June Artist of the Month – Meet Deborah Friedman

June Artist of the Month

Meet Deborah Friedman

Deborah Friedman recalls that her early years in Los Angeles were a very special and formative part of her life. “My parents signed me up for classes at age 4 at the LA County Museum –  I drew Spanish dancers that were not great but were certainly not stick figures.” Early inspiration came from spending summers at her grandparent’s farm. Her family moved to Massachusetts when she was 9 and in high school, Friedman put together a portfolio to apply to University of Massachusetts Amherst Art program where she attained her BFA. She studied printmaking, lithography and woodcutting: “I wanted to learn a craft.” Her thesis, prints and drawings inspired by the work of the Pre-Raphaelites, went on to be accepted in national shows, and won the Berkshire Art Association Award and was purchased by the Berkshire Art Museum.

After college, Friedman found printmaking too costly to pursue and transitioned to detailed graphite drawings. She concentrated on portraits and still life and many of her pieces incorporated the artwork of the old masters in the background: “I did a piece with a window and outside the window was a scene by John-Francois Millet. Her work has always received much recognition and at this time she became a finalist of the MassArt Foundation. Friedman felt it was time to move on from the still life and decorative pieces she was doing and she created a children’s book using her oil paintings of pets traveling the world.

 

Friedman was accepted into the prestigious MacDowell Artist Colony (now called the MacDowell Residency).  She married the composer and physician Dr. David Hoffman whom she met at MacDowell. They later moved to Wellesley where they raised their two sons. Bolstered by the positive reviews she received, she started her Greenhouse Series and a large black and white botanical series. After that, she was stymied by an “artist block” and started doing decorative painting: faux painting, fireplaces, floorcloths inspired by quilts but soon moved on again. Friedman credits these “blocks, the times I felt that I was going nowhere,” with pushing her to find new subjects and mediums. “As an artist you spend a lot of time alone in your studio. If you’re miserable in a place you better find something different to do.” Now married with a toddler at home she perused artist magazines and noticed intriguing work using colored pencils.

Friedman, who had always loved doodling with colored pencils, began to take this medium more seriously. She loved the transparency of the colors and became adept at layering colors to come up with interesting and vibrant hues: “I found subtle nuances that really made the artwork pop.” Getting ready for a show in Newport, RI called “H2O” she came up with idea of drawing beach stones. “I wanted to explore the stones in water and I really enjoyed drawing the meniscus line.” She entered “Amber Bowl” into a contest by Artist Magazine and won First Place in Colored Pencils.   “Counterpoint in Green” was featured on the cover of International Artist. She is a signature member of the Colored Pencil Society of America and an award-winning member of the WSA. The DeWitt Pencil Company in England commissioned a drawing from her, and used her work for the cover of their one of their pencil tins.  In July of 2022, Ikea will be distributing two of her stones images globally.

During the pandemic, Friedman found it was time for another change. “I took out some black paper and started doodling a never-ending loop, a mobius. I’ve been doing very large paintings.” “I don’t do traditional painting. I like to juxtapose things that might not ordinarily go together.  I am very inspired by nature and color.” The artist also raises Monarch butterflies to protect this endangered species. We look forward to following her always evolving and stunningly beautiful work.

Eddie Bruckner Juried into National Show “Connectivity”

“Connectivity”  –  A National Juried Exhibition
Attleboro Arts Museum, 86 Park Street,  Attleboro

June 15 – July 13, 2022

Summer Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00am – 4:00pm

Opening Reception: Saturday, June 18th, 2:00-4:00pm

Eddie Bruckner’s painting, “Roy Lichtenstein’s Drowning Girl” was selected for this national exhibition by juror, Craig Bloodgood, Contemporary Curator at the Art Complex Museum, Duxbury, MA.

 

“Roy Lichtenstein’s Drowning Girl” , Acrylic on Canvas, 30×30

May Artist of the Month – Meet Maria Babb

May Artist of the Month 

Meet Maria Babb

 

Maria Babb was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where she first began to love the vibrant colors that are celebrated throughout her culture. She was always drawn to art but did not think it would become such a big part pf her life. Babb was president of her high school art club, but had no formal training as a child or young adult. She briefly thought about majoring in Commercial Art in college but practicality took over. She married right after college, and started a family as well as a successful career in banking. Needless to say, she did not have a lot of time to pursue art, but even then she used the time after her children were in bed for therapeutic crafting; “It was such a relief of tension and I have always been a night owl.

 

Babb had a very fulfilling career in commercial banking and then running business development for her bank. In 2012, she began having some memory issues and was finally diagnosed with a rare neurological disease (called CADASIL) for which there is no treatment or cure. When she was no longer able to work in banking, she turned to art to regain a voice; “Art allowed me to express myself in a different way. I immersed myself in it.” She first started taking watercolor classes with Sarah Alexander and Nan Rumpf, “an absolutely wonderful teacher.” She painted in watercolor for three to four years but was drawn to acrylic painting for its ability to provide the vibrant colors that were so important to her and reflective of her Puerto Rican heritage.

In 2016, Babb began studying with Leslie Graff of the Danforth Museum. “I learned a great deal from her.” She quickly became very proficient in her own eclectic style of painting: “I do a little bit of everything: landscapes, still life, flowers and figures. I tend to enjoy detailed realistic paintings the most, but I have tried some abstract painting.” In some of her recent works she mixes realism with abstraction very successfully. “I get so absorbed in the process. I often think Mozart must have felt this way as he composed.” Her compositions are absolutely stunning and she has won multiple awards for her distinctive and unique paintings.

 

Babb is an active and exhibiting member of the WSA, Arts Worcester, the Danforth Museum and the Attleboro Art Museum. She has a studio in her home and enjoys painting there-“It is my outlet.” Her growing family is another great love for this artist, who has two sons and now has two grandchildren. One of her most recent paintings captures one of her sons proposing to his fiancé. At the wedding of her other son, she presented the couple with a painting that was a collage of their favorite places and moments. She has also painted her granddaughter in a work that is cherished. Aside from passing her works onto family, Babb sells a great deal of her paintings on Facebook and at exhibits. She recently sold a sunflower painting at the Awakenings Show at the Webster Bank in Wellesley to benefit the Relief Fund for Ukraine. “The buyer purchased the piece for double the cost when she realized the cause.”

WSA Honorary Lifetime Memberships Awarded to Joan Griswold and Suzanne Lingeman

The WSA board of directors recently voted to award Joan Griswold and Suzanne Lingeman with Honorary Lifetime Memberships. Joan and Sue were nominated in recognition of their  contributions that have helped to make the WSA what it is today, as well as their commitment to creating fine art. 

About Joan Griswold…

Joan studied art at the University of Wooster in Ohio.  Before moving to Wellesley, she taught art in the Philadelphia area, then managed a gallery in Chatham NJ, where she continued to study art, concentrating exclusively in watercolor. Joan and her husband Peter spent 8 years living in Latin America, where she managed an art gallery, taught painting classes, and at the same time, entered and won awards in many National and regional shows.

Upon her return to the Boston area, Joan exhibited with the Copley Society, New England Watercolor Society (where she is a Signature Member), Concord Art Association and galleries in Maine and on the Cape. Joan studied with Nicholas Reale, Tom Hill, Ruth Wynn and George Shedd, among others.

She joined the Wellesley Society of Artists in 1980, and continued to exhibit her award-winning watercolors.  From the moment she joined the WSA, she also  devoted her time to serving on the board, taking on any job that needed filling, from hospitality to new jury, to President. She was our treasurer for many years, keeping the WSA on the straight and narrow.  She gave selflessly of her time and always fought for what was in the best interests of our organization.  Joan and Peter now spend most of their time in Maine now, but her years of devotion to the WSA are immensely appreciated. Although Joan is no longer an active member of the WSA, her legacy remains. 

About Suzanne Lingeman…

Sue has been a member of the WSA since 1977, and continues to exhibit her work with the WSA. Over the years, she has won numerous awards.  She also has been on the board for many of those years, doing various jobs, and always has been the one working behind the scenes, ready to jump in to help with a show or act as an advisor. Sue’s spirit of generosity has been central to the WSA’s endurance and continued growth. 

Sue studied at the Museum of fine Arts.  She also studied with Irmgard Arvan, of Nantucket, George Dergalis, and Maris Platais, among others.  She has exhibited with the WSA, Concord Art Association, Copley Society of Artists, and the Artists Association of Nantucket, where she is an Artist Life Member, having been active there for over 50 years.

Sue works in a variety of mediums, experimenting with techniques and subject matter.  Sue says, “I enjoy experimenting with color and form to create a particular mood.  By using complimentary color, light against dark and warm against cool, I try to create contrast and excitement.  My subjects, medium and techniques vary widely as I find stimulation in exploring new directions”.

Local Spring Open Studios

Don’t miss spring open studios…visit friends, brings friends and support the arts by visiting local open studios!

*WSA Member Participating

Gorse Mill Gallery 31 Thorpe Road, Needham, MA
Needham Open Studios 2022 Artists’ Exhibition
April 4, 2022 – May 15, 2022,  Artists’ Reception:  April 24, 2022 at 5 pm.
​* Eddie Bruckner ​

Needham Open Studios,  Saturday & Sunday, May 14th-15th, 2022: 11 am-4 pm

*Find Eddie Bruckner at Location #6: First Baptist Church, 858 Great Plain Ave, Needham

*Find Joan Onofrey at Location #4, 28 Maple Street, Needham

*Find Mark Richards at Location #9, 58 Falcon Street, Needham

*Find Naomi Wilsey at Location #4, 28 Maple Street, Needham

Newton Open Studios 2022 May 21 & 22, 11am to 5pm, indoor and outdoor locations

*Nan Rumpf at the New Art Center, 61 Washington Park

*Anna Rejoyce at the Newton City Hall, 1000 Commonwealth Ave.

Somerville Open Studios 2022, April 30 and May 1 and more

WSA April Artist of the Month – Meet Nancy Present-VanBroekhoven

April Artist of the Month 

Meet Nancy Present -VanBroekhoven

Artist Nancy Present-VanBroekhoven has been making dreams come true for a very long time and for many people. For over 40 years she was a social worker helping populations with special challenges. At the Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston, she worked with children, teens and adults to develop programs where they could come together for enriching activities: Music and Movement for Parents and their children, Karate for Children with Developmental Challenges were a few. “The parents might come up with ideas or I would see a need and I would make it happen.” When she decided to retire, she wanted to find another way to bring meaning to her days. “What gave me permission to pursue painting was that one of the boys with whom I had worked for many years started exhibiting his art and I would go to all of his shows. I saw not only what he put into his art, but also what he got out of sharing his work.”

 

Present-VanBroekhoven saw a notice about a watercolor class given by Sarah Alexander at Broadmoor. She called ahead to make sure that the class would not be too intimidating and was pleased to find a very supportive and talented group with whom she still paints. She credits both Alexander and Artist Nan Rumpf, “a gifted teacher,” for helping her to develop her voice as a watercolorist. When COVID hit, she and her peers began a Critique Group meeting weekly on Zoom for the last several years. She joined several organizations and has donated her time and talents to all of them: the WSA where she has been coordinating membership, the Needham Art Association where she coordinates the art work hung at the Center at the Heights (the Needham Senior Center). She also belongs to the Newton Watercolor Society and has been involved with the Dedham Art Association. Using know-how from her career, she spearheads events such as plein air painting outings and she takes advantage of learning opportunities that each group has to offer.

In the relatively short time she has been painting, Present-VanBroekhoven has participated in numerous group shows including WSA, Dedham Art, and NAA Exhibits as well as group shows sponsored through the Natick Public Library, Grace Chapel in Lexington and the 5 Star Show in Watertown, A taste of Wellesley at Elm Bank.  In addition to group shows, Present-Van Broekhoven has hosted private or semi private shows at the Wellesley Public library with Yvonne Unger, shows at Broadmoor Sanctuary,   and Christ Episcopal Church .  In December she will be having another show at the Wellesley Public library with Mi Herzog. In keeping with this artist’s spirit of giving, many of these shows have supported charities. At Christ Episcopal Church, artists are asked to choose a charity close to their heart and Present-VanBroekhoven chose to support Silent Spring, which researches environmental causes of breast cancer.

When travelling with her husband, Present-VanBroekhoven paints endemic scenes and wildlife; “when we were in Florida, I painted pelicans; in Scotland I painted highland cows; in New Zealand I paint water scapes. Watercolors are easy to pack and very portable so I always have them with me.” She also enjoys capturing special family events in her artwork to share with loved ones. She loves that her art can be enjoyed by others and admits “my daughter has taken most of my favorite pieces.” She now has four grandchildren with whom she shares the gift of art.

“I am inspired by all the artists in my local organizations,” says Present-VanBroekhoven. She is also inspired by nature and loves painting animals, especially birds.  Her paintings are lovely reminders of the places she has been. “Art gives me a sense of time and place; my personal art reminds me of the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met and the things I’ve done.”

 

Mark Richards Notes from an Artist in Residence

Notes from an Artist in Residence, February 28 through March 12, 2022 at the Truro Center for the Arts at Edgewood Farm from Mark Richards. 

From a young age Mark J. Richards learned to paint from a plein air realist and impressionistic tradition. Being a Truro Artist in Residence allowed uninterrupted time to create and practice these skills.

Each day Richards was able to explore draw and paint. This is a brief record of his time in Truro.

The blue of the Atlantic Ocean is a breath of fresh air and was his first sojourn after arriving. Richards was able to create the first beach scenes in oil in preparation for the large canvas he had brought with him.

Balston Beach was where in 1991 the Atlantic Ocean breached the Cape. That breach through the dune barrier made Provincetown a temporary island. This has happened previously in geologic history and the Pamet River and The Little Pamet are remnants of this history.

The light was beautiful the wind fierce. Ukraine had been invaded a few days previously. The Pitch Pine creatures attracted Mark’s attention immediately.  A blue and gold statement. Color as a political statement.

The Pamets offer long meandering walks over giant dunes covered  with flag worn defiant physiognomies of Pitch Pine and Scrub-Oak. Forests that defy the winds. Twisted Birch and Alder crowd the marshes before giving way to cat tails and marsh grasses. The occasional crackled bark of Plum trees limbs are broken from the direct assault of winter storms.

Nothing man made lasts. Only change persists.

In sketches and drawings the stroke of his pen addresses some of these ideas: jagged, sharp, graphic and dark enduring strokes. Like the scarf of the dunes etched constantly by surf.

Thanks to Goya for personal guidance in drawing and expressing emotions.

Thanks to Marsden Hartley for writing Cleophas and His Own, A North Atlantic Tragedy.