WSA News

March 

Artist of the Month

Meet Phyllis Paster

Watercolor artist Phyllis Paster grew up in Albany, New York and attended a private school in the countryside through 12^th grade. When she was not outdoors gazing at the rolling hills, during down time, she could usually be found in the art room; “I was always very interested in art as a child; I would paint, sculpt or carve balsa wood boxes. But I never touched watercolor. I did not understand how you could have any control on wet paper.” She also fondly remembers, “My father owned a jewelry store and my works of art were always taped behind the cash register for the customers to view”.

Paster went on to college and attained a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education at Boston University. After teaching sixth grade for one year, she embarked on her long career in health care including Children’s Hospital in Boston, a start-up HMO in Wellesley, and medical group management. In 2001, she put her skills to work in a different direction and launched her own organizing business, It’s About Time. She works mainly with the elderly and her goal is to help this population maintain independence. A genealogy researcher as well, she enjoys listening to rich stories about their individual lives and researching their family trees.

In 1991, Paster was feeling the call to focus again on her love of art. She began taking courses at The DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum and was fortunate to find teacher and mentor Dudty Fletcher who taught figure classes. As she recollects, “I was introduced to watercolor and I was smitten. I just love the immediacy of it. You know right away if it is working or not.” Marjorie Glick and Marilyn Swift are other great influencers on her watercolor technique. She has taken workshops in Europe and throughout the US and has spent a great deal of time doing plein air painting in Gloucester.

This artist continues on her lifelong watercolor journey and writes eloquently about her experience: “Each time I approach a new painting I hope to capture the image as well as my feelings about the subject. My goal is to become one with the pigment and to mix with the water on the paper. I delight as the wonder of the pigment, the water and the paper unfold before me.” Frederick Franck’s words from his book The Zen of Seeing have special meaning for Paster: “When I am seeing/drawing, I take hold of the thing, until it fills my total capacity for experience. Once I have this taken possession of a hill, a body, a face, I let go, let it free again, as if releasing a butterfly. Yet it remains mine forever.”

Paster also has been creating alcohol ink tiles which satisfies her passion for spontaneous results with more exciting and vibrant colors. These are sold along with notecards on her Etsy site, The ArtPhylStudio. She also creates gelli plate acrylic monoprints. She has been an exhibiting member of the WSA since 2004 and participates with a fellow artist in Celebrate Newton the annual juried crafts show.

Watercolor remains magical and mysterious to Paster. She wrote a lovely piece called “Recipe For A Watercolor:”

~Select a piece of watercolor paper and decide on a subject to paint

~Summon one of the Watercolor Muses like Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent or Maurice Prendergast for Inspiration

~Fill a brush with water and pigment and paint a few dabs of light color here and there on the paper. Then paint away!

~Enjoy the spontaneity and magic of the watercolor paint on the paper

~Each surprise is a unique opportunity to improvise and take advantage of the characteristics of the watercolor

~When the painting is finished, add a white mat to frame the picture and step back to take in the whole painting while munching on a chocolate chip cookie. Make last minute adjustments as needed but don’t overwork the painting!

~Enjoy the new painting and the cookies.

Jessica Caruso was recently juried in as an exhibiting member of the WSA after having been an associate member for three years. She is a keen observer of the natural world and we look forward to seeing more of scenes that capture her artistic eye. To see more of her artwork, visit her WSA artist page.

Congratulations Jessica, we hope to see you at the next show!

January Artist of the Month 

Meet Mai Mai Pietrowski

Mai Mai Pietrowski’s artwork is as joyous as she is. After starting out in social work, then attaining an MBA from Babson, followed by a successful career in the high-tech industry, this business woman wanted a new challenge. In 2014 she decided to take a beginner painting course at the Danforth Art Museum School. She considers herself fortunate to have had Margaret Gerding as a teacher. Pietrowski notes, “I was starting from scratch. I couldn’t paint the way she did but she encouraged me to paint in my own style.” Gerding taught all the elements-line, shape, form, value, color, space, texture to her student who absorbed the basics and then let her intuition take over. “It’s like there’s an artist inside you and you don’t know it.”

Though she originally felt very out of place in the art world it was Pietrowski’s persistence that led to her accomplishment. She learned everything she could and then followed her instinct. “I began to focus on what I loved: colors, shapes and patterns. That’s my go-to.” Composition and color come naturally to Pietrowski who finds most of her inspiration in nature with additions from her dreams, imagination and travel. As a colorist she emphasizes the contrast between bold colors and neutrals. She often begins her paintings en plein air in her favorite locations including Cape Cod/Provincetown, Kennebunkport and Acadia National Park in Maine, Key West and Provence. Her artwork is held in private collections in France, Switzerland and the United States.

As far as using her business sense, Pietrowski realizes that will always be present but that it has not been the priority this time around. She did commit to opening a studio in Framingham very early on in 2015. Four years ago, she was able to get a coveted spot at SOWA where she now works and shows her vibrant creations. In 2015 she began exhibiting in juried shows and by 2017 had been chosen for Prince Street Gallery in NYC. She has had a solo exhibit at the Liberty Hotel and has her work at Cristof’s in Provincetown. She was honored to become a Juried Member of the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA). Pietrowski is also a member of the WSA, Provincetown Art Association, Hopkinton Center for the Arts, The SOWA Artist Guild, Cambridge Art Association and Fort Point Arts.

As for the purpose of her work: “I’m hoping that people will look at a piece and feel hopeful and uplifted.” Pietrowski is naturally drawn to vibrant colors and uses them in unexpected ways and in subjects where many would be more conservative. She is currently working on themed series such as hummingbirds, still life and tropical flowers. She does not lose sight of the fact that her art is a very personal thing. She recalls a quote that speaks to her: “No one knows why we paint, we just do.”

The WSA is happy to welcome new exhibiting member Zoë Walker. With training in studio art, Zoë is developing an artistic voice that promises to be thought provoking. To see more of her artwork, visit her WSA artist page. 

Welcome to the WSA Zoë!