Springfield  
Museum  
of Art  

L to R, OPAS Members
who painted
at The Springfield Museum:
OPAS host Paul Reif,
Robert Davitian, Alice Seyfried, Fred Baughman,
Diana Hoke, Linnae Wilson,
Gary Chaconas and
Edy Martin.

Above: Diane Hoke
and Edy Martin painting.

January 6, 2008

Columbus 
Museum 
of Art

At 2:00 PM several members gathered in
a hallway for photos.
Back row left to right:
Hal Thorley, Robert Davitian, Debra Joyce Dawson,
J. Robert Reed, Alice Seyfried,
Dianne Capoccia, Gary Chaconas,
and Ellie DeRutigliano.
Front row left to right:
Sherpa or Artist in training - Nicholas (age 8), Chuck Harris, Lee Hanford, Cinda Motter,
& Ron Seifert.

Robert Davitian, Elaine Freeman & Sheila Riat working from the
American School Collection.
 

Gary Chaconas copied
a Robert Henri
 

J Robert Reed's cool
new easel. See it at
right all folded up!

January 12, 2008
 

    The energy level was high at the Columbus Museum paintout. The current museum exhibition, "In Monet's Garden, The Lure of Giverny", closes January 20 and is bringing in scores of art lovers. Security let early birds come in from the cold at 9:30AM even though access to the galleries was off limits until 10:00 AM. We used the time to chat, welcome new members, and talk about the choice of paintings some artists had decided to copy.
     At 10:00AM we dispersed to our preferred spots only to find that ten of the artists had decided to paint in the same room where the Impressionist paintings were hanging. In this room were five of the six Monet's owned by the Columbus Museum! All but one of these Monet's were copied by at least one of our artists. The quantity of artists and easels in this single room was slightly worrisome to the museum, and we were told we might have to thin out later in the afternoon if traffic got too thick.
    However, things worked out just fine. The crowds that had come to see the special exhibition were pleased to find artists working in the galleries. Our artists were courteous, and so were the crowds, who often stopped to talk or watch us painting.
    With most of us finishing up between 1:00 - 1:30 PM, we spread the word to meet at 2:00 PM in the hallway out side the "European Art" gallery for a "look see". Many who had painted in the low light of the gallery were surprised to see the results of their work. It was impressive to see the energetic brushwork in the Monet copies - you could see and feel the wind in those strokes of color, just as Monet did.
     Welcome to all of the new members who came out to take advantage of this event, and thanks to you old timers for welcoming the newbie's into the group with such enthusiasm.

23 OPAS members and guests attending this paintout were:
Jon Browning, Dianne Capoccia, Gary Chaconas, Robert Davitian, Debra Joyce & Martin Dawson, Ellie DeRutigliano, Elaine Freeman, Lee Hanford, Chuck Harris, Susi Havens-Bezaire, Cinda Motter - and her new Sherpa, Robert and his son, Nicholas, J. Robert Reed, Sheila Riat, Marge Rushka, Susan Schiering, Ron Seifert, Alice Seyfried, Rachel Stern, Bob Tanner and Hal Thorley. Thanks to the IPAPA member, who was in Columbus to see the Monet exhibition, for stopping by to say hello to our artists.

                                 
L to R :  Bob Tanner off to a great start! The most popular room for artists this year was the European Room with the Monet's. Elaine Freeman copied what was last year fondly called "The Wicked Witch of the West" the woman with the green face.

                            
L to R :  J. Robert Reed's underpainting, and next, his finished painting. Yes, that is the folded up easel. Lastly, Hal Thorley takes some photos. Lined up behind him are are OPAS' newest Sherpa, Robert, next to his financée Cinda Motter, then Chuck Harris, and Sherpa Martin Dawson. Below are some of the copies.

               

Bob Tanner writes:
    I had a great time.
    I painted Andre Deain's oil on canvas portrait of Maud Walter. It turned out ok. Andre's painting is about 12" x 16" and mine is 11" x 14".
    What I like about it is his use of color and planes of the face/head. It forces you to see the very loose and different colors as abstract shapes forming the subject.
    It was a very educational day. As soon as I got home I did a portrait, from a photo, of a friend of mine. Using the techniques I learned at the museum, helped me a lot.
    It is always fun to see and paint with art friends.

Sincerely, Bob Tanner
 

Cincinnati
Art
Museum

Monica
Achberger

Barb
Pask

Nancy Achberger
discussing her
excellent rendition of "Midnight Mass."


Barb Kuntz
from the
Cinci Art Club

January 19, 2008
 

"Cincinnati had a great turnout of artists from all around.
 . . . an especially nice copy was Nancy Augberger’s painting of the nighttime snow scene of Mt. Adams. I struggled with Duvanek’s 'Whistling Boy' – his grand strokes of genius . . . and Ray Hassard chose an all light value painting to challenge his use of the “quiet” pastels.
    At the end some of us met in the grand round hall to share our paintings. Mary Ann Davis suggested that each of us ID the artist copied, share just what drew each of us to the original and tell what goal was paramount in the copying process. This worked beautifully. Tom Powers did a lovely flock of sheep, his challenge.
    The Cincinnati Art Museum was very welcoming and constantly busy with visitors.
All in all, again a wonderful day!"
   - Martha Carmody

The paint-in was a great experience, and I learned so much! Thanks for your efforts.
   - Carrie Nixon 

OPAS welcomed a few well known Hoosier plein air artists!
L to R : Mary Ann Davis, Carol Strock Wasson, Virginia Kramer

Members of Cincinnati Art Club and Indiana Plein Air Painters were invited to paint along with OPAS members. Some of the members and guests who painted that day were: MaryAnn Davis (IN), Carol Strock Wasson (IN) Virginia Kramer (IN), Monica Achberger, Carol MacConnell, Alicia Rizzi, Alla Dorn, Gary Chaconas, Alice Seifried, Martha Carmody, Barb Chenault,  Matt Katz, Tom Powers, Carrie Nixon, Nancy Achberger, Laura Appleby (IN), Ray Hassard, Barbara Pash, Mary Jean Weber, Carol Abbott, Barbara Kuntz (KY), Carolyn Goshen, Lucinda Jones.

. . . and last, but never least, Ray Hassard.

Dayton
Institute
of Art

Click the photo
to enlarge
Edy Martin's
adorable copy.
 

Alice Seifried

January 26, 2008
 

Toledo
Museum
of Art

Above: Sherpas Lynn Golba and Mary Dziak.

OPAS Host
Julie Drager

Sherpa Lynn Golba
fixing Larry's
painting.

2 of the 9 artists
that painted.

Artists
in the Gallery

January 26, 2008