Category Archives: Local Events

Administration, Art News, Call for Entries, Classes/Workshops, Local Events, Member news, Monthly Meetings, Shows

Join Us at Our July 25 Evening Open House

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A reminder that Central Virginia Watercolor Guild is found online at www.CVWG.art.

Our July 25 Meeting is an Evening Open House

A reminder that CVWG’s July 25 meeting is an Evening Open House. Instead of our regular meeting time that afternoon, we are gathering between 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Please invite your friends, spouse, sibling, family, colleagues or anyone who you think might enjoy our program.

As always, we meet in the Fellowship Hall behind the Church of Our Saviour on Rio Rd in Charlottesville. Our Meetings, Programs, and Challenge! web page has the address and a map to help guide you.

The schedule for our meeting is

  • 5:00 -5:30 PM Set Up
  • 5:30 -6:00 PM Social Time
  • 6:00 – 6:30 PM Business meeting
  • 6:30-7:30 PM Amy Shawley Paquette Watercolor Demonstration
  • 7:30-8:00 PM Q & A
  • 8:00-8:30 PM Break down

July 25 Program

Our program for our July 25 Evening Open House is “A Watercolor Demonstration” by guest artist Amy Shawley Paquette. Amy is an award-winning visual artist whose painting, illustration, and jewelry is inspired by the natural world. Her work incorporates fauna, flora, landscapes, and textures she has experienced during her travels and daily adventures in the countryside. At our Evening Open House, she will demonstrate an avian watercolor. Amy’s professional website can be found at amyshawleypaquette.com.

Looking for Volunteers!

CVWG, YOUR Guild, still needs a few members to get involved for our 2023 program year. There are a number of opportunities for you to apply your talents. There are a few long termers that can help you transition into a role. Says CVWG’s Vice President and Director of Programs Karen Schwenzer:

I love doing Program, but I just can’t do Program and take over as President in Jan 2023, as I have promised Donna Koutrakos. If someone else is interested in being President, than I can stay on for Program. The President runs 10 monthly meetings (Jan-Oct), interacts with the wonderful people at COOS, calls and runs Board meetings 3-4 times a year. Most other CVWG work is done by the Board in committees. These are people you see every month at our meetings. I want to see your name on this list next year.

Our 2022 Guild Leaders page lists our CVWG Board positions and our Directors for the current year. Several of these leaders cannot continue into 2023. Please consider what you can do and reach out to one of our current Directors!

June 27 Program was “Moving water” by Peg Sheridan

The program at our June 27 Member Meeting was “Moving Water” by member artist Peg Sheridan. Peg shared tips on how to paint reflections in a lake and riffles in a river. Her first tip was was to plan your colors and your composition before you paint. Do thumb nail sketches and you will have better results.

Peg will teach a class in August at the Shenandoah Art Center and will take a group to Maine in the fall. Check out her webpage for more detail as well as a listing of her workshops.

CVWG Members in Virginia Watercolor Society at Shenandoah Arts Center

Several CVWG members’ work are on display in the Virginia Watercolor Society (VWS) show currently running at the Shenandoah Valley Arts Center (SVAC) in Waynesboro. From top to bottom, they are by Bill Snow, Chee Ricketts, Marcy Springett, and Peg Sheridan.

In addition, the following members have pictures on display: Chris Rich, Joy Tartter, Don Whitson, Linda Verhagen, Jane Skafte, and Karen Schwartz. A sharp eye also noticed paintings by former CVWG members and friends Trish Crowe, Brenda Hounshell, and Robin Poteet.

Says Rosemary Connelly,

It’s a wonderful show! If you haven’t visited SVAC before, it’s a great introduction to this art space. The VWS exhibit covers two floors and spills over into corridors, staircases and the gift shop. In addition, doors to resident artist studios are open, so you can enjoy those areas as well.

On a personal note, we enjoyed an excellent lunch at Heritage on Main. Also on Main Street there’s the delightful Stella, Bella and Lucy’s fine cafe. You have until September 23 to get over to Waynesboro and see the show. Why not make a day of it?

Annual “Paint the Towne Greene” Event & Show

The Art Guild of Greene is having their annual Plein Air event on Saturday, October 1st. The invitation can be viewed, downloaded, and printed using the link, below.

2022 Paint the Towne Greene BrochureDownload

We hope you can join us or even register to participate. Feel free to share the invitation with your friends.

Our Featured Painting

The painting at the top of this posting is from August 2015. Unfortunately, we have lost the details as to its artist or title. If you know anything about this painting, we’d like to hear from you.

We’d Love to Hear From You!

Drop our CVWG Webmaster an email to let everyone know what you are doing and how your artistic journey is progressing.

Art News, Classes/Workshops, Local Events, Member news, Monthly Meetings, Shows

Here Comes Summer!!

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A reminder that Central Virginia Watercolor Guild is found online at www.CVWG.art.

With Spring 2022– seemingly a cooler and wetter spring than normal?– mostly behind us, we can now prepare for the coming summer heat!

May’s Workshop was a Success!

Our May 23 member meeting featured a half-day workshop by artist Robin Poteet entitled “Preserving Whites and Demystifying Shadow“. The program was organized by member-artist Karen Schwenzer, our Vice President and Director of Programs.

Two of our member-artists sent in their personal observations and photos:

Having “white” in our art is extremely important when painting with watercolor but it can be difficult to achieve. Robin gave three methods: use the white of the paper, use masking fluid or frisket, or use white gouache. Robin demonstrated all three methods and gave us pointers as she painted using the reference photos.

After the demonstration we had a short lunch break and them we all painted. We could us the pictures Karen sent or any other picture we brought. Robin came around to all the tables and gave pointers to each of us.

The last part of the class was a critique. We spread all the paintings on her table and she critiqued each one, giving us individual pointers as to what we did right or wrong.

Thanks to Karen for organizing this marvelous workshop filled with creativity and camaraderie.

Member-artist Patty Richmond

We had a great workshop in May! Robin Poteet made a good presentation/demonstration on “Saving the Whites” and “Making Dark Darks”. Then she came around to each table, encouraging us to try the different techniques. She ended by reviewing a piece of art from each attendee and asking the questions “What did you learn?” and “What would you do differently next time?”

Member-Artist Rosemary Connelly

Our Next Guild Meeting is June 27

A reminder that we are back to our monthly in-person meetings. Our next meeting is on June 27 with a program by member-artist Peg Sheridan entitled “Creating Water Features In Your Paintings” and our Challenge! theme is “A Faraway Place“. We meet at 12:30 PM for social time, start our business meeting by 1:00 PM, begin the program by 1:30 PM, and end around 3:00 PM. Members and guests are welcome!!

You can find details for our entire 2022 lineup along with location details and a map on our Meetings & Programs web page.

CVWG’s Courthouse Exhibit is Changing on June 20

A reminder that our Courthouse Exhibit team is changing out the paintings on June 20. Drop off/pick up 10 am to 11am on the East Jefferson side of the courthouse. Linda Abbey is one of our Directors for these exhibits; contact her for information. Further guidance is provided on our Ongoing Courthouse Exhibits page.

Louisa Arts Center Exhibition

Nicole Copeland, of the Louisa Arts Center (https://louisaarts.org/) sent us notice of their current exhibit, “In Space and Time“.

Calendar of Events

June 10, 6-8 PM: Opening Reception

July 15: Show Closes

Soon-to-be-Member News

All of you must be busy painting as we have not heard from any member-artists these past few weeks! Please keep feeding us your news.

We have a new artist in our area. Catherine Hillis writes:

Greetings! I’m a nationally awarded watercolorist and recently moved to Locust Grove, VA. I’ve been working in the national plein air circuit for several years and have earned 8 national signatures throughout the country for my studio work.

I’m going to be teaching classes in the Fredericksburg area beginning this summer. I’m offering both online and in person. My website is www.catherinehillis.com and workshop information is at https://www.catherinehillis.com/workshops.

We’d Love to Hear From You!

Drop our CVWG Webmaster an email to let everyone know what you are doing and how your artist journey is progressing.

Art News, Classes/Workshops, Local Events, Member news, Monthly Meetings, Resources for Members

A New Art Venue and Meetings in April & May

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A reminder that Central Virginia Watercolor Guild is found online at www.CVWG.art.

A New Art Venue in Charlottesville

The proprietress of Atlas Coffee, Mimi Fitzpatrick (yes, there is a connection to CVWG’s webmaster!), tells us she has wall space for ~9 paintings for monthly shows featuring our member-artists. Mimi has many artists wanting to show in the shop but wanted to reach out to CVWG members.

Mimi is open to single or multi-artist shows. Mimi’s asks that you not have eyelet screws projecting from the rear of the frame that might mar the walls. But, otherwise, you are free to frame, glaze, and hang as you want. She will work with you along the way.

Atlas Coffee is located in Charlottesville’s southwestern Fontaine neighborhood near the intersection of Fontaine and Jefferson Park Avenues just south of the UVA football stadium; see the website for a map and driving directions. This area of Charlottesville is heavily travelled by UVA students and their families whom are frequent customers. Email Mimi if interested.

Guild Meetings

A reminder that we are back to our monthly in-person meetings. GVWG’s Vice President and Programs Director, Karen Schwenzer, says:

I am very excited about our upcoming CVWG programs at our monthly meeting at the Church of Our Savior. My enthusiasm is shared by the guest artists coming to CVWG.

You can find details for our entire 2022 lineup on our Meetings & Programs web page.

April 25 Meeting

We welcome back water media artist Karen K. Rosasco of Waynesboro, Virginia. Karen is a juried member of the American Watercolor Society, a generous art educator, and a successful, awarded, collected, and published artist. In her current series of work, Karen is using a variety of watermedia in layers to achieve a highly textural and dynamic presentation. But don’t let all of her accolades deter you from participating in April’s program. Please bring one unfinished watermedia painting for Karen to critique.

The Challenge! topic for April is “Memories”.

May 23 Half-Day Workshop (No Meeting!)

The May 23 Meeting is special in that there will NOT be a regular CVWG meeting. Instead, artist Robin Poteet, of Salem Virginia, will lead a half-day workshop. The workshop starts at 11:00 AM and requires pre-enrollment and a special fee to help cover the Guild’s costs. Robin will start with a demonstration then transition later to table-by-table guidance and discussions.

Space for this workshop is limited and there may not be any remaining openings. That said, if you are interested in attending just the demonstration, plan to arrive by 11:00 for Robin’s demonstration exploring darks, shadows, and whites in watercolor painting.

Note, again, that we will not hold the traditional CVWG meeting in May.

Strathmore Online Workshop 2 is Starting May 2

Strathmore continues to offer free online workshops for water media arts. Their next workshop in 2022 starts on May 2 and is entitled “Joyful Watercolor – Finding Your Style” by instructor Shayda Campbell. Disclaimer: Attending a Strathmore online workshop is free but requires you to register your name and email address and you may receive their email solicitations.

Member News

Member-artist Juliette Swenson let us know that she has paintings being shown at Jefferson/Madison Regional Library’s Northside Library. If you happen to find yourself on the north side of Charlottesville around the Rio Rd corridor, stop by and view her works.

Member-artist Don Whitson emails us:

I have recently been blessed in my artistic pursuits:

I have been juried into the Virginia Watercolor Society Exhibition to be held at the Shenandoah Valley Art Center in Waynesboro. Also, I’ve been juried into the Georgia Watercolor Society National Exhibition. Plus, I received notification that I won an award at the Southern Watercolor Society Exhibition.

You can catch up with Don on his website at www.donwhitson-art.com. We continue to wish the best possible success for Don and for all our CVWG artists.


Member-artist Linda Suomi Bethke writes:

Artist Nance Stamper and I are having a three-month show at Cunningham Creek Winery. We hope you can come see the show and enjoy a wonderful Virginia spring day with good wine and art!

Note that the painting at the top of this blog is one of Linda’s original watercolors.

We’d Love to Hear From You!

Drop our CVWG Webmaster an email to let everyone know what you are doing and how your artist journey is progressing.

Art News, Local Events, Shows

2021…It’s a Wrap!

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A reminder that Central Virginia Watercolor Guild is found online at www.CVWG.art.

Please Consider Donating to CVWG’s Mission

As 2021 ends this week and you consider charitable donations to worthy organizations, please consider CVWG. You can use the button, below, to donate to CVWG via PayPal using credit card or a PayPal account if you have one. We remind you that CVWG does not pay any of our officers or board members so 100% of you donation is directly applied to our programs and offerings. Thank you, in advance!

Donate Button with Credit Cards

2022 Membership

A reminder that membership renews annually at the beginning of the calendar year and your 2022 membership is now due. The 2022 annual dues is $25.00 for a single membership and $30 for a family of two, minimum age 18. Make checks payable to CVWG and mail with a completed membership form at this link to:

Robin Kuzen, CVWG Treasurer
848 St. Charles Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22902

If your contact information changes during the year, please notify Rosemary Connelly. Changes in email addresses are particularly important as emails are the principal way for officers and other members to contact you.

2022 Meetings and Programs Are Posted!

The dates and programs being planned for our monthly meetings are posted on our website at https://cvwg.art/2021-meetings-programs/.

Our next meeting is January 24 with gathering at 12:30 PM and meeting from 1:00 – 3:00 PM. A reminder that our in-person meetings are at the Church of Our Saviour on Rio Rd in Charlottesville, Va. See the meetings page for address and a map to help guide you.

A New Opportunity to Show Your Art

Member and professional artist, Peg Sheridan, emails with a new venue at which you can exhibit your art:

A contact of mine, Brittany Clem, recently became the PR/Marketing Coordinator for the Edith J Carrier Arboretum, in Harrisonburg. She is looking for artists to display their work in their Frances Plecker Education Center lobby. They are 2-month long shows. If you haven’t been to this center, it is small but beautiful. The arboretum receives hundreds of visitors weekly, and often has weddings and special events on site.

The art is sold at a 70%/30% split (70% to artist) and the work is to be displayed the entire two months. The artist is paid out for sales at the end of the two months when the show is complete.

Brittany is looking for artists for the year, starting in January 2022. I have requested the months of July and August. I think most of the other months are open.

If you are interested, contact Brittany at clemba15@gmail.com. Please share with your contacts.

CVWG Exhibit at Westminster Canterbury Through Dec 31

The CVWG exhibit at Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge in Charlottesville is ending this week on December 31. CVWG is represented by thirty member-artist paintings. Contact exhibition chair, Linda Verhagen for further insight and attend our next Guild Meeting on January 24 where Linda will summarize the show.

Chee Rickett’s Demonstration at Westminster Canterbury

Member-artist Chee Ricketts gave a great presentation at the opening of CVWG’s Westminster Canterbury exhibition on December 2 by painting this beautiful work of art.

Majestic Presence by Chee Ricketts

CVWG’s Exhibition Chair, Linda Verhagen, offered the following observation of Chee’s demonstration:

Chee Ricketts’s power point and live demonstration was well received by 35 people with Chee showing her creative wet on wet method of paintings clouds using only 3 colors in various value strengths.

Says Chee:

Thanks to the members of the CVWG who came to my painting demonstration and talk at Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge. It was comforting to have you there supporting me.

The image at the top of this post, entitled “Spirits Rising” is another of Chee’s art using similar techniques.

Let Us Hear From You!

Drop our CVWG Webmaster an email to let everyone know what you are doing and how your artist journey is progressing.

Administration, Art News, Local Events, Resources for Members, Shows

With Thanks!

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A reminder that Central Virginia Watercolor Guild is found online at www.CVWG.art.

Westminster Canterbury Exhibit Until Dec 31

The CVWG water media exhibit at Westminster Canterbury will be hung on December 1 through 31. CVWG is represented by thirty member-artist paintings. Due to COVID protocols in place at this care facility, opportunities to view our show are limited. Your one and only opportunity to view our show will be on December 2 when member-artist Chee Ricketts is set to give a live demonstration.

Chee Rickett’s Demonstration at Westminster Canterbury

Fortunately for CVWG, member-artist Chee Ricketts has been chosen to present a live demonstration at Westminster Canterbury toward the beginning of our exhibit on December 2 at 2:30 PM. CVWG members will be allowed to attend. You must wear a mask when on the property. Drive up to the gatehouse where the guard will take your temperature, ask the usual COVID-19 questions, provide directions to get to the Gallery Walk and the Rotunda Room. The map, below, might help guide you.

WCBR Site Plan notated 3Download

I encourage you to come, not only because Chee is a wonderful teacher, but also it may be the only time you will be able to view the entire show. For those of you who are new to the guild, Chee is a past president, past annual show chair, past newsletter chair, and has given workshops to CVWG. We are very grateful and proud to have her volunteer to represent us at WCBR. Hope you can make it on Dec. 2.

Linda Verhagen, CVWG’s Exhibit Chair

Beverley Street Studio’s “30 Artists x 30 Days”

Member-Artist Susan Rosen sends in a timely notice about the “30 Artist x 30 Days” fundraiser for the Beverley Street Studio School in Staunton. Says Susan,

For a $30 donation you will receive an email each day for 30 days with an essay from an artist about a piece of art that has inspired them. An image of that art and an image of their own work will be included. I am happy to be one of the 30 artists this year! I will be writing about Richard Diebenkorn, a 20th century painter from the California Figurative School. These subscriptions are a great gift idea for your friends and family who appreciate art…… buy one for yourself too!

Go to Beverley Street Studio’s website (www.bssschool.org) to purchase and donate.

Courthouse Exhibit Through June 2022

Many thanks to our Courthouse Team for facilitating the installation of our new and long awaited exhibit at the Albemarle County Courthouse! CVWG’s exhibit will be available for the public to view thru June 2022. We’re very grateful to the twelve artists who participated in the show exhibiting16 beautiful paintings.

So, come down to the Albemarle County Courthouse at 501 Jefferson St in Charlottesville and check out our lovely exhibit. Each painting is labeled and sales may be made by contacting the artist direct.

Carolyn Ratcliffe, CVWG’s Courthouse Committee Chair

Membership for 2022

Our Membership Chair, Rosemary Connelly emails:

The 2022 annual dues will be $25.00 for a single membership and $30 for a family of two, minimum age 18. Make checks payable to CVWG and send with our membership form at this link to:

Robin Kuzen, CVWG Treasurer, 848 St. Charles Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22902

If your contact information changes during the year, please notify Rosemary Connelly. Changes in email addresses are particularly important as emails are the principal way for officers and other members to contact you.

Let Us Hear From You!

Drop our CVWG Webmaster an email to let everyone know what you are doing and how your artist journey is progressing.

Administration, Call for Entries, Classes/Workshops, Local Events, Member news, Monthly Meetings, Resources for Members, Shows

Giving Thanks While Hoping for a Brighter Future!

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A reminder that Central Virginia Watercolor Guild is found online at www.CVWG.art.

As we enter late autumn of 2021, we give thanks for all the blessings and grace in our lives. We rejoice that our Guild has adapted to the year’s special challenges and recognize our leaders for their works on our behalf.

Final Member Meeting of 2021– Oct 25

Our Guild held its final member meeting of 2021 on Monday, October 25 with a full program of refreshments, social time, a short business meeting, the Challenge! show, and a program. Our guest artist leading our program was Eleanor Cox. You can read about Eleanor in our last post and see her art on her website, https://eleanorcox.com/.

While, in “normal” years, we would enjoy a pot luck luncheon, the CVWG Board decided that posed too much of a health risk for our members so that event is not planned. Our next in-person meeting will be January 24, 2022. Look for more details in the coming weeks.

Membership for 2022

Our Membership Chair, Rosemary Connelly emails:

Starting in 2022, annual dues will be $25.00 for a single membership and $30 for a family of two, minimum age 18. Make checks payable to CVWG and send with our membership form at this link to:

Robin Kuzen, CVWG Treasurer, 848 St. Charles Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22902

If your contact information changes during the year, please notify Rosemary Connelly. Changes in email addresses are particularly important as emails are the principal way for officers and other members to contact you.

Call for Artists– A CVWG Exhibition at Westminster Canterbury in Charlottesville

Member and Past President, Linda Verhagen, is leading the Guild’s exhibition at the Westminster Canterbury village. Linda, in a recent email to all members, says:

CVWG will be having an exhibit at Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge Dec. 1 -31 this year. There are still spaces available for a painting from you. Please open the attachment to read all the needed rules to follow in order to enter. If you have any questions, please contact me at linda@cyrusfirst.com .

Open and download Linda’s information at the following link.

2021_10 WCBR ART ShowDownload

Member News

Member-Artist, Susan Rosen, emailed the following announcement:

Member-Artist Juliette Swenson emails:

I am pleased to offer watercolor painting classes lasting 2-5 weeks. These will specialize in animals and flowers. I have taught for some years now and have a large open room in which to teach in Staunton. My next series of classes starts in April 2022 on Thursday evenings from 4.30-7pm.

See Juliette’s website at www.julietteswenson.com for information about her classes.

We’d Love to Hear From You!

Drop our CVWG Webmaster an email to let everyone know what you are doing and how your artist journey is progressing.