Meeting Notes from Wednesday, August 19th

4x4s: Thank you Co-Op members; over half of the 4x4s have been obtained by you already.
This is WONDERFUL of you all; it will give the elderly who receive them some holiday cheer and will enrich you for giving the knowledge of your care. I was touched last year by many of the responses from them....

Co-Op Petty Cash Bank Account: Chris Arrick and I have established a joint bank account at Wells Fargo Bank in the amount of $201.54, with the amount of $19.00 to be deducted for 1 box of checks. A new deposit of $75.00 will be made on Monday, August 24th; bringing our available account total to $257.54

Fall Fest/tent purchase: Chris Arrick is checking into whether or not Fall Fest will be taking place this year. If it is, we DO have enough interest from you members to request the purchase of a tent from the Community Foundation. It was also suggested that any members wishing to participate in any shows outside of Miami County could rent the tent by donating that rent money back to the Community Foundation, thereby adding it to our funds.

Banner Payment: The Northern Indiana Community Foundation was paid $1,030.00 by the Peru Circus City Festival, Inc. on our behalf for 1 banner.

National City Bank Exhibit Opportunity: Thanks to Rudy Ridenour we are in negotiations with National City to exhibit our works throughout their bank. The date for display is yet to be announced. Space to hang works on the walls is limited so most of them will be displayed on easels, both standing and desk top easels; 2 large desks will be available for presentation.
So far we have 13 easels being donated by you members for this project----THANK YOU so much.
I will update the info on this as it becomes available.

Megan Mirro: From the Ft. Wayne Museum of Art will be here in September; date yet to be determined.

Co-Op Art Sales:

Repurposed Art: Susan has asked any of us that would like to to create a work of art from a piece of cardboard and any objects found around town. It was suggested that the cardboard be coated with gesso before painting. She would also like us to keep a record of the objects and where and when they were found.

Abstract Demo: Given by me-Valerie May. I demonstrated the steps to doing an abstract artwork. My chosen subject was my grandfather's clock.
Step 1: was to photograph the clock.
Step 2: was to print those photos on plain paper.
Step 3: I put the photo on my light box and placed clean plain paper over it and traced the images I wanted to use.
Step 4: was to copy those tracings and enlarging some and shrinking others, so that I have 2 or 3 copies of each size.
Step 5: I then cut each one of the "drawings" out, thereby making patterns that I then arrange on my canvas and trace around them, overlapping or placing under as desired.
Step 6: Is to begin painting or doing collage; in this case: painting.
From time to time I will bring this to the Co-Op meetings so that you can see the progress.

Another Art Show to Enter: Arts and Crafts Fair in Warsaw taking place on October 10th. For more info go to http//www.kymca.org/artandcraftshow09.pdf

Next Meeting: September 16th and it's theme night--"Moon".

Art Shows,Sales; Photo Contest, Show

There will be an art show and sale at the Kokomo Art Center from September 1st-25th.
Entry cost is $12 per artwork; deadline is August 21st. Prize money or ribbons will be given. For more info and an entry form send an e-mail to sue@backalleyart.com

For you photographers-a contest; deadline is September 25th. For more info and an entry form go to www.in.gov/isda/2497.htm

For the men: The Clark Gallery in the Honeywell Center is exhibiting photographs of classic and race cars. A reception will be held on August 17th. www.honeywellcenter.org/09Gallery_CarShow.html

Profile 2: Roberta "Bobbie" Jackson

Favorite Color: Red

Favorite Artist: Claude Monet

Favorite Movie: "North by Northwest" directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Favorite Band: Glenn Miller, Big Band Music

Favorite Song: None

Roberta "Bobbie" Jackson is an active 81 year old artist that paints in a realist style; mostly using photos to glean her subjects. However-she does NOT want her works to be too perfect; she DOESN'T want them to look exactly like a photograph.

Bobbie began painting in 1981 after her family was grown by taking an adult education class in oil painting given at Peru High School by Norma Berry, a local artist. She continued taking classes when J.O. Buffington, another local artist, took over teaching adult education classes; starting with oil painting and then switching to watercolor. Watercolor is now her favorite medium.

She was born in St. Louis, but grew up in Chicago where she met her husband of almost 62 years, Bill(now deceased) at a college basketball game. They were married in 1946, moved to Peru in 1948 and raised a family of 4 children; 3 daughters and 1 son. One daughter and her son live in California, one daughter lives in Colorado, and her other daughter, Linda; also a Community Artists Co-Op member, lives here in Peru.

Bobbie worked at American Trust(formerly Peru Federal Savings and Loan) for over 30 years. Her husband worked at the Peru Tribune and was one of our former mayors.

I believe Bobbie may have inherited some of her artistic talent as her mother was also an artist, as is her brother. Bobbie owns several oil paintings done by her mother from the 1913 time period. Her mother; like she herself, waited till her children were grown to return to painting. Roberta says that she felt intimidated by her mother and brother's painting ability, but from the works she has displayed at Cafe Du Cirque she needn't have doubted herself; she is gifted with skill.

Bobbie was just elected to our Community Artists Co-Op board of directors and is also a member of the Art Collection Advisory Board, also of Peru. Her duties there are to ensure the collection of artworks owned by the Peru High School(among them a Picasso) is cleaned, maintained properly, and oversees their display. She says they have one of the best high school collections in the whole country.

I hope in the near future to give you a better view of her works because they are worth seeing.

Thank you Bobbie for being a part of our group.

Meeting Notes from Wednesday, July 22 nd

Each month I will be posting notes of our most recent meeting so that those not able to attend can keep up to date and those that were there can have their memories refreshed.
Here is the first edition of those notes:

July 22nd Meeting Notes: Attendance: 21; this includes 1 new member

Election: We elected 2 new board members-Bobbie Jackson and Diane Lehman. The board now consists of myself(Valerie May), Chris Arrick, Bobbie Jackson and Diane Lehman.
Chris or his mom, Bonnie Arrick, will be permanent board members as long as we are in association with Cafe Du Cirque.
Bobbie and Diane will serve until January of 2011. I will leave the board before that and we will then elect a new member. Each new board member will serve 1 year from that time forward unless circumstances warrant.

Petty Cash: Petty cash will be deposited into a joint bank account established by myself and Chris Arrick. Any money to be spent over the amount of $50.00 will require group approval and both signatures.
This month the amount of $22 was given by our group. Thank you members!

4x4s: All members voted to maintain the commitment to our Community Service Project---the nursing home 4x4 works of art to be given as Christmas gifts to the residents. This year we are hoping to expand our program to include the residents at Hickory Creek and Caring Hands as well as Miller's Merry Manor.
Susan Kline has again volunteered to head our project. We are so grateful, Susan.

Theme Artworks: This month our theme was "Spectral" and numerous works were displayed and discussed. We chose a new theme for September artworks; the new theme being "Moon".

Also Discussed: Dan Harshman, one of our members, will be displaying his artworks in the 4-H building during Hoosier Heritage Days at the Miami County 4-H Fairgrounds from August 14th -16th.
I will do a blog posting on this at that time.

Next Scheduled Meeting: August 19th at 7 p.m. at Cafe Du Cirque.

August Program: I am scheduled to demonstrate the steps from a 3 dementional object to putting it in 2 dementional form onto paper or canvas as an abstract work of art.

Our meetings are open to the public and you will be welcomed to join us at Cafe Du Cirque at 65 N. Miami Street in Peru, IN. Hope to see you there.

Gary Nichols, photographer and Community Artists Co-Op member is acting as a judge in the adult and youth catagories in the Cass County 4-H Fair today.
There are 3 types of photos being judged: Black and White; Color; and Computer Enhancement; this being the first year that classification is being accepted. Sizes range from 5x7 to 16x20 inches; first second and third prizes being given to the winners.
Two weeks ago he was a judge here in the Miami County 4-H Fair; judging among 80 prints in adult amateur and professional photography catagories being offered in the competition. He has also been asked to be a judge in the upcoming Marion County 4-H Fair.
Gary is a published photographer and will be highlighted in one of my upcoming Community Artists Co-Op profiles.
Good going Gary.

Kenton "Rudy" Ridenour at Charley Creek

Rudy Ridenour, digital artist, was a participant at the Charley Creek Arts Fest last weekend in Wabash. Sales were good for him in spite of the low turnout.
The days were beautiful, but Sunday the wind was brisk, causing some difficulties.
Several Community Artists Co-Op members stopped by his tent to wish him well; Gary Nichols, Audrey Diaz, Dan Harshman and his wife, and Shane Mohler.
Rudy will join other artists in a one day show and sale in Brownsburg on Saturday, July 18th.

Works by Anne Huskey-Lockard