VPS Newsletter January 2024

VPS-Newsletter January 2024 

QUARTERLY QUOTE 

If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.
Banksy

  • A new year has dawned, and with every new year can come resolutions for doing new things, whether starting a new pastel, or painting in a style or manner that is new for us, or painting a new subject, or doing whatever “new” means to us. But whether something new or not, we hope we all can be moved to paint anew this year!
  • Hub activities have continued throughout fall and into winter.
  • Two workshops are being offered this year.
  • The Members’ Exhibition and Juried Show dates and venues have been established.

 Continue reading below for more details.

CALENDAR OF 2024 UPCOMING EVENTS:

Apr 17, 2024: Spring Board Meeting via Zoom, 4-6pm

May 3-5, 2024: Aline Ordman workshop in Essex Junction, VT

Jun 6 to Sep, 2024: Members’ Exhibition (ME) at Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester, VT

Sep 28-Nov 11, 2024: Juried Show (JS) at the T. W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier, VT

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE 

VPS: Champlain met in October and began with hub members sharing news, continued with planning for a demo to contrast oil and soft pastels, then concluded with the viewing of a hub member’s show at a nearby venue. In November they gathered to share hub member news, to watch a zoom artist talk, to continue organizing for the Aline Ordman workshop in May, to arrange a hub show at a local venue, to plan a holiday gathering in December, and to look at hub members’ current artworks.

VPS: MidState got together in October to decide on how to use their hub money, to plan for upcoming meetings, to propose another challenge, and to look at pastels done from last month’s challenge. They met again in November to announce their hub workshop in January, then they viewed paintings from their challenge “to make a pastel that changed something from their reference photo.”

VPS: SouthEast hosted a reception for their November hub show in a local gallery.

VPS: UpperValley convened in November and using their recent survey, decided to meet regularly on the second Monday of every month and liked the idea of using challenges each meeting. They affirmed intentions for a hub show in the Spring/Summer of 2024, and looked at each other’s pastels-in-process.

 VPS EXHIBITIONS

This year’s Members’ Exhibition (ME), hosted by VPS: SouthWest, will be displayed at the Southern Vermont Arts Center (SVAC) from Jun 6 to Sep 2024. We were asked by SVAC to supply a theme and our new Director of Exhibitions and I derived the following, broad enough to allow any of us to exhibit our work or works, but hopefully with an encouragement to adventure to a place we have not been before:

Pastel Panorama: Journeys with a Medium

2024 Members’ Exhibition of the Vermont Pastel Society

The Juried Show (JS) will be hosted by VPS: Central at the T.W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier from Sep 28-Nov 11, 2024.

Keep your email-eyes open for updates about these two exhibitions.

VPS WORKSHOPS 

Aline Ordman will be offering a 3-day workshop May 3-5, 2024 in Essex Junction, VT. Details will be coming soon, so stay alert.

Barbara Jaenicke similarly, will be giving a 3-day workshop October 4-6, 2024, most likely in Bennington, VT, with more information coming our way in the summer.

VPS BOARD NEWS

We, the members of the Board, feel that our Bylaws need to be changed. Here are some of the reasons and the proposed changes to address our concerns.

This year we had more VPS members interested in being on the board than we could permit according to the Bylaws, so we propose changing the number of board members from “no fewer than three and no more than ten Officers” to “no fewer than three and no more than twelve Officers.” This enables us to add two members-at-large. 

In order to have a seamless transition from Vice President to President, we propose removing the Workshop tasks from the VP responsibilities and asking the Members-at-Large to take that on.

We propose updating the job descriptions of the Webmaster, the Director of Exhibitions, the Membership Secretary, and the Director of Hubs to reflect more accurately their responsibilities.

This Newsletter item is to inform all VPS members that we will be voting on these Bylaws changes in two weeks. Please read them below, direct any questions to Matthew Peake, and be alert for a Constant Contact email asking for your vote. We all thank you!

At our last Annual Members’ Meeting in October, we elected several new board members. The names and positions of each currently-serving board member can be found on the VPS website here: https://vermontpastelsociety.com/contact/

As a VPS member, you are permitted to post two pastels on the website gallery. Remember to check what is up there now and update your images as you make new work. We get over 5000 visitors and 8000 visits a year, and the Gallery of Member Art gets the most traffic, so take advantage of the exposure:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/participation-in-the-members-gallery/

Also, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/vps-member-noteworthy-news/

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN OUR VPS! 

With the start of another ambitious year, with two opportunities to exhibit our works, with two exciting workshop offerings, and with most of our Hubs meeting regularly, there is great value in being a member of the VPS. Please renew your membership, if you haven’t yet done so, because we stay VPS Strong with the continual support for our organization which each of you provides. Thank you all so very much!

Matt Peake, VPS President

 

Proposed VPS Bylaws Changes 2023

Below in Black are sections of the current Bylaws we wish to amend. Following that, in Blue, are the proposed changes in the Bylaws we made after collecting input from the currently serving board members. 

Please review the Blue version and in two weeks’ time, when requested, please cast your vote, “Yes, I approve the new Bylaws changes as written.” OR “No, I do not approve the new Bylaws changes as written.”  

Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to do this.

ARTICLE 6. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Control and Power

The Board of Directors shall assume full responsibility for VPS operations. The Board shall have the exclusive control and power to manage the activities, property and affairs of VPS and shall determine the manner in which the funds of VPS, both principal and income, shall be applied within the limitations of the VPS Articles of Incorporation and these Bylaws.

Section 2. Number, tenure

The Board of Directors shall consist of no fewer than three and no more than ten Officers. Director’s terms will be for two years. Directors can serve for more than one term.

ARTICLE 7. OFFICERS

Section 1: General and Elections

The Officers of VPS shall consist of: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Exhibitions Director, Webmaster, Director of Hubs, and two Members at Large.   The Officers shall set policy and procedures for VPS. Officers shall be elected by the members at the Annual Membership Meeting.  Elected Officers will also be announced to the membership via e-mail and on the Website.

Section 2: President

The President shall be responsible for overseeing and/or coordinating all functions of the organization. More specifically, the President will

  1.   schedule all board and membership meetings and be responsible for the agenda and the general conduct of such meetings.
  2.   be an ex-officio member of every committee
  3.   write a newsletter to the members on a regular basis
  4.   be the spokesperson for the organization and represent the VPS at local, civic, and other outside activities which require a VPS presence

Section 3: Vice President

The Vice President will report to the President and will be responsible for the organization in the absence of the President.

More specifically, the Vice President will

  1.   facilitate the annual VPS workshop offerings, including, but not limited to assisting VPS members in the overall planning of the workshop, in the preparing of financial worksheets, and in communicating with members,
  2.   compile workshop evaluation data about presenters and facilities and will keep it accessible for future use.

Section 4: Secretary

The Secretary will report to the President and will be responsible for recording minutes of all meetings.

More specifically, the Secretary will

  1.   record the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors, and distribute them to the Board in a timely manner;
  2.   record the minutes of the members’ meetings for distribution to the members in a timely manner;
  3.   keep the history and records of the VPS.

Section 5: Membership Secretary

The Membership Secretary shall keep a record with the names and addresses of the members entitled to vote.

More specifically, the Membership Secretary will

  1.   keep a database of the members, including name, email or other contact information, hub assignment, etc.,
  2.   be responsible for communicating to the membership about VPS news, about VPS offerings–such as workshops, exhibitions–and about any other general VPS information,
  3.   assign new members to hubs based on geographic proximity to existing hub meeting places.

Section 6: Treasurer

The Treasurer will report to the President and will be responsible for the financial records of VPS.

More specifically, the Treasurer will

  1.   keep correct and complete records of the account, accurately showing at all times the financial condition of VPS,
  2.   be the legal custodian of all funds of the VPS, subject to the direction of the Board,
  3.   keep a detailed account of income and expenditures,
  4.   present a financial report to the Board at regularly scheduled meetings,
  5.   be responsible for payment of all expenditures of VPS and including the filing of tax returns,
  6.   be available so that all books and records of the corporation may be inspected by any member, or his/her agent or attorney, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time.

Section 7: Director of Hubs

The Director of Hubs serves on the VPS board, will report to the President, and will oversee the VPS Regional Hub Program and work to maintain its stability and growth.

More specifically, the Director or Hubs will

  1.   be responsible for communication between Regional Hub point persons and the VPS Board.
  2.   coordinate information about Hub activities and pass that information on to the membership, to the Webmaster, to the Membership Secretary, and/or to the VPS Facebook page editor to a social media platform depending on the need.
  3.   prepare a report for board meetings twice a year, describing the status of the regional hubs and their activities.
  4.   coordinate with the VPS Treasurer and the Hub point person a Hub’s request for funds, approval of the request, and the Hub’s reimbursement.
  5.   maintain contact with each hub point person, advising new point people of their responsibilities; being a resource for point people should questions or problems arise; participating in the replacement of Point People should the currently serving one step down.

Section 8: Webmaster

The Webmaster serves on the VPS board, will report to the President, and will be responsible for maintaining the VPS website.

More specifically, the Webmaster will

  1.   update the Member Gallery, providing submission specs for members.
  2.   make changes to the website as the President and Board find appropriate.
  3.   make additions to the website as directed for items such as Exhibits, Workshops, Blog Posts, Forms, Resources, and other Site Menu Items.
  4.   work with Web professionals for complex website modifications and to keep the website up and running,
  5.   convey bills in a timely manner to the Treasurer.

Section 9: Director of Exhibitions

The Director of Exhibitions serves on the Board, will report to the President, and will be responsible for a minimum of two VPS-sponsored exhibitions per year consisting of one Member Exhibition and one Juried Show.

More specifically, the Director of Exhibitions will

  1.   oversee the entire exhibition process including scheduling venues in advance and communicating to membership the details of the show (including gallery contract; dates for submitting written information or images; dates/times for drop off and pick up of artwork; date/time for reception, awards/prizes and categories for awarding such)
  2.   assemble VPS volunteers for soliciting prizes, hanging the show, preparing the reception, and for other duties as needed,
  3.   work with the gallery owner to assure that the show is publicized as widely as possible,
  4.   secure well-respected artists to serve as online jurors for the annual juried show and to act as judges for both the Members’ Exhibition and Juried Show
  5.   work with the President and Treasurer on awards and presentation of awards at the receptions
  6.   keep exhibition procedures up to date.

Section 10: Member at Large #1

The Member at Large will be a member in good standing and will report to the President,

More specifically, a Member at Large will

  1.   take on jobs for the VPS that require intermittent or regular action, such as coordination of the Video Lending Library, ad hoc committee work, etc.
  2.   administer the VPS workshop scholarship awards.

Section 11: Member at Large #2

The Member at Large will be a member in good standing and will report to the President.

More specifically, a Member at Large will

  1.   take on jobs for the VPS that require intermittent or regular action, such as coordination of the Video Lending Library, ad hoc committee work, etc.
  2.   administer the VPS workshop scholarship awards.

 ARTICLE 6. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Control and Power

The Board of Directors shall assume full responsibility for VPS operations. The Board shall have the exclusive control and power to manage the activities, property and affairs of VPS and shall determine the manner in which the funds of VPS, both principal and income, shall be applied within the limitations of the VPS Articles of Incorporation and these Bylaws. 

Section 2. Number, tenure

The Board of Directors shall consist of no fewer than three and no more than twelve Officers. Director’s terms will be for two years. Directors can serve for more than one term. Directors who have been appointed mid-year will fill out the term of the director they have replaced.

ARTICLE 7. OFFICERS

Section 1: General and Elections

The Officers of VPS shall consist of: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Director of Exhibitions, Webmaster, Director of Hubs, and two to four Members-at-Large.   The Officers shall set policy and procedures for VPS. Officers shall be elected by the members at the Annual Membership Meeting.  Elected Officers will also be announced to the membership via e-mail and on the Website. Any Officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the President or the Secretary. Any such notice shall take effect as of the date of the receipt of such notice or at any later time specified therein. If the office of any Officer shall become vacant for any reason, the remaining members of the Board, even if less than a quorum, shall elect a successor for the unexpired term of such Officer. 

Section 2: President

The President shall be responsible for overseeing and/or coordinating all functions of the organization. More specifically, the President will

  1. schedule all board and membership meetings, and be responsible for the agenda and the general conduct of such meetings,
  2. be an ex-officio member of every committee,
  3. write a newsletter to the members on a regular basis,
  4. be the spokesperson for the organization and represent the VPS at local, civic, and other outside activities which require a VPS presence.

Section 3: Vice President

The Vice President will report to the President and will be responsible for the organization in the absence of the President.

More specifically, the Vice President will

  1. assume the office of the president when that office is vacated during the tenure of the president or when the president is unable to serve,
  2. fulfill such other duties as may be assigned by the president or the Board.

Section 4: Secretary

The Secretary will report to the President and will be responsible for recording minutes of all meetings.

More specifically, the Secretary will

  1. record the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors, and distribute them to the Board in a timely manner,
  2. record the minutes of the Annual Members’ Meeting for distribution to the members in a timely manner,
  3. keep current the history and records of VPS via VPS Google Drive Record Retention.

Section 5: Membership Secretary

The Membership Secretary will report to the President and shall keep a record with the names and addresses of the members entitled to vote.

More specifically, the Membership Secretary will

  1. keep a database of the VPS members including name, email, phone number, or other contact information, their hub assignment, membership fee paid, etc.
  2. be facile with VPS email marketing platform to communicate with members about VPS exhibitions, shows, workshops, membership renewal, etc., keeping that database updated,
  3. be responsible for communicating to the membership about VPS news, about VPS-specific offerings, about any other general VPS information,
  4. assign new members to hubs based on geographic proximity to existing hub meeting places; send message welcoming them to the VPS; inform Board, Hub point person(s), and the Director of Hubs,
  5. transfer membership payments to the Treasurer.

Section 6: Treasurer

The Treasurer will report to the President and will be responsible for the financial records of VPS.

More specifically, the Treasurer will

  1. keep correct and complete records of the account, accurately showing at all times the financial condition of VPS,
  2. be the legal custodian of all funds of the VPS, subject to the direction of the Board,
  3. keep a detailed account of income and expenditures,
  4. present a financial report to the Board at regularly scheduled meetings,
  5. be responsible for payment of all expenditures of VPS  including the filing of tax returns,
  6. be available so that all books and records of the corporation may be inspected by any member, or his/her agent or attorney, for any proper purpose at any reasonable time.

Section 7: Director of Hubs

The Director of Hubs will report to the President and will oversee the VPS Regional Hub Program and work to maintain its stability and growth.

More specifically, the Director of Hubs will

  1. act as a liaison between Regional Hub point persons and the VPS Board, including contact and follow-up with hub point persons; support for new point people; and a resource for any hub point person’s questions or concerns;
  2. coordinate information about Hub activities and pass that information on to the membership, to the Webmaster, to the Membership Secretary, and/or to those responsible for VPS social media;
  3. prepare a report for Board meetings twice a year and annual meeting once a year, describing the status of the regional hubs and their activities;
  4. coordinate with the VPS Treasurer and the Hub point person(s) a Hub’s request for funds, approval of the request, and the Hub’s reimbursement.

Section 8: Webmaster

The Webmaster will report to the President, and will be responsible for maintaining the VPS website.

More specifically, the Webmaster will

  1. update the Member Gallery, providing submission specs for members;
  2. make changes to the website as the President and Board find appropriate;
  3. make additions to the website as directed for items such as Exhibitions, Workshops, Blog Posts, Forms, Resources, and other Site Menu Items;
  4. work with Web professionals for complex website modifications and to keep the website up and running;
  5. convey bills in a timely manner to the Treasurer;
  6. administer the Google Drive Records Retainer;
  7. administer the VPS Corporate Zoom Account.

Section 9: Director of Exhibitions

The Director of Exhibitions serves on the Board, will report to the President, and will be responsible for a minimum of two VPS-sponsored exhibitions per year consisting of one Members’ Exhibition (ME) and one Juried Show (JS).

More specifically, the Director of Exhibitions will 

  1. oversee the entire exhibition process including scheduling venues in advance and communicating to the current year’s Hosting Hub Point Person(s) the details of the ME or JS (coordinating with the hosting hub the venue’s contract; dates for submitting written information or images; dates/times for drop off and pick up of artwork; date/time for reception; juror and judge names and websites; awards/prizes and categories for awarding such, among other tasks);
  2. keep up to date the ME and JS google docs, sheets, and forms; 
  3. work with the Hosting Hub’s Point Person(s) and the venue representative to assure that the show is publicized as widely as possible;
  4. assist the Hosting Hub’s Point Person(s) in ways of finding well-respected artists to serve as online jurors for the annual juried show and to act as judges for both the Members’ Exhibition and Juried Show;
  5. work with the President and Treasurer on awards and presentation of awards at the receptions;

Section 10: Member-at-Large

The Member-at-Large will be a member in good standing and will report to the President.

More specifically, a Member-at-Large will

  1. take on jobs for the VPS that require intermittent or regular action, such as coordination of the Video Lending Library, ad hoc committee work, etc.;
  2. administer the VPS workshop scholarship awards;
  3. facilitate the annual VPS workshop offerings, including, but not limited to, assisting VPS members in the overall planning of the workshop, in the preparing of financial worksheets, and in communicating with members; 
  4. compile workshop evaluation data about presenters and facilities and  keep it accessible for future use.

 




VPS Newsletter – October 2023

QUARTERLY QUOTE 

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
Pablo Picasso

  • We are anticipating a great reception for our Juried Show this Friday, October 6.
  • The Members’ Exhibition “People’s Choice Award” will be decided soon.
  • Hub activities have continued throughout summer and into autumn.
  • Our Annual Members’ Meeting via Zoom is coming up later this month

Continue reading below for more details.

CALENDAR OF AUTUMN 2023 UPCOMING EVENTS:

Jun 4-Oct 8, 2023: Members’ Exhibition (ME) at Park McCullough House in North Bennington, VT

Sep 1-Nov 18, 2023: Juried Show (JS) at Long River Gallery in White River Junction (WRJ), VT

Oct 26, 2023: Annual Members’ Meeting via Zoom, 6-8pm

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE 

VPS: Champlain has had two meetings this summer, busy with concluding the ME, planning to host a hub demonstration in November, planning to host a VPS Workshop for 2024, and arranging for a hub show in summer 2024. At each meeting, they ask hub members to offer comments on their ongoing pastels.

VPS: MidState met twice over the last three months. At the first meeting they discussed their painting style, discussed how to catalogue their paintings, and reviewed a challenge to paint several pastels in the style of an artist they were inspired by. In their second gathering, they reviewed the challenge to find a simple subject to render in mark-making with pastel pencils, hard pastels, and soft pastels.

VPS: SouthEast discussed a slew of items ranging from how to paint outside, to PR concerns, and VPS membership skewing to older members. Then they had a group critique of the paintings they were working on.

VPS: UpperValley painted a pond en plein air in August, then went for a swim! They also reviewed plans for the JS that they are hosting.

 VPS EXHIBITIONS

This year’s Members’ Exhibition (ME) hosted by VPS: Champlain is in its final week of display. Please consider an expedition to the historic Park McCullough House this weekend to see it before it comes down on Tuesday, October 10—when the “People’s Choice Award” will be announced!

The Juried Show (JS) hosted by VPS: UpperValley will have its opening reception this Friday, October 6, 2023 from 5-7pm at the Long River Gallery in White River Junction, VT. Our paintings have been on view since September 1, and will continue to be up during some busy months for WRJ through November 18. Come to the reception and celebrate some of our juror-selected best pastels and the artists who created them.

VPS WORKSHOPS 

Two workshops are being planned for 2024. The who, what, when, and where will be coming in the next quarterly report.

VPS BOARD NEWS

Our Annual Members’ Meeting of the VPS is scheduled for Thursday, October 26, 2023 from 6-8pm via Zoom. Here is the link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86285092650?pwd=3WyhztifxYTpFKFM3PRMsa0VUFUeDu.1

We will have our business meeting from 6-7pm where we ask our members to approve the budget for the coming fiscal year, and to elect five board officers for the next two years (Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and 2 Members-at-Large), and one for the next one year (Exhibitions Coordinator).

Following the business meeting, we have a very interesting demonstration by Judy Albright and Matthew Peake on the novel application of collage beneath clear gesso as an underpainting. As you will see, this can add texture and visual interest to your overpaintings.

The agenda will be coming in a separate communication, but please mark your calendars and make a plan to attend this meeting and demonstration.

As you know the VPS Is powered by you but steered by the ten-member Board of Directors. These are voluntary positions, and they depend on a member of the VPS offering to fill a position for a minimum of 2 years. Most of our board members have been serving for 5 to 9 years, partly because the job is rewarding, but partly because no one else has offered to do it.

Because the two-year terms are staggered, five board positions come up for election every year at the autumn annual meeting. This year, we have candidates so far for all but Vice President, Treasurer, Member-at-Large #1. The job description for each of these can be found in our bylaws by going to https://vermontpastelsociety.com/bylaws/ and reading Article 7: OFFICERS

The board meets twice a year remotely and once a year, also remotely, with all VPS Members at the annual meeting. Occasionally the board discusses issues via email.

Please contact me at [email protected] with any questions and make my day by letting me know that you are considering volunteering for one of the board positions.

 As a VPS member, you are permitted to post two pastels on the website gallery. Remember to check what is up there now and update your images as you make new work. We get over 5000 visitors and 8000 visits a year, and the Gallery of Member Art gets the most traffic, so take advantage of the exposure:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/participation-in-the-members-gallery/

Also, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/vps-member-noteworthy-news/

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN VPS! 

With one more VPS-sponsored show in 2023 to exhibit our works, and with most of our Hubs meeting regularly, there is great value in being a member of the VPS. We stay vibrant because of the continual support for our organization which each of you provides. Thank you all so very much!

Matt Peake, VPS President




VPS Newsletter – July 2023

VPS Newsletter July 2023 

QUARTERLY QUOTE 

An artist is not paid for their labor but for their vision.
James Whistler

  • We had a fabulous reception for our Members’ Exhibition at Park McCullough House
  • Hub activities have continued throughout spring into summer.
  • Our last workshop for 2023 is coming.
  • Our Juried Show is currently accepting submissions.

Continue reading below for more details.

CALENDAR OF SUMMER 2023 UPCOMING EVENTS:

Jun 4-Oct 8, 2023: Members’ Exhibition (ME) at Park McCullough House in North Bennington, VT

Sep 1-Nov 18, 2023: Juried Show (JS) at Long River Gallery in White River Junction (WRJ), VT

Sep 8-10, 2023: Nancy Nowak Workshop in Bennington, VT

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE 

VPS: Central has been inspiring each other with monthly challenges, such as all of them painting the same scene. One member is planning to host a garden tour and paint-out. Additionally, their hub is planning for a hub show in Jeffersonville, VT.

VPS: Champlain is involved with many diverse activities, including a show several members are having in South Burlington. They continued planning for the ME which opened in June, and discussed the possibility of hub members participating in a craft festival. Finally, their topic of discussion for the April meeting was favorite art books.

VPS: MidState met in May and discussed their upcoming hub show in June and July. They also tried an innovative way of critiquing each other’s painting by posing the question, “What if….?” as framing feedback that way seemed easier to hear. Examples included, “What if you added some grasses in the foreground?” or “What if you tried it on white paper?” Finally, one member demonstrated making homemade pastels.

VPS: SouthEast gathered in April to coordinate transport to the VPS ME in Bennington. That was followed by a wide-ranging discussion of upcoming VPS workshops, and about frames, matting techniques, the pros and cons of using mats, and mounting paper. Several members brought in paintings of the same subject past and present, and others brought new works for critique. A suggestion was made to include a reference photo when showing a painting.

VPS: SouthWest met in April, continued planning for three upcoming shows, and enjoyed a critique of each artist’s response to the challenge of painting flowers.

VPS: UpperValley welcomed new hub members in April and reminded everyone of solo shows that their hub members were having. In May, four hub artists met to paint en plein air, and additional dates for painting outdoors were set. Finally, updates were provided for the upcoming JS they would be hosting.

 VPS EXHIBITIONS

This year’s Members’ Exhibition (ME) hosted by VPS: Champlain had its opening reception June 4 at the historic Park McCullough House in North Bennington. Nearly 40 people were in attendance. The dreary wet weather could not dampen any spirits, as the food, libations, award ceremony, and conviviality among all the attendees made for a fabulous beginning to this long running exhibition. Special thanks to VPS: CHP and to VPS: SW for collaborating on this ME. It is certainly a VPS Members’ Exhibition to remember.

The Juried Show (JS) is fast approaching, with the final call for submissions being just weeks away. VPS: UpperValley will be hosting this JS at the Long River Gallery in WRJ, VT, and it, too, will have a nice long run, being on view during some busy months for WRJ: September 1 through November 18. Please submit your images through the ShowSubmit link.

VPS WORKSHOPS 

Here is who we have lined up for this year’s final workshop:

Nancy Nowak: “Boats and Structures,” Sep 8-10, 2023, Bennington, VT. Only a few openings remain for this, so sign up soon.

VPS BOARD NEWS

As you know the VPS Is powered by you but steered by the ten-member Board of Directors. These are voluntary positions, and they depend on a member of the VPS offering to fill a position for a minimum of 2 years. Most of our board members have been serving for 6 to 8 years, partly because the job is rewarding, but partly because no one else has offered to do it.

And just to remind everyone, we had no president in 2015 and our organization declined. There was real concern that it might cease to exist. The same could be true for the other board positions, which underscores how important it is for all of us VPS artists to be willing to fill each and every board position.

Because the two-year terms are staggered, five board positions come up for election every year at the autumn annual meeting. This year they are Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Member-at-Large #1, Member-at-Large #2. The job description for each of these can be found in our bylaws by going to https://vermontpastelsociety.com/bylaws/ and reading Article 7: OFFICERS

The board meets twice a year remotely and once a year, also remotely, with all VPS Members for the annual meeting. Occasionally the board discusses issues via email.

Please contact me at [email protected] with any questions and make my day by letting me know that you are considering volunteering for one of the board positions.

As a VPS member, you are permitted to post two pastels on the website gallery. Remember to check what is up there now and update your images as you make new work. We get over 5000 visitors and 8000 visits a year, and the Gallery of Member Art gets the most traffic, so take advantage of the exposure:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/participation-in-the-members-gallery/

Also, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/vps-member-noteworthy-news/

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN VPS! 

With one more VPS-sponsored show in 2023 to exhibit your works, with one more workshop, and with our Hubs meeting regularly, there is great value in being a member of the VPS. We stay active because of the continual support for our organization which each of you provides. Thank you all so very much!

Matt Peake, VPS President

 




VPS Newsletter April 2023

QUARTERLY QUOTE 

Art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.

Rainbow Rowell

  • Most VT communities have low CoViD infection rates, and with warmer weather in sight, VPS artists are getting together in person again.
  • Hub activities have continued throughout the winter.
  • Three VPS-sponsored workshops are coming in 2023.
  • A Juried Show and a Members’ Exhibition are being planned for this year.

 

Continue reading below for more details.

CALENDAR OF SPRING 2023 UPCOMING EVENTS:

Apr 19, 2023: VPS Board Meeting via Zoom

May 19-23, 2023: Tony Allain Workshop, Bennington, VT.

Jun 4-Oct 8, 2023: Members’ Exhibition (ME) at Park McCullough House in Bennington, VT

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE 

VPS: Central met in January to show everyone the flower paintings they had challenged each other with back at their December meeting which they used to plan for 2023.

VPS: Champlain convened in January to discuss the upcoming ME, then changed gears to talk about what it takes to be inspired to paint on a regular basis, and to share experiences of painting with and without music/podcasts/news in the background. They brainstormed names of artists who they might contact for a VPS-sponsored workshop for 2024. And they came up with another idea to have one of their hub artists do a short educational presentation to the whole hub for upcoming months. At the conclusion, one of the artists shared her experience with her solo show in Quebec. When they gathered again in February, they shared what they were up to individually, then one member gave a brief talk on use of color. This encouraged other members to volunteer for talks to their hub as well, such as what a plein air set up might entail. Finally, they continued planning for the VPS ME they were hosting in June.

VPS: SouthEast gathered in January to review both the Juried Show (JS) they had recently hosted, and their own hub show in November. Paintings by five artists were viewed. They challenged each other to do a new painting to compare with one they had done before.

VPS: SouthWest met in January to continue planning for Tony Allain’s workshop, to coordinate with VPS: CHP for the ME in Bennington, to discuss their hub show this summer, and to look at pastels they had painted. Planning continued during their February get-together followed by a critique of their current works.

VPS: UpperValley is making use of the Thetford Community Center to meet monthly, paint, and provide a critique of each other’s work.

 VPS EXHIBITIONS

This year’s Members’ Exhibition (ME) will be hosted by VPS: Champlain. Because the available venue is in Bennington, VPS: SW is assisting with the local logistics as VPS: CHP coordinates all the other aspects. This will be an historic ME, as VPS members will be exhibiting in a former VT Governor’s Mansion, which has never had any contemporary art displayed in it before. Moreover, one of its residents was a pastel painter herself, so the theme will be “Pastels: Old and New.” The ME will hang for over four months, and during that time hundreds of tourists will visit the historic sight, so our paintings will be seen by many, many people. The final notice for submitting our artwork will be sent out via Constant Contact soon, so please submit one or two pastels to have your work be a part of this unique opportunity.

The Juried Show (JS), will be hosted in October and November by VPS: UpperValley at the Long River Gallery in WRJ, VT. Stay tuned early this summer for all the forthcoming details!!

VPS WORKSHOPS 

Here is who we have lined up for this year’s three workshops:

Tony Allain: “Mood and Atmosphere, May 19-21, and “The Language of Light,” May 22-23, 2023, Bennington, VT;

Karen Israel: “Rocks/Water Reflections/Clouds/Sky,” Jul 28-30 2023, Montpelier, VT;

Nancy Nowak: “Boats and Structures,” Sep 8-10, 2023, Bennington, VT.

VPS BOARD NEWS

At our Annual Meeting in October, we voted to form a committee to draft a policy and procedure for a Signature Member category for VPS members, as some other pastel societies have done. This winter, a group of VPS artists formulated a draft for Signature Member Status and we recently surveyed our VPS members to gauge interest in it. Results of the survey will be presented at the upcoming board meeting.

Our next board meeting will be via Zoom on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 7-9pm. Here is the Zoom link for it: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81155471595?pwd=aUhyekVHM09TS2RQdFUwd0Q5VEJCZz09

Please put this date and time on your calendar and plan to attend if you can.

As a VPS member, you are permitted to post two pastels on the website gallery. Remember to check what is up there now and update your images as you make new work. We get over 5000 visitors and 8000 visits a year, and the Gallery of Member Art gets the most traffic, so take advantage of the exposure:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/participation-in-the-members-gallery/

Also, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/vps-member-noteworthy-news/

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN VPS! 

With two VPS-sponsored shows in 2023 to exhibit your works, three workshops planned, and our Hubs meeting regularly, there is great value in being a member of the VPS. Please renew your membership for 2023. We stay strong because of the continual support for our organization which each of you provides. Thank you all so much!

Matt Peake, VPS President




VPS Newsletter January 2023

QUARTERLY QUOTE 

A picture is a poem without words.

Horace

  • The CoViD variants haven’t left us, so with winter upon us, we may need to mask up again, and/or we may need to use Zoom for meetings, especially with some of our members traveling to warmer climes. Nevertheless, let’s keep getting together!
  • Hub activities have continued throughout the fall.
  • Three VPS-sponsored Workshops are coming in 2023.
  • A Juried Show and a Members’ Exhibition are being planned for the coming year.

 

Continue reading below for more details.

CALENDAR OF 2023 UPCOMING EVENTS:

Apr 19, 2023: VPS Board Meeting via Zoom

May 19-21, 2023: Tony Allain: “Catching Light,” Bennington, VT.

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE 

VPS: Central reconvened in November, after members took the summer off, and shared the results of their challenge to each other: paint a scene using 100 strokes or less. In their December meeting, they planned out an ambitious agenda for the coming year.

VPS: Champlain met in November with a packed agenda. First, they talked about Dawn Emerson’s workshop which two members attended, and introduced the idea of perhaps hosting a workshop in Chittenden County. Then they began preparing for the Members’ Exhibition that they will be hosting in Spring 2023. Finally, they shared the results of their challenge to each other, to paint a pastel miniature.

VPS: MidState gathered three times. In September, they shared what they had been doing artistically over the summer, as well as critiqued the Members’ Exhibition which they hosted. In November, they discussed having a local show and viewed their challenge to paint something that they had previously painted and compared the two versions. And in December, their group acknowledged their hub’s two winning members in the VPS Juried Show, as well as showed each other their response to the challenge to do a pastel using three analogous hues.

VPS: SouthEast hosted the Juried Show in Brattleboro, Oct-Nov and put on another local show in November at a local venue, also in Brattleboro, to use their hub allotment.

VPS: UpperValley found a gorgeous autumn afternoon in October to paint en plein air, trying “to catch the beauty and the drama of the day.”

VPS EXHIBITIONS

Our Juried Show (JS) for 2022, displayed in October and November at Vermont Artisan Designs in Brattleboro, VT, was a double success: it was the first time a VPS show was held in the southeastern part of the state, and three of the paintings sold!

Next year, the Members’ Exhibition (ME) will be hosted by VPS: Champlain. Due to an administrative crisis at the venue which had agreed to host us near Burlington, and their late notice, we could not find a suitable gallery in the region. Instead of canceling the ME, we decided to use an available gallery in Bennington and employ a hybrid approach with VPS: CHP coordinating all the aspects of the ME and VPS: SW assisting with the local logistics.

The JS will be more straightforward, hosted in October and November by VPS: UpperValley at the Long River Gallery in WRJ, VT. Stay tuned for all the forthcoming details!!

VPS WORKSHOPS 

Here is who we have lined up for next year’s three workshops:

Tony Allain: “Catching Light,” May 19-21, 2023, Bennington, VT;

Karen Israel: “Rocks/Water Reflections/Clouds/Sky,” Aug 4-6, 2023, East Montpelier;

Nancy Nowak: “Boats and Structures,” Sep 29-Oct 1, 2023 in Bennington, VT.

VPS BOARD NEWS

At our Annual Meeting in October, we voted to form a committee to draft a policy and procedure for a Signature Status category for VPS members, as some other pastel societies have done. This work will begin in January, so if you have any thoughts or suggestions, please contact Cris Kossow, who has offered to take on the task, at [email protected].

Our next board meeting will be via Zoom on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 from 7-9pm. An agenda will come out a couple weeks before the meeting, so please put this date and time on your calendar and plan to attend if you can.

As a VPS member, you are permitted to post two pastels on the website gallery. Remember to check what is up there now and update your images as you make new work. We get over 5000 visitors and 8000 visits a year, and the Gallery of Member Art gets the most traffic, so take advantage of the exposure:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/participation-in-the-members-gallery/

Also, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/vps-member-noteworthy-news/

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN VPS! 

With two VPS-sponsored shows in 2023 to exhibit your works, three workshops planned, and our Hubs meeting regularly, there is great value in being a member of the VPS. Please renew your membership for 2023. We stay strong because of the continual support for our organization which each of you provides. Thank you all so much!

Matt Peake, VPS President




VPS Newsletter October 2022

QUARTERLY QUOTE 

Art is the only serious thing in the world. And the artist is the only person who is never serious.

Oscar Wilde

  • The CoViD Omicron variant continues to pester us, and now with cooler weather calling us indoors for art-making, we may be going back to masking up, or Zoom meetings, or getting a booster and taking some risk.
  • Hub activities have been variable over the summer.
  • One more VPS-Sponsored Workshop is coming.
  • Our Juried Show is hanging October through November.

 

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:

Oct 7-Nov 18, 2022: VPS Juried Show at Vermont Artisan Designs, Brattleboro, VT

Oct 12, 2022: VPS Annual Members’ Meeting via Zoom

Oct 21-23, 2022: Dawn Emerson workshop in Bennington, VT

 

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE 

VPS: MidState took the summer off with everyone being very busy. They plan to use their hub allotment for renting a space to paint in and to purchase some LuxArchival.

VPS: SouthEast has been meeting regularly over the summer months to plan for the Juried Show they are hosting. They also have another local exhibition in November for which they are using their hub money. They hosted a frame swap, critiqued each other’s pastels, and planned for two more exhibitions upcoming in 2023.

VPS: SouthWest met at the end of September, after a summer off. They used their hub allotment to make a hub sign for posting at their local shows. With winter coming and many of their members traveling south, they will resume meeting via Zoom.

VPS: Champlain has been meeting monthly, welcoming new members, viewing each other’s painting challenges, planning for a show in 2023, discussing pastel-related materials, and painting in Plein Air. They hosted Aline Ordman for a two-hour demo which was well-attended.

 

VPS EXHIBITIONS

Our Juried Show (JS) for 2022 is now on display at Vermont Artisan Designs in Brattleboro, VT, and can be seen any day of the week now through November 18. We had 57 pastels entered and the two jurors, Liz Haywood-Sullivan and Michael Chesley Johnson chose 33 of those for the venue. There will be two First Friday Art Walks for those selected pastels to be seen by the throngs of gallery-goers. They will be judged by Dawn Emerson during her workshop in VT, with awards being presented at the reception on Friday, Nov 4, 2022 from 5-7pm. Please try to attend!

Next year, the Members’ Exhibition will be hosted by VPS: Champlain and the Juried Show, by VPS: Upper Valley at the Long River Gallery in WRJ, VT. Stay tuned for details!!

 

VPS WORKSHOPS 

Our final workshop of the year will be with Dawn Emerson: “Pastel Innovations,” Oct 21-23, 2022, in Bennington, VT. It is full, with 15 participants.

Next year we will again sponsor three workshops:

Tony Allain: “Catching Light,” May 19-21, 2023, Bennington, VT;

Karen Israel: “Rocks/Water Reflections/Clouds/Sky,” Aug 4-6, 2023, East Montpelier;

Nancy Nowak: “Boats and Structures,” Sep 29-Oct 1, 2023 in Bennington, VT.

VPS BOARD NEWS

The Board met on Wednesday, Sep 28, 2022 and several items were discussed and actions were taken. To see the details, please go to the VPS website to view the minutes once they are posted.

Also, after the last two years’ successful Annual Members’ Meeting via Zoom (with more people attending than in the previous years’ in-person events), the board has decided to hold this year’s meeting virtually as well, see link below. The time and date are Wednesday, October 12, 2022, 7-9 p.m. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82281322631?pwd=blRpazhVemNjQkJld2tHZDViRlZXUT09

As before, we will have a short business meeting in the first portion. Among other agenda items, we need to elect 4 board officers for two-year terms, approve the budget for 2023, and discuss whether the VPS should have a Signature Status category for its members like some other pastel societies. Following that, we will have Jeanne Rosier Smith doing an autumn landscape demonstration. Please put that date and time on your calendar and save the link! 

As a VPS member, you are permitted to post two pastels on the website gallery. Remember to check what is up there now and update your images as you make new work. We get over 5000 visitors and 8000 visits a year, and the Gallery of Member Art gets the most traffic, so take advantage of the exposure:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/participation-in-the-members-gallery/

Also, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/vps-member-noteworthy-news/

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN VPS! 

With a Juried Show hanging now, another workshop coming this fall, and our Hubs resuming their more normal activities, there is great value in being a member of the VPS. Please renew your membership for the coming year. We are who we are because of the continual support for our organization which each of you provides. Thank you all so much!

Matt Peake, VPS President




VPS Newsletter July 2022

QUARTERLY QUOTE 

Art is a line around your thoughts.    Gustav Klimt

  • CoViD cases continue to decline, so some of us are feeling safer about meeting indoors, and with summer weather here and outdoor meeting possible, there is ample time and space to get together to make art, view art, and talk art.
  • Hub activities are returning to the frequency of pre-CoViD days.
  • Two more VPS-Sponsored Workshops are coming up.
  • We have a Members’ Exhibition hanging now and a Juried Show planned for October.

 

Continue reading below for more details.

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:

Jun 10-Jul 22, 2022: VPS Members’ Exhibition at Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, VT

Aug 8-12, 2022: Alain Picard workshop in East Montpelier, VT

Oct 21-23, 2022: Dawn Emerson workshop in Bennington, VT

Oct 7-Nov 18, 2022: VPS Juried Show at Vermont Artisans Design, Brattleboro, VT

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE 

VPS: MidState met in April for an Aline Ordman workshop, and they spent the next two months coordinating the Members’ Exhibition that their hub was hosting.

VPS: SouthEast got together again after a long hiatus, and elected a new point person, then began planning for the VPS Juried Show they will be hosting in the fall. An art critique followed.

VPS: SouthWest met in April to plan for the two local exhibitions they were arranging and to coordinate transport of paintings to the Members’ Exhibition. They had a Zoom meeting in May to discuss postcards and signage to advertise for their local shows.

VPS: Champlain got together twice in the last three months for a plein air painting activity, and to have breakfast at a restaurant where their paintings were hanging.

VPS: Central put on a hub exhibition at the T.W. Wood Gallery in June and July with the theme, Local Perspective. They invited a judge to view the work and award prizes. A paint-out at one of the hub member’s homes was planned for mid-summer.

VPS EXHIBITIONS

Our Members’ Exhibition (ME) reception took place on Saturday, June 11 at the Chaffee Art Center in Rutland, wholly-hosted by VPS: MidState. This ME process went smoothly until the eleventh hour when the judge had a family emergency and could not be present. Fortunately, VPS: MS was able to secure another judge, Kate Gridley, a nationally recognized Middlebury artist, who came to not only judge the show, but attend the reception and present the awards in person. Thirty to forty people were in attendance, and those who were there were quite pleased with the judge and the venue. Big thanks to VPS: MidState!!

A Save-the-Date announcement has already been sent for the Juried Show in Oct/Nov 2022 at Vermont Artisans Design in Brattleboro, wholly-hosted by VPS: SouthEast. Stay alert for more announcements and please submit your pastels to this show. We have two nationally recognized jurors to select images on line, and a judge who will see the show in person. Moreover, the venue is open 7 days a week, they really promote the artists who show there, and even if you are far away, we can arrange a hub-to-hub transfer to get your artwork there!

VPS WORKSHOPS 

Alain Picard: “The Painterly Landscape,” Aug 8-10; “The Painterly Portrait,” Aug 11-12, 2022, East Montpelier, VT.

Dawn Emerson: “Pastel Innovations,” Oct 21-23, 2022, Bennington, VT.

VPS BOARD NEWS 

As a VPS member, you are permitted to post two pastels on the website gallery. Remember to check what is up there now and update your images as you make new work. We get over 5000 visits a year, and the Gallery of Member Art gets the most traffic, so take advantage of the exposure:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/participation-in-the-members-gallery/

Also, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/vps-member-noteworthy-news/

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN VPS! 

With a Juried Show still coming this year, two more workshops planned for summer and fall, and our Hubs resuming their more normal activities, there is great value in being a member of the VPS. We are who we are because of the support for our organization that each of you provides. Thank you all. You’re the Best!

Matt Peake, VPS President




VPS Newsletter April 2022

QUARTERLY QUOTE 

The function of art is to do more than tell it like it is—it’s to imagine what is possible.  Bell Hooks

  • CoViD cases are greatly diminished now, and mask mandates are being rescinded. People are starting to meet indoors more confidently. Moreover, with spring being here, by the calendar, at least, and with the promise of warmer weather, we can be outdoors again for painting alone, but also for painting together.
  • Hub Activities over the winter have really ramped up.
  • One VPS Workshop has happened and two more are coming up.
  • We have two exhibitions upcoming this year, in June and October.
  • Our next board meeting via Zoom is in April.

 

Continue reading below for more details.

 

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:

Apr 6, 2022: VPS Board Meeting via Zoom 7-9 p.m. (see link below)

Jun 10-Jul 22, 2022: VPS Members’ Exhibition at Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, VT

Aug 8-12, 2022: Alain Picard workshop in East Montpelier, VT

Autumn 2022: Dawn Emerson workshop in Bennington, VT

Oct 2022: VPS Juried Show at Vermont Artisans Design, Brattleboro, VT

 

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE 

Winter Hub activity has surged!

VPS: MidState met in December, January, February, and March, giving each other challenges such as painting an animal, painting daily, painting in a style of an admired artist. They also discussed plans for hosting the Members’ Exhibition this summer.

VPS: Central met virtually in January, February, and March with large numbers participating, showing each other their responses to challenges of painting a night scene, painting using one hue, and everyone painting from the same photo reference. Plus, they recently gathered to watch a demo by Jacob Aguiar that they purchased with their hub allotment money.

VPS: SouthEast transitioned to a new Point Person, who was in FL for the winter without good access to internet, so they all decided to wait until April to begin meeting again.

VPS: SouthWest met three times in the last three months to discuss local Hub shows, to plan for the Lyn Asselta workshop they were hosting, to provide each other critiques for their current works, and to share techniques they were using.

VPS: UpperValley had an online meeting in February to look at the snowscapes they challenged themselves to paint. In March the group explored the world of underpaintings.

VPS EXHIBITIONS

For 2022, there will be a Members’ Exhibition in June/July at the Chaffee Art Center in Rutland, wholly-hosted by VPS: MidState. The save-the-date and first announcements have already gone out, so please submit a painting or two for that exhibition. Also, stay alert for announcements of the Juried Show in the fall at Vermont Artisans Design in Brattleboro, wholly-hosted by VPS: SouthEast.

 

VPS WORKSHOPS 

Our first online workshop with Lyn Asselta happened March 18-19, the topic being “The Why of Painting.” A non-attending artist facilitated the virtual workshop to ensure that all participants could benefit without tech difficulties. The participants were pleased with the insights gained from painting after having considered words for what their artwork was trying to convey. Not only was it a novel approach for the attendees, but such a tech-supported virtual workshop, conceived of by VPS: SouthWest members, represented a novel option for presenting VPS workshops going forward.

Alain Picard: “The Painterly Landscape/ The Painterly Figure,” August 8-12, 2022, East Montpelier, VT.

Dawn Emerson: Fall of 2022, Bennington, VT.

 

VPS BOARD NEWS 

We have a really exciting candidate for Board Secretary, and we will be asking for your vote to elect her in April. We appreciate all the help we received in filling that very important board position.

We received 44 responses to our request for members to fill out the VPS survey. The board is reviewing both the ratings and the written responses to know just how to adjust our compass settings for our VPS going forward.

We will be holding our next board meeting virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, from 7-9 p.m. We always have a number of interesting subjects to discuss, so please feel free to attend. The link for the meeting is below, so put it on your calendar now, and please join us. https://zoom.us/j/95665835951?pwd=Q3Ixem15NnJGV0RBUWJrWDB0Z1Y1Zz09

Remember, as a VPS member, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/vps-member-noteworthy-news/

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN VPS! 

With a Juried Show and Members’ Exhibition coming this year, two more workshops planned for summer and fall, and our Hubs resuming their more normal activities, there is great value in being a member of the VPS. Please renew your membership, if you haven’t already, and stay active in our society. We are who we are because of the support for our organization that each of you provides. Thank you all, again and again and again!

 

Matt Peake, VPS President




VPS Newsletter January 2022

QUARTERLY QUOTE 

Artwork is a representation of our devotion to life. Agnes Martin

We’ve entered a new year, but Covid has not left us, so meeting in person will be challenging again. Thankfully, we now have lots of experience with virtual gathering, so let’s keep meeting that way if artists feel it’s safer than in person.

  • Regional hubs met regularly during the summer but since the Delta surge, and now with the Omicron variant emerging, hubs will have to resort to zoom forums again to stay connected.
  • Our next board meeting via Zoom is in April.

 

Continue reading below for more details.

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:

Mar 2022: Lyn Asselta virtual workshop

Jun 10-Jul 22, 2022: VPS Members’ Exhibition at Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, VT

Aug 8-12, 2022: Alain Picard workshop in East Montpelier, VT

Autumn 2022: Dawn Emerson workshop in Bennington, VT

Oct 2022: VPS Juried Show at Vermont Artisans Design, Brattleboro, VT

 

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE 

Summer saw plenty of hub events, but in autumn the number of hub activities dramatically declined.

VPS: MidState met in November to plan how to spend their 2021 hub money, to talk about hosting the upcoming Members’ Exhibition in June, and to look at their assignment: doing a painting from a reference photo displayed upside down.

VPS: Central hosted the Members’ Exhibition at the T.W. Wood Gallery, a major undertaking which eventually all hubs will be doing, if they haven’t done one yet.

VPS: SouthEast was scheduled to meet in person in December, but cancelled because of Covid. It looks like we may need to reload our zoom apps and continue to meet that way for a while, until Omicron peaks and fades away.

VPS EXHIBITIONS

For 2022, there will be one Members’ Exhibition in June/July at the Chaffee Art Center in Rutland, wholly-hosted by VPS: MidState, and a Juried Show in the fall at Vermont Artisans Design in Brattleboro, wholly-hosted by VPS: SouthEast. More details will be forthcoming in the next several months, so keep your eyes out for the “Save the Date” announcements.

VPS WORKSHOPS 

With the new variant of the coronavirus emerging, and perhaps others to follow, we will be holding one virtual workshop early in 2022, and hopefully two in-person workshops in later 2022. As of now, this is the schedule:

Lyn Asselta: This will be a 2-day virtual workshop in March 2022 with a facilitator “on hand” for coordinating all technical aspects so participants can relax and learn what Lyn has to offer. These virtual workshops have improved during the pandemic, as instructors, wanting to teach, have had to pivot in their instructional methods to make workshops both beneficial to participants and safe for all. Stay alert for more forthcoming details from Linda Masten and Mark Grasso!

Alain Picard: “The Painterly Landscape/ The Painterly Figure, August 8-12, 2022, East Montpelier, VT.

Dawn Emerson: Fall of 2022, Bennington, VT.

VPS BOARD NEWS 

We are looking for a VPS artist to join our board as Secretary. It is a two-year term, beginning immediately and ending at the VPS Annual Meeting in the fall of 2023. The responsibilities are essentially taking minutes for three meetings a year, so very manageable, and the board members you will be working with are fantastic, so please consider volunteering for this position by contacting Matt Peake, at this link, or your hub point person.

About 10 years ago, our VPS asked members to fill out a short survey to assess how well the VPS was doing in meeting artists’ needs and what else might our VPS do to “build and strengthen connections with pastel artists” as our mission statement declares. The board decided that we would like to again ask our membership for a similar assessment in 2022. Please be on the lookout for that survey and please, please take the time to fill it out. Hearing from everyone would be grand and would offer us a much-appreciated direction for our VPS going forward. We thank you in advance!

We will be holding our next board meeting virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, April 2, 2022, from 7-9 p.m. We always have a number of interesting subjects to discuss, so please feel free to attend. The link for the meeting will be provided closer to the date, but put it on your calendar now, and please join us.

Remember, as a VPS member, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

https://vermontpastelsociety.com/vps-member-noteworthy-news/

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN VPS! 

With a Juried Show and Members’ Exhibition coming this year, three workshops planned for spring, summer, and fall, and our Hubs staying active, whether in person or virtually, there is much to be gained by being a member of the VPS. Please renew your membership, if you haven’t already, and stay active in our society. We are who we are because of the support for our organization that each of you provides. Keep it strong, as you keep on painting!

Matt Peake, VPS President




VPS Newsletter October 2021

QUARTERLY QUOTE

Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.

Banksy

  • Autumn has appeared! Vermont lifted CoViD restrictions this summer, and we were able to meet again in person, but with fall bringing us back inside and the delta variant surging, meeting in person may be challenging again.
  • Regional hubs met regularly during summer, and Zoom meetings were on hold. We’ll know soon what autumn will bring.
  • Our second Members’ Exhibition is up for viewing in Montpelier.
  • Our next board meeting via Zoom is 2 weeks away.
  • Our next Annual Members’ Meeting via Zoom is 3 weeks away.

Continue reading below for more details.

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:

Sep 1-Oct 31, 2021: VPS Members’ Exhibition at T.W. Wood Gallery, Montpelier, VT

Oct 13, 2021: VPS Board Meeting, 7-9 p.m. remotely via Zoom

Oct 21, 2021: VPS Annual Members’ Meeting, 6:30-8:30 p.m. remotely via Zoom

VPS REGIONAL HUBS UPDATE

Summer has seen plenty of hub events. VPS: SE met in June to raffle off their hub’s allotment of donated frames; to critique members’ works; and to finalize details for their local hub show which happened in August. VPS: SW met in July and August to discuss an upcoming hub show; to watch a demo by one of their members on painting water scenes; to learn from one member about making pastels; and to view several members’ water paintings. VPS: CHP viewed several paintings of their members; VPS: UV has been getting together monthly for paint-outs and informal critiques; and VPS: CEN put on a fantastic Members’ Exhibition!

VPS EXHIBITIONS

On view now, and until the end of October, is our second Members’ Exhibition of the year, wholly-hosted by VPS: Central. Because of the delta variant spiking in our state, the reception on September 10, 2021, was held outside the T.W. Wood Gallery in Montpelier. There was a veritable feast laid out for the many attendees. Our hosts innovated an awards ceremony with the help of many hub members, ferrying each award-winning painting from the upstairs wall downstairs to the outside sidewalk so that all could see the pastel which won. The threatening weather held off, making for a delightful evening. The paintings in this show are all exemplary, so please try to see it while it is still hanging.

For 2022, there will be one Members’ Exhibition in June/July at the Chaffee Art Center in Rutland, wholly-hosted by VPS: MidState and a Juried Show in the fall at Vermont Artisans Design in Brattleboro, wholly-hosted by VPS: SouthEast. More details will be forthcoming in the next several months.

VPS WORKSHOPS

With many Vermonters getting the CoViD vaccine, and, with venues opening up in our state, we had hoped that our workshop with Dawn Emerson would take place in Bennington this October. But unluckily, the delta variant upended our plans. As of now, this workshop and two others are planned for 2022.

Lyn Asselta: Spring of 2022, Bennington, VT

Alain Picard: August 8-12, 2022, East Montpelier, VT

Dawn Emerson: Fall of 2022, Bennington, VT

VPS BOARD NEWS

We will be holding our next board meeting virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 from 7-9 p.m. We always have a number of interesting subjects to discuss, so please feel free to attend. The link for the meeting will be https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82527177129?pwd=Z3pIN3UyN1NHdlhjT2xOOGFMRkFWdz09

so put it on your calendar now and please join us.

Also, after last year’s successful Annual Members’ Meeting via Zoom (with more people attending than in the previous year’s in-person event), the board has decided to hold this year’s meeting virtually as well. The link will be coming, but the time and date are Thursday, October 21, 2021 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. As before, we will have a short business meeting in the first hour. Following that, we have something new: a presentation by Dakota Pastels. Linda Masten has already seen this presentation as a member of another pastel society and attests to it being of great interest to all of us. Put that date and time on your calendar too!

Remember, as a VPS member, you can share noteworthy news about your artwork, about prizes you were awarded, about your upcoming shows, about your hub, or about other pastel items of personal interest. Check it out by going to the VPS website and clicking Member News on the drop-down menu or click on this link for submission instructions:

VPS Member Noteworthy News

Don’t forget that you can also rent DVDs for free as a member. The information is on our website.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN VPS!

With a Juried Show and Members’ Exhibition coming next year, three workshops planned for next summer and fall, and our Hubs staying active, whether in person or virtually, there is much to be gained by being a member of the VPS. Thank you to those who continue to be active in our society. We are who we are because of the support for our organization that you all provide. Keep it strong, as you keep on making pastel art!

Matt Peake
VPS President