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By Kaari Kuusisto Photos by Joey Halvorson
Tuesday rtis ts
The Lake Edward Town Hall may be used for various reasons every day of the week. On Tuesdays, that reason is watercolor painting. Four women arrive, vehicles filled with art supplies. Once the doors open, lights go on, the blinds are pulled back, and easels, pallets, paints and brushes are placed on long tables. With white walls, excellent overhead lighting and big windows, it’s a painters’ dream workspace. But, what’s best about it is what happens for the four painters who create together — these Tuesday Artists.
Tuesdays begin with show and tell — what they’re working on, how things are going and if they need advice. Speaking ceases as each begins their own process. Sometimes it’s beginning a painting from photo files, sometimes it’s making drawings to explore composition issues before finally stretching paper on boards and beginning to paint. During the day, artwork is put up for instant critiques. This act of “putting yourself out there” might lead to feelings of apprehension in other settings, but not here. Because each wants the others to succeed, they grow together as artists, producing artwork that improves with each painting. This inspiring alchemy doesn’t happen every day or within just any group. On Tuesdays at Lake Edward Town Hall, there is sharing, challenging, encouraging and reminding each other “it’s only a piece of paper.” Mona Warren has a degree in elementary education, beginning with graphite drawings in Saudi Arabia: “I paint with watercolors to create a visual story by pulling together threads of ideas from different photographs I have taken. The mood of my paintings is like music with rich, strong colors and the movement of light.” Mary Hendricks studied fine arts in college, worked in oil painting and pastels and is a photographer. “I am drawn to moments when light dances across a stream, softens patches of leaves or highlights a single stem. These moments, captured in landscape or details of nature are central in my work. I delight in the transparency and drama that can be achieved in pigment.” Carol Hanson comes from a background of fiber art, wanting to broaden her experience with watercolor. “I started this journey pumping away on Mother’s treadle sewing machine making doll clothes. I now realize that I came to love the artistic process, not
Mona Warren Mona Warren
Winter 2013 | her voice
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