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“ In
Science truth, in Art honour.”
ANONYMOUS
 T he other day I noticed a photograph of one
of Monet’s paintings on the cover of my husband’s issue of
the Monitor on Psychology and the by line was “visual
tricks, psychologists are uncovering the ploys artists use
to thrill us”. Now I was intrigued.
Many of us work things out on an instinctual level. We learn
about techniques, but we mostly consider what we do far from
being scientific. However in the article it talks about how
artists have studied how human vision works and now
scientists are tapping in that wisdom as they shed light on
masterpieces. Master painters, it seems, are keen observers
of human vision and perception and they use that knowledge
to create pictures that don’t just lie flat on the wall.
“Artists are vision scientists, they just call themselves
something different,” says Margaret Stratford Livingstone, a
neurobiology professor at Harvard.
As I continue to read the article I get a little lost in all
the technical, scientific talk. But Professor Livingstone
goes on to say that we see things in two different ways. One
is the manner in which we see color and the other is the way
we see brightness. By playing with these two visual concepts
artists can create pieces that seem to shimmer and vibrate
on the canvas.
“People don’t see like a camera,” says painting teacher and
landscape artist David Dunlop. He tells his students in his
classes to stop identifying things, and instead see scenes
as collections of lines, shadows, shapes, and contours.
Painters seem to view scenes in a way that’s similar to how
the world really is: a mishmash of colors, lines, and
shapes.
In our world today, as budgets for the arts and art
education continue to get cut, science can be our true
friend. By creating ways to measure what is actually
happening in the visual process, as one scientist says,
“Almost every single experiment I do comes out of something
from art.” . . . . a very nice endorsement!
Keep creating,
Nancy
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Becky Witherspoon-Demo Artist
for March
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Becky Witherspoon now
paints mainly in encaustics, an unusual medium, used
first by the ancient Egyptians. Encaustics are
painted with hot wax. She heats colored waxes with a
special iron and swirls them onto the paper. Some
are thin gestural designs on smooth paper, which are
more luminous, and others are layered on a textured
surface. Sometimes she uses small tools to
add special effects. Her first encounter with the
medium was in the mid 90’s at an art league
demonstration in Arizona. Later she took a workshop
by Brigitte von Ahn in El Paso, Texas.
Becky lived in
Fountain Hills, Arizona for 30 years where she was
better known for her watercolor landscapes of the
desert, real and imaginary plants, and weathered
barns. She exhibited in the Fountain Festival of Art
and the Great Fair as well as other shows for many
years. She is a founding member of the Fountain
Hills Art League, a group which now has some 150
artists.
Becky moved to
Bryan, Texas in 2007 where she joined the Brazos
Valley Art League. Now she exhibits regularly at Art
Steps and First Fridays, and occasionally elsewhere,
such as the Texas Reds Festival. The Frame Gallery,
and Gifts and Gab in Bryan carry her encaustic
paintings.
Becky’s
structured art training came mainly from courses at
the Memphis Academy of Art. She also studied with
Earl MacPherson, Dick Phillips, and Clarence Dyer of
Arizona, Helen Taylor Roy of California, Louise
Shipley of Maryland, and Fred Rawlinson of
Tennessee.
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News and Events
Thank you to the BVAL Board
members for furnishing refreshments in February. March
refreshment committee is: Jeanne Price, Lead; Willi Riley,
Robert Martinez,
Olive Black, and Lois Harris Demo Artist—Becky Witherspoon will
demo Encaustic
Painting.
March 5th—Intake for BVAL Judged Show
Entries received 10:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.
Interactive Entry Forms (You may write on the form,
save and print it) for the juried art show are available at
http://bvartleague.org/bval_entry_form.pdf
For a copy of
the on-line form that you may also see page 3 of the
newsletter March, 2010.
March 6th—Judging of BVAL Art Show
Reception and open to public 12:30-2:00 p.m.
March 19th—Entry Forms Due, MSC Forsyth Center
Galleries 1st Annual Downtown Street and Art Fair
March 30th—Remove art work during operating hours of the
Art Center and Texas Gallery.
March 31st—April 30—Art Teachers of Brazos Valley
and Student Scholarship Show
April 10—Festival of Arts/Airing of the Quilts Event,
Somerville, Texas. Table & wall space may be rented and no
commissions collected though artists must be present for all of
festival. Contact Art C’s Cathy or Cheryl at 979-596-2782 for
more information.
April 17—MSC Forsyth Center Galleries 1st Annual
Downtown Street and Art Fair in downtown Bryan 10 a.m.—6:00 p.m.
Entry Form and information attached in separate pdf format with
newsletter or contact
fcg@msc.tamu.edu for information.
May 14-15—LSAG Convention and Juried Show in
Conroe, TX, at the Lonestar Expo and Convention Center
Congratulations!! BVAL has two new officers. Jeanne Price has
joined the Board and will replace Lina as our Publicity
Chairperson and Jon Alston will replace Wimberly and serve as
the new BVAL treasurer.
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Local Exhibits
Texas Gallery - March 5th—30th BVAL Judged Show
Brazos Center - March/April—Rose Shea; May/June—Sara Scott
C.S. Conference Center - March/April—Lisa Hughes;
May/June—Mary Burkhalter and Monika Pate
Art Center Studio - March/April—Mary Burkhalter; Sky
Chevalier; May—Rose Shea; June—still open
Frame Gallery in downtown Bryan Exhibits art by many BVAL
artists
Art C’s Gallery - Located in Somerville Watch their web
site for exhibits
www.artcgals.com
DaVinci’s Gallery - Tomball, Texas Abstract paintings by
Mary Walters
Gallery at Roundtop - Anita Cannon, Sylvia Colwell and
Jeanne Price are among over one hundred artists from three
countries who will have their art on display in the Gallery at
Round Top in Round Top, Texas to benefit Rural Art in Texas
1st Annual Downtown Art Fair in Bryan, Texas
April 17, 2010 11 - 6pm
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Volunteers -
Sign up form is available in
BVAL
Newsletter Feb. 2010
We are currently evaluating ways for more BVAL members to be a
part of our many BVAL activities. Our organization has grown and
is moving in some very positive directions. As we all know, it
can “take a village” to keep an organization like this running.
A non-profit organization (like ours) relies on the energy
volunteered by each member of the group. We would like all of
you to consider devoting a two hour (or more if you like)
commitment to some activity within BVAL. By becoming involved
you give back to the organization and those who devote time and
efforts get to know many new people, and you help the
organization become more of what you want it to be.
To see a a list of events and activities, please read
BVAL
Newsletter Feb. 2010
. Take a moment to look over and select an area that best suites
your interests where you can volunteer. Please check off as many
as you are willing and able to participate.
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Workshops and Classes
Adult Watercolor Classes - with Barb Starner Friday
mornings 9:30 - 12:30. Call 220-7231 for information.
Art Classes - with Daniel Xiao Saturdays from 10:30
- 12:30. Call 820-4087 to register.
Children’s Art Classes - with Kay Watkins Ages 9—15.
Tuesdays 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Contact Kay at kaysartquest@
gmail.com or 739-5782
The Art of Collage Workshop - with Lisa Hughes. Ongoing
Thursday workshop 10:00 am—1:00 p.m. at the Frame
Gallery. Cost $26 per week. Contact Greta at the Frame Gallery
for information.
Liz Hill Figurative Art workshop - Held at the Art Center
Feb. 25 & 26. Cost is $125 for the two days.
Contact Mary Walters for additional information. See page 4 for
Information about Liz Hill and her art work
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Share Your News
Do you have news to share about yourself or another BVAL member?
Please send information to sunnyscb@gmail.com. Items will be
included
as space permits.
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ADD YOUR WEBSITE TO BVAL
If you have your own website and would like to be
included as a link from the BVAL website, contact
webmaster@bvartleague.org
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