment of wild colors. Plan to join us!

And the Winners Are......

2011-07-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

The names of the winners for our Lucky Winner contest have been announced! This turned out to be a great fund-raiser for the Lakewood Arts Council - we owe a big THANK YOU to all of you who gave a $5 donation to try your luck at winning the painting of your choice. Our thanks also to all the artists who donated an outstanding collection of works for the contest. The competition was really high for each painting - several got many tickets in the hope they would be the winner.

SO....here are the lucky people:
Shizuko Barbara Hanson's acrylic piece, "Endangered Species" went to Jane Dorsey
Gene Smith's pastel, "Fresh Baked" went to Mary Lou Akers
Kathy Berls' oil, "Sunflowers" went to Joan Olsen
Barbara Mantei's watercolor, "Day Lilies" went to Randy Kee
Lynnette Kupferer's colored pencil, "Budding" went to Jan Casper
Cindy Haase's pastel, "Red Rocks" went to Sharon Holben
Arlene Krogstad's watercolor, "Sangimini, Italy" went to Sharon Greier
Loraine Miller's watercolor, "Garden Buddies" went to Karen Hoff

LAC Garden Tour 2011 by Ann Quinn

2011-06-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

It was another successful year for the garden tour! If you’re like me, you always look forward to the opportunity to see what others have done with their yards, get new ideas about plants, and have fun talking with other like-minded garden lovers! This year was no different. I was to handle tickets at the Miller Street garden in the afternoon, so I started out right before 8:30 a.m. (when the air was delightfully chilly) to visit all the other locations! Several of the gardens were a distance apart from the others, but having done my homework, I had a planned route ready.

Karen Hoff welcoming the visitors to the Golden garden

Golden Garden

My first stop was the calm, serene garden in Golden. A large yard in the cool morning tempted me to sit a while with a cup of coffee under those tremendous trees –and how many big, beautiful clematis did they really have? Observations at additional gardens taught me a great deal about what I needed to try in my own yard. The “secret garden” tucked in a corner behind a large tree in the Marshall Street yard was a great idea. I definitely need one at my house to get away from the world occasionally! The sculptor’s garden on W. 35th was an inspiration with the many separate areas (water, curved tree grove, play area, workshop, and patio) creating a “fun to discover” garden on a large lot. The numerous pieces of large, modern sculpture created by garden owner Kevin Robb made this garden especially memorable.

Marshall Street Garden

Marshall Street Garden

Marshall Street Garden

Marshall Street Garden

Robb Garden

Robb Garden

Robb Garden

Robb Garden

The Miller Street garden where I spent the afternoon was relatively young at six years in the making, but already the basic structure of the layout had been determined to take advantage of sun and shade. Compost piles and an efficient work area were set up near the terraced vegetable garden, and the centerpiece was a small stream/pond, professionally designed by owner Dave Garton. Especially fun were the vegetable plants mixed in with the more traditional annuals and perennials (corn in the front yard!)

Miller Garden

Miller Garden

My rushed schedule meant that I was unable to have lunch at the gallery, but I know it was well-attended, with great food from all the cooking volunteers as well as conversation from the attendees! I look forward to next year’s event!

Co-Op Gallery gets a face lift!

2011-06-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

The main floor of the LAC Art Center was a busy place over the weekend. Co-Op members brought in new work to be displayed...but first, lots of patching and painting was done. Matching that white paint was no easy task, but a close shade was mixed from a small sample by the folks at Ace Hardware. It was good thick paint and a rough, stucco roller was used to fill all the holes from past hangings - which had become a distraction from the wonderful artwork on display. With Kathy wielding the roller and Charlie doing the detail work with a brush, the place got a nice fresh look. After drying overnight, the walls were ready for hanging. As usual, the furniture was rearranged to display the stained glass and three dimensional work to its best advantage. And..if you haven't been in recently, you'll notice the used book shelves have been moved out into the main gallery and the classroom opened up. Everything is labled with new i.d. tags identifying the Co-Op work. So come on in and see the results - there is lots of new artwork to view!

Lakewood Arts Week..Fun, Fun!

2011-06-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

Lynnette and Cindy A. being creative!

Lynnette working on mosaics

Well, we sure had a fun time this week! The City of Lakewood designated May 31-June 5 as Lakewood's Arts Week - an event they hope will become an annual occurrence from now on. Under the skilled direction of Lakewood's Cultural Arts Specialist Lorene Joos, a committee composed of representatives from most of Lakewood's cultural organizations had met for over a year to plan this special celebration. Arts Week was kicked off with an open house on the plaza in front of the Lakewood Cultural Center. We had a booth on site with LAC members Lynnette Kupferer and Cindy Ahrenkiel on hand to meet the public and to provide art demonstrations. Both were busy throughout the afternoon - Lynnette worked on a small mosaic and let some of the young visitors "help" glue down the glass. Cindy worked on her oil painting and told people all about LAC. Other members stopped by during the event. Pictured are Marje & Glen Walsh chatting with Ann Quinn. The event concluded with a wildly popular performance by our own Borscht Brothers, Bruce Geller & Jay Halpern. The afternoon was lots of fun thanks to wonderful help from the City of Lakewood staff - and of course the volunteer participation by our members! We got to meet many new people from the community as well as learn more about the other arts groups located throughout the City.

Cindy A. chatting with a visitor

Marge and Glen Walsh visiting with Ann Quinn

The Borscht Brothers entertaining the crowd

And Even More Fun Pictures from Artists Choice!

2011-05-25T09:54:00.001-07:00

Kathy Berls "Best of Show" Congratulations Kathy! We're so proud of you...

Display at the Cultural Center of the Award Winners

Bill Moore "Second Place" Congratulations Bill and thanks!!!

Award Winners! Congrats!

Mezzanine Level Gallery at Lakewood Cultural Center

Fun Pics from Artists Choice Reception

2011-05-25T09:30:00.001-07:00

Merit award winner, Jeff Herring, and son

Harriet taking in the exhibit

Artists Valorie Snyder (and guests) and Saundra Galloway

Artists Lynnette Kupferer, Kathy Berls, and Barb Benik

Artist Miriam Ritter partaking of the great food!

LAC Founder Barbara Tobiska looking lovely in purple

Artists Choice Award Winners

2011-05-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all our award winners! Please stop by the Lakewood Cultural Center (on the mezzanine level) to see all the art up close and personal. While we attempt to photograph the artwork as best we can, the cultural center has a ton of reflections which makes it very difficult to photograph.

Best of Show
"Koi Splash" Oil by Kathy Berls

Second Place
"Red Hinge", Watercolor by Bill Moore

Third Place
"The Corner Bench", Watercolor by Jude Schmieder

Merit Award
"Warming Up", Oil by Barbara Benik

Merit Award
"Calliope", Photograph by Celeste Cottingham

Merit Award
"Sunflower", Wood by Jeff Herring

Merit Award
"Wild", Pen & Ink by Beth Vallieres

Interview with Artists Choice Juror, Janet Nunn

2011-05-16T09:43:00.000-07:00

A Big Thank You to Janet Nunn who juried the annual LAC's Artists Choice Exhibit now on display at the Lakewood Cultural Center. More information about Janet and her colorful watercolors can be found at her website http://www.janetnunnwatercolors.com/.

Falling Leaves on Little Raven, W/C 30" x 41"

1. What art principles do you try to employ when you jury an exhibit?
One of the first art principles I tried to employ was design. In a few of the paintings the designs lead the viewer into the image to see all of the interesting parts of the piece. There were a few images that were outstanding, yet could have been better with a bit of design to invite more of the viewer.

Elk Parade,W/C 21" x 7"

2. I enjoyed looking at your exquisite watercolors on your website, and couldn't help but be enthralled by your use of color. For those artists struggling with the use of color, do you have any advice or pitfalls to avoid?

For those artists struggling with the use of color my advice it to be fresh with the paint, water, and the surface. Currently I have been using the Dr. Ph. Martin’s Hydrus Watercolors. These colors offer the freshest truest color in my use of painting. What I mean is in tube paints I spent so much paint squirting it right out of the tube only to have it dry in a few hours. With the Dr. Ph Martin’s paints they are fresh every time I use them because they are hydrated and ready to paint. Clean water is a must for watercolor painters! And the last thing is good quality paper or surface. If an artist is going to spend their time on a painting why not us good paper, or board. The mediums mix so well with good materials.

3. We would love to have your thoughts as you were jurying the Artist's Choice. If you have any words about the award winners that would be fabulous.

I was truly impressed at the group of artists and their variety of style. Half of the entries had to be rejected and that was a tough thing to whittle down. Getting rejected is tough, yet is a growing process. A lot of the artists were thinking of spring and I was truly happy with the variety of the floral entries. As for the award winners: Best of show has great design, wonderful use of color and playfulness in the painting with the Koi fish. Second place was a simple piece of a red hinge on a rotted piece of wood. The depth of the red against the detail of the old wood caught my attention. Third place was a group of flowers on a deck and was a nice piece. The way bits of white were used to separate the various blossoms was a nice show of painting skill. As for the merit awards the wooden sun was excellent in the design and the detail of work. This is truly an excellent display of a woodworker who understands their craft! The pen and ink of the horse was another fine display of craft of pen and ink. Every line in the drawing had a purpose. The photograph of the wood and leaves leads you to a change of seasons. The color of the fading leaves and the way the wind had blown them was intriguing. I had about 5 more pieces that I felt could have been award winners. The thing about the winners was the piece of art conveyed an idea that I personally enjoyed.

Frasier Valley, W/C 21" x 10"

4. What does a day in the life of Janet Nunn look like?
My day is a fun day. I enjoy the business side of being an artist. So I respond to many emails, call on vendors, find new vendors, and keep up with my workshops and classes. The craft side of being and artist means painting, drawing, and looking at the world in a different way. The painting and drawing I love to do at all times of the day and night. The looking at the world is fun with long walks on the golf course or cross country skiing in the yard to a bit of traveling. These all amount to how I view my surroundings.

5. Do you set artist goals? If so, what are yours for the next 3-5 years?

Yes, I set artist goals. Usually I find an area I want to paint. For example I have not put many people in my paintings over the years. So for the last few years I have been putting more of the people I see in my images. Another part to that goal is creating more animals in the paintings. There is a different learning curve in introducing new items in the landscapes. This is a bit scary but I always tell myself I have lots of paper so if I am not too happy with the final product I have learned a lesson along the way and I will start again. Another goal I have is to teach more people how to enjoy painting. Most people can and enjoy painting, however, they have become lost because of many reasons. Classes are a way to jumpstart those creative juices and find that inner joy in creating a piece of art. The classes are as rewarding for me as they are to the participants. Always learning means always growing as an artist!

Cascade of Roses, W/C 8" x 20"

Watching Kathy Change Out a Show

2011-05-04T19:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks bunches to our guest blogger, Jane Dorsey,Tails of the Painted Cats Art Coordinator.

Out with the old and in with the new…in this case, the new being works depicting cats. Little cats, fat cats, collaged cats and painted cats. Little cats coming in the front door, big cats coming in the back door…if you weren’t at the gallery Saturday the 30th, you missed a great time. At the center of the organized chaos was Kathy Berls, calmly telling people to “put your piece over there and leave now, please”, sizing up colors and shapes, moving things to the walls they might fit on. “Oh, but look at all the KITTIES,” they would say…”Not now, you have to leave” “OK, we’ll be back…”

This was shaping up to be a pretty hot show. Considering all the folk that don’t admit to liking cats, paintings were coming out of the woodwork. Meanwhile, the big Cat Care Society Painted Cats were leaping out of Subaru’s and coming in from the alley (like cats do); perching on pedestals, crates and whatever else looked suitable. “That one can go here, no turn it this way, well, maybe turn it around, let’s put it here instead”. Our show choreographer wasn’t missing a beat as she sized it all up and brought it together with experience and grace.

Do we walk into a gallery and ever really think about the skill it took to hang the show? Do we appreciate the spatial relationships between the various dimensioned works? More than likely, we just look at the work because it’s a pleasing arrangement and flows well. That’s the way it should be, but what skill and experience it takes to do that. Give the average person (like me) a hammer, some nails, a ladder and a hundred paintings, and I would run screaming into the night.

So, I was back to see it Wednesday when I worked my monthly shift. It is amazing. Not that I haven’t seen the CCS cats before, since we’ve been hauling them all over town for two months now. But here they all are, majestically placed so that a visitor not only walks past the paintings; rather, you walk into and through the entire show with cats all around you. How cool is that?

While sitting downstairs that day, here are some of the comments I heard:

“Omigosh…they are all adorable…Dad, did you see this??”
“They kind of make you smile; you know we need more of that….”
“This show has heart.”
“It’s wonderful because people get to know their cats so well and can actually paint their expressions. “
“Have you seen the Cats show yet??? I swear it’s the best show we have had in years…”

Don’t miss that Cats show……Meow!

Meeting Augusta Tabor!

2011-04-18T09:40:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane Donohue as Augusta Tabor

A large group of about 30 people gathered at our Art Center on Friday to enjoy a wonderful presentation by storyteller Mary Jane Donohue. Performing in costume, she took on the persona of Colorado legend Augusta Tabor giving historical information and personal recollections of this well-known character. We learned a lot about Augusta - her marriage to colorful figure Horace Tabor, their life in Leadville and the mining towns of Colorado's early beginnings, the birth of their son and her later life as a single woman. There was a lot more to Augusta Tabor than just her relationship to the scandal caused by her husband's association with Baby Doe. She was a strong woman with a sense of adventure, willing to endure hardships to forge a life for her family. Never faultering from her character, Mary Jane "became" this interesting woman for her presentation. The recounting of historical figures is part of a program sponsored by the Colorado Humanities. We have used their performers in the past - most recently with a program about Eleanor Roosevelt - and they are always wonderful. The attendees were glued to every word and had lots of questions to ask "Augusta" at the end.

Mountainside Art Guild Members' Show

2011-04-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

Susan Gordon assists members of Mountainside Art Guild as they check-in their work

MAG President Carolyn Tegeder visits with members Nancy Brunskill and Lynnette Kupferer as they wait for the results of the jurying.

Juror Lori Williamson visits with First Place winner Susan Gordon about her award winning entry.

The atmosphere was upbeat when Mountainside Art Guild members delivered their work for their annual members' show on Saturday. Susan Gordon was in charge and she had things well-organized for check-in. Nearly 80 works covering a wide range of media and artistic style are included in the show. Some well-know artists entered work this year including Cal Johnson, Sandy Danley, Lynnette Kupferer, Cindy Ahrenkiel, Kate Cissell and Marcia Brill as well as some newer member artists such as Myrlynne Sjogrn, Kay Cassa and Laura Shreck. We are always happy to see the return of this group each year to the LAC Art Center & Gallery - they are fun, energetic and very talented...and a pleasure to work with! Hope you can join us on Sunday, April 10, 2:00-3:30 for their opening reception.

Congratulations, Susan, on your First Place watercolor painting!

Music and Art - A Great Combination

2011-03-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

On March 24, the Arts Council tried a new program - and it proved to be a really wonderful evening! The idea came from Melinda Fiscus our events coordinator - the concept was to gather a small group of people at a private home for an intimate visit with a performer. For this first time, we were fortunate to work with talented and gracious musician Elizabeth Hicks-Kimmey. A group of about 14 guests gathered at the home of LAC's Artistic Director Kathy Berls to enjoy dessert and learn all about the many different types of flutes. Liz performed a variety of music on different flutes along with providing lots of information about this particular instrument. Her warm manner was matched her skills as a very incredible musician. Everyone went home at the end of the evening with a feeling of friendship and enrichment. Hopefully, this will be the first of several such events. (Be sure to visit Liz's website.)

The week also included the second of our open critiques since we've moved them to Monday afternoons. Another big group brought in their work to be critiqued by a lively gathering of artists, skillfully led by talented artist and instructor June Davis. It's wonderful to see so many different styles and hear the thoughts of so many different artists. From a large oil painting by Anne Mann to the imaginative compositions by watercolor artist Carla Stoltzfus, we looked at just about everything imaginable. This free event sponsored every other month by LAC is a treat for the eyes and the brain. Hope you can join us in May for the next one!

Moderator June Davis leads the group in a critique of an oil by Ann Mann

And a watercolor by Kate Cissell

The critique group!

Juror's Comments - Award Winners for “Colorado’s Best”

2011-03-12T08:57:00.001-08:00

Many thanks to our juror, Mark Silvers, for a wonderful exhibit and inspiring award winners. The following comments were submitted by Mark and we again thank him for taking the time to express his observations.

Best of Show : “Backlit”, acrylic by Shizuko Barbara Hanson
A very beautiful watercolor showcasing the transparent and translucent qualities for which watercolor is admired for. The negative shapes of the background are perfectly balanced. The attention to detail and variety of edges completes the excellent orchestration of colors, values, edges that make this watercolor a beautiful work of art.

Second Place : “Lilies in the Light”, oil by Kathy Berls
This oil painting has a perfect composition arrangement of positive and negative shapes. Every shape of value and color is part of a beautiful arrangement. The slightly stylized realism exhibits interesting brush work and the almost sculptural modeling of the shapes gives the painting a solid well balanced sense of space.

Third Place : “Autumn Spree” , watermedia by Ellen Masters
This painting is a feast of impressionistic of colors and brush work. The abundance of calligraphy like brush strokes moves the viewers eyes gracefully throughout the painting. What could have been chaotic and busy is instead an expression of well balanced serenity and peacefulness.

Merit Award : “Boy Toys” , pastel by Ginger Lecher
For such a cute and sentimental subject this is a very well composed painting. The pattern of dark value shapes moves the viewer’s eye through the painting creating an interesting framework for the colors and lighter values of the figures and their environment. Ginger expertly answered the question, “what is light doing?”

Merit Award : “Victor Victorian, Colorado” , pastel by Karen Hall
The abstract compositional qualities of this painting are great even without knowing the subject matter. A well designed arrangement of values, shapes and textures. Then when you notice the light capturing a figure in the window a whole new sense of mystery and intrigue is added to a great work of art.

Merit Award : “Brass Ensemble”, oil by Susan Becker
This is a beautiful painting of exquisite attention to detail. Susan is obviously a master of realistic painting techniques. The compositional arrangement of the light and dark values perfectly balances the play of cool and warm colors. The handling of reflections and light is expertly accomplished.

(PHOTO UNAVAILABLE)
Merit Award : “Hot Tomatoes” , watercolor and marker by Carla Stoltzfas
This is a great contemporary visual statement of a common subject. The painting displays a strong design of colors and shadow shapes. The reflected color in the shadows adds an interesting interplay of warm and cool colors. A great painting by an artist who has helped the viewer stop and notice the beauty of art in everyday life.

Happenings at LAC

2011-02-25T21:04:00.000-08:00

Collection of new work by Co-Op Gallery artists

Things have really been exciting at the LAC Art Center recently! We have had a tremendous response to our annual sale of art supplies and art work - both from donors and shoppers. You may have noticed how much good publicity we got for this fund raiser. It was a win-win situation for everyone - people brought in just about everything imaginable to donate and shoppers left with wonderful items purchased for the amount they could afford. LAC made over $1,200 which will really help support our activities this year.

Collection of new work by Co-Op Gallery artists

Classes are in full swing with good enrollment for all of them. Despite the "iffy" weather on some days, students were eager to get back to work and visit with classmates. The Open Studio on Monday is becoming increasingly popular with new and returning artists; today was especially fun with the addition of two high school girls who came in to draw and visit on their President's Day holiday. It's a delightful mix of ages, media, and degree of expertise.

The Co-Op artists brought in new work over the weekend - providing a fresh new group of paintings on display. Jane Dorsey's inventive collage of ghostly images is a real attention getter - and it has already sold! This is Jane's second sale this week, the other being a large abstract acrylic piece. We have welcomed a new glass artist, J Bisant, who has some lovely sandblasted pieces for sale. Sales have been good in the downstairs gallery with jewelry, glass, mosaics and note cards taking the lead...but sales of wall hung work are going well also. Special congratulations to Loraine Miller on selling her large watercolor of Taos and to past member Bill Leonard on the sale of his iris painting.

Mixed media painting by Jane McFadden Dorsey

Finally, the first discussion group of the year was very interesting and well attended. Several new people came for the discussion of finding inspiration and overcoming dry spells. Artists who create regularly are an extremely well informed, inquisitive group. Everyone agreed the key is research - no matter what kind! Know your subject, be interested in a variety of things, watch and learn - all the time! Many keep extensive photo files; others rely on getting out, observing, looking. Inspiration can be found by working with other artists...in classes & workshops, in small groups, with friends or through books, videos, or attending art exhibits. Sometimes trying a new medium or combination of media, using a new color, finding a new brush - doing something that takes you out of your comfort zone can help overcome a lack of ideas. Always be looking ahead to the next piece. As Courtney remarked during the discussion, there is no such thing as failure! Everything just leads us to the next work.

Glass by new artist J Bisant

Next up....the results of our first big juried show. "Colorado's Best" arrives upstairs this weekend!

Valentine's Event

2011-02-14T13:29:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Kathy Berls for the article and Lynnette Kupferer for the great photos!

Valentine's Day is always special for the Lakewood Arts Council! Each year, we plan a different kind of event and it is always one of the most popular things we present. This year's celebration brought a capacity crowd as we enjoyed music performed by "West Side Winds", a trio of talented ladies from the Lakewood Symphony.

Guests enjoyed a delicious array of tea sandwiches, chocolates and tasty treats (thanks Loraine Miller and Barb Tobiska for your contributions). Friends gathered for good conversation as they enjoyed the performers' music - a perfect mix of classical selections and familiar popular tunes. The weather was perfect and everyone was in the right romantic mood for a cozy afternoon. We even had two people celebrating their 47th wedding anniversary a day early - congratulations Mary & John Edgar!

For those who want to hear more from our musicians, they perform with the Lakewood Symphony at the Lakewood Cultural Center. Their next concert is scheduled for Thursday, March 3. Check out their website at http://www.lakewoodsymphony.org/.

Two Fun Events

2011-02-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Artistic Director, Kathy Berls, for the following article and pictures! Thanks to Lynette Kupferer for the Jeffco Library event photos!

Nancy Whitsel and Stacy McKenzie from Jefferson County Libraries

What fun to bring two new events to our list of activities this past weekend! We really have such a fun, creative, nice group of people in our organization. On Friday, the presentation by volunteers from the Jeffco Libraries brought a small but attentive group to our Art Center. Human Resources professional Nancy Whitsel and Library Program Coordinator Stacy McKenzie told us of the many opportunities provided by our local libraries from book mobiles that travel to local retirement communities to ways to download books on your Kindle. The group attending was knowledgeable and interested in the topic - they came with questions and left with amazement over the many free programs offered. It was a wonderful session, made all the more fun with tasty treats provided by Barbara Tobiska (we all want to know how she makes those delicious sandwiches on round bread!) We hope to do a follow-up to this program in the near future as it is such a great addition to our literary arts program. The program is offered free to any organization, so contact your library if you belong to another group who might be interested.

Stacy McKenzie presents information about Jeffco libraries and services

A very different kind of gathering took place the next day. Approximately 17 LAC members and friends gathered at our first Orientation Meeting. Following a warm welcome by President Cindy Haase, we all had fun with a version of "20 Questions". Each person was encouraged to provide two questions to be answered by Artistic Director Kathy Berls and President Cindy. It was a lively round-table discussion with everyone joining in with their questions and observations - and some great new ideas. How nice to be part of a group who knows how to laugh and have a good time - no matter what the topic. We got to know each other better and to learn a little more about the Arts Council, its origins, events, and method of operation. New friendships were formed as people stayed after the session to enjoy more coffee and refreshments and to share more ideas. There was a wonderful feeling of comraderie and excitement as we all learned more about each other and of the many opportunities the Arts Council provides. Certainly the main message that came through was that none of us can do without the arts! Our Community Art Center is just the place to discover your hidden talents and passions.

Board members Warner Reeser and Marje Walsh visit with new LAC members Mariposa Marangia and Dan Martinez and their friend Jean before the LAC Orientation Meeting began.

President Cindy Haase welcomes about 17 guests to the discussion group on Saturday.

We're looking forward to seeing you at a future event - maybe it will be the Valentine's Tea scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 13th??

Two great events in one week!

2011-01-23T18:58:00.000-08:00

Our two "Barbaras" really put on good programs this past week.

On Monday, Barbara Tobiska conducted a group critique - the first for this year and with record attendance. (Guess moving the critiques to Monday afternoons was a good idea judging by the number of participants.) We had fun looking at all kinds of artwork - from abstracts by Katy Haas to very painterly oils by Ann Mann and Linda Corn. Gene Smith had his usual "gallery" of pastel paintings along with some special watercolors and colored pencil work by others in the audience. There was even a very cherished "first" oil painting by Anita Lamprell of her new granddaughter. Barb started off the discussion with some of her excellent observations which brought forth comments from others. Members of the group stayed long after the critique finished as people wanted to continue the discussion.

On Saturday, Barb Benik took us through the process of creating notecards on the computer. This event filled up early on, with several disappointed people calling in at the last minute. Barb's very well organized presentation included two comprehensive hand-outs so everyone could follow along as she talked. With two moniters set up at the front of the room, she took us step-by-step through EVERYTHING - from what kind of digital camera to get, to how to download images, to ways to print the best image and finally to recommended sites in case you want to send your images elsewhere for printing. Boy, we couldn't have asked for a better or more informative presentation! As people left, remarks like "this was exactly what I'd hoped for" and "she really knows her stuff" were heard. The program started at 1:30 and was scheduled to finish by 3:00...but people were still asking questions until almost 4:00. There is definitely a huge request for a follow-up program.

Thanks to both our very smart and helpful Barbaras for sharing their knowledge with us.

LAC Members Breakfast January 2011

2011-01-11T17:09:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Ann Quinn for the article and photos!

The LAC started the New Year off with a bang! Over 55 members and friends of the Lakewood Arts Council attended a rousing breakfast Saturday morning to hear about the exciting activities and exhibits that are planned for 2011. Old members were re-acquainted and new members welcomed. Many attendees were new to the gallery and were participating in the current exhibit ”Me and My Friends”. After sampling the wonderful food array provided by the best cooks at the gallery, the members were welcomed by President Cindy Haase and learned that 2011 is the year of “outreach”. Kathy Berls, Artistic Director, then covered in detail all of the upcoming events, and proceeded to reveal the outcome of the game we all unwittingly played upon entering. Each member had chosen a favorite shape on a card, and Kathy laughingly exposed all of us for who we really are, depending upon which shape card we had chosen (squares are well-organized, circles get along with everyone, and triangles are leaders, for example). All the shapes had been selected, so the LAC is well represented by all the skills needed to enrich our organization. While enjoying the breakfast, everyone had a chance to do some artistic coloring in a variety of pre-determined subjects. The artwork was collected, and a winner was determined in each category. Prizes appropriate to each category were given! What better way to entertain a group of creative persons than coloring? We all look forward to a fabulous year!

Ready for the New Year!

2010-12-30T19:08:00.000-08:00

2010 is over at the LAC Art Center and we've been hard at work getting things ready for the new year! Lots of new things to see when you visit next time (hopefully that will be the member's breakfast scheduled for Saturday, January 8th!). One fun thing to see is the community wall - we're doing a membership drive in January...and the wall has lots of photos of our members from past years. Judging by the collection of pictures, we're a very fun group - who knows how to party, to laugh and to dance.

You'll also find we've expanded our recycle center - not only will you find the assortment of recycled gift item and the used books section...now we've added a recycled music section with used CDs and sheet music.

The gift section in the classroom is full of new cards by co-op members and assorted other items.

We are welcoming two new members to the LAC Co-Op gallery on the main floor. Ken Maestas, from Brighton, will now be showing his lovely stained glass and colored pencil pieces. Katy Haas, from Morrison, brings her floral and abstract acrylic paintings as well as delicate wire sculptures.

You'll find new work on the walls and new glass & pottery on display through-out the gallery. An immediate hit is the "Lucky Winner" painting. For every $5 donation, you get a chance to win a different painting each month. The first donation is a pastel landscape by June Davis. Coming in February will be a Spring scene done in oils by Barbara Tobiska. And in March, will be a floral done in colored pencil by Lynnette Kupferer. You can learn more about this program by clicking on the Special Events & Projects link on our website.

If you haven't already done so - be sure to send in your 2011 LAC dues soon. This just gives you a sampling of all the good things ahead for the Lakewood Arts Council and its members in the new year.

LAC Holiday Party

2010-12-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

A big Thank You to Kathy Berls and Kate Cissell for the article and photos!

How wonderful it was to see so many of our LAC members and their friends at our annual Holiday Party! It was a very festive affair (and a welcome diversion from that Bronco's game!) with great music provided by Kevin Garry and lots of fun conversation and shopping!

Musician Kevin Garry added the perfect holiday touch with his music.

A hot cup of chili, a cold glass of wine and yummy desserts were enjoyed by all. Special thanks to volunteers Jan Casper, June Davis, Karen Hoff, Barbara Tobiska & Marje Walsh who provided the chili - everyone's favorite recipe was combined in a big cooker where all the flavors blended nicely. With over 70 people attending, we barely found seats for everyone! Lots of good shopping kept us busy at the desk - it's been a great show for our local artists and crafters as so many of you have come in for that special purchase. Thank you to all for your support of our local artists!

Members Dick Berls and Charlie Casper enjoy the party!

Member Jan Casper and Board Member June Davis serve up the chili.

Member Kate Cissell and Artistic Director Kathy Berls ring up a sale.

This was a great way to finish up a wonderful year - if you missed the fun, be sure to put it on your calendar for the end of 2011. We can always find more chairs - and the chili will still be on the menu.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Here are some of our members wishing you the very best....

The Smiths .....

The Walshes...

And the Firmins

“Breakfast with an Artist: Jane Christie”

2010-12-10T18:08:00.000-08:00

Thanks Gail Firmin for a wonderful article and pictures!

Jane Christie has been an artist all her life, a pastel artist for 16 years. Her vibrant art can now be seen locally at the Foothills Art Center, Abend Gallery, The Denver Plein Aire Exhibition, and Saks Gallery at Cherry Creek.

While showing us some of her completed pastel works, she emphasized the importance of taking workshops, even if you learn only one thing. So much can be gained just from watching an instructor paint. She got started in her art career at the urging of Steve Tracy, just “jump out there”. Don’t be afraid to exhibit, people will respond nicely.

Jane adheres to Steve’s “Three 3’s” theory: always include 3 shapes within your painting, make each of those shapes a different size, and use 3 different values. Incorporating these principles into your work will result in an exciting painting. She then illustrated how these principles applied to her compositions.

Beginning with a black sheet of Canson paper, her typical substrate, she starts her demo of a quiet winter river scene with a red pastel. This surprising color choice adds excitement when hints of red pop through the finished work. Working dark to light, she continues laying in blues and purples, using every brand of pastel, but having a particular fondness for the locally made Terry Ludwig dark purple. “Be sure to use both warm and cool colors in a painting, emphasize shapes and enjoy the contrast of smooth blended areas with the rough unblended.” Jane is an intuitive painter and says, “It is ok to be a little abstract, random chaos is good”. As she adds black shadows to the underside of her rocks and cools the background, her composition comes alive. White highlights shape the tops of boulders and tree trunks appear.

In framing a pastel it’s important to float the finished piece to allow any pastel dust to settle. She uses anti-reflective (AR) glass which brings out the details.

She also wanted to speak a little about marketing, and how important it is to have good quality prints made for those who can’t afford original art. Package them nicely and include a personalized biography.

Even though the hour and a half time frame did not allow for the piece to be finished, the audience at this well-attended “Breakfast with an Artist” was held in rapt attention, asked numerous questions and enjoyed a delicious breakfast while being inspired by Jane Christie’s beautiful pastel paintings.

Barbara Tobiska's "Painting Snow in Oils" Workshop

2010-12-06T10:36:00.000-08:00

This sure was a great finish to our 2010 workshop series! Popular, dedicated instructor Barbara Tobiska conducted an informative and fun workshop for a full class of students last Thursday. She led students through a step-by-step process of creating mountains, snow drifts, and water using several cool blues, greens and lovely lavendars. Some of the more advanced students took off on their own, but the majority enjoyed exploring the process as it was presented. At the end of the class, Barbara gave a good critique of each piece - making students eager to carry on from where the workshop ended. The paintings had a surprising range of color choices and painting techniques, showing that each artist was able to interpret the lesson through their own eyes.

Barbara is one of the regular instructors at the LAC Art Center. She teaches all levels of oil painting on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Check out our listing of classes for 2011, now posted on our website. We are lucky to have a very talented staff of teachers as well as many new faces presenting the varied workshops.

Sunday Afternoon at Miner’s Alley by Ann Quinn

2010-11-22T16:51:00.000-08:00

Sunday afternoon was a special day for LAC members at the Miner’s Alley Playhouse. Taking advantage of the opportunity to visit this special theater at a special LAC discount, Loraine Miller, her friend Karen, and I (along with numerous other LAC members we spotted in the audience) took in the play “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”, based upon the poem by Dylan Thomas. An inviting living room setting on stage was used with some active pantomime to create a blue-collar family’s Christmas holiday from the past, before TV and cell phones, when visitors actually chatted with one another and the children listened, and when entertainment was sharing memories, laughing, singing, and dancing to work off the holiday meal. As usual, the theater actors were terrific, and I especially enjoyed the antics of the three young actors, aged 10-12. A boy, who plays Dylan Thomas himself, and his two girl cousins were using their fertile imaginations at every turn! From my many holiday family gatherings, I could readily identify with all the one-of-a kind characters in the form of quirky aunts, uncles and cousins. Miner’s Alley once again produced a wonderful excursion with which to begin the holiday season!

Note: I was not familiar with the Thomas’ writing, but did a little research after seeing the play. Dylan Thomas, a Welsh poet and writer who wrote exclusively in English, lived from 1914 until 1953 in Wales, and was born in the small town of Swansea, South Wales where the story takes place. His father was an English Literature professor who read to him often. Sickly as a child, Thomas dropped out of school at 16, taking a job as a junior reporter for a newspaper. In 1932 he decided to concentrate on his poetry full time. In his late teens, Dylan wrote more than half of his collected poems. He moved to London in 1940 with his wife, and visited America for the first time in 1950, popularizing his poetry reading through reading tours. Thomas was the archetypal Romantic poet of the popular American imagination: he was flamboyantly theatrical, a heavy drinker, engaged in roaring disputes in public, and read his work aloud with tremendous depth of feeling and a singing Welsh lilt. He died in New York City at age 39.

FRAMING YOUR ARTWORK - Loraine Miller

2010-11-21T09:09:00.000-08:00

November 19, 2010 - Discussion topic led by Loraine Miller, artist, teacher and professional framer

A very lively group of artists met and discussed the various ways of framing paintings. All art mediums and types of frames were considered. Some have professional framers do it, others buy supplies and do it themselves. But the opinions were as varied and diverse as the people attending. Several different opinions were heard on subjects such as wood vs metal frames, where to buy them, types of hanging wire, matting, and non-glare vs clear single strength glass. And then there was the subject of plexiglass that some galleries require especially on large paintings. One thing is clear - framing can be expensive, is often difficult to decide, and a challenge to the artist, the buyer and the juror.

Unusual stories, about customers both good and bad, were told. Lots of stories were shared about satisfying customer's needs - both by doing commissions and in trying to meet their framing needs. Does the phrase "must match my sofa" sound familiar? Some of the group grew really pale and shaken by the experiences of those who have tried to satisfy a particular customer's wishes. This is not for the faint-of-heart and often amounts to trying to read someone's mind!

It was a fun discussion and we all learned alot. Warner, Kate, Linda, Barbara, Susan, Sherry, Diane, Loraine, Lynnette and Kathy were all participants in the discussion. We are looking forward to the next discussion topic when they start again in 2011.

Thank you Loraine for leading the discussion and providing this article!

Holiday Open House

2010-11-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a fun way to kick off our holiday season - the Holiday Open House was a great event with good food and lots of nice friends attending. A festive refreshment table was set with all kinds of goodies. Favorites were the clam dip (from Gene Smith's recipe) and Barb Mantei's delicous fudge. Our center quickly filled up with happy shoppers as artists and patrons brought friends and neighbors to enjoy the good times.

Friends Lynnette Kupferer and Cindy Ahrenkiel share their discoveries and set the mood of a fun time.

Local author Barbara Roose Cramer visited with friends as she shared information about her new book - a mystery thriller sure to please our book lovers.

There is lots of good shopping at this year's show. Lois Mool's lovely crocheted items are always a hit and we've already had to call her for replacements. There is pottery, wood, holiday decor, glass...and LOTS of sparkling jewelry. It was busy at the desk all night as people selected their favorite purchases - with promises of returning for more shopping.

Volunteer Barbara Tobiska takes a turn writing up sales as she helps Marcia Nowak and her daughter with their items.

Two of the artist's husbands, Ted Kupferer and Bob Hinz, enjoy refreshments and a visit during the evening.

There is lots to see...so be sure to stop in for all your holiday shopping before the show closes on December 22.

New Work in the Co-op Gallery

2010-10-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was "change-over" day for the LAC Co-Op gallery members. Three times a year, this group of 27 artists bring in new work to give the ground floor exhibit of the LAC Art Center a fresh look. It's kind of an "Oh my gosh...will it all fit" turned into "Wow, look at all the great new work on the walls!". Each artist who displays wall hung work in the Co-Op is allowed to hang five pieces - these can range from very large to very small works. Visitors immediately notice the change when they walk in. Both artists and non-artists love to find their favorite pieces. This time, it is fun to see some new papier mache cats by Jane Dorsey and Ann Quinn's venture into mosaics.

The re-hanging process takes all day. Not only do we go from bare walls (complete with all those nail holes) to a full display of over 100 pieces, but also all the display pedestals are cleaned and dusted to allow for new pottery and glass. Who can resist all the new "characters" provided by Gretchen Larson's people pots. 7 1/2 hours later (including a break for a yummy lunch from Jason's Deli), the crew is finished. Staff Assistant Scott Berls does the final clean-up so we are ready to open our doors bright and early on Monday morning. Now it's time to get the upstairs gallery ready for the holiday arts and crafts show scheduled to open on November 1st.

Studio Tour by Kate Cissell (and Photos!)

2010-10-21T20:12:00.000-07:00

When I bought my studio tour ticket, I was expecting a few quiet studios, and that I might get some good info. Susan Gordon and I were delighted to find that it was great fun, too!

At Golden Point One Studio in Golden we were greeted with exuberance and hospitality by Cindy Haase, June Davis, and Tracy Wilson. Though small, the studio serves the artists well and we again enjoyed their superb pastels. Susan got some great help from Cindy on developing a Website.

June Davis

June, Susan Gordon, Tracy Wilson (painting) and Cindy Haase

Janet Nunn's studio in her home was nothing short of majestic--on Lookout Mountain, she has a great physical setup, and keeps many glowing WC originals and prints available for instant viewing and purchase. She frames her pieces as she sells them, so we got a bonus lesson in framing--a method unfamiliar to me before that. As I always like to leave a "piece" of myself wherever I go, my camera stayed with Janet, until my friend Lynnette Kupferer retrieved it for me...so no photos from there on.

Up the road from Janet we visited Joan Rossberg (formerly unknown to me) who was also an enthusiastic and gracious hostess, and her oils are fabulous.

Joan Rossberg

The studio and home of Gene and Myrna Smith has personality-plus, nestled in a homey bit of land in Morrison. They each have their own studio-- for his pastels and her stained glass. Since Gene is LAC's resident "artist extraordinaire", it was fun to see him "in his art home", along with one of his ardent students painting away. Most amazing were the probably hundreds of framed paintings at hand. I was pleased to purchase an unframed pastel of my son which Gene painted while Nick modeled for us at the LAC Gallery some time back. Myrna's work was stunning, showcasing a glorious peacock piece destined for her daughter's house. She gave us a wonderful demo of how she designs a piece, and cuts and treats the glass.

I think my favorite studio was the LAC Community Center and Gallery, where all three of my LAC WC instructors were doing demo paintings. It was "old home week" for me and I loved seeing them all together. The goodies weren't bad, either!

At the LAC Center, Arlene Krogstad and Miriam Ritter

The tour was great fun, a valuable learning experience, and well worth the ticket price!

Fall Has Arrived at LAC by Kathy Berls

2010-10-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

THANKS TO BARB BENIK FOR THE GREAT PICS!

It certainly was a busy weekend for the Arts Council! Fall has come rushing in with all kinds of new things at the gallery along with a good start on plans for 2011. The weekend began with our annual LAC Board retreat held at Marje Walsh's home (if you ever want to visit an immaculate, lovely home...talk to Marje - her condo is spectacular!). The retreat lasted from 9:00am - 1:30pm (with a break for a delicious pot luck brunch) and resulted in lots of exciting new ideas for next year. All will be revealed at our first member's breakfast in early January. We have an amazing Board made up of diverse individuals who have lots of creative energy.

The weekend also brought a new exhibit to the upstairs gallery - this one is called "Fall Colors" and it is just that! The show hangs together beautifully with it's abundance of yellows, golds and oranges. We stretched the space, rearranged the back window display area and managed to include over 100 works in the show. It's colorful, diverse and fun....you don't have to wait for the leaves to change outside - just take a walk through this exhibit. Some really fun, inventive three dimensional pieces are included such as the large tree made out of PVC pipe by Lakewood artist Kathy Ross. LAC members Kathi Eggers, Charlie Casper, Loraine Miller and Ellen Masters were among the award winners. Special thanks to our volunteer helpers: Ellen Masters, Karen Bryant, Marje Walsh and Myrna Smith (don't even ask how we got the additional large display panel back upstairs - Myrna and I are sort of a comical team when it comes to moving furniture...at one point we were trapped half-way up the stairs, with more than a little worry about what we'd started - some would say it would have been easier to load the panel in my car and drive around to the back - but we never go for the easy way!).

Tree by Kathy Ross

Also new in the gallery is a terrific show of work by three artists from the Golden Point One studio. Don't miss their elegant display of work on the community wall downstairs by artists June Davis, Cindy Haase and Tracy Wilson. This is some of the nicest pastel and oil work you'll see anywhere. Of course, one of my favorite pieces is the portrait of my little niece Madeleine by June Davis - but I'd gladly take home any of the work in this collection!

Community Wall

The recycled Green Center has also turned orange for Halloween - small trick or treat bags, Halloween plates and napkins and much more is available this month for your donation. Several new books have arrived for the used book sale and we are pleased to honor the local chapter of the Colored Pencil Society on our "Spotlight" wall.

Going Green Center

Finally, the silent auction wrapped up on Thursday night with a very festive and fun auction night. People were extremely generous with their bids, raising over $1,700 for the Arts Council. Thanks to everyone who donated to or supported this fund-raiser.

It's Silent Auction Time! by Kathy Berls

2010-09-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks Charlie Casper for the photos!

Wow! What an incredible collection of items have been donated for this year's Silent Auction! I just finished all the displays, located this year in the LAC Art Center classroom, and am amazed at how generous our members were.

We are taking bids now so come in soon to get first pick at your favorite! Each item is numbered; bid slips with corresponding numbers are located in the racks by the display. - And be sure to register your name, phone, address at the front desk so we can notify you if you are the lucky winner.

This year's collection includes original artwork by some of your favorite artists, including pastels by Gene Smith and Cindy Haase, a lovely stained glass piece by Myrna Smith, a fanciful colored pencil by Lynnette Kupferer and a beautiful watercolor by Loraine Miller. Some of my favorites are a beautiful ceramic piece by Scott Nakauchi-Hawn and those wonderful wood bowls by Mike Busse. For lovers of Egyptian artifacts, there is a whole collection from the King Tut exhibit when it was on display at the Field Museum. If you're musically inclined, you can bid on private flute lessons or a 1/2 hour performance with well-known musician Elizabeth Hicks-Kimmey ( she was the performer at our recent Artists Choice reception). Well...there are just too many wonderful things to list here - so take a look at the entire list on our website - go to the Events link.

Final bids will be taken on our special Auction Night, scheduled for Thursday, September 30, 6:00 pm. This was a wild, fun event last year complete with some competitive bidding while attendees enjoyed a wine tasting and salsa bar. Tickets are just $6; call for your reservation now 303-980-0625.

For a complete list of Silent Auction items please click HERE

LAC Garage Sale a Success! by Ann Quinn

2010-08-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

"Bring on the Customers"

Barbara Tobiska and Karen Hoff

Volunteering to help with the set-up of the August 20-21 garage sale, I arrived early Wednesday a.m. to begin sorting all of the donated items and boxes under the expert and experienced eye of Kathy Berls. Each year she says this is so much work, but each year the group cannot resist having this sale, even though her garage was stuffed and her husband’s beloved classic truck was parked outside! Dragging most of the donations out onto Kathy’s driveway gave us plenty of room to work and with just a few of us sorting, we had completed the task several hours later. We left the remainder of the job to the ‘pricing’ crew coming the next day. Participating in a casual event like the garage sale is a great way to get to know other members (and fellow pack rats!). It was sooooo tantalizing to see all the donated goodies, but Kathy kept us moving, allowing “no peeking”. I did come back on the first day of the sale early Friday morning to claim a few items. At the sale it was fun to see all the buyers, especially the children with their special finds.

"Youngest Customer"

"Making a Big Sale"
Kathy Berls and Customer

Thanks to everyone for supporting the LAC Fundraiser!

The Kid's Art Show by Jane Dorsey

2010-08-08T09:37:00.000-07:00

A BIG thanks to Ann Quinn for the fun photos!

I could not miss them when I walked in the door-the Tape Angels floating up over the Loft railing, beckoning me up the stairs and into the world of Kid’s Art. I reach the top of the stairs and shrieking its dramatic presence is a big pink dragon with a striped belly and bug eyes. Is this cool or what! More floating Tape Angels. A whole show of all kinds of imaginative, fresh, uninhibited art made from stuff at hand. No worries here about archival quality; this show put me back in time, when my mom would save me round Quaker Oats boxes, paper tubes and popsicle sticks.

Sitting at the desk that day, I thought about the art upstairs as opposed to the accomplished and lovely pieces downstairs. I thought about the dragon. As a 3-dimensional artist, I have created and sold several large well made dragons (seriously), but, I thought, nothing as fresh and fun as the outrageous bug-eyed wonder. I concluded that the difference is partially in the “well made” aspect of a project. By the time you think it out, and construct it for reasonable permanency, salability and lord knows whatever else keeps you fooling around with the details, all sense of spontaneity disappears.

Of course we appreciate the skills developed with time and experience. And of course if an adult entered the bug-eyed wonder in a juried show, it would be tossed out for what it isn’t. And yet, today I love it for what it is.

During the course of my day at the gallery, two more dragons made their entrance. One, a fierce two headed character with amazing claws was built by a young man who told me he had named one head Beaky, and the other Twitchy. He had not, however thought of a name for “the whole dragon.” The other, an elegant Oriental style flying dragon was named Kozul. They were both worthy and fitting additions to the Loft show.

This is important stuff. Browse it, learn from it, and enjoy it-it’s priceless.

Let's Talk Art by Kate Cissell

2010-07-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

The following article is from our own Kate Cissell, watercolor artist, who attended the "Let's Talk Art" Brown Bag Discussion group last Friday. Many thanks, Kate!

The lively brown-bag lunch session at the LAC Community Center and Gallery on Friday, July 16, was a great success. The topics of Art Supplies and Art Galleries/Shows provided the attendees with opportunities to share information and ask questions about their preferred art media.

The primary reason for my attendance was to share my knowledge of watercolor painting supplies and my favorite shows. I was pleasantly rewarded with the enthusiastic participation of my friends, and a number of new faces, on a wide variety of art media. My personal 'prize of honor' is hereby bestowed upon "Maggie", who provided a wealth of information on many subjects. I believe she had at least one art supply source for almost every art medium discussed.

Kathy Berls, LAC Manager, expertly facilitated the process in which excited and knowledgeable participants developed a list of art supply and art show sources in the following areas:

Painting--Oil, Watercolor, Acrylics, Pastel, and Colored Pencil, Silk

Drawing

Glass--Mosaic and Stained Glass

Fabric and Fiber--Quilting and Collage...

Viewing Great Art--Art Galleries, Juried Art Shows, Street Art
Fairs, First -Friday Open Studios...

Interacting with friends and meeting new people ( including potential LAC members) is one of my favorite things about the LAC art community. I find that the brown-bag discussions are the ultimate vehicle for informal meetings can be useful and enjoyable!

Our new 3-5 year plan approved!

2010-07-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we have been working on our 3-5 year plan. The LAC Board approved the plan last month and we are excited about our future!

You can find a copy of the plan on our website, www.lakewoodartscouncil.org, on the ABOUT LAKEWOOD ARTS COUNCIL page.

Please join us on our most awesome adventure!

LAC Garden Tour 2010

2010-07-13T12:01:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday was our annual garden tour and it was really a picture-perfect day!

Our LAC events co-ordinator Melinda Fiscus lined up eight outstanding gardens to be included on the tour. It was an easy route to follow since most of the gardens were located in two neighborhoods. As usual, the gardeners were extremely generous with their time, sharing not only their lovely backyards but also giving lots of helpful hints on what they've learned in developing their gardens. Our special thanks to Marjie Siefert, Loretta DiTorro and Alice Gann for welcoming us into their Wheat Ridge homes. Gardeners Marcia Ludden, Kathy Demane, Pat McVicker and Helen Feiner all live up in the hills behind Heritage Square. Just driving around in these neighborhoods was a treat - but stopping at the special garden sites was an amazing discovery. The final stop was in Lakewood for the hillside garden of Master Gardener Connie McKenna.

It was fun to discover several of the gardeners have a relationship with our Arts Council. Kathy Demane's home is filled with local artists' work, many of the pieces purchased from our Art Center. Connie McKenna is a friend of LAC members Kate Cissell, Lynnette Kupferer and Cindy Ahrenkiel.

Because this year's tour was up north or out west, rather than near the LAC Art Center, we replaced the usual mid-tour luncheon with an afternoon tea. It was such fun to have those who attended the garden tour gather at our place to talk about what they saw during the day. Lots of summer hats, pretty dresses and happy faces were in evidence. The refreshment table was full of delicious treats - from tiny tea sandwiches to the favorite lemon cakes and eclairs. What a nice way to end a near-perfect day - good friends, good food and delightful music provided by Ken Krogstad.

The tour had a record crowd and earned over $2,000 in revenue for LAC and its programs. We thank everyone who supported the event - especially our volunteers who greeted visitors at each location. If you missed this year's tour, but would like to be put on the mailing list for next year, send us an email at LAC@lakewoodartscouncil.org . We already have some wonderful gardens lined up!

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We thought you might like to hear how one of our members experienced the Garden Tour. Big thanks to LAC member, Ann Quinn, for the following article. All pictures in this blog post were submitted by Ann. Great pictures, Ann!

The garden tour was such a fun experience this year! Having volunteered to handle tickets at an afternoon location, I left home early and was able to first visit six of the eight beautiful gardens! There were several groups of gardens in the same neighborhood, making the visiting easy! And kudos to the designer of the map! I did not get lost even once!

As I raced around, looking for plant and design ideas, I was able to meet several gardeners and pick up a few words of wisdom and lots of great ideas…I saw lots of full sun planting beds (usually required for colorful summer blooms), lots of relaxing shady areas (do gardeners ever really rest in these spaces?), and several wonderful water features. Of a particular interest was a small stream that created the soothing sound of splashing water and was attractive to birds, but did not have the maintenance issues of a pond! I even talked with the stream designer and installer. This is an idea I want to try!

As I made my way west, I discovered several gardens that made great use of severe slopes. Terracing up or down from the residence, the gardens were works of art when viewed from above or below. Usually a compost pile was at work in the area, and at one garden, visitors received a mini-seminar on composting with worms! Lovely!

One gardener was a knowledgeable ten year old young lady who was delighted to explain how the entire family had built and now enjoy their ‘garden on a hill’. After the tour was over, she and her mom enjoyed the tea, live music, and artwork at the gallery! The gathering time for snacks at the end of the tour was a wonderful chance to rest from the sun and meet new and old friends to discuss what we had seen. I thought I worked a lot in my garden, but now I think I need to do more! I did, however, finish the tour with many wonderful photos which I plan to use as source material for my paintings. Can’t wait until next year!

Check out the garter snake basking in the frog's lap!

Nature's Beauty Award Winners

2010-07-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

I'm currently in Omaha hanging out with my Mom. I thought I was here to take care of her after her colon surgery last week, but our prayers for her recovery were answered and then some. She has bounced back splendidly. I apologize for the delay in getting these posted.

Thank you to Charlie Casper for taking the photos at the reception last Thursday.

Award Winners at the Nature's Beauty Reception

Best of Show
"The Sentinel" acrylic by Charles White

2nd Place
"Natural Beauties of Costa Rica" oil by Kay Curtis

3rd Place
"Backlit" acrylic by Shizuko Barbara Hanson

Merit Award
"Spring's Glory" photograph by Elayne Cottingham

Merit Award
"Eggs & Ribbon" pastel by June Davis

Merit Award
"Pine and Walnuts" basket by Debra Otero

Merit Award
"Iris" watercolor by Mary Tharp

Congratulations to all our artists!!

Award Winners for "Nature's Beauty"

2010-06-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

Hot Off the Press! Here are the award winners chosen today by Cal Johnson for our "Nature's Beauty" Exhibit.

Best of Show
Chuck White

Second Place
Kay Curtis

Third Place
Shizuko Barbara Hanson

Merit Awards
Elayne Cottingham, June Davis, Debra Otero, Mary Tharp

Artist Choice Award Winners

2010-05-29T17:00:00.000-07:00

I'm running a bit behind on exhibit news. I attended the reception on May 20th at the Lakewood Cultural Center.

The reception was lovely and music provided by Liz Hicks-Kimmey.

I apologize for the way the pictures of the artwork turned out but the Cultural Center has too many windows, with too much light and the reflections were everywhere! (Not pictured - Nancy Myer, Second Place, "Forest Fern Fantasy", photograph)

Best of Show
"Lacy Lady"
Watercolor by Ellen Masters

Third Place
"Time Out"
Pastel by Gene Smith

Merit Award
"Wistful"
Photograph by
Mildred Ferris

Merit Award
"Mountain Lake"
Pastel by Georgiana Foley

Merit Award
"Botanic Jazz I"
Acrylic Collage by Conn Ryder

Merit Award
"Puff"
Wood by Jeff Herring

Interview with Robert Spooner - Artists Choice Juror

2010-05-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

LAC's annual exhibit at the Lakewood Cultural Center, "Artists Choice", is now on display until June 18th. The jurying took place last Saturday by talented artist Robert Spooner. Robert graciously agreed to answer a few interview questions for our blog. Thank you, Robert!

Robert Spooner
click here to visit his informative website

1. When we spoke after the jurying at the Cultural Center, you mentioned several things you look for when judging an exhibit. I believe one of those things was the execution of shapes. Could you share your thoughts with our readers?

A painting is nothing more than how an artist sees and interprets shapes. The combination of shapes makes up the composition and it is so important to a successful painting.

"Blacksmith"

2. You mentioned having been a teacher for the last five years. As a teacher, what would you like to say to the artists personally? professionally?

Not every artist wants to be a professional, but it is important to find guidance at what ever level you seek. Whether your work is abstract or realism, painting or photography, there are basic fundamentals about your medium required to reach higher and higher levels of professionalism. So find a good instructor/mentor to pursue your craft.

3. When you select the award winners what speaks to you about a painting and says "I deserve an award"?

Remember, how an artist completes those shapes... the three winners all had great things in common. Great composition, complete execution of the entire piece, and most importantly the artist showed "clear intention" throughout the piece. Every area within the piece was given equal attention and was extremely well executed. The other qualities are value, how well was the drawing handled. How well did the artist handled their medium? I did not see the subject first when awarding these pieces... to me it is all the same. It was the overall execution of the combination of elements that made them winners.

"Griddle Cook"

4. What does a day in the life of "Robert Spooner, the Artist" look like? How much time do you spend in marketing activities?

Mornings are made up up tending to emails and research. By 9 am I'm off to the studio to begin a painting or continue where I left off. I may have as many as four or five pieces going at the same time. I may not work on each of them each day but they are all in the process of being completed. I complete my studio day around 3 p.m.

Marketing is continuous. A phone call here, interview there, blog once in a while, update my website, enter shows, attend art openings, and even find time to get out and judge a local show!

5. Could you share a bit about your journey to showing your work in galleries? Any advice for those artists who wish to ultimately show in a gallery?

Selling your work in a gallery is nothing more than another form of competition, How well your work is executed is what gets noticed by gallery owners and collectors alike. Execute, execute, execute!

6. Do you set goals for yourself? If so, what are some of your goals as an artist?

My goals have always been the same, to be a better "Artist". Anyone can paint, but not everyone is an artist.

Gail Firmin on Community Arts

2010-05-09T19:04:00.000-07:00

LAC is in the process of developing a long range plan for the next few years. It's been such an enlightening and empowering process. One of the issues we have been discussing is the connotation of "community arts". The following is from Gail Firmin and her take on the meaning of "community arts". Gail is a Littleton watercolorist and member of the LAC co-op.

Thank you Gail for sharing your thoughts and insight!

Gail Firmin
Member of LAC Cooperative

The image of a “Community” art gallery may cause some professional artists to seek higher ground, but in the Lakewood Arts Council’s Community Art Center and Gallery, one finds a friendly gathering place that promotes the arts in so many ways.

As a watercolor artist who paints for personal gratification, I first joined the LAC to take advantage of its many offerings. Because of its involved members and its multi-use facility, a diverse array of events are available, from art exhibits, demos, workshops and classes to holiday luncheons, theatre outings and garden tours. Featuring poets and musicians of the month in the gallery, along with literary book reviews in the “Focus on the Arts” publication, non-visual arts are supported, appealing to many other members of the community.

" Terra Cotta Cooler"
Watercolor by Gail Firmin

This is a gallery where one can go to find reasonably priced, high quality paintings, photographs, jewelry, sculpture, fiber art and more. For gifts, adding a piece to an art collection of those “artists-to-watch”, or just to catch up on local art happenings, this is the place to go. As an active and involved citizen and artist in Jeffco, I see the Lakewood Arts Council’s Community Art Center and Gallery as an entity that provides invaluable services to the community, that a typical gallery just can’t offer.

What Happened To March??

2010-04-08T10:06:00.000-07:00

For all of our regular readers I apologize for being AWOL this month...

A couple of things have kept me running behind on everything. The big events in my life this month were:

- Trip to Santa Clara for the Executive Board meeting of the Colored Pencil Society of America. This year's 18th Annual International Exhibition will be held in July in Los Gatos, so gathering the Board for our spring meeting in the area helped to get us familiar with the location. We took a side trip to the Santa Clara Mission which was so interesting and beautiful.

Giant Palm at Santa Clara Mission (site of a CPSA Plein Air Workshop in July)

- Two of my artist friends and I rented a small studio space in Golden. Getting moved in and setting up a routine for working has proved very productive and I've created more paintings this month than I ever have. Not all good paintings, mind you, but progress is a great thing.

Tracy Wilson and I in front of Golden Point One Fine Art Studio

- On a more personal note, my sweet granddaughter, Emma, turned one this month. She is my youngest grandchild. Emma and I spend Tuesdays together and she reminds me of the joy in my life.

So, let's catch up!!

- The Mask Project
Our own Jane McFadden Dorsey created a beautiful lion mask for this project benefitting The Denver Hospice. Check out the link and bid on your favorite. I see many names I recognize, another local being Chuck Danford, member of Moutainside Art Guild.

- Jeanne Mackenzie's Photo to Finish workshop at LAC
I heard it was a wonderful workshop from reading Ann Quinn's Blog. Here's a tip that came from another attendee of the workshop - when photographing landscapes for resource make sure you have a few photos of the landscape colors without the sky included. The camera washes out all color of the foliage when including the sky.

While you're at Ann's Blog read about her beautiful banners that were installed at the Westminster Rec Center in February. It was so fun to have Ann bring her banners-in-progress to LAC and unfurl them from the loft.

- Mountainside Art Guild's Member Show
Stop in and see the exhibit that went up last weekend in the Loft at LAC. I'll be at the gallery on Monday and will feature a few of my favorite paintings here on the blog. (I just noticed on their program schedule that Bruce Gomez will be doing a pastel demo at the May 5th meeting....I'll be there with bells on!!)

- Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum Lecture Series
Deidre Adams will be presenting a most interesting lecture on her art "Quilting in a State of Change", Thursday April 22 6:30pm at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, 1213 Washington Avenue, Golden, Colorado

" Detour 2008" Quilt by Diedre Adams

Astrology Winners at Reception

2010-03-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the Award Winners!

Charlie Casper, Susan Gordon, Barbara Benik, Ken Maestas

Merit Award - "Cat Nap" pen & ink by Barbara Benik

Merit Award - "Sunshine" stained glass by Ken Maestas

Second Place - "Virgo Rising" enhanced digital by Charlie Casper

Best of Show - "Astrology Charts" mixed media collage by Susan Gordon

(Not pictured - Elayne Cottingham)

Interview with Janet Nunn, Juror - Astrology Exhibit

2010-03-05T07:34:00.000-08:00

Thank you Janet for taking the time to share your experience and thoughts with the readers of LAC's blog. (Click on the image to see larger images of Janet's work.)

1. What draws you to watercolor as your medium of choice? Have you always painted in watercolor or have you tried other media?

Watercolor has always been one of my favorite mediums because of the way the paint, water, and paper all mix together to create a painting. Mostly I have painted in watercolor. However, five years ago I switched from tube watercolor paints to Dr. Ph. Martin’s Liquid watercolors. These paints make painting so much bolder and easier because of their consistent color out of the bottle and the paint is always fresh.

2. What do you feel takes a good painting to an excellent painting? This may be an odd question, but how do you know when one of your paintings is finished?

A good painting combines design, color, and feeling and an excellent painting takes those three elements to the next level. There are many paintings that I love the technical brush strokes and the composition only to find no one gets the painting. Then there are other paintings with good color and composition and it is something they relate to that makes the painting a winner. As a painter you can’t be all things to all people, so it is important you remain true to your style.

Finishing a painting is the best part. I know as soon as I start adding brush strokes that overall do not change the painting then I am done. A lot of my students love the painting they have just created and had so much fun painting that the piece is done and they are still painting wasted strokes. At this point start another painting and continue those wonderful strokes on another piece in the making.

3. What does a day in the life of “Janet Nunn, Watercolor Artist” look like? How much of your day is spent painting? Marketing?

Painting and creating are a large part of my days. Usually I have 3 to 5 paintings working all of the time and even more when I am teaching classes. Currently I teach at the Arvada Center, Evergreen Center for the Arts Foothills Art Center and various workshops around town. With every class I create a new painting and worksheet. This takes a ton of time. On class weeks I will start painting by 7:30 am, take a few breaks and finish at 8 at night even the weekends. Then after the 6 week classes I paint more paintings for my needs. Most days I will spend 4 to 6 hours painting a day and two to three hours for lessons, marketing, and creating. My favorite days are winter snow days the ones you do not get out of the house and I paint and shovel snow all day!

4. What is the biggest mistake one can make in their development as an artist? What do you think is the best thing an artist can do to further their development?

Really, I do not think there are any mistakes an artist can make. Everyone is on his or her own path as an artist and everything becomes a part of the journey. Some of us have children, run businesses, take care of people, and travel. These can seem like a hinder at times but they are what we have in our background when we create our artwork. As for the best thing an artist can do to further himself or herself is different for each person. What I mean is for some it is painting classes, art history classes, painting outdoors, just painting, going to guild meetings and visiting with other artists. There is a point in every artist that they need to have one of these subjects to continue on their development.

5. Could you describe your studio, what’s the best part of your studio? What would you change if you could? Many artists have problems “getting started”. Is this a problem for you, and how do you overcome that challenge?

My studio is wonderful, full of windows and lots of space. I live on Lookout Mountain and I have views from the East, South, West and North. Inspiration is right out my window. In this studio area I have my computer, calendar and printer; things I could not live without. There is a matting and framing area so yes I can be the framer for my paintings. Then upstairs is a great storage area to keep all of my art stuff.

As for getting started, I usually do not have that problem. I come down to my easel and I have a painting in the works, or I have a class where I need to have a painting. When I do start a painting I have a plan before I put the brush on the paper. I will think about the painting and what effect I want the piece to give. Then I will sketch some ideas. So when I get to the painting part I am excited – and prepared -- to carry my plan out.

6. Would you be so kind as to give some feedback to the artists who entered the “Astrology “ Exhibit a LAC? What are your thoughts about the award winners…what drew you to these pieces?

Many times I have entered shows with a theme and the Juror chose a painting that did not match the theme. I feel if someone is brave enough to step outside of their box and paint to the theme they should be rewarded.

As for the award winners, Best of show is a nice watercolor and paper describing all of the signs of the zodiac. I felt this painting covered the theme and was a well-designed piece. The next piece is a digital piece. LAC has these artists and Virgo caught my with the beauty of the young woman and the celestial design. The Merit award winners were hard to choose because there were a few good ones. The reason why I chose the stained glass piece with the fish is there is so much planning in stained glass and this piece had many curves and bevels. As for the two lions one pen and ink and the other a photograph is simple. The pen and ink cross hatching created nice shadow and showed the artists ability to draw. The photo of the lion has nice light hitting the face and the lion was offset from the middle of the image. The other reason for the lions is I have family members that are Leos and I chose the lions.

7. Do you have goals as an artist? What defines “success” for you?

Yes, as an artist I have many goals. The list is evolving and constantly changing. When I reach one set of goals the next ones take their place and I start a new list. Success for me is the complete painting process. What I mean is taking a thought of a painting creating it, matting and framing the piece, showing the piece and then finding a great new home for the creation. That is success to me.

Award Winners of Astrology Exhibit

2010-02-27T19:01:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to all of the Award Winners for the Astrology Exhibit, juried for awards by Janet Nunn.

Best of Show:
"Astrology Charts" mixed media collage by Susan Gordon

Second Place:
"Virgo Rising" enhanced digital by Charlie Casper

Merit Awards:

"Cat Nap" pen & ink by Barbara Benik
"Raja" photograph by Elayne Cottingham
"Sunshine" stained glass by Ken Maestas

Award Winners from Crystal Clear Reception

2010-02-05T09:02:00.000-08:00

The "Crystal Clear" reception was last night at LAC. Thanks to Charlie Casper for the great pics.

Congratulations to all our award winners for their stunning artwork:

From Left to Right: Janet Rundquist Quinn, Nancy Raskin, Steven Blecher, Susan Gordon, Scott Nakauchi-Hawn, Gary Wilkinson

Best of Show
Janet Rundquist Quinn, "Grasses and Water" Oil

First Place
Nancy Raskin, "Autumn Lilies" Pastel

Merit Award
Steven Blecher "Libraryland Too" Photograph

Merit Award
Susan Gordon "Joy II" Watercolor

Merit Award
Scott Nakauchi-Hawn "Still Got All My Marbles" Acrylic

Merit Award
Gary Wilkinson "Viking Moon" Glass

Interview with June Davis, Juror for "Crystal Clear" Exhibit

2010-02-02T17:10:00.000-08:00

Showing now through the end of February at the LAC Community Arts Center and Gallery is the "Crystal Clear" Exhibit. The awards were selected last Saturday by Golden pastel artist, June Davis.

June was kind enough to allow me to interview her and provide some of her wonderful insight as an artist to those who entered the exhibit, won awards, and to the readers of our LAC blog. The following are her thoughtful answers.

Ellen's Teapot, 11 x 14 Pastel

1. How did you come to choose "artist" as your passion?

From an early age I always liked to draw and I was encouraged to do so. There are a number of people in my family with artistic abilities. One such person is my Dad. He is 90 years old and he currently works for a company in New York, designing signs on the computer. I believe they all had a part in creating my passion for art.

2. What artists have influenced your work? Why?

In recent years, I have had the opportunity to take workshops from Tony Ortega, Ken Valastro, Sally Strand, Robert Spooner and Connie Renner. The last two years I have been studying with Deborah Bays and I have been greatly influenced by her talent and knowledge of the classic approach to painting. She has instilled in me the importance of having a concept of what the painting is going to be about before I even put pencil to paper. A lot of planning goes into each and every piece.

3. It's a "day in the life of June Davis", what does that look like?

My days vary according to the needs of my family. I share a studio with several other artists and we meet three or four times a week to paint and to critiques each other's work. I have found that this has greatly impacted my productivity and helped me to take my work to a new level. One night a week, I take a pastel class. In between times, I like to go to galleries, surf the internet for art related info and I usually end the day with a magazine or book about art.

"Heels and Stockings" 12 x 12" Pastel

4. What advice would you give a new artist? an artist that wants to take their work to a new level?

I have certain books that I go back and reread from time to time. One such book is The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. In one of his chapters he mentions that the most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and doing it. I would encourage new artists to put the time into their art. The hard work and effort will pay off. I would also encourage the artists to surround themselves with people of like interest and share ideas with them.

5. What thoughts would you like to share with the artists of "Crystal Clear" after judging the exhibit? with the readers of our blog?

There were a variety of mediums and new artists in the Crystal Clear Show. I very much enjoyed looking at each and every piece and was intrigued by the many different interpretations of the theme. When I jury a show I take into consideration composition, the artist's knowledge of his/her chosen medium, art concepts, presentation and interpretation of the theme of the show.

The Best of Show, "Grasses and Water" piece by Janet Rundquist Quinn, was beautifully done. I felt that the artist made a good choice of colors, use of simple shapes to interpret the subject matter and good texture. She painted on a large canvas that was beautifully framed, which added to the professional quality of the piece.

The 2nd Place winner, "Autumn Lilies", was a large pastel by Nancy Raskin. The choice of colors created an interesting and harmonious mood in the composition. The artist used value, texture, shapes and color to create the composition and she demonstrated an understanding of pastels. I also felt that the size of the piece greatly impacted the presentation of the piece.

The Merit Awards included water color, photography, acrylics and stained glass. Each piece showed that the artists had knowledge of their chosen materials. The selections were colorful. Some pieces were realistic and one had a very abstract quality to it. They all deserved to be recognized.

Thank you LAC for giving me the opportunity to jury this show. It was a pleasure.

"Nostalgia" 10.5" x 18.5" Pastel

Crystal Clear Exhibit - Winners!

2010-01-31T17:47:00.000-08:00

Our "Crystal Clear" Exhibit was juried on Saturday by Golden artist, June Davis. June selected the following award winners:

Best of Show: "Grasses and Water" oil by Janet Rundquist Quinn

Second Place: "Autumn Lilies" pastel by Nancy Raskin

Merit Awards:
"Libraryland Too" photograph by Stephen Blecher
"Joy II" watercolor by Susan Gordon
"Still Got All My Marbles" acrylic by Scott Nakauchi-Hawn
"Viking Moon" glass by Gary Wilkinson

Stay tuned for a great interview with juror, June Davis, and images of the award-winning artwork.

Our Brand New Website is Live!

2009-12-31T12:38:00.000-08:00

Our LAC goal was to have our new redesigned website live by January 1, 2010, and we made it!

A special thanks to Charlie Casper, owner of Lakewood Graphic Arts and 2010 LAC Board Member, and Kathy Berls, Artistic Director, for the design and layout of the pages. To Barbara Benik, Website Technical Advisor, who took the design and made it a functioning website. To Cindy Haase (that's me), who entered the data and will be responsible, as 2010 Webmaster, for the ever-changing and fun information our website has to offer.

New features for 2010:

Current Projects
The Going Green Center is a new feature at the LAC Art Center this year, where artists donate their time, talent and supplies to donate gift items made from recycled or partially recycled materials. Customers can "buy" these charming gift items by making a donation to LAC. These donations support LAC and our 2010 events.

Potpourri Jars with recycled canning jars and adorned with vintage jewelry

Magnets & Candle Holders from Recycled Jars and Vintage Jewelry

Members' Links
As a member of LAC you are eligible to have your website link posted on our new website, with a thumbnail image of your artwork. We anticipate this will be a big hit with our visual artists, but is not limited to visual arts.

"Marked Twice" by Heidrun Snyder

Fused Glass Plate by Leslie Bitgood of Crazy Woman Glass

Check out our Members' Links webpage and see all the talented artists who are members of LAC.

Featured Poet
In October of 2009 we held our first poetry competition in a long while, Art of Poetry, and it was a huge success. Our winner was Jane Davis Carpenter. We have decided to feature a new poet or two each month from those who entered the October competition. There is a dedicated space at the LAC Art Center for the featured poet of the month. In January 2010, our featured poets are Dennis Jacobson and Jean Barringer. Watch for details of our Art of Poetry competition for
2010.

Featured Musician
As an Arts Center we want to focus on all the arts including music. Since the Featured Poet was such a hit we have also included a Featured Musician. Please visit our webpage to find out more about the Lakewood Symphony Orchestra, our January featured musician. Watch the webpage for information about our February musicians, The Borscht Brothers.

Along with our new features, are our old favorites:

Co-op Gallery
The lower level of the Art Center is the home of the LAC Co-op Gallery. The group consists of 28-30 artists who man the gallery as well as showcase their work. Please visit the webpage to see what wonderfully talented artists we have.

Youth & Arts
This is where you will find schedule for our Abrakadoodle classes to be held at the LAC Art Center. There are some great classes for children and grandparents.

Visual Arts
Interested in classes and workshops? Entering our next art exhibit? Check out this page for all the information on our opportunities for visual artists.

About LAC
Find out how thee persistance of our early supporters brought LAC into being, and see who represents you on the Board of Directors for 2010.

If you don't belong to LAC you really must Join the fun...see our Events page for information on our upcoming 2010 winter Members' Meeting & Breakfast. (Our LAC Membership form will make you smile!)

We hope you will visit our new LAC website often, as well as our LAC blog for commentary, interviews with our exhibit jurors and much more.

Best wishes for an Excellent New Year from Lakewood Arts Council to you and yours!

Pardon Our Dust!

2009-12-29T11:47:00.000-08:00

Our website has been take down for an upgrade...different server and new look! Hopefully it won't be down more than a day or two. We think you will like the new look!

We have declared 2010 the "Excellence in Everything" year! So here's to an excellent New Year for all of the arts lovers out there!

Going Green for the Holidays and Beyond

2009-12-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

NEW AT THE LAC ART CENTER!
A new section has just opened up at the LAC Community Art Center - with the thrifty shopper especially in mind. Located in the classroom area, you'll now find a new recycled gift center, filled with gently used items that have been donated to us. Currently featuring holiday decor and other seasonal gifts, the collection might hold just what you need to brighten your holiday or for that special hostess gift. You'll find everything from scented candles, to ornaments, to decorative paper for your annual Christmas letter. The "Going Green" recycled gift center will become a regular feature beginning in January, providing an assortment of small gift items that have been created or re-created by LAC members.

Sales from the "Going Green" recycled gift center benefit the Lakewood Arts Council and will be used for its programs in 2010. Along with all the reasonably priced fine art and crafts featured in the Holiday Art Show, the Lakewood Arts Council's Community Art Center and Gallery is THE place to shop for all your holiday needs. Be sure to stop in before the sale ends on December 23.

LOCAL ARTISTS SHINE AT HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE

2009-11-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

Pottery by Walter Weinberg, Aurora
Holiday decor by Barbara Williams, Littleton
Fiber by Ann Quinn, Lakewood

Once again, the Lakewood Arts Council is hosting its annual holiday arts and crafts sale, displaying a range of unusual items by our local artists. In keeping with its mission to support and promote community arts at all levels, the Arts Council takes no commission on sales and invites all artists to participate without jurying the items entered.

Fiber by Ann Quinn and Lois Mool, Lakewood, and Cynthia Haase, Littleton
Pottery by Connie Throckmorton, Littleton

The result is a collection of skillfully made crafts as well as a selection of original fine art, pottery and jewelry. This year's collection includes work by many popular Lakewood artists. Visitors will find fiber art by Milli Barton, unique glass jewelry by Leslie Anne Bitgood and Jill Knapp, beautifully carved wood items by Michael Busse, one of a kind beaded necklaces by Heidi Domagala, windsocks by Rosie Dwyer, handmade yarn animals and crochet decorations by Lois Mool, etched glass by Pam Sanders, and carved animals by Colton Tapler. Artists from many surrounding cities have contributed work to this year's show; they have come from Thornton, Golden, Westminster, Denver and Morrison.

Decorative wine bottles by Linda Blanden, Littleton

The show fills both levels of the LAC Art Center; buyers love to shop in the relaxed atmosphere of the Center and return again and again for their special purchase. This is an excellent way to support your local artists and craftsmen while finding that unique gift for the holidays.

Artwork by Charlie Casper and Jim Faulkner, Golden
Pottery by Connie Throckmorton, Littleton
Holiday decor by Linda Blanden, Littleton

The LAC Art Center is located at 85 S. Union Blvd., Lakewood. The show will continue through Dec. 23. Visiting hours are 10-5:00 Mon-Saturday. For further information call 303-980-0625 or www.lakewoodartscouncil.org

Holiday decor by Barbara Williams, Littleton
Pottery by Connie Throckmorton, Littleton
and Marsha Mander, Thornton

Glass by Myrna Smith, Morrison
Pottery by Connie Throckmorton, Littleton

2009-10-15T12:27:00.001-07:00

"Art of Poetry" Winner Jane Davis Carpenter

2009-10-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

We were very pleased with the entries we received last month for the LAC "Art of Poetry" contest. The theme of the "arts" was required. This poem, Remembering Emily, by Jane Davis Carpenter was chosen as the winning entry.

Remembering Emily
Emily Dickinson, 1830-1886

The quiet country churchyard still
recalls the Belle of Amherst well,
and ivy greening her small bed
may weave a wreath around her head.

The songs of lark and mockingbird
might be the sounds that she once heard
a hundred years ago and more,
reprising like a sweet encore.

On Sundays long ago, she strolled
these grassy pathways here and told
her spirit-visions to no one,
as silent as a cloistered nun.

Demure she was, dressed all in white,
an unimposing figure, slight
as any cygnet’s quill she penned
her lines with, even to the end.

At dusk, when evening shadows fall,
the bell for Vespers sounds its call.
Thus it may happen, some shall see
the wraith –a wisp-- Miss Emily.

As gauzy as sheer-winged moth
A specter not of flesh and cloth,
but spirit, rises from her rest
Miss Dickinson to manifest.

Author
Jane Davis Carpenter

Jane began writing poetry at age 8. Her first poem was published in the Newark (N. J.) Sunday Call, on the Sunbeam Page. There was no stopping her after that. These many years later, she still writes every day simply because she has to. That's the way it is with many poets she has talked with. Publications include The New York Times, Bloomsbury Review, Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day,The Denver Post, anthologies and other mainstream and literary magazines. She and her daughter, the artist Liz Gasper, have a new book out titled What to Make of Silence, a collection of prize and favorite poems. It will soon be available from Amazon and from local bookstores. She is grateful to the Lakewood Arts Council for this distinguished prize.

We Have Selected a Winning Poem!

2009-10-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

We have a winner in our Art of Poetry contest for Poetry Month at LAC. The winning entry will be posted here on Oct 15.

The winner has been notified and we hope to have a short article about the poet for publication, as well.

Thank you everyone for your participation! We hope to make it an annual event.

Interview with Jeanne Mackenzie, Juror

2009-10-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

Jeanne Mackenzie was the juror for the Mountainside Art Guild's Views of the East and West Exhibit at the Lakewood Arts Council's Community Art Center and Gallery. She added so many nice touches for the artists such as being at the reception, providing individual comments on the award winners, and offering a generous 15% discount to all exhibit artists on frames through her company, High Plains Frames.

She was also kind enough to answer a few interview questions for us, focusing on her experience as a professional artist. Thanks so much Jeanne!

"Chamisa Arroyo" 16 x 20 oil by Jeanne Mackenzie

1.I see you have your Bachelor of Fine Arts from San Diego State University. When did you know you wanted to be an artist, and how long did it take you to become a professional artist?

I knew drawing and painting was a love since early on. I was the one that was assigned to do the class posters. Although I got my degree in Fine Art I continued on with a teaching credential in Special Education.

They say that only 5-10% actually make a living exclusively from their artwork and that it takes a good 10 years to get yourself established. If it is a love and a life dedication you forge forward. I would say that the 10 years is pretty accurate in that you work hard to establish yourself and have a solid style and body of work. Artists learn to multitask to do their art. Luckily my multitasking is all in the same field- Painting for galleries, teaching art and owning a frame company.

2. What have been your biggest challenges in becoming a professional artist?

The biggest challenge has been time management. We would all like to have a Renaissance Medici family tell us to not worry about anything and just paint. But family, jobs and general life is an integral part of the picture so you must find a balance. I always recommend to my students to have their own room, corner or closet where their ‘studio’ is not moved.

Another challenge is on a more personal level- finding ones own niche in the art business/world. My love of oil landscapes led me to make that an emphasis. We all have our own personal style. As a ‘professional’ artist you need to find out who you are as an artist. Galleries do not want someone in their gallery that does ‘oil, watercolor, pencil, pastel and paints children, landscapes, floral, figurative and equine’. How do they market you? Your art name is your identity. What do you want to be remembered by?

3. On your resume you noted you have studied with Clyde Aspevig and several other wonderful artists. What artist has had the most influence on your painting? on you as an individual?

It is said that we stand on the shoulders of giants. We do not have to worry about reinventing the wheel. There are so many great influences out there for us to learn from. I first started out as a studio painter that did detailed, controlled watercolor, pencil and pastel. My first outdoor landscape oil workshop was with Michael Lynch, a very loose oil landscape painter. It was a first for me in oils and a first for painting on location. By the end of the week I had decided to concentrate on the new medium-even though I was close to tears during the week. I loved the plein air painting in oils but had to conquer the frustrating challenge.

4. If you don't mind sharing, how did you go about having galleries represent you and carry your paintings?

I cringe at how years ago I had once walked into a gallery with a photo book type of album filled with my painting photos. I know they weren’t impressed.
A few tips for approaching a gallery:

-Visit the Gallery as a ‘guest’. See what the prices are, lighting and how they treat a customer.

-Know the Gallery and the type of art they have-how would yours fit in?

-They will ask you what your prices are- know from memory what your framed 8x10,9x12,16x20…’sell’ for. You are the one that sets the prices for the artwork. The Gallery will then take 30%-50% of that.

-Keep prices the same for all sizes- No gallery wants to try and explain to a customer why three 8x10s are different prices (older, better frame, you don’t like it as much).

-Call and ask if the gallery is reviewing new artists work.

-Make an appointment to talk about your art – never just drop in with paintings. Some galleries only review artists 1-2 times a year because they get so many requests.

-You can have a few samples of your work out in the car if they have time to view. Have high quality frames on them as the gallery wants to know what is going to hang. Be consistent on your framing- they may all hang together. Don’t have a hodge-podge of metal, barn wood, gold…

-Make a nice simple portfolio with photo images, resume, bio and price range. Make several as you may want to leave it with them. That is good as they may want to revisit the portfolio in the future if no room in the gallery now. Slides are fine but keep in mind that they may view them by holding them up to a light bulb- not a projector. I make a glossy page with a selection of images they can see immediately.

"Wind River Morning 11 x 14 oil by Jeanne Mackenzie

5. Many artists talk about the current economy as being detrimental to the art market. What has been your personal experience with the economic downturn? Do you have any advice to share?

If you can’t drive it or eat it then there is not a big market for it. It has been a tough market for artists. A gallery wanted me to paint another large (4’x6’) aspen as had sold before. After buying a frame for the piece I was informed that things were tough and that they wouldn’t be taking the piece right now. You end up being your own best collector. It seems that smaller is better for the market and many galleries are giving discounts on the work. I hate to see that but it is often the norm to get a piece sold.

6. What does a day in the life of "Jeanne Mackenzie" look like? Do you have lots of self-discipline, or do you sometimes find it hard to find the time to paint?

There is no normal day in the life of. A week could include running to Fed Ex to send off a package, framing a piece for a show, updating the web site, making flyers for studio classes, answering emails for workshop registrations, ordering art supplies, teaching a class, attending a plein air event AND trying to fit in painting. It is a challenge to be traveling so much out of town but seems to be what is needed now. Where is that Medici Family?

7. Having been an instructor at the Denver Art Museum on color theory, what would you say is the most important thing for artists to know about color?

Color is so subjective. One person sees a green as more blue while another sees it as more yellow. To really feel comfortable with color is to know its properties and the terminology. Is this red ‘warmer’ or ‘cooler’ in temperature – is it ‘lighter’ or ‘darker’ in value. Is the chroma of the color ‘high’ (intense) or ‘low’ (more muted). Also, get to know ‘your’ colors. What does each do when you add white? Try a limited palette (red, yellow, blue and white) and really learn to mix that color instead of reaching for one of many tubes. We want to jump into color in a painting because it is exciting. Color is actually third on the list towards a successful painting. Number two is correct values and number one to a successful painting is Composition.

"Cottonwood Sentinels" 12 x 16 oil by Jeanne Mackenzie

Jeanne MacKenzie-Comments on VOTEW Exhibit

2009-09-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

Juror, Jeanne MacKenzie, has been kind enough to provide her comments which will be available at the opening on Thursday night from 6-7:30pm. I was unable to reproduce the jpeg files but her comments are very much appreciated.

*********************************

It is a pleasure to be your juror for the Views of the East and West. This was a very strong show with a lot of creativity put into each piece. It was challenging to make award decisions. I could have used some extra ribbons. I did not have the names of the artists while jurying the pieces and only judged by the strength of the artwork itself. A good portion of the jury process is an emotional one. There is, however, a lot of careful thought put into the decisions. A good solid painting is not about a subject matter, style of painting or medium. I look for four main traits that often make for a strong painting - Drawing, Composition, Color, and Values.

Does the artist show competent drawing skills? If the painting is animal, figure or landscape, do you feel they know their subject?

Is it a solid composition? Is there an asymmetry yet balance? Is the division of space well thought out? Is there a main emphasis or focal point?

Color choices are personal. An artist can choose to work with complementary colors, analogous colors or lean toward monochromatic. I look at how these choices are handled and if the painting has a harmony about it.

If the piece is of a representational nature, do the values, the lights and darks, fall in the correct place? Does it have believable aerial perspective?

First Place/ Best of Show "Desert Dwellers" Oil by Kathy Berls
I loved the quality of light in this piece and the intimate zooming of a simple subject. Tints of blue, red and green harmonized with softness yet there was a strong sense of contrast. This dark and light gave the composition strong focal point enhancing a 3-D quality.

Second Place "Home of the Ancients" W/C by Miriam Ritter
This was a low key painting yet it conveyed a wonderful sense of light and mood. The assymetrical dark and light lead your eye to a nice play on the compliment colors violet and yellow.

Third Place "Fresh Ground" Instant coffee by Bill Leonard
I enjoyed the strong shapes that played on the diagonals. Using the ‘coffee’ stain gives the water media painting a nice glow. Having the horses off the page on the left nicely leads your eye over to the focal horse shape.

Merit "Shadow Play" Photography by Elayne Cottingham
This piece shouts to tell a story. You interact as one of the viewers of the ancient art. The subject was unique and the cropping was creative. Most photographers wait for people to move. This artist incorporated them into the design.

Merit "Gourd and Peppers" Colored Pencil by Cynthia Haase
A beautifully rendered piece. Drawing skills are the backbone of any painting and the media was expertly handled.

Merit "East Meets West" Acrylic Collage by Carolyn Tegeder
This contemporary collage had a wonderful design. The horizontal and vertical fields play off the diagonal stroke. Each shape has a purpose. The primary colors make a bold statement.

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Stop into the LAC Gallery to see the artwork of the winners. Thank you so much Jeanne!

Views of the East/West

2009-09-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

The juror for Mountainside Art Guild's annual "Views of the East & West" was Jeanne MacKenzie.

Best of Show "Desert Dwellers" Oil by Kathy Berls

Second Place "Home of the Ancients" watercolor by Miriam Ritter

Third Place "Fresh Ground" instant coffee by Bill Leonard

Merit Awards:

"Shadow Play" photograph by Elayne Cottingham

"Gourd and Peppers" colored pencil by Cindy Haase

"East Meets West" acrylic collage by Carolyn Tegeder

The reception is Thursday, Oct 1, from 6-7:30 at LAC.

Miners Alley Playhouse-Scene Study Workshop

2009-09-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

From our friends at Miners Alley Playhouse

Art for Horses - Call for Entries

2009-09-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

( You can click on the above pic to see the info more clearly.)

Invitation to Exhibit

2010 Art For Horses

AN EXHIBIT OF HUMAN CREATIVITY FOR

THE BENEFIT OF THE EQUINE SPIRIT

The 1st Annual Horse Protection League Art Show

at Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

in the Rotunda Pavilion

Friday, February 19, 2010 Opening Reception, 6:00-9:00pm ,
Saturday, February 20 - Saturday, March 6, 2010, Mon - Sat 9:00am -5:00pm

The Horse Protection League is proud to present its 1st juried fund raising art show that introduces the art community and the Horse Protection League to each other. Founded in 1994, The Horse Protection League is a non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. HPL is supported and operated entirely by dedicated volunteer members, donors, and sponsors. http://www.cohpl.org/

Postmarked entries due: January 8, 2010

For a copy of the prospectus please contact:

Cassandra Sharon at 303.929.3480 or Vicki Christensen at 303.332.9344

CHILDREN’S ART ON DISPLAY SEPT 7-25

2009-09-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

Young Artist Emma Contolini

Working with Jim Olsen, Arts Programming Specialist for the City of Lakewood, the Lakewood Arts Council is pleased to present an exciting new exhibit of children’s art work during the month of September. The display of over 50 works created by children enrolled in Lakewood’s Youth Art program is sure to delight the viewer. The works are colorful and creative, showing a wide range of media and technique. The young artists’ enthusiasm for their creations is obvious in the joy and fun expressed in their creations. Included are paintings, drawings, pottery and clay, three dimensional sculpture and weaving. The artists have tackled a range of subject matter from shimmering sea creatures to the human figure to lovely bowls and vessels. It is obvious Lakewood runs an exciting program with gifted instructors who are able to free the young minds as they enjoy their creative adventure.

Included with the children’s art work is an exhibit by adult artists called “Child’s Play”. Fun and thought provoking, this display includes approximately 40 works depicting children and toys. Some are whimsical, others are interesting interpretations of the stages of childhood. Together these two exhibits take us back to our own youth – the paths we’ve taken through our lives.

The exhibits are on display at the Lakewood Arts Council’s Community Art Center and Gallery, 85 S. Union Blvd., Lakewood through September 25. The gallery is open from 10:00-5:00, Monday-Saturday. For additional information, call 303-980-0625 or visit online at Lakewood Arts Council.

Details on Silent Auction Night

2009-08-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Auction Night

Thursday, Sept 24 6-7:30

At the LAC Art Center & Gallery

- Final bids will be taken (Don't miss being the high bidder on your favorite item!)

- Entertainment provided by Steve Mullins on flamenco guitar

- Inclues buffet supper, salsa bar, wine tasting

Tickets: $5 (at the door) Reservations required: 303-980-0625

To view the auction items, visit the LAC Art Center or Silent Auction Gallery

Get Ready, Get Set....Silent Auction on Aug 31!

2009-08-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

The Lakewood Arts Council Community Center and Gallery is hosting our 2009 Silent Auction Fund-Raiser to help defray our operating costs. The Silent Auction runs from August 31st - September 24th.

To View Items:
- visit the LAC Art Center
- view them on our Silent Auction Gallery

To Bid on Your Favorite Item(s):
Step 1: Register your name, address, phone
- in person at the Art Center
- by phone: 303-980-0625
- by email at LAC@lakewoodartscouncil.org

Step 2: Place Your Bid
- in person at the Art Center
- by phone: 303-980-0625
- by email at LAC@lakewoodartscouncil.org

To Learn the Current Bid on Any Item:
- call 303-980-0625
- check our Silent Auction Gallery

Final Bids by e-mail and phone must be received by September 23rd at midnight MDT. Final in-person bids will be taken on Auction Night, Thursday, September 24 6-7:30pm at the Art Center. If you are the winning bid and need to have your item(s) shipped we can work out those arrangements. Winning bidder pays shipping costs.

GOOD LUCK!

Fiber Art Breakfast Demo

2009-08-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we had our final Breakfast Demo for the year. A wonderful continental breakfast was served at 9am. We ate, talked, laughed and got creative, and finished up by 10am.

Kathy's Introduction of Me and My Starbucks!

I presented the topic of the demonstration which was painting on fiber with Neocolor II Watersoluble Crayons, Inktense pencils and acrylic paint. I brought some examples of finished fiber art in different sizes, and we had a good discussion about ATC (Artist Trading Cards), ACEO's (Artist Cards Editions and Originals), miniatures (general guideline is 1:6 scale), Inchies (1 sq in), and Plus Size Inchies (1.5 - 2 sq in).

Using My W/C Brush to Add Water to the Neocolor II's

The demo included painting on cotton fabric and quilt batting, sandwiching the fabric with a stabilizer, embellishing with beads and yarn, and finishing the pieces into fiber art.

Thanks to Kate Cissell for taking photos at the Breakfast Demo!

Finished Fiber Art "Thru Emma's Eyes" 3.5 x 2.5" (ACEO sized)

For other examples of my finished fiber art work, visit my 1000Markets.com store,
Littleton Studio.

Auditions at Miners Alley Playhouse

2009-08-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

Miners Alley Playhouse
Announces Auditions for
It's A Wonderful Life...a 1940's Radio Play
Adapted by Joe Landry
Directed by Robert Kramer

Auditions will be held on
Sat. and Sun. August 15 & 16
Men and Women of all ages are welcome to audition!
We are asking auditioners to prepare a 1-2 minute monologue
that features your vocal and character range.

Auditions will be held between
11:00am and 3:00pm both days
Please call for an appointment
303-935-3044
Headshots and resumes are requested.

It's A Wonderful Life...a 1940's Radio Play
Running Nov. 13 through Dec. 20
Fri. Sat. Sun. through November, Thursdays will be added in December.

This classic story is brought to captivating life as a 1940’s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings dozens of memorable characters to the stage, the story is about the idealistic George Bailey as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve...
until he is saved by a truly divine intervention!

Congratulations to Co-op Member Susan Gordon

2009-08-10T13:57:00.000-07:00

"Joy II" 23 x 17 Watercolor

Congratulations to our own Susan Gordon, member of the LAC co-op on her acceptance into the International Watermedia XVI at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center in Pueblo.

Opening reception is August 15, 2009 and the show runs to October 17, 2009.

Catching Up!

2009-08-05T20:52:00.000-07:00

"Trio of Iris" Watercolor by Barbara Mantei

I was in Atlanta last week for the Colored Pencil Society of America's 17th Annual International Exhibit and Convention. The artwork that won awards was amazing, and I always love seeing the work in person. The next exhibit is our Explore This! 6 Annual Online Exhibit. The prospectus should be available around Sept 1 at the CPSA website. Artwork is elegible if you combine colored pencil and other media.

So, I'm back and now need to focus on the upcoming items for LAC. We have some really exciting things coming up.

First of all, Barbara Mantei is presenting a Breakfast Demo on Aug 8th from 9-10am. She will be discussing painting florals in oil. You need to call in your reservation and the demo is $5 at the door.

Then one of our popular quarterly critiques is August 15th from 1-3pm. Oil painting instructor, Barbara Tobiska, will be the moderator. This is a free event.

Our Silent Auction is fast approaching and the items being auctioned, along with the ability to bid, will be featured on this blog beginning August 31 - Sept 24th. Final bidding night will be celebrated at the Center with a Salsa Bar, Mexican food and a Flamenco Guitar. This promises to be a terrific fundraiser. Don't forget to wear your serape or maybe your bolo tie!

The 2nd Garage Sale of the year is another fundraiser to help us with $$ for our new self-healing walls in The Loft. We are so excited about this upgrade to the gallery. The Garage Sale is August 28-29th and will be at Kathy Berls (see our website). You can help us by donating items, buying items or if you are not into Garage Sales you can help us by donating $10 for our "new walls".

Stay tuned this week for more poetry from our Member's Breakfast. We were getting warmed up for Poetry Month in October. If you have a flair for rhyme as a beginner or accomplished poet we would love to have you participate. Details to come.....

Membership Breakfast Fun

2009-07-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

Colorado Gold, 12" x 18" Pastel on Wallis sanded paper by Cindy Haase

LAC has two breakfast meetings a year for our membership to come and hear about our plans and progress. Yesterday was a super, duper breakfast spread (thanks to our Kathy Berls, Artistic Director).

As President, I opened the meeting, made introductions and updated the progress on my 3 goals for 2009:

1. Increase membership

We are at 244 members, with 5 organizations. At the Board meeting following the breakfast we reviewed the budget and we have exceeded our budget forecast for membership so far. Great news.

2. Introduce appropriate technology to our organization

In addition to this blog which is hosted on Blogger and YourHub.com, we also have a Twitter account. Links to both can be found on our website (thanks to our Webmaster, Barb Benik.)

3. Develop long-range strategic plan

We have slated this process for early 2010 and will be using the services of a professional to help us develop the best 5-10 year plan possible.

Then it was Kathy's turn to update LAC events and lead us in a fun exercise. We have declared October as LAC Poetry Month and will be posting submitted poetry here on our blog Then we will invite members and our Twitter followers to see what creative folks we have here at LAC.

In light of the upcoming Poetry Month Kathy provided each table of members the first line of poetry and the group had to finish it.

Here is my pick for publishing today. Stay tuned for the rest of the poems leading up to October.

Untitled

Singing in the shower
Is the best that I can do.

Especially when I get there before you.

The water is hot, and I don't turn blue
And if it's cold, I leave it for you.

This poem just makes me smile. Keep in mind a group of 4-6 people had 10 minutes to write this as a group. Much harder than it sounds!

Have a Sweet Sunday!

New Work in the Co-op Gallery

2009-07-13T21:05:00.000-07:00

Lakewood Arts Council is a non-profit arts organization. We are fortunate to receive SCFD funding and have received several small grants from local businesses. It is because of their support as well as that of our membership that we are able to offer a home for our gallery and classroom.

The Lakewood Arts Council Community Center and Gallery is nestled in a nice mall between Kobe An Japanese Restaurant and my favorite French Press. It is a two-story handicapped accessible gallery with the co-op artist gallery and classroom on the first floor. The second story is called The Loft and is the scene of rotating art exhibits every 4-6 weeks.

Currently The Loft is being rented for the Kipling Camera Club Photography Exhibit. It's a wonderful exhibit with some really great prices on the photography.

The co-op space has just been rehung as most of our artists (somewhere around 27) changed out their work on Saturday July 11th. Thanks to our Artistic Director, Kathy Berls, everything was hung beautifully this morning.

A great selection of affordable, quality art in all media..watercolor, oil, acrylic, colored pencil, pastel, photography, fiber art, pottery, glass, jewelry, art cards ....hmmm, have I forgotten anything??

Gretchen Larson's Popular People Pots (well that's a mouthful!)

We are now on Twitter...see our right hand sidebar for the latest tweets. You can also follow us on Twitter by clicking on "follow me on Twitter" link.

Poetry, Silent Auction and other fun stuff

2009-06-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

GARDEN TOUR

I wasn't able to attend the Garden Tour on Saturday, but Kathy Berls reports that it was a winner! The weather turned out beautifully and it was a great crowd.

One of our artist co-op members, Ann Quinn, posted a bit of commentary on the Garden Tour. Sounds like Ann had a good time as well. (I suspect, knowing Ann, that she has a lovely time wherever she goes.)

Thanks to all who attended, and to our wonderful Kathy Berls, Melinda Fiscus and those dedicated volunteers. My hat is off to you all!

SOMETHING'S COMING (actually, two something's are coming this fall)

In September we are planning a wonderful Silent Auction with some awesome items. Stay tuned for details. All I can tell you right now is you will be able to view the items here on this blog beginning in mid-August)

Who's your favorite poet? Who is my favorite poet, you ask? You! In October we are planning Poetry Month. It should be great fun, and I will be posting submitted poetry (provided it's suitable for a family audience) here on my blog. There might be some other fun things going on, so get your pens, pencils and cocktail napkins or moleskin sketch books and and begin rhyming.
It won't be Octoberfest.....but Poetryfest!

Check out the LAC website, www.lakewoodartscouncil.org, for our next exhibits and special events. There are some really good ones coming!

Cheers.....Cindy

From The Garden Award Winners

2009-06-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

"Fresh This Morning" Acrylic by Jean Barringer

"Blue Lamp" pastel by Gene Smith

"Orchids in the Mist" oil by Kathy Berls

"Lilies" photograph by Elayne Cottingham

"Wings" stained glass by Ken Maestas

"Orchid" watercolor by Susan Olson

Congratulations to all, and to Becky Enabnit Silver, Second Place Award for her watercolor "Ladies of Spring" watercolor. Becky was unable to attend the reception.

A special thanks to Charlie Casper for taking the photos. You're the best Charlie!