Models Needed for Life Drawing

Models are needed for the Wednesday night life drawing sessions at the Matthews Community Center on McDowell Street in downtown Matthews, NC. The sessions run from 7-8:30 PM. If you are interested, contact Nancy Kennedy at model@nc-kennedy.com.

"Tom" by Jack

Bill Colt Will Share his Collage Technique at 10/8 MAG Meeting

Bill Colt's Free Enterprise

Are you one of those artists that starts out a painting on fresh white clean canvas? Then are you ready to be totally blown away by Bill Colt!

Bill Colt, a Monroe multi-media artist from Monroe can't begin painting until he has added some "texture" to the surface made up of drywall compound (might see some plastering tools among his brushes), cheesecloth and... old commercial ads? Yes, he creates a collage of cut outs from newspapers, manuals, album covers, etc... on the heavily textured surface. Only after all this preparation is he ready to paint his subject. Cows, street scenes, cars and airplanes seem to be his passion.

Maybe his passion will inspire you to look below the surface of your art. What can you add beneath it all to make your art more interesting and fresh? Can't wait!

It all begins with social time at 6:30 PM on Tuesday 10/8 at the McDowell Arts Center studio downstairs. You know you want to meet Bill! The presentation begins shortly after announcements at 7 PM.

Bill's web site: http://www.billcolt.com

Plein Air Buds Will Be at Copperhead Island 10/1

View of Lake Wylie from Copperhead Island

The Plein Air Buds will be at Copperhead Island Tuesday morning 10/1 at 10 AM for some informal painting/sketching/photography outdoors. All artists are welcome to join in. There is no cost. Bring a sack lunch and some water bottles. We will meet at the parking lot. There are restrooms nearby. Weather looks to be fine... nice!

Check out directions and more info on Copperhead Island here: http://charmeck.org/MECKLENBURG/COUNTY/PARKANDREC/PARKS/PARKSBYREGION/SOUTHREGION/Pages/CopperheadIsland.aspx

Critique Night Tonight with Russ and Gene

Gene Lazo and Russ Smith discuss pastel work

Why come to Critique Night? 

Well, do you want to improve your fine or photographic art? Would you like new fresh eyes to help you see what you've been overlooking? Is there an artist that could not benefit from the help of other artists, expecially from the likes of Russell Smith (professional oil painter) and Gene Lazo (professional photographer)? 

Get on over to the upstairs gallery of the McDowell Arts Center tonight, Tuesday 9/17 at 6:30 PM (latecomers never humiliated). Bring in 1or 2 works for encouraging evaluations or just watch... but, why do that? Be brave and hear what may be of great help to your art. MAG is all about encouraging the arts and artists! We are all about helping to improve local art. 

Another reason to attend? It free and open to all artists. Enough said. Join us!

People's Choice Award Goes to...

Suit of Deceit by Alex Whisonant

Alex Whisonant's Suit of Deceit won the People's Choice Award during the Matthews Alive festival. No surprise. It is not only vibrant but interesting. What is she trying to tell us with those figures climbing the stairway within the tie?

Over 500 votes were cast for 102 out of the 127 works entered in the Matthews Alive Art Show. Everyone should feel like a winner.

Holly Glasscock Demonstrated the Secret to Quick Painting is in the Preparation

Holly Starts with pale lavender sky on cadmium red light underpainting.

"Visual Vivance" is what Holly Glasscock calls her musical painting performance. She says, "The music has to be lively." Why? It makes Holly paint freer and quickly. She has to finish the work in 45 minutes! When the music ends, so does the painting; that's her goal. 

She starts with a drawn image on gessoed masonite covered with a cadmium red light underpainting to complement the green landscape. Her palette contains cool and warm hues of different colors with Dioxazine Purple thrown in.

Her subject for this demo was a landscape with cows. Two photos were used as references. She used Photoshop filters to simulate squinting for one photo, which simplifies the scene to show light and dark areas. The other photo was just a regular shot that may have manipulated shadows and highlights. She also mixed colors to match the colors in the photos before painting and painted dabs of matched colors on the picture. By the time she is ready to paint, she is fully prepared and can easily paint the landscape quickly... in 45 minutes. And for Holly, her haste aced a great painting. Bravo! A memorable demo!

Holly saves the cows for last.

Great attendance for Holly's demo.

Beautiful and finished by the end of the meeting.

Thank you, Holly.

Holly holds classes at her home for beginners or advanced students. You can find more information at her web site: http://hollyglasscock.com/http___www.hollyglasscock.com/Classes.html. 

Thanks to Eric Casaburro for donating his video skills during the demo. 

MAG will have Bill Colt as our guest presenter for our October 8th meeting.

Plein Air Buds Will Be At Treehouse Vineyards 9/17

Yvette at last plein air outing at B&B in Matthews

Tuesday, 9/17 at 11 AM the Plein Air Buds will venture out to Monroe for a paint out at the Treehouse Vineyard. All artists are welcome. There is no charge.

The vineyard offers a wine tasting and tour for $6. You get to keep the wine glass. If you would like to join in on the paint out and/or enjoy the wine tasting and tour let Debbie know at magart2009@gmail.com. 

Critique Night Returns

Gene Lazo and Russ Smith critiquing a work

You are looking at your painting or photograph and thinking, "Something just isn't right! I am about to have mercy on myself and toss all this work and rid myself of ever looking at it again!" Calm down. You put a lot of effort into your art. Let some calm and very capable minds give you some encouragement and suggestions.  Don't despair... instead, be resuscitated! There is hope! Come to:

Critique Night 

with Russ Smith and Gene Lazo. 

Date: Tuesday, 9/17

Time: 6:30 PM (latecomers welcome)

Place: McDowell Arts Center Gallery Gallery

located next to Matthews Community Center

in downtown Matthews, NC

Bring in up to 2 works (may have time for more) or just watch the process. Free and Open to the Public!

Holly Glasscock Presents "Visual Vivance" at MAG 9/10 Meeting

MAG is very happy to have as our September guest presenter:

Holly Glasscock

Place: MAC downstairs studio 

Date/Time: Tuesday, 9/10 at 7 PM. 

It is more like a show than a demo. Holly paints with rhythm and spirit to the music. She also claims to finish the oil artwork in just 45 minutes. She loves painting nature and animals. She also does portraits. We do not know what her subject will be this Tuesday night but we do know it will be lively. Bring your dancing shoes!

Learn more about Holly at her web site: http://hollyglasscock.com/http___www.hollyglasscock.com/About_Me.html

Matthews Mayor Jim Taylor and Other Town Officials Pick Their Favorite Painting

Matthews Artists Guild gets a lot of support from the town of Matthews and it is only right to have the mayor and other officials pipe in and let us know which of the Matthews Alive Art Show entries they claim as their favorite. Here are the artists whose works were appreciated by our Matthews representatives.

Matthews Mayor Jim Taylor chose Alex Whisonants' "The Wine Keeper"

Matthews Cultural Recreation Manager Colten Marble chose "Intensity of the Hunt" by Susan Nuttall

Matthews Director Corey King chose "Walk Up" by Janet Broome 

(presented by Colten Marble)

Matthews Special Events Manager Lee Anne Moore chose "Chevre in the Making" by Judy Mizell

(presented by Mayor Jim Taylor)

Come and see all the works during Matthews Alive at these hours:

Saturday 8/31: Noon to 6 PM

Sunday 9/1: 1 to 6 PM

Monday 9/2: 10 AM to 4 PM

Matthews Alive Art Show & Competition Award Winners

The McDowell Arts Center was crowded Thursday night with excited artists milling around the artwork up for competition in this year's Matthews Alive Art Show & Competition. All entrants were allowed to submit 2 works of art. There was a total of 66 entrants with over 120 works. The works were judged by gallery owner, Christie Taylor, of Hodges Taylor Gallery in Charlotte. Show Chair, Debbie Yacenda read the judges comments about each work before announcing the winner.

Here are this year's winners:

$400 First Place: Barbara Jimison next to "Be Right Back" 

taken during Matthews Alive Festival

A delightful watercolor capturing a sense of time and place - the back view of the chair, with its cropped edges puts the viewer right in the moment. Chair legs cast pier-like shadows, reminding us of the shifting tides. The sparkle of water is an added hint of day well spent.

$200 Second Place: "Chevre in the Making" by Judy Mizell

Masterful control of watercolor medium– yet feels fresh and spontaneous. The delicate treatment of the metal pipes, playing against the floating concrete feeding trough - creates a dreamlike state. Are we seeing several goats –or just one in motion?

$100 Third Place: "The Bear and the Angel" by Michael Hutchinson

The juxtaposition of disparate objects creates a playful yet provocative image. Subtle shifts of light and shadow reinforce the balanced composition. Classical and clever 

Honorable Mention #1: Carlos Cotera for "Heliconias"

Effective use of complementary colors balances nicely with the impressive handling of paint

Honorable Mention #2: Ken Hutchins for "American Wigeon"

Remarkable attention to detail, finely crafted. Masterful understanding of subject matter and materials

Honorable Mention #3: Dottie Leatherwood for "Lofty Goals"

The expressive brush strokes bring energy to the subject matter-allowing the viewer to be in the moment. Evident that the artist enjoys the painting process

Honorable Mention #4: Rebecca McDuffie for "The Captain"

Lovely handling of medium. Particularly like how the artist treated the face with such sensitive detail and then abstracted the clothing – bringing the viewer’s attention to his expression.

Honorable Mention #5: Sharron Burns for "Sourpuss"

A difficult subject matter treated with skillful understanding of medium. 

Honorable Mention #6: Connie Snipes for "Relaxing Evening, Can Can, Richmond"

Gestural painting style and strong composition creates an inviting

setting

Honorable Mention #7: Suzanne Wilson for "Fantasy Forest"

Seemingly accidental yet deliberate, an effective use of positive and negative space 

Honorable Mention #8: John Moeslein for "Rockwell Mill"

Nice play of light and shadow. Well-balanced composition.

Thanks to Binders Art Supplies and Cheap Joe's for donating gift certificates to Honorable Mention Winners.

Thanks to Ron Yates for taking photos at the event.

Thanks to Ken Vogel and Meg Nelson for serving the wine.