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• CoViD cases are greatly diminished now, and mask mandates are being rescinded.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