May Artist of the Month – Meet Ken Northup

May Artist of Month 

Meet Ken Northup

Ken Northup grew up in Queens, NY,  and like most people enjoyed his art classes in school. He majored in Psychology at Iona College and took one art history class as an elective and regrets not being able to take more. After college his brother recommended oil painting and Ken went along with it. He painted for a short time but soon married, embarked on his career and began raising a family. It was not until retirement that he began taking painting classes again at the Old Church Art School in Demarest, NJ. His love of painting was reignited.                            

Following his two daughters who had  both moved to Massachusetts; Ken and his wife initially relocated to Norfolk, and later moved to Yarmouth Port. While living in Norfolk he took classes at the Danforth Museum School and joined the Franklin and Foxboro Art Associations. An art friend at the Danforth recommended that he join the WSA and where he continues to be a very active member, working at hanging all of our events. Later upon moving to the Cape, he joined the Cape Cod Art Center in Barnstable and the Creative Arts Center in Chatham.

Northup combines his love of travel with his love of painting landscapes. He paints mainly from photos taken on trips and says, “I like the creation…When I’m painting a landscape, I feel like I’m back at the place.” He most recently had an adventurous trip where he and his wife “got in the car and started driving south” with no set itinerary. They ended up on Sanibel Island and this trip is providing  many a subject for his stunning landscapes.

                                 

Northup is proud to have attained status as a Copley Artist after being a member of the Copley Society of Art for nine years. He has done demos at many venues in New England at both the Sandwich and Yarmouth Art Guilds on the Cape and at the Copley Society in Boston. He is featured in many Massachusetts galleries, including the Renjeau Gallery in Natick, Gallery Antonia in Chatham and the Copley Society in Boston.

April Artist of the Month – Meet Roger Kastel

April Artist of the Month

Meet Roger Kastel

Roger Kastel is a highly acclaimed artist, the product of his childhood dream. As a young boy in White Plains, N.Y., he lived next door to comic book artist Tom Hickey. He remembers going over and watching Tom create a comic book cover with a baseball game on the radio in the background. He thought, “What a wonderful way to make a living.” He began drawing his own comic strips and showing them to his father who painted as a hobby. His father had the good instinct to be very encouraging. As a teen, Kastel used the money he saved up from caddying to take summer classes at the Art Students League of New York.

“Night Visitor”

After high school, Kastel served in the Navy during the Korean War. Upon his return home he resumed his studies at the Art Students League. He started out with very humble jobs to pay his tuition; he swept floors and made deliveries at NYC studios. Later Kastel did black and white newspaper ads for Reddy Kilowatt advertising company. Next freelancing for NY advertising agencies, he was making story boards by day and still taking classes at the League by night. He studied with Edwin Dickinson, Sidney E. Dickinson and Robert Hale. The greater part of his education is attributed to Frank J. Reilly. While still a student, Kastel created a book cover for a contest: this piece became his first published work for Simon & Schuster Pocket Books. Another of his early works won first place for the National Board of Fire Underwriters, a piece which was used for many years.

Early in his career, Kastel married and moved to upstate New York, where he and his wife raised their two children. At this time, he was busy creating covers for Bantam Books and often went in to NYC with his finished works. During one of these meetings, his publisher said “Read this book over the weekend and bring me a cover. It’s going to be a bestseller.” Kastel did a sketch for the art  director with a Sharpie and was told to “do it that way and make it more realistic.” Thus, he created the iconic cover of Jaws and soon Universal Pictures asked to buy the rights to make this their movie poster. The book cover was banned in Boston and St. Petersberg (the female swimmer is nude) and Kastel thought this might end his career. It did not! Soon Lucas Films called from Hollywood and hired him to create a poster for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Kastel has been a highly sought-after artist ever since. He has done commissioned pieces for many art collectors and admirers, including the one shown here of the girl at the piano. This exquisite painting was done for a Connecticut art dealer who focused on American Impressionism. After 40 years of years of focusing on commercial art, Kastel now enjoys choosing his own subjects. Some of his recent work has been inspired by a friend of his who is a bird photographer. The owl shown here and his award winning “Blue Bird” have been painted from this photographer’s work “with a little artistic license.”

 

He has of course done some family portraits. Roger and his wife now have four grandchildren, all of whom they are very proud. When his daughter and son were young, they often served as models for his paintings. They were paid one dollar per hour and, in spite of the great pay, his son was never eager to participate. Kastel did not tell them how much professional models were paid.

“Recital”

Kastel was an active member of the Society of Illustrators, where he has work in their permanent collection. He is currently a member of  The Artist Fellowship and the WSA. He has paintings in private and corporate collections and exhibits in galleries and group shows. He feels privileged to have his work included in the book 200 Years ofAmerican Illustration as well as The Illustrator in America 1860-2000. He currently has the French version of his Jaws poster displayed in The Exhibit on Movie Posters in Paris.

March Artist of the Month – Meet Judy Noonan

March Artist of the Month

Meet Judy Noonan

 

Judy Noonan has been a museum lover all her life. She grew up outside of New York City and attended a small private high school in Manhattan…right across the street from the Museum of Modern Art. All of her travels since that time have included museum visits. She did not realize that some years later she would be creating art of her own.

Life was full of things to keep Noonan busy. She graduated from Northeastern University where she met her husband and now her favorite critic. Noonan worked most of her life in the financial sector of business, including sales management for financial software and corporate training and retired as a bank training officer. She and her husband have two daughters and four grandchildren who are the center of their lives.            

Noonan began her artistic career as a “hobbyist” making hand-stamped greeting cards. A good friend introduced her to watercolor at a Wellesley Recreation Center class. She took local classes in Wellesley and Needham for many years. She enjoyed the process of Watercolor and appreciates the fact that “when you are done, you’re done.” She is now painting with acrylics and “there are so many more options…it’s hard to know when you are finished.” Noonan is enthralled with all the choices, learning about new mediums and techniques.

Noonan had joined the WSA many years ago as an associate member and recalls with anxiety the jurying process when she realized that she was ready to exhibit. Of course, it went very well. She began exhibiting for the WSA and won an honorable mention award from juror David Curtis. This was one of her first paintings done en plein air. She also exhibited at the Unitarian Church in Watertown with her friend and sold several paintings. She does not focus on selling however and gives many paintings to special people in her life. She ponders, “I can see my work on display in five different homes.”

Judy has taken many classes and workshops over the past fifteen years. One of her favorites wasworking with Paul George at the Lexington Arts and Crafts Center. She also learned a great deal at a workshop with Robert O’Brien in Vermont.  At the Wellesley COA, she studies acrylic painting with Maris Platais where she is struck by his “metaphysical” view of art.

For now Noonan is on working a lot in her home studio and increasing her plein air painting. Her focus is on composition and subject matter and she is hoping to gain more ease in these areas by painting en plein air. She and her husband are headed to the North Shore where she plans to paint seascapes outdoors despite the chilly temperatures. Noonan continues “to love the process” and enjoys becoming lost for hours while creating.

January Artist of the Month – Meet Yvonne Unger

Artist of the Month – January 2020

Meet Yvonne Unger

Growing up in Seattle, Yvonne Unger had no idea that so much of her adult life would be spent observing the overlooked wonders in nature to create unique watercolor paintings.  She attended Washington State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science, then moved to the East Coast to complete a Master’s Degree in Plant and Soil Sciences. After marrying, she and her husband decided to stay in the Northeast, where Unger worked for the state of Massachusetts doing Environmental Permitting.

Once their daughter came along, Yvonne and her husband decided that life would run more smoothly if one of them put their career on hold; Yvonne happily agreed to take over the home front. About ten years ago, she was introduced to Watercolor Painting at Tyler Place in Vermont where she and her family have spent many vacations. Her interest was definitely piqued and she began taking classes at the Danforth.

Unger finds her inspiration in nature which surprises her because, despite her environmental studies, she hadn’t noticed some of the real beauty in nature until she began painting. She ponders, “Even in the most mundane circumstances, like a puddle outside the gym, I find something so captivating…like dew drops on a leaf.” It is this attitude that leads to her very interesting and mesmerizing compositions.

Unger credits two instructors for much of her training: Sarah Alexander at the Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary and WSA’s Nan Rumpf. She paints watercolors on aquabord and has recently been painting wax resist watercolors which she finds “exciting and liberating; I enjoy the limited choices that the wax allows…and the speed of this process.” Finding another new interest in woodworking, Yvonne has also begun to frame her own pieces.

In a very short time, Unger has had much success, including a first and second place awards as well as honorable mentions, both a solo and joint exhibits with WSA member Nancy Present-Van Broekhoven, and participation in juried shows. Her most recent exhibit was in October at the Mass Audubon’s Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary. Yvonne belongs to both the WSA, where she serves as Treasurer, and the Needham Art Association.

So, what’s next for Unger? She is looking forward to an Abstract Watercolor Class taught by WSA member Sally Meding and “less realistic and less detailed painting.” She continues to paint and learn and finds painting to be a wonderful meditation. Her husband and daughter are two of her biggest fans and supporters.

November Artist of the Month – Meet Lynda Davis Jeha

November Artist of the Month – Meet Lynda Davis Jeha

Lynda Davis Jeha can barely recall a time when art was not a part of her life. This keen interest began while watching her father paint. Her father was an engineer who did not truly enjoy his work until his brother gave him a set of oil paints to bring life to his projects. Now, in his nineties, he has never stopped drawing or painting. Davis Jeha and her dad continue to share a very special relationship in which their art plays an important role.

 

As a child growing up on a lake in a small town in Central Massachusetts, Lynda recollects, “nature was always my muse” and it remains so today as she finds inspiration in natural environments all over the country. She has had the opportunity to both travel and live in many spectacular habitats. Davis Jeha’s passions have always pulled her in two different directions: Science vs Art, but she has managed to find a lovely harmony between the two. After college she worked in marine research and returned to formal education in her late twenties to attain a degree in environmental science.

 

Through her environmental work, Davis Jeha has lived in Alaska and the Dominican Republic and she always had her sketchbook or paints and canvas at her side. She considers herself a colorist and likes to capture the “feeling of color…using geometric shapes and color studies.” Of utmost importance to this artist is that her pieces “evoke a reaction…positive or negative” from the viewer.

As an aside, she notes that her skills are quite opposite to those of her father for whom precision came naturally.  Despite these differences they appreciate each other’s talents and a special moment for Davis Jeha was recently having her father see her work at an international juried show in San Diego.

In addition to her two dimension works of art, Lynda has spent a great deal of time creating jewelry, metal making and sculpting with metal. She took a silversmith class at age 15 and has worked as a silversmith in Maine and a costume jewelry designer in Brookline. Now adding color in the form of semi-precious stones this artist has a renewed interest in sculptures that adorn.

Last but certainly not least, Davis Jeha has a great love for teaching art. At Wellesley College, she is dedicated to teaching adults and children in non-traditional methods. She focuses on bringing out an individual’s unique talents rather than on how the end product appears. This artist, while mainly self-taught, has taken classes at Mass Art, the Museum School and Simmons College. She has won several awards for her work and has sold many pieces around the country and internationally.

 

 

Richard Whitney Captivates Audience With Live Portrait Demo

There is no doubt that portrait painting presents numerous challenges for the artist who works to capture the nuanced expressions unique to the individual who sits before them. Renowned portrait painter Richard Whitney has made a career of doing just that, and it has been quite a journey. Over 60 people filled the Wakelin room at the Wellesley Free Library to see the live portrait demo with Mr. Whitney. The sitter for the afternoon demo was Lian, a poised young woman who proved to be the perfect model. As Mr. Whitney began to lay in the portrait, the audience was treated to a slide presentation of some his notable portraits complete with details about the subjects. One of the most striking of these portraits was one of Whitney’s father, in which he said he sought to capture his gentleness and kindness. The portrait, titled “Dad” captured that and so much more as witnessed by the audience’s reaction.

For 3 hours, Mr. Whitney shared “pearls” from his own long and successful career, as well as those he learned from studying with Ives Gammell, all while painting the portrait sketch of Lian. It was an afternoon to remember for both artists and non artists alike. The WSA is grateful to Mr. Whitney and his wife Sandy for coming down from New Hampshire to make this program possible.

The WSA would like to thank the Wellesley Free Library for providing the venue for this program and providing technology staff to assist with the set up for the event.

October Artist of the Month – Meet Helen Turner

October Artist of the Month – Meet Helen Turner

Helen Turner has been painting for a mere seventy years. She began after transferring to Wayne State University in Michigan and thought it was time to start studying something new. She had been studying business at Fischer College but decided to major in Art and Science at Wayne. She moved back to Wellesley after graduation but never put down her paintbrush.

Turner worked at John Hancock in Accounting until she married and moved to West Lebanon, New Hampshire where she and her husband began raising four boys. There she studied in her spare time with artist Fran Shorey. She used watercolor and oil to paint nature and still life. While in New Hampshire she exhibited with some other painters and sold a few paintings each year. Turner found more stunning landscapes to paint both in her travels and after their move to Lee in the Berkshires.

When Helen’s husband passed away and her boys were grown, she moved back to her family home (since she was eight years old) in Wellesley where she now resides. Helen has just celebrated her 90thbirthday with a wonderful party thrown by her adoring children and surrounded by many friends. Turner has kept very busy in town both with the Council on Aging, where she has been honored for her volunteer work, and with the WSA, where she is an exhibiting member and serves on the board.  She was also a member of the Needham Art Association for 10 years and sold many paintings during that time period. Her paintings can be found in homes all along the East Coast.

Upon her return home, Turner studied with Artist Deborah Bates and currently studies with Maris Platais. Bates introduced Turner to acrylic painting, which is now her preferred medium. An avid gardener, Helen continues to paint florals and landscapes, often with birds and other animals. All of her sons are great admirers of both their mom and of her artwork. She often includes her grandchildren in nature scenes as well as “anything her sons ask for.” Painting has been a cherished part of Turner’s life, allowing her both to pleasantly “get lost for hours” and to share the beauty she creates with her loved ones.

On behalf of the Wellesley Society of Artists we wish you a VERY Happy 90th Birthday Helen and more happy painting!

 

Community Comes Together “For the Love of Animals” WSA Program

After much anticipation the “For the Love of Animals” program featuring animal portrait Johanne Mangi drew a crowd of over 5o people. The evening’s program opened with a special visit from Sue Webb, Director of (SPIN) Stray Pets in Need and the Animal Control Officer for  Wellesley, who gave a brief overview of this local program which supports the care and adoption of stray animals. The WSA also collected donations of pet food and blankets for SPIN from many attending the program.

 

Most portrait artists prefer doing portraits with live models and Johanne was no exception when she requested a live model for the evening’s painting demo. Fortunately the WSA found Maestro a therapy dog and his partner Suzanne Woolston Bossert. Maestro works at the Barbara McGinnis House  run by Boston Healthcare for the Homeless where he brings comfort to some very ill patients. It took no time to see that Maestro was indeed a mellow and calming dog, who proved to be the perfect “sitter” for the portrait demo. Johanne quickly observed Maestro, and noted his gorgeous coat color and said if she had  only used a photo she probably would not have seen the color richness and variation. She also encouraged the audience many of whom were painters to observe carefully noting the mannerisms that were unique to Maestro. In less than two hours, Johanne had painted a sketch of Maestro which captured  his endearing expression. She plans to finish the painting in her studio and will share the finished painting with the WSA when it is completed. Johanne’s intuitive approach to painting was inspiring to some in the audience who were not painters. She believes we can all learn to paint without going to art school, but practice, persistence  and finding subject matter you love are a must.

The WSA owes an enormous thanks to Suzanne Woolston Bossert, Maestro’s partner for bringing him to the library and sharing his story about how he became a therapy dog. 

The WSA is also grateful to the Wellesley Free Library for providing the venue for the evening’s program and their technical support. 

August Artist of the Month- Meet Yale Nicolls

August WSA Artist of the Month – Meet Yale Nicolls

Yale Nicolls grew up on the water in Darien, Connecticut to a family of art lovers. Both of her parents had painted earlier in their lives, but Yale mainly recalls their interest in acquiring fine art. As a child she spent a good deal of time in the smoke-filled rooms of auction houses where her mother often left with treasured pieces of art which now line the corridors of the Nicolls’ home. While she had no formal training until later in life, Yale fondly remembers making carvings from Ivory soap when she wasn’t swimming or playing tennis.

 

Nicolls had a great deal of success on the tennis court and met her husband Jim at a national match at Longwood at age 15. While she dated other people during college, it was always Jim who kept her interest with his prolific correspondence. She attended University of Southern California where she played tennis and then transferred to Barnard graduating with a degree in Philosophy. She and Jim reunited, married and finally settled in Wellesley. Nicolls taught tennis along the way and racked up 20 years as a professional at the Wellesley Tennis Association. Five children and a lot of Play-Doh sessions later, Yale’s interests in Arts and Crafts was renewed.

Nicolls, always game to try a new hobby, did more than her share of community service in Wellesley. She joined the Garden Club in the 1990’s and served on the Board of the Wellesley Arts and Crafts Guild. Creating Folk Art Santas became one of her specialties. In 2001, Yale decided to take a Watercolor class at the Danforth Museum under Elizabeth Magilligan, with whom she painted for many years. She also learned critical skills from classes such as “So You Think You Can’t Draw” and “Drawing from the Right Side of Your Brain.” When Magilligan stopped teaching, she began the “Watercolor Connection” for her advanced students including Nicolls.

Nicolls joined the WSA in 2004 and has served on the board as secretary, then president and now secretary again. She saved the WSA from dissolution when she first took over as president and served in this capacity for a total of 8 years, including years when she co-presided with Bobbie Suratt. Nicolls has now mastered acrylic painting working with Maris Platais. It is no surprise that one of her favorite subjects is the ocean, especially the coast of Maine, though all of nature is an inspiration for Yale. Their beloved dogs and capturing each one’s distinctive personalities on canvas provide endless motivation for this artist.

 

In addition to her many accomplishments, Nicolls is a signature member of the New England Watercolor Society as well as the Rhode Island Watercolor Society and still paints regularly with the Watercolor Connection in Natick. She has exhibited in a number of juried National and Regional Shows. A new award has just been established by the WSA in honor of Nicolls in recognition for her years of service and leadership. The “Yale Nicolls Award for Interpretation of the Natural World” will be awarded annually at the WSA Fall Library Show.

July Artist of the Month – Meet Dayle Bodnar

WSA July Artist of the Month – Meet Dayle Bodnar

Dayle Bodnar’s artistic talent was quickly identified at a young age. When she was eleven, her mother asked the high school art teacher to give Dayle lessons after school. While she felt “very young” and sometimes out of place, her ability was clear. In the Bodnars’ sun-filled family room, hangs a beautiful oil painting of a bird. Bodnar recollects, “I painted that when I was twelve.” It hung in her grandmother’s home until her passing.

Dayle actually stopped painting while she herself was in high school, but minored in Painting at Southern Connecticut State where she majored in Education. Thus began a long career in education and another nice foundation for her artwork. Bodnar earned a Master’s Degree in Special Education at Boston University and after working at the Horace Mann School for the Deaf, earned a second Master’s in teaching the hearing impaired. She worked for many years at the Boston School for the Deaf and most recently she worked for 23 years as a teacher at Christ Church Nursery School in Wellesley. Throughout her long career, her lovely personality and love of art have touched many lives.

 

Bodnar’s husband has always been her greatest supporter. She took a couple of breaks from teaching after having their daughter and son. During this time, she enjoyed Mom’s Night Out on Tuesdays when she took watercolor lessons from Natick painter Davis Carroll. With Carroll, Dayle quickly mastered the technique of watercolor on rice paper, a delicate and beautiful medium. These elegant works of art also adorn her home today.

Dayle first joined the WSA as an exhibiting member in the 1980’s and after devoting her time to parenting and teaching, she rejoined the society in 2106. She frequently exhibits her latest works for which she has won multiple awards. Bodnar also donates paintings to local charities and works on the WSA Hospitality Committee serving both the community and the members who attend our many events. She is very grateful for the many friendships she has made through this fellowship.

Bodnar has always enjoyed the camaraderie and shared interests of other artists. Today she is happy to have reconnected with her original painting group in Natick. She continues to take lessons now with Maris Platais and has switched mediums again to acrylic paint. She also reads a great deal about art when she is not actually painting. Bodnar reflects, “There is always something new to learn.” She also enjoys paintings with others and looking at the process from different points of view.  A lifelong learner as well as teacher, her inspiration has always been nature: “Although nature surrounds us, it takes some practice and concentration to see what is there, how elements relate to one another, and how color can be used to express what the eye sees. I am also intrigued by the process of showing distance on flat canvas and enjoy this challenge.”