Welcome to the Art Guild's Archives!

Many thanks to all of those who contributed items, and especially to Nancy and Charles Cagle, Charleen Isbell, Bettye Schwartz and others who helped sell them.  This event added about $200 to the treasury.

Angie Banta Brown, TWS, SWS. was born in the small hill country town of Leakey, Texas and now lives in New Braunfels. She began her art training at the Warren Hunter School of Art in San Antonio and followed with a career in graphic design, at Frost Bro., Joske's and the University of Illinois. In the mid 1970's her focus shifted to fine art and she began showing her much sought after florals and still lifes in galleries in Texas and the Southwest.

Painting and teaching are the way Angie spends her time these days. She is in demand around the country as a teacher at workshops and demonstrations at meetings of art organizations.

Officers for 2006 will be elected at the October meeting.  Many hands make light work!  If we all contribute, none of these jobs will be too difficult.  But if we try to load everything on a few people, we will discourage them and limit the good that we can all get from a well run organization.  If you would be willing to serve as an officer or board member next year, please call Bill Franklin at 254-741-0960 or email him at physicsnerd@yahoo.com to volunteer.

The Board met on September 29 at Nancy Cagle's home to nominate a slate of officers.  The slate was presented to the members at the October meeting, and was accepted.  Our officers and chairs through the end of 2006 will be

President and web drudge - Bill Franklin

Vice President and program chair - Nancy Cagle

Recording Secretary - Judy Franklin

Treasurer and membership chair - Rose Larkie

Exhibits - Gloria Meadows

Hostess chair - Charleen Isbell

 

Because we moved our year to a calendar year from a school year, our dues expired at the end of September.  All members are asked to pay an additional $10 to cover October, November and December.  Regular yearly dues will be due by January 1 to cover the year of 2006.

Angie Banta Brown came from New Braunfels to demonstrate her use of watercolors. She has been working with - and mastering - watercolors for many years. The last few years she has also been working in oils. She feels comfortable with either medium, noting that the basic process of constructing an image is the same, although the specific techniques differ. She has demonstrated and taught classes in many locations across Texas. In fact, many of those in attendance have had lessons from her. She brought some wonderful examples of her work in both watercolors and oils, a few of which are shown here.  (Clicking on any photo enlarges it.)

For us, Angie painted a floral array based on several photos. She began by making a sketch of large shapes, which she then refined to include more details. She warns against sketching any part of the image in too much detail before working out the overall arrangement of the parts. Once the sketch was developed, she wet the paper and began laying in pale and soft-edged areas of the colors she had in mind, in this case golds, greens and violets.

After drying the paper, she began to add layers of stronger color to better define the shapes of flowers, leaves and stems. What emerged was a mixture of gold and brown Sunflowers and purple and violet Bachelor Buttons among green leaves. Most of the flowers were arranged in an oval whose interior was mostly foliage. Many of the shapes were defined by darkening negative shapes around them. Some spattering was added for texture.

                                      

With the deftness of long practice, Angie works remarkably fast. Once the sketch was completed, the painting took her no more than an hour, not counting a break. Prior to the break, the audience was watching the progress in the overhead mirror, but at the break many moved in for a closer look and stayed there to the end. We had several visitors, including Dorothy Campbell and a friend from Fort Worth, drawn by Angie's renown. I think we would all agree it was an afternoon well spent.             finished painting

 

Show and Tell  Keep those artworks coming, folks!  By sharing your current work,  you give the rest of us a chance to enjoy it and encourage you.  You might even be able to solicit some helpful suggestions. 

                             

   Larry Garza               Nancy Cagle              Judy Franklin            Linda Morales

Glenn Lyles' demonstration for us was so well received that arrangements have been made for him to conduct a three-day workshop for us this fall.  He has a BS in Animal Science and farmed for 19 years before becoming a full time artist in 1992.  Not surprisingly, most of his paintings have been of rural scenes and animals, but his style and techniques are applicable to any subject matter.  Glenn uses oils.  Information about materials to bring will be available prior to the workshop.  For more information about Glenn see  http://www.fbgartgallery.com/Artist/Glenn%20Lyles/glenn_lyles.htm Members can attend all three days of the workshop for $150.  If you can't come all of those days, you can come for one or two days at $50 per day.  To enroll, call Linda Morales at  254.848.9419.