The amazingly talented Leslie Breault will be doing a live demo in our BVAA Uxbridge Art Gallery on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 1pm!
Leslie’s beautiful style often involves geometric shapes. In the image above, she won a prize in our “Series” show for her trio of abstract designs.
Here’s another of her paintings:
How does Leslie create these intriguing works with angles and lines? Come by our demo to find out!
Free and open to the public!
On November 22, 2022, talented artist Deb Bottomley presented a wonderful workshop on watercolor painting and watercolor colored pencil use. The focus for this workshop was the Miss Mendon Diner, in Mendon, Massachusetts. The Miss Mendon Diner is a historic Worcester Lunchcar Diner created in 1950. It’s located on Route 16 in Mendon, Massachusetts.
Deb Bottomley’s workshop is perfect for all ages and abilities. To make it easier for brand new artists to get started, we’ve segmented the workshop out into pieces. That way those of you who want assistance with learning about brushes, paints, and paper types can watch those videos and get your supplies ready. Those of you who already have the supplies and want to jump right in to the painting process, that video is available.
Ask with any questions! We LOVE to help new artists get themselves going. All questions are encouraged. Thank you to the Mendon Cultural Council for supporting this project!
First, here is information on the Miss Mendon Diner and some photos Deb Bottomley and Lisa Shea took of the diner. You are welcome to use ANY of these images as a starting point to trace for your artwork. In particular, here is the photo Deb uses in her workshop:
You can print that and trace it to use as the starting point for your own painting. Here is the full set of images you can use of the Miss Mendon Diner:
These next videos from Deb Bottomley get you started with the basics of supplies for watercolor painting and watercolor pencil drawing.
Here is the main 2-hour-long demonstration video of how to paint the Miss Mendon Diner. Deb uses the photo we showed earlier as her base. She uses both watercolor paints and watercolor pencils in this project. You can feel free to use whatever suits your mood!
When painting with watercolors, there is often “waiting time” while you wait for a section to dry, before you can move on with the next step. During the “waiting time” in this workshop, Deb showcased a few other watercolor techniques. Here are the two additional sections Deb created for us.
Ask with any questions! Thank you to the Mendon Cultural Council!
The Holidays are coming at the Milford TV Station! We are starting up our show schedule again after a long break due to the pandemic. This will be our first full show in a while! Come out and participate! This show is open to all current BVAA Members and is FREE to participate in.
“Perfect Presents” showcases anything ideal for gift-giving. Usually smaller, less expensive items (relatively) work better for sales. Explore the possibilities!
Drop-Off
Wednesday, November 30th, 2022
9am – 7pm
Public Reception
We are still determining the date of our public reception.
Milford TV will supply the food and wine for the public reception. Family, friends, and artists are all welcome! BVAA artists should feel free to bring along bin art, notecards, business cards, and other similar items as they meet-and-greet our visitors.
Location
Milford TV Station
138 South Main Street
Milford, MA
https://www.milfordtv.net/
Show Details for the Artists
The Milford TV Station employees create the labels and perform the hanging for us. There is no need to use the BVAA online submission form to indicate what you’re bringing. Simply be sure to label the back of each piece with its title, your name, contact info, and the price. This show is for BVAA members only and is free to participate in.
The Milford TV station does not take any commission on sales. Neither does the BVAA. This is an ideal sales venue, and we do see sales regularly at this venue.
Most artists bring in three to four items but if you have more which match the current theme that’s great! Please bring a maximum of 8 or so, to allow room for everyone to participate. The items can be any size or shape – Milford has a great hanging system which can accommodate pretty much anything.
Ask with any questions! Share the news!
On October 28, 2022, talented artist Scott Nelson took us on a walk through the beautiful Grafton Common in Grafton, Massachusetts. We stopped at various locations around the common exploring the composition of the scene, from landscapes with trees to classic architecture to railway lines. At each stop, Scott explained to us what made a scene intriguing and how to sketch it.
These skills are useful no matter what type of artwork you’re interested in creating. Some people focus on the sketch itself as a finished form. Others use the sketch as a starting point to then later create a watercolor painting, an acrylic painting, an oil painting, or another form of art.
After our exploration of the Grafton Common, Scott took us back to his home art studio where he displays some of his artwork and runs his virtual art classes for the Worcester Art Museum.
In early November 2022, Scott then painted a watercolor painting of one of the scenes he sketched. He recorded a section-by-section description of how he approached that watercolor project.
Here are the recordings from these three sessions. If you have any questions, let us know! We love helping new artists learn and grow.
Thank you to the Grafton Cultural Council for supporting this art project! And thank you so much to Scott Nelson for providing his time and expertise in both sketching and painting! You can learn more about Scott Nelson here:
https://www.scottnelsonandson.com/
Our 2022 Uxbridge SketchFest – our 5th annual event – was held between October 1 and October 31, 2022. This was a virtual event where people sketched on their own schedule and then sent in their sketches.
Here are the sketches we received for 2022!
Frank Robertson – 1914 Uxbridge RR Station (from historic image)
Carole Plante – Bridge at River Bend Farm
Ann Bukoski – Bridge near River Bend Farm
Joyce Indelicato
Janice Hunter
Lisa Shea / Scafuto’s Barbershop
If I missed anyone, please let me know!
For more information about our 2022 Uxbridge SketchFest –
Thank you to the Uxbridge Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council for supporting our SketchFest.
https://www.artandframeemporium.com/class
Our meetings are supported in part by grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
The Blackstone Valley Art Association is showcasing a delightful selection of photography, watercolors, acrylic paintings, oil paintings, jewelry, and more for the month of December 2022. Be sure to stop by and see what we have available! Perfect for gift giving! We’ll also have fun events on every Saturday in December to entertain and intrigue you!
When:
November 25th 2022 to January 7 2023
Where:
BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery
5 South Main Street
Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
BVAA Alternatives Uxbridge Community Art Gallery Information
Entering the Show
This show is open to BVAA members only. The theme is wide open. Any topic can be addressed as long as it is family-friendly. Artwork can be any size. That being said, please contact us first if you plan on bringing anything over 20″ x 30″ in size. We need to arrange for space for those separately.
This show is NOT judged (no ribbons, no prizes) – it is primarily about providing visibility and sales for artists during the holiday season. For that reason, you can enter pieces that have been in previous shows. We suggest you enter pieces you think will catch a buyer’s eye and serve well as a gift.
All wall-hanging items must be properly wired for hanging. Our hanging system does not work with saw-tooth or triangle hangers. If you are new to preparing artwork for shows, read our page on How to Mat and Frame a Photo. Please also check out our Show Terms and Conditions
Submissions
To submit your entries use our BVAA Online Submission Form. This show is free to participate in. Each artist may submit up to five items under 11×17 or up to three items if they’re 11×17 or larger.
Drop Off of Works
Drop off your works on Saturday, November 19th from 10am – 3pm.
All work which is brought in will be hung (as long as it is properly wired and is family-friendly).
Opening Reception
The opening reception will be on Friday, November 25th from 5-7pm. This is Black Friday so hopefully we’ll get some visitors in to rest and relax! And buy!
Pick Up
The pick-up for the Great Gifts show will be on Saturday, January 7th from 10am – 3pm.
Address any questions via our BVAA Contact Information
Ask with any questions! We look forward to seeing your entries!
Painting from life, (painting from photos is okay, but from life is preferred) all levels of development welcomed. Bring what you want to paint. If you have no idea, you can paint my still life that I demo from, and we can discuss how to make a decision on what YOU want to paint.
I will demonstrate the first hour and then students paint for the remaining two hours. I will help everyone and answer questions as I walk around to each student for one-on-one advice and helpful information.
This will be a fun and positive environment where everyone is free to express their creativity and bond with other artists.
This monthly class usually meets on the first Thursday of every month from 6-9 pm. PLEASE ALWAYS DIRECTLY EMAIL RSVP WITH ME PERSONALLY. That way I know who will be there, in case of weather or other situations that might involve cancelling.
Cost:
The maximum class size will be 10 students, to ensure plenty of hands-on time for each one.
Cost is $20/hour.
Invite your friends! Share the news!
When:
First Thursday of Each Month
6pm – 9pm
Where:
BVAA Open Sky Uxbridge Community Gallery
5 South Main Street
Uxbridge, MA 01569
There is a TON of free parking immediately next to this building. It is fully and easily handicapped accessible.
BVAA Alternatives Uxbridge Community Art Gallery Information
This class is open to the public. It is open to all ages and to all levels of painting ability.
Please make sure you register beforehand so we know how many to expect. Carol will send you a supply list to get you started.
To register, please make sure you email: carol@carolarnoldfineart.com
To learn more about Carol Arnold and to view her painting gallery:
https://carolarnoldfineart.com/
Follow Carol on Facebook!
Carol Arnold Fine Art on Facebook
Follow Carol on Instagram!
Our Blackstone Valley Art Association calendar is chock-full of fun, creative events! This calendar is subject to change. Here is what we have planned for our September 2022 to August 2023 calendar year!
Ask with any questions!
This is our fifth annual art-poetry show! We took a break during the pandemic, so our last one was in 2020. This page here explains how the show works, for the artists and poets who are interested in participating.
The show used to be a “traveling” show between the Worcester Public Library, the Blackstone Library, and the Millbury Barnes & Noble. For 2023 we’re going to focus on the Blackstone Library for April, because the other two locations are not available yet. If you have any thoughts as to where we could be after April, please let us know.
The artists are drawn from our Blackstone Valley Art Association. The poets are drawn from the Sutton Writing Group and the Worcester Writers Collaborative.
Anyone interested in participating please let Lisa know by FRIDAY NOVEMBER 18th 2022 of that interest. Let her know if you prefer a partner you can meet in person or if you prefer to work remotely, staying in touch via email. Also, let her know if you prefer an ‘intense’ relationship where you talk a lot about your works, or if you prefer a more ‘casual’ relationship where each person simply receives the other’s offering and then goes from there. All of these options are fine. We want each team to be happy.
Soon after the names are gathered, each artist is paired with a poet. They form a team for the duration of this project.
Sometime before January 31, 2023, the poet provides the artist with a poem. The poem can be custom-written for this project or it can be a favorite the artist already has written. The poem will be hung in the show on a maximum size of 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper so it should be short enough to fit on that paper at a reasonably sized font. With that being said, the poem can otherwise be as short or as long as the poet desires. It can be a short haiku or a long sonnet.
The artist now has until March 15, 2023 to create a work of art that represents that poem. The art can be a literal interpretation. It can convey the emotion of the poem. It can focus on one aspect of the poem. It is up to the artist to choose how to present their interpretation. That pairing of poem-plus-artwork will be hung side by side at the show.
In parallel:
Sometime before January 31, 2023, the artist provides the poet with a piece of art (a JPG photo of it is fine). Again, the artwork can be custom-created for this project or it can be an existing favorite.
The poet now has until March 15, 2023 to write a poem based on that piece of art. The poem does not need to literally describe the artwork. It can convey an emotion. It can create a story based on the scene. It can be whatever the poet wishes. Again, the poem will be hung in the show on a maximum size of 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper so it should be short enough to fit on that paper at a reasonably sized font. With that being said, the poem can otherwise be as short or as long as the poet desires. It can be a short haiku or a long sonnet.
When each poem and artwork is complete (both in the first and second round), please also send a copy to Lisa so she can update the website with the details. For art, let her know the dimensions of the piece when you send the JPG.
Here are pairings from previous years to see how this works:
2017 Art-Poetry Show
2018 Art-Poetry Show
2019 Art-Poetry Show
2020 Art-Poetry Show
Our artwork size restriction is primarily the Blackstone Library cases. Half of the artwork needs to go in the cases (around 11×14 size fits on the shelves) while the other half can hang on the wall. Lisa will coordinate who will go where once we determine the pairings. We’ll try to ensure that people who “went small” in previous years to fit the space constraints have the opportunity to “go large” this year if they wish.
If anybody has any questions or comments, please let Lisa know. Let her know if you’re interested in participating! You can participate just as one half (i.e. just an artist or just a poet) or as both halves.
My current roster is:
Evan Plante POET <-> Dennis Smith ARTIST
Linda DeFeudis POET <-> Carole Plante ARTIST
Richard Dresden POET <-> Bob Evans ARTIST
Christine Beauchaine POET <-> Richard Dresden ARTIST
Sue Lovejoy POET <-> Frank Robertson ARTIST
Robert Silveri POET <-> Louise Pigott ARTIST
Ibi Obomanu POET <-> Ellen Gould ARTIST
Good luck to everyone!
The reception for this show is on Thursday April 6th, 2023 from 6-8pm at the Blackstone Public Library.
Here is the full playlist of all seven art-poetry pairings from this show! Each pairing is its own separate video.