President's Message - July/August 2026
Greetings, fellow artists,
You may have noticed, as I have, how quickly the month of June seems to have gone by. We are now experiencing some fine days that hopefully have found you with paintbrush in hand. I, for one, have been trying to keep creativity flowing, despite all of life’s complications. Our last meeting of the season was June 8th at the Paramount. We had a decent turnout for the critiques and advice on plein air watercolors. I was impressed with some excellent commentary on our new work. I think it was a good example of how our artists can learn from each other in a very low-key environment of criticism. Many found it very rewarding and wish to do it again.
As we move through our summer break, there are many opportunities to continue learning new skills. Coming soon is our annual show at Munsinger Gardens. The list of artists is growing, and I anticipate we will have the same location in the upper Gardens
on July 16. It’s a good way to experience art meeting the marketplace. It’s a team effort all around and we have another great “staff” this year.
One important update that you might want to respond to quickly; The Catherine Hearding One day workshop is happening Saturday, October 17th. The link is now active for members of CMW ONLY until July 24th :https://paramount.coursestorm.com/course/catherine-hearding-watercolor-workshop/f5881088667211f185ff0affe5650d13
You can register using the link. Note that CMW is purchasing professional Winsor & Newton paints for the workshop. It should be a fine experience, especially for those interested in painting moving water.
On August 8th, we have a small group of our members planning to explore Reber Farm in St. Joseph for plein air sites. We will paint outdoors if weather permits. This may be new to many of you, but it can be great fun to take a more immediate approach and paint what is in front of you. Thanks to Anita Hendrickx for the arrangements.
Please explore the rest of our website for the latest information and events. Don’t forget the fall member meeting at Atonement Lutheran Church on September 14th.
Enjoy your summer!
Kerry