Artists Celebrate the Holidays
Westchase artists along with their spouses and friends gathered together on Tuesday, Dec. 27, to celebrate the holiday season.
Two new guests – Stacy Kinslow, a glass bead artist, and Paulette Boyette, who paints with watercolors – came to check out the Westchase Artists Society and join in the festivities.Observing their holiday tradition, artists exchanged small gifts of their artwork with each other. Members names were drawn out of a hat and each artist selected a wrapped gift. Once everyone had chosen a gift, the packages were opened to reveal wonderful works of art.
The next meeting of the Westchase Artists Society will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center. The evening’s agenda will include the election of officers for 2012. Due to a scheduling conflict, the election was postponed from the January group meeting. Make sure to check out www.westchaseartists.com for complete details. You can also friend the group on Facebook to stay updated on events.
The Westchase Artists Society is open to all types of visual artists from the Upper Tampa Bay area. Those interested in learning more are invited to drop by a meeting at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center on Countryway Boulevard. Bring your creativity and a piece of artwork to share.
By Teresa Trubilla; Photos by Toni Crosby
Artists’ Holiday Market a Success!
The Westchase Artist Society’s second Annual Holiday Market proved to be an even bigger success than last year.
With nine members of the group participating along with other artists and vendors on Dec. 10 at the Westchase Golf Club, shoppers were able to find the perfect gift for everyone on their lists. Visitors were also treated to samples from area restaurants like Catch 23, Burger 21, FroYo and Tijuana Flats.Jennifer Joyner, the Holiday Market chairperson, was thrilled to announce that this year’s Market raised just over $1,000 for Autism Speaks. Be sure to keep an eye out for next year’s Holiday Market so you can take part in this great event.
The November meeting of the Westchase Artists Society was hosted by Dona and Ron McCaslin of Speedpro Imaging, located on Tampa Road in Oldsmar. Members were treated to a tour of the facilities and were able to view the equipment used in the large format printing in which Speedpro specializes. At the front of the shop, the artists got to see a sample of photographer Liz Rylan’s work blown up into a large trade show display. In addition to seeing how an image was enlarged to create custom wallpaper, artists had a chance to compare various materials used for large printing as well as examples of mounted prints.
The next meeting of the Westchase Artists Society will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center. The evening’s agenda will include election of officers for 2012. Make sure to check out the group Web site at www.westchaseartists.com for complete details. You can also friend the group on Facebook to stay updated on events.
The Westchase Artists Society is open to all types of visual artists from the Upper Tampa Bay area. Those interested in learning more are invited to drop by a meeting at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center on Countryway Boulevard. Bring your creativity and a piece of artwork to share.
By Teresa Trubilla
Westchase Artists’ Holiday Market is Coming…and You’re Invited!
The Westchase Artists Society’s elves are busy making final preparations for their second annual Holiday Market.
Come join us on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Westchase Golf Club to pick up some wonderful, one-of-a kind pieces of artwork or last-minute stocking stuffers.
While Santa is making his rounds through Westchase, you can shop for delightful, unique artwork including watercolors, oil and acrylics, photography, pottery, handmade jewelry, stained glass, stone sculptures and handmade cards. Vendors will also be present from Scentsy, Miche Bags, Premier Designs, and Arbonne to name just a few. The WOW’s own Chris Barrett will be there to sign and sell copies of his new children’s book, A Mouse’s First Christmas.
Come sample foods from area restaurants including Catch 23, Terra Sur Café, FroYo, the Westchase Golf Club and more. Indulge in a massage or buy a gift certificate for that special someone.
A portion of the proceeds from the event and from every vendor’s sales will benefit Autism Speaks. Come enjoy a day of mall-free shopping while helping out this great cause. You can finish your holiday shopping without the stressful crowds and still make it to the evening’s tree lighting festivities in West Park Village.
Setting up a Shop on Etsy
Having had her own shop on Etsy since 2007, Judy Freeman shared the basic steps for setting up an online store at the October group meeting. She explained how to determine if selling online is right for you and how to register and create a name for your store. In addition, Freeman shared some of the many pointers she has learned through her personal experience using Etsy, including how to make sure your artwork is photographed well.
The next meeting of the Westchase Artists Society will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 6:30 p.m. at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center. The evening’s agenda will include a wrap up of the year’s activities as well as a holiday party. Artists will be exchanging small gifts of their artwork. Make sure to check out the group Web site at www.westchaseartists.com for complete details. You can also friend the group on Facebook to stay updated on events.
The Westchase Artists Society is open to all types of visual artists from the Upper Tampa Bay area. Those interested in learning more are invited to drop by a meeting at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center on Countryway Boulevard. Bring your creativity and a piece of artwork to share.
By Teresa Trubilla, Westchase Artists President
Westchase Artists Prepare Holiday Tradition
The Westchase Artists Society elves are busy preparing for their annual Holiday Market
The Holiday Market will be held on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Westchase Golf Club. This will be a great time to pick up some wonderful, one-of-a kind pieces of artwork and holiday stocking stuffers.
A wide assortment of vendors will sell original artwork, prints, hand-made cards, ceramics, jewelry and refreshments. The Westchase Artists Society group calendar will also be available for purchase. Members donated a piece of artwork for this project in order to raise money for group activities and materials. A portion of the proceeds from this event and every vendor’s sales will benefit Autism Speaks.
The Westchase Artists’ September meeting was held in the computer room at the Upper Tampa Bay Library so that members could learn and practice some Photoshop fundamentals. The group’s president, Teresa Trubilla, demonstrated how to use various tools in the Photoshop palette and how to create multiple layers in a file in order to work in a non-destructive environment – one that prevents altering your original image until completion. She also explained the difference between Web resolution (72 dpi and RGB) and print resolution (300 dpi and CMYK). Ink jet printers require a high resolution (300 dpi) but use RGB files. Look for additional workshops in the future to discuss this and other art and computer related topics.
Members of the Westchase Artists Society will be participating in the 25th Zoofari at Lowry Park Zoo on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 6-11 p.m. Their artwork – and the work of other area artists – will be available for purchase as part of the zoo’s annual fundraiser.
Artist of the Month
Olga Fridella, October’s Artist of the Month, was born in Columbia, South America, but came to America as a young girl and lived in New York and New Jersey until she moved to Westchase 14 years ago. She loves to express herself with colors on canvas. She states, “Each painting is a puzzle and the task of the artist is to find solutions for his own puzzle.”
Some examples of Fridella’s work, along with additional information about her background, can be found on the blog portion of the group Web site.
The next meeting of the Westchase Artists Society will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. at SpeedPro Imaging at 4025 Tampa Rd., Suite 1104, in Oldsmar. The evening’s agenda will include a demonstration of large format printing to give artists an idea of various ways to make use of their photographs and artwork. Make sure to check out www.westchaseartists.com for complete details. You can also friend the group on Facebook to stay updated on events.
The Westchase Artists Society is open to all types of visual artists from the Upper Tampa Bay area. Those interested in learning more are invited to drop by a meeting at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month. The artists usually meet at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center on Countryway Boulevard. Bring your creativity and a piece of artwork to share.
By Teresa Trubilla
Artists Learn About Web Creation
At the August meeting of the Westchase Artists Society, Vanessa Montenegro taught artists how to set up Web sites for their artwork.
The first step is to determine the Web site’s purpose. A simple, free blog is suitable to showcase an artist’s work, while a more involved site is needed to provide detailed information and to sell pieces.
Artists were instructed on how to purchase a domain name and choose a hosting service. Montenegro then discussed how to use Web templates and several programs to design sites.
The Westchase Artists Society will again be sponsoring a Holiday Market on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Westchase Golf Club. Vendors interested in participating in the Holiday Market should contact Jennifer Joyner at jlukasjoyner@ec.rr.com to register. Space will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit Autism Speaks.
The Westchase Artists Society will be participating in Westchase’s 20th Anniversary Party on Oct. 29 from 3-7 p.m. The group will have a tent featuring a Halloween-themed art activity for children as well as some of their own artwork available for sale. This will be a perfect time to come and meet some of the area’s talented artists.
The Westchase Artists Society’s group calendar will be available for sale at the Westchase Anniversary Party as well as the Holiday Market in December. Artwork was donated for this project to raise money for group activities.
Members will also be participating in the 25th Zoofari to be held at Lowry Park Zoo on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 6-11 p.m. Their artwork will be available for purchase as part of the zoo’s fundraiser.
Artist of the Month
Amy Lennard Gmelin, September’s Artist of the Month, grew up in New York and New Jersey but now resides in New Port Richie. While she has worked in various art forms over the years – from paint and clay to photography – Gmelin found her niche when working with concrete. She uses ordinary concrete and sand, transforming it into works of art by using various molds or by chiseling and carving. Some examples of Gmelin’s work, along with additional information about her background, can be found on the blog portion of the group Web site.
The next meeting of the Westchase Artists Society will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. at the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Library. (Please note that this is a change from the usual meeting location.) The evening’s agenda will include a hands-on workshop about selling your art using Etsy. See www.westchaseartists.com for complete details. You can also friend the group on Facebook to stay updated on events.
The Westchase Artists Society is open to all types of visual artists from the Upper Tampa Bay area. Those interested in finding out more are invited to drop by a meeting at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center on Countryway Boulevard. Bring your creativity and a piece of artwork to share.
By Teresa Trubilla, President
Westchase Artists Learn about Framing
Framing and matting are an extension of your artwork and should complement the style of your work.
At the Westchase Artists Society’s July group meeting, Joose Hadley, long-time member of the society and owner of the Great Art & Frame in West Park Village, presented a workshop on how to cut mats and glass for picture framing.
Hadley began by demonstrating how to measure your artwork and determine the size of the opening needed in the matting. A T-square and Dexter cutting tool were used to make the opening from the back side of the mat in order to create an even, beveled edge. The artwork was then hinged to the backboard at the top using acid-free tape. It is important to use archival materials in order to protect your artwork from fading and discoloration.
Hadley explained how to score and break glass to insert into the frame. Non-glare glass can be especially helpful in sunny Florida homes. After assembling the frame, glass, matting and artwork, she showed how to keep everything in place with a point gun. Flexible points enable you to easily remove a piece of artwork and reuse the frame. The hooks to attach the wire for hanging should be mounted one-third of the way down the back of the frame.
Members were asked to come to future meetings at 6:45 p.m. to allow time for socializing before the actual meeting starts at 7 p.m. Possible art activities to be provided for kids during the Westchase 20th anniversary party to be held after the Great West Chase on Oct. 29 were also discussed. Members submitted various pieces of artwork to be used in the upcoming group calendar.
The group will be participating in the 25th Zoofari at Lowry Park Zoo on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 6-11 p.m. Members’ artwork will be available for purchase as part of the zoo’s fundraiser.
The Westchase Artists Society will again be sponsoring a Holiday Market on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Westchase Golf Club. Look for more details as the holiday season approaches. Vendors interested in participating should contact Jennifer at jlukasjoyner@ec.rr.com for further information. Space will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Artist of the Month
Susan Whitaker, August’s Artist of the Month, creates her art with pencils, watercolors and oils. A Florida resident for 34 years, she enjoys sewing, gardening, reading, music and motorcycling in addition to her artwork. Having dabbled in art since childhood, Whitaker is now focusing on developing her painting style and recently joined the Westchase Artists Society to share and learn with other local artists. Some examples of Whitaker’s work, along with additional information about her background, can be found on the blog portion of the group’s Web site.
The next meeting of the Westchase Artists Society will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. at the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Library. (Please note that this is a change from the usual meeting location.) The evening’s agenda will include a hands-on workshop on Photoshop Elements. See www.westchaseartists.com for complete details.
The Westchase Artists Society is open to all types of visual artists from the Upper Tampa Bay area. Those interested in finding out more are invited to drop by a meeting at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of every month at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center on Countryway Boulevard. Bring your creativity and a piece of artwork to share.
By Teresa Trubilla