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.
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.
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
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.
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.
