Thursday, April 2, 2015

April 2015 Scribnote
COMMENTS FROM OUR CHAIRPERSON

I think this has happened two years in a row, but Mother Nature has other ideas about the MCG holding a meeting in January.  The weather was much too icy and too cold to have members drive from Elkhart, Niles or New Carlisle, so we canceled the meeting and used the time at home to create something, especially when you can be lettering during football games!
My husband I spent three wonderful weeks in Ft. Myers, Florida as we always do at holiday time, and my daughter from Ohio and her family joined us as we enjoyed the sun, beach and pool.  I do not have any lettering tools with me when I go to Florida, but will start collecting from my supplies and have a calligraphy box to take there every year.  I did manage to buy an inexpensive sewing machine and actually took it out of the box and read the directions before sewing a button on my husband’s shorts.  I do miss my art room when away though.  When we returned home, I was happy to be in among my art supplies again and had already started a new online class with Harvest Crittenden on Advanced Spencerian.  I thought I would be practicing these new letters every day, but, two days later a friend of mine that I had worked with, play cards with and have known for 28 years had a double stroke.  When I went to the hospital to say hello that first day, I found the husband all alone and no family or friends there with him.  His family is in Missouri and her parents are in Bremen, so I asked if he wanted me to come back the next day and I did so for the next several weeks until she started healing and went to a rehab center in Mishawaka. Two weeks later, she had pneumonia and was back in the hospital, so, not much in the lettering department for me as planned.  Now that she is improving, I can get back to what I love to do, but sometimes you are where you need to be.  I am glad that I was able to be helpful to my friend and her immediate family. 

Ginny and Pat at our February meeting

We were all so happy to be together for our February meeting.  It had been a long two months since we were all together talking about calligraphy and art in general. Postponed from January, we brought our exchange pieces we did in December and described our methods in creating an animal themed piece. Then I briefly took the group through some Spencerian lettering, not as a class, but as a taste for this beautiful lettering. Harvest Crittenden is a wonderful teacher, online and in person, and supplies you with as many sample sheets as possible to help you wander through the endless possibilities of Spencerian letters.  Check her out at Acornarts.org.  She has a few online classes a year. I have taken three of them from her and would take more whenever possible. 

I was not at the meeting in March, instead spending two weeks in Ft. Myers going to Spring Training games with my daughter and her family. I find that sitting in the bleachers in the hot sun is not my cup of tea, but the standing room only tickets, which are much cheaper, allows me to stand in the shade with a cool breeze blowing my way. The games are fun and my 5-year old grandson loves the game so it is fun to watch him.

At the March meeting, members pulled a name of a book that you probably have not made before, and will make that book by the August meeting for our annual exchange. I know some of you will be challenged by something new, but there are so many tutorials on the internet that you can pick one that works for you.  Enjoy and have fun with it.  I look forward to seeing all the different books you come up with at the August picnic. 
Luce Zolna
March also brought Luce Zolna to Mishawaka with her marbling talents for two days.  We learned how to alum and then marble the paper in carageenan on the first day and on the second we went wild with some new designs.  Luce was a patient and encouraging instructor and I can’t wait to see some of the things that will be created with our marbled papers. It is so inspiring to be with friends of the same likes and have uninterrupted time creating something new.  Thank you to Maureen Trubac for housing Luce and to Sharon Esmont for securing the venue and opening the doors for us each day, as well as those who stayed and helped to clean up and put back together the chairs and tables at Whispering Pines!
It’s spring here in the Michiana area, but as I am writing this newsletter, it is snowing outside and has been most of the day.  There isn’t much accumulation, but that 70 degree day we had last week is in our rearview mirror for now.  Spring gives us a new start for the year, so take out some calligraphy or painting tools and create. 
Cindy Bowles – Cindy is a member of the MCG and has recently become a certified Zentangle instructor and has offered to come to South Bend to teach us the art of zentangling.  Some of us have dabbled in this art form, but now we are going to have some real instruction.  The Zentangle one-day workshop will be on Saturday, October 3, 2015, at Christ the King Church.  More information and list of supplies will be coming in the next newsletter. 

Paper Marbling Workshop with Luce Zolna - Renee Tuveson

The marbling workshop was a long awaited and very special experience for me. I had dabbled a couple of times with small success and mediocre results.

We mixed 2 level tbsp of Carrageenan to a gallon of water using a blender, mixing about 5 cups and a time and pouring into an empty milk jug. We used an 11 X 14 plastic “photo box” (or its equivalent) as our tray.

Luce explained the importance of covering the entire sheet of paper with alum. If you missed a spot you would not have the proper coverage of paint and a white spot in your design. Sometimes that would be OK and sometimes NOT. After applying the alum (1 ¼ tsp per cup of water), we allowed the paper to dry and as long as the shine was gone we could “print” our image.

We used Golden Fluid Acrylics, diluting a tbsp of paint with a few drops of water and dropping it into the water with a whisk and/or eyedropper. We used various tools, “combs”, “rakes” and skewers to push and pull the paint to make our designs. Then gently laying the paper on top of the paint, and  pulling it out over the edge of the tray “Voila” we had a beautiful piece of art!
Luce had a wonderful handout showing the different techniques for making designs, the basic stone, snail, gel git, chevron and nonpareil to mention a few.

It was wonderful going around and looking at every ones designs. The colors were wonderful. We tried various papers including arches text wove and arches black cover. Absolutely beautiful papers and everyone had great results due to the care of our wonderful instructor Luce Zolna!

A good time was had by all and I was blessed with a wonderful back-rub by Ginny







Policy for MCG
Our workshops seem to have people sign up and then decide not to attend. We have been very generous in returning monies paid for the workshop if someone decides not to attend at the last minute, but we are going to have a change in this policy.  There will be a nominal fee if you drop out of the workshop.  If there would be an emergency, for instance, a birth of a child or grandchild, illness, etc., then the board will take this under advisement to decide on a course of action regarding a refund.  Also, if the workshop is filled and there is someone to take your place, that would also quality for a refund. So please, if you want to sign up for the workshop, make sure that you put that date on your calendar as a commitment.  We have a small calligraphy group and we struggle to fill workshops at times.  We need all of you to attend as many as possible so that we can continue to have quality instructors. 
Are you on Facebook? If so, look up your favorite calligraphers because they are on Facebook also.  I like to look at Barbara Close, Reggie Ezell, Julian Waters, John Stevens, Rachel Yallop, Pendragons, Capital City Scribes, Yukimi Annand, etc.  There is a lot of beautiful calligraphy on these pages that will get your inspired.  Also look at Joanne Fink and Barbara Lever’s Facebook Page.  And then, there is always Pinterest.  Oh my, so many places to be inspired!
PO Box in South Bend – Due to a lack of much mail at our Post Office box in South Bend, we have suspended any mail sent to that address.  If you have anything to send to the MCG, please send to Maureen Trubac 50685 Mercury Drive, Granger, IN 46530 or Ginny VanderHey 51854 Stoney Creek Drive, Elkhart, IN 46514. When monies are due for a workshop or dues, they will now go to one of these addresses. 
In February we lost longtime member, Henni Akkerman.  Henni was a talented artist whose work was displayed in the South Bend area frequently.  Her love of the arts included painting, calligraphy and jewelry.  Henni had a dry wit that was enjoyed by all.  We extend our deepest condolences to Henni’s family. 
Also, our condolences go out to Anna Schlemma who lost her mom, Anna Schmidt, on December 27, 2014 and to Diana Stamper who lost her husband, Larry, on February 25, 2015.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you. 


/WEBSITES TO ENJOY
Marbleart.com
http://monicadengo.com
 http://www.ted.com/playlists/170/kickstart_your_creativity
I enjoy sharing new websites that I have come across in our blog.  If you come across something that you think would interest the whole group, please email them to Ginny or Renee, and we will get them on the blog for the next quarter. 
American Frame – Just a reminder that if you order from American Frame, please mention MCG, and they will give us a small stipend.
MCG Meetings for 2015
April 11 – Marbling Workshop Show and Tell
May 2 –      Pat West will be demonstrating some watercolor trees
June 6 -   Maureen Trubac will be demonstrating a Pamphlet Book
July 11 – There will be no meeting in July
August 1– Annual Picnic and Book Exchange at Ginny VanderHey’s house
September 5 – Angie West will be demonstrating Foundational Writing
October 3 –     Zentangle workshop
November 7 – Write out a Thanksgiving Quote using Foundational
December – Exchange and Christmas get together
Cut the schedule of dates in the newsletter out, and put it on your fridge for future reference.
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
Annual dues of $15 are due at the July meeting. Our annual dues have not changed in many years and are put to good use for supplies for our make it/take it meetings, annual raffle in August, and, at the end of the year, we give to local charities. Please remember to bring your dues to the July meeting or send it to Maureen Trubac, our treasurer.

OFFICERS
Ginny VanderHey, President 574/262-1345 gvanderhey@hotmail.com
Sharon Esmont, Vice President 574/272-5481 Sesmont@aol.com
Maureen Trubac, Treasurer 574/272–0733 maureentrubac@hotmail.com
Pat West, Secretary 574-612-9328 pwpatwest@gmail.com

Jo McPherson, Study Group Chairperson, jobakestwo@centurylink.net
Renee Tuveson – Blog Coordinator

If ever you would like to add to the newsletter/blog, please contact one of the officers, and we will get that information to Renee Tuveson. Something you have done or have seen would be welcomed into our information.