Camano Arts Association Newsletter
 
  

Sept 2017
,

 Camano Arts Association (CAA) represents many talented artists from the vibrant arts community in Camano Island and Stanwood. We hope this newsletter will provide an interesting source of information about our artists and what they are doing and about art events in our area and beyond.
Enjoy exploring the art links in this newsletter and discovering a bit more about our wonderful community of artists.

Now you can stay abreast of CAA happenings all month long at our Facebook Page.  You can see previous newsletters at our Newsletter Archive
FEATURED ARTIST
This month's featured artist is Jeffrey O'Boyle. Jeff is an established artist with an extensive body of fine art and is a new member of CAA.  His paintings include portraits, landscapes, figures and wildlife founded in realism. He enjoys every aspect of his surroundings. His inspiration comes from a life punctuated by traveling throughout the United States mainland, Alaska, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand.  Much of his enthusiasm comes from backpacking and fly fishing which are often part of his works.

His home base is on Camano Island where he can draw from the inspirational views of coastal waters from his home overlooking Saratoga Passage. His works have been included in exhibitions from Seattle to New York and Australia.

His formal training includes a Bachelor of Arts from Simpson College, Figure and Portrait Painting at the Seattle Academy of Realist Art and numerous professional participations in the Portrait Society of America (PSA) and Oil Painters of America (OPA). His accolades are as diverse as his subject matter and recently 3 of his works were published in the 2017 edition of Sequel, a book of short stories, poetry and the visual arts. One of his pieces was selected for the Arts Alive competition on November 2 in La Conner.   He taught high school and adult painting in Sydney, Australia upon graduating from college, and upon returning to the United States, he pursued a career in freelance work and commissions.

Jeff is an artist who can be seen and understood through his work.  His attention to detail and his focus on tranquil subject matter is a reflection of the man behind the brush.

The Kauaian study.


This drawing of The Kauaian is a study in preparation for a much larger image that is an upcoming project.  Jeff was inspired by the man's pride in his Hawaiian culture as well as his musical talent that he shared with the artist during the annual celebration of the first settlement of the island of Kauai. "Seeing him perform in traditional dress gave me a glimpse of a rich historical culture hanging by a thread in a vacuum of commercial exploitation.  In addition to my admiration of people that live with such quiet nobility, I enjoy capturing images that link the past with the present," he commented.

Mt. Denali Camp

"This painting of Mt. Denali Camp is a small image recalling a backpacking trip with a friend through Denali National Park in late September.  I was up early picking blueberries on a small hill when the clouds finally separated to give me my first view of Mt Denali.  It was just breathtaking, and the very next morning the entire landscape was blanketed with snow for the remainder of the journey."



"I make frequent trips to Montana to fly fish and the Bull River is one of my favorite destinations. For me, catching fish is not my primary goal. I always say that fly fishing is just a good excuse for a grown man to go wading in the water. But then, I have always been fascinated by the elusive nature of water, whether moving across hidden rocks, dancing in the wind or when resting smooth as a mirror. I think most people find water to be hypnotizing to a degree, similar to the effect of flame in a camp fire. Nearly all of my landscape paintings include water...because of the inherent challenge of capturing the ever-changing qualities of light, reflection, transparency and abstraction."

Robert E. Carter Portrait

"The portrait of Robert E. Carter was a labor of love for a man that I admired greatly. He was a friend that I chose to emulate in life, but can only hope to achieve a measure of his devotion to family, kindness toward others and his commitment to his community near Princeton, Iowa. With an abundance of humility, he agreed to pose for me in front of his corn crib that was bursting with the fruits of his labor."

Jeff is currently exploring more figurative and portrait subjects in the naturalist tradition. Painting these subjects will be the culmination of ideas that have inspired him for several years. "I am so thankful for the gift of time that allows me at to respond to such inspiration. All artists know the heights and depths of our glorious affliction. For that reason, I am very thankful to live in a community of so many talented artists that support and encourage one another."

To contact Jeff and learn more about his art visit Jeffery O'Boyle's website.

MAKING ART - STUDIO GLASS
From Mark Ellinger, Glass Quest Fine Art Studio 
 
One of the things about being a glass blower is that you have to be a jack of all trades, when your furnace goes down you have to rebuild it and try to improve it each time you do it. Our last furnace went for 6.5 years & the one before that was 9 years. We just rebuilt the one that went for 9 years and had to do almost a total rebuild: lots of brick work, some redesigning to try and make things last longer and better, and some welding work on outside of the doorway.
 
Once the brick work is done it needs to dry for a few days before we can put the top on, and then it takes about a week to get hot and fill up with glass so we can start to blow again, about 2 to 2-1/2 weeks before we can blow again.
 
We should be blowing Wednesday (9/20) and making pieces for our show.
 
 
PumpkinFest 
Join us for the 2017 Pumpkinfest 
 
September 30th, October 1st, 7th & 8th 
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
Glass Quest Studio 
31808 W LK Ketchum Rd, Stanwood, WA 98292 
 
ARTISTS ABOUT TOWN
Molly LeMaster will be showing more than 20 paintings at the Citrine Health Center in Everett.  There will be an opening and that information will be published in the Everett Herald soon.  One of the paintings to be shown is Tropical Fish 2:
 
Tropical Fish 2, Molly LeMaster


Also, Molly's painting titled Zinneas has been juried into the upcoming Northwest Watercolor Society's exhibition. 


Zinneas, Molly LeMaster
 
Jerry Finn sculpts in stone using hand tools and is also known for his miniature paintings. He is one of the invited artists of the Art's Alive show in La Conner and will show two
works. 
 
Art's Alive will be November 3, 4, 5 in Maple Hall, 104 Commercial St. L a Conner, WA (click here for more info on the show).  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yonnah Ben Levy currently has pottery (for sale) at both MONA and Schack. 




"My new work in ceramics began three years ago when I was inspired to change to decorating porcelain that culminated in the lusterware seen in the two museum stores at MONA in LaConner and the Schack in Everett. I have always been interested in iridescence. These four times fired porcelain pieces start with underlying paintings on green ware followed by bisque firing then glazed with a celadon coating and high fired to cone 5/6. Afterwards they are decorated with gold and low fired at cone 019, then coated with Mother of pearl and fired to cone 020. Besides working in porcelain, I also love the colors of Raku firing and work on wheel thrown pieces as well as hand built vessels."



Chris Tuohy, photographer, painter and musician, will have six acrylic paintings, one pencil drawing, one photograph & one mixed media work at the La Conner Art Walk this Oct. 7th. His work can be seen on the 9th stop on the art walk, which is Ruby Sue's Tea Shop.
 
His art work, along with 10 other artists' work, is on display at Forte's art gallery, 1095 Essex St. A1 Camano Island WA 98282 
 
  
Sun Through Smoky Skies, Chris Tuohy 
 

 
Chris is directing Camano Junction again this season, and their first dance will be the holloween dance Saturday October 28th. Also, Chris is working on two new shows for the Camano Island Radio Theater.
 
Russ Riddle's Tree of Harmony II was selected as "Art of the Day" 9/19/2017 by Zhibit.org.
 
Tree of Harmony II

See more at RussRiddleDesigns

COMMUNITY
The CAA's mission of supporting the arts in the local community is often demonstrated in a highly visible way -- such as with the Studio Tour and with placing art in public places. But CAA is also involved with the community in other, less visible but important ways, such as in providing scholarships, mentoring developing artists, and conducting a variety of arts activities for community youth.
MENTORING

Liz Hamlin has been leading CAA's mentoring group for 15 years. Each year 6-10 artists meet with 12-18 students from all levels of Gail Merrick's Stanwood High School art classes after school hours. The group provides support for budding young artists. The importance of this program, in Liz's words:

On Being a Mentor
                                        
Do you remember when you started your creative journey as an artist? And a "real"  artist you admired spent time talking with you about your work--not only talked with you but more importantly listened to you -- to what you were doing artistically and to what you wanted to achieve in the future. And offered suggestions to make your journey easier or better.



We, as mentors, are the "real" artists to the high school student artists.  We meet them, one on one. We look at their work, we ask questions about it, we ask about plans, both immediate and long term. We find that usually students are eager to tell us about their work. No problem getting them to explain. And they eagerly await our feedback. And listen to any suggestions we give--they want that help from us.

A single year as a mentor is great but several years are even better. We can follow the artistic maturity of the student artists and watch them grow under the excellent guidance of their instructor. We very often see them  launched to higher education in the arts, often with the help of a CAA scholarship.



Our assignment as mentors is to let these students know their work has value and their efforts are worthwhile. We validate them as artists. Mentoring is a most satisfying way to spend volunteer hours. It is pleasure, not work.
TEAM TEEN CAMP

Teen Camp  was held at the Community Resource Center August 21-25. The week long day camp was sponsored by the Stanwood Camano Resource Center, the Sno-Isle Library, The Spot, and The Camano Arts Association. Four artists from CAA, Kathy Dannerbeck, Helen Saunders, and Dale and Molly Le Master, developed a series of projects, gathered the materials, and taught four days of classes to over twenty students.


The first project was painting wooden fish and crabs that had been cut out and prepared by Ed and Louise Storts. A short lesson in mixing paints and they were off! The next day the students who were mostly middle school aged learned about print making. They learned to prepare a printing plate, using styrofoam and then printed up a batch colorful papers to be turned into collages. Designing the collage and then gluing down their printed papers was day three.  On the fourth day they met to design a scratch art masterpiece. The young people had a great time as did the teachers and volunteers!



CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
Jed Dorsey 4-Day Painting Workshop
 
October 25-28, 2017
Sunnyshore Studio, Camano Island

 
Jed will be teaching with acrylics but students can bring either acrylics or oils. 9AM - 4PM.

jeddorseyart@gmail.com


GunterSerial
READ JACK GUNTER'S NEWEST BOOK HERE
Some artists are famous for their self portraits. Artist - Author Jack Gunter creates his with words as well as paint in a new book about his creative journey.

You can read the entire story here in the newsletter in monthly installments. Clicking on the following link will bring up the latest installment in a separate window.


SHOWS AND OPENINGS
ArtsAlive3 CAA Artists Featured at Art's Alive LaConner

Three CAA artists, Jerry Finn, Mary Simmons, and Susan Cohen Thompson are invited artists who will be featured at the 2017 Art's Alive Show in La Conner, Nov. 3, 4 and 5.



TwoBlazes
Two Blazes Gallery Expansion Opening
 
September 30th, from 1:00 to 8:00pm
 
 
 
Please join me, April Brauneis, along with my husband, Paul, in celebrating the expansion of my studio, and the addition of my new, personal gallery.
Wine, beer and snacks will be served, so come and enjoy a relaxing afternoon within my creative atmosphere.
 
RSVP would be appreciated
april.brauneis@gmail.com
 
289 McKenzie Drive in Camaloch
Camano Island
Sunnyshore Studio
presents

FannyCelebrating the Life and Legacy of Artist
Fanny Y. Cory

On Saturday, October 14th, 10am - 9pm, Sunnyshore Studio will celebrate the matriarch of our family of artists, by showcasing her art, illustrations, cartoons and history. A new biography, written by Toni McCarty, will be released and signed by the author. And a documentary film telling her story will be shown throughout the day (11:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 7:00pm). An encore Saturday is October 21st, 10am-9pm.

The matriarch of the Dorsey family of artists, Fanny Y. Cory's story is inspiring. Fanny was born in 1877. Her mother, Jessie, died of tuberculosis when she was ten. Her sister, Agnes, who was five years older, contracted tuberculosis after caring for their mother. Agnes lived for the next ten years as an invalid before she died in Fanny's arms.  At the age of eighteen, Fanny attended the Metropolitan School of Fine Arts in New York City. She left after one year to provide for Agnes. 
 
Fanny Cory, Self Portrait

By the time Fanny was in her early twenties, she had broken into the "man's world" of illustration, becoming one of the best known illustrators in America.  She did covers for St. Nicholas, Life, Scriber's Century, Harper's Bazaar and the Saturday Evening post. She also illustrated many books including Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland (1902) by Lewis Carrol, and several books by Frank L. Baum, author of The Wizard of Oz. In 1904, she married rancher Fred Cooney. They resided on an 1,800 acre ranch near Helena, Montana where Fanny raised their three children. In the mid 1920's, to pay for their college education, Fanny took up her pen again. By 1936, King Features Syndicate carried both her famous "Sonnysayings" and her "Little Miss Muffet" strip in the newspapers throughout the country. During this time she painted a series of exquisite paintings of fairies using watercolor. She considered them her greatest work. After her death they were published as The Fairy Alphabet. 
 
In 1947, Fanny purchased a cottage on the southwest side of Camano to be near her daughter Sayre, and her family. She moved permanently to Camano in 1952 where she continued her cartooning career with King Features Syndicate until she retired in 1956 at the age of 79. Fanny died in 1972.



Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park  
presents
 
AuctionThe 8th Annual Art Auction  
for the Artists and Gallery.  
 
October 7th 
 
Ninety pieces of fine artwork to be auctioned, a Who's who list of artists. You can leave bids on the artworks, as well as any weekend leading up to the "Live" Finale Auction on Oct.7th. ($25 per person fee at the door).  
 
The Auction promptly starts at 5 pm.  
Food and beverages starts at 4:00. NO RSVP.  
Auctioneer: Al Mangold  &  MC  Jack Gunter and Karla Matzke. 
 
Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park
2345 Blanche Way, Camano Island, Wa 98282
www.matzkefineart.com  360-387-2759
Our mission is to promote, encourage, and serve as an advocate for fine artists.

CAA PROGRAM
CAA Program
October 4th, 6:30 PM
 
Presentation by Arnold Ronning.
 


Arnold Ronning is a native of the Pacific Northwest and the Stanwood/Camano area. His art began as an infatuation with drawing superheroes. The year after his grandmother died (in 1983), he discovered she had taken a correspondence course in art when he found her books, some paints and brushes in the closet at home.  Later he took a high school art class, and then again took a studio painting course in college while at Pacific Lutheran University.  
Arnold, like many artists, began painting as a hobby and not as a profession. He has discovered that drawing and painting is more than a way to pass the time. On October 4, 2017 at Camano Center on Camano Island, Washington at 6:30 pm, please come see Mr. Ronning give a small presentation about how he has discovered, like Dostoyevsky, that ART WILL SAVE THE WORLD. 
Table of Contents Links
Quick Links
CAA
Local Galleries
  
Further afield

MoNA 

Schack Art Center 

BAM 

SAM 

 





















































































































































































































Camano Arts Association, Art Lives on Camano Island
http://www.camanoarts.org/