The Palette www.hemetvalleyart.com
President’s Message
It occurs to me that this will be one of the last President’s Messages I get to write. I have been honored to serve this year; although my family issues have interfered, I’ve been blessed to have Lynn Throckmorton cover for me. She will be moving into the presidency next year and has had practice! She is ready, and I will be at her side as Vice-President. We are a team.
I am so pleased to see all we have accomplished this year. Long time board member Kathy Schmitt is to be commended for stepping up, once again, to be our secretary. We all appreciate how dedicated Anna Ives has been getting our books online and keeping our accounts in order. Our growing membership - thanks Lynn, this newsletter edited by Sheryl Cooley, the youth who have joined, the great Evening of Art event led by Beverly Johnson, our successful Open Art and Photography competitions organized by our gallery director, Art Majerus, and the success of the clay classes led by Patti Greco and Jose Pacheco as well as ongoing classes by Betty Pilley and Miyoko Whittelsey. Stepheny Estes has helped us with keeping our Board meetings on track, and has been our liaison with the Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to Tracy Anderson for stepping up to assist with Membership as well as organizing our great Hemet Sketchers group. We have had great demo artists arranged by Paula King, and have a new group of demonstrators I am putting in place for next year.
We are collaborating with the city in events such as Chalktober, the Cultural Ad Hoc Committee, and the HUSD with our student art panels and engagement in events like Digital Arts and the Art Palazzo at Tahquitz High School. We have started the ball rolling to establish an Art Collaborative with the different art associations in our area. All positive changes, to mention only a few.
With this growth and good news comes some old newsnot as positive. We still need more of our membership to step up. I have always been able to count on a handful of you to fill sitting times, volunteer for committees, attend classes, teach classes, rent panels and participate in COP competitions. With the size of our membership, it surprises me that it is still the same handful who are doing most of the work necessary to keep us moving forward.
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CALENDAR
Nov 18
Janice Cipriano Workshop, time to time
Capturing the Likeness in Watercolor
At gallery
Nov. 19
Orientation, 9:30 am-1:00 pm
At gallery
*Note change from normally scheduled meeting
Nov 25
Evening of Art Meeting, 1:00-2:30 pm
At gallery
Dec 2
Dec 4
Dec 7
Dec 9
Jan 8
Change of Painting (CoP) (contest art drop off) 9:00 am-Noon
Theme: Holiday Season
At gallery
Nov. Board Meeting, 1:00-3:00 pm
At gallery
*Note date change from Nov. due to the Thanksgiving holiday
Holiday Luncheon, 12:30 pm
Masonic Lodge, 150 Laursen St., Hemet Potluck, please bring a dish
Evening of Art Meeting, 1:00-2:30 pm
At gallery
Dec. Board Meeting, 1:00-3:00 pm
At gallery
*Note date change from Dec. due to the holidays
Dorland Artist Holds Watercolor Workshop at Gallery
Janice Cipriani-Willis held a watercolor workshop October 14th at the gallery, a result of requests generated earlier in the month when she was the guest demonstrator at our general meeting. The title of that presentation was, “Expressive Portraits in Watercolor.”
As mentioned in the October article on her, Janice says she finds inspiration in the people and landscapes around her and works to express the subtle and often obscure beauty she finds in the faces and places she has seen. She sees the pieces of light that play over forms as a mosaic.
The workshop in our studio was put together so quickly that it didn’t even have a name. But there, Janice delved into the palettes of color she used to paint dark-skinned people. She offered several color palettes for participants, from warmer palettes to cooler ones. She talked about mood and emotion, of how a portrait should tell a story.
For the most part, the workshop painters used their own watercolor styles to paint a sketch they had made from a copy of a piece provided by Janice. In terms of technique, the instructor offered suggestions as she moved about her students, including advice about leaving white space in the painting, and demonstrated how to paint with the side of a brush.
Janice Cipriani-Willis is a Signature member of the National Watercolor Society and of Watercolor West and is Executive Director at Dorland Mountain Arts, a residential artists colony in Temecula.
A second workshop is slated for November 18th.
President’s Message - con’t.
Do you have a skill you can share with the gallery? Are you good at organization? Do you have a background in finance which can be shared? Dr. Bob is an example of a person who says he enjoys maintaining the building. Anna, always in her little office working on our books, keeps records straight. Art has a lifetime of working with sales and has helped in so many capacities.
Personally, I am a retired teacher. Now my granddaughter and I are teaching a Children’s Painting and Drawing class two Saturdays a month. It is what I can do to promote art in our community. What can you do to help? There is so much talent and so many skills among you that I know you can share.
I know we are all looking forward to the December potluck and awards luncheon. As usual, we will be sharing great food, meeting your new board and visiting with friends. Feel free to invite your family and/or friends to celebrate with us. So looking forward to seeing all of you as we change our board and head toward a successful new year.
Alison Wieman
HVAA Members Build Dia de los Muertos Ofrenda In Front Window of Gallery
Honoring a Community Tradition
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is generally celebrated in the U.S. the first two days of November, primarily by the citizens of Mexico and their descendants.
Many scholars believe the roots of the celebration lie with the Aztecs (a group of ancient, indigenous tribes) that, among the various cultures, made altars in remembrance of and in respect for the dead and for death itself and held various cultural events that involved feasting, dancing, wearing ornate clothing, cutting a symbolic tree, and/or making human sacrifices.
After the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century, conquering the Aztecs and declaring the land “New Spain,” they worked to Christianize the indigenous peoples, seeking to eliminate some rituals and meshing others with the Catholic celebrations.
Today, Dia de los Muertos is a celebration, often with humorous overtones, that includes remembering amusing events and anecdotes about the departed. Many Mexicans and those of Mexican heritage build altars, known as ofrendas, creating a “stairway to the afterlife” and decorating them with marigolds, fruits, breads, sugar skulls, Catrina dolls, and photographs of relatives who have passed on.
As part of HVAA’s Cultural Moments Program, members built an ofrenda (altar) in honor of the Mexican and some Latin Americans’ cultural ritual of remembering their dead in an annual celebration called Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
The display helps to bring front and center the rich cultural heritage of Hemet’s Latinx community. According to California’s Healthy Places Index (HPI), nearly 60% of Hemet’s population is Hispanic; of that, 97% are of Mexican heritage. (healthyplacesindex.org/)
Right: In a separate workshop, HVAA members made Catrina dolls for the altar
October’s Featured Artists Host Open House October 19th
Beverly Johnson, Just Now Crafting Her Art
The word Artist is a fairly new word in my life. According to the dictionary it means, “a person who practices any of the various creative arts.” That word “practices” makes me feel a bit better. I never imagined that it would be used in connection with me!
My entry to this amazing community of artists was purely accidental. I was introduced to a group of women who met to learn to paint by my friend Lynn Throckmorton. This art group’s leader was Laura Ryan, a talented professional artist.
This group participated in a local craft fair in the fall of 2021. Lynn suggested that I sell my succulent arrangements. During this event my interactions with Laura were pivotal in changing my perspective about painting. Laura critiqued my pieces from an artist’s view. She pointed out that when one is creative, those skills are easily transferred to other mediums. This idea opened me up to a new thought process about art.
I became aware of the Hemet Valley Art Association when Lynn asked if I wanted to donate a few of my succulent arrangements for their Christmas party. I was then gifted a membership as well as invited to join Laura’s art group.
I attended my first HVAA meeting and was so inspired by the artist demonstration. What a privilege to watch a creation develop before my eyes. I love attending these meetings; they’re like going to art school!
I have always felt that I had creative ideas but had no way to express them. By being exposed to various art forms I began to experiment for fun! What a journey! I am enjoying the organic forms of alcohol painting as well as acrylic pouring. I am free to choose various colors then apply them to the various forms and then let the art form.
I see myself as a true beginner student with a long, interesting journey to traverse. I have begun to combine my love of plant arrangements with the painting of their containers. I recently started taking photographs and enjoy this journey also.
I am humbled and grateful for the artist members of the HVAA who have welcomed and encouraged me through my journey. They make me feel welcome as a part of this art community.
Visitors filled the gallery the night of the open house, talking and perusing the art of our talented members. You should have seen the studio; it never looked so good. And the foodwhat a spread!
Linda
“Vivian” Baranek, Painting With Her Mother
Linda, who as an artist goes by Vivian, grew up in rural upstate New York only a few miles from Grandma Moses, a well known American folk artist. She still remembers meeting her as a small child. Linda’s mother painted in oils, and she often painted alongside her. With no formal training, Linda has developed her own primitive art style using mixed media. Most of her paintings are from childhood memories.
She is also an accomplished basket weaver. While in 6th grade, she attended a little two-room school where her teacher taught English, history, and crafts. In craft class she taught the art of basket weaving. Linda made her first basket there and has been making them now for over 70 years. All baskets are constructed of rafia reed and rafia harvested in Madagascar, the only place in the world where rafia trees grow. A large basket takes 40-80 hours to weave, depending on reed size.
Both her paintings of small country fairs and winter scenes and her baskets have won numerous awards and have been shown in galleries in New England, Arizona, New Mexico and California.
Open House - con’t.
What a Great Time - Chalk It Up to Chalktober Fest!
Billed as a fun event full of art and creativity, the second annual Chalktober Art Festival got under way the morning of October 26th, bringing with it a lively street fair featuring live music, vendor tents, good food, pumpkin decorating, face painting and, of course, chalk drawing on the pavement. This year the fair was held on Harvard Street north of Latham, behind the library.
HVAA had a booth there, too, of course, not as a vendor but as one of the organizations providing the fun. Art Majerus, Mike Yaeger and Earl McNeese set up and tore down a popup tent for use as a booth. Art by our members hung in the booth, including pieces by junior members. Meanwhile, junior members Opal Larkin and Zallah Hobson participated in the sidewalk chalk competition.
A number of HVAA members and friends helped make the day a success. They included Tracy Anderson, Peggy Cooper, Stepheny Estes, Esther Feigenbaum, Diane Klewenhagen, Vicki Moran, Michael Olguin, Maddie Alcauter and Steven Packard. In addition, the Hemet Unified School District provided student volunteers to help with the craft tables.
One special note: Those working the booth gave out lunch bags of art supplies to the smaller fry at the festival. HVAA member Kevin Robbins, a framer at Hobby Lobby, and HVAA Vice President Lynn Throckmorton donated the supplies.
The event was sponsored by the City of Hemet.
Historic Hemet Theatre to Hold Annual Fundraiser
One of the positive steps forward Hemet Valley Art Association has made this year is to join hands with other art nonprofits in the community. When we support other creative and performing arts organizations, they support our gallery. Below is the flyer for the Historic Hemet Theatre’s upcoming annual fundraiser. Please consider supporting this event. Patricia Yepremian is on the board of the theatre, and she’s a member of our gallery. As our community creates a center for creative and performing arts, Hemet Valley Art Association will be part of that creative process.
Officers, Board Members, Appointed Positions
OFFICERS
President
V. President/PR, Communications Secretary
Treasurer
Parliamentarian
Gallery Director
Alison Wieman alison_wieman@yahoo.com
Lynn Throckmorton throckhemet@earthlink.net
Kathy Schmitt kds5@verizon.net
Anna Ives annaives898@hotmail.com
Stepheny Estes
secondglancescustomportraits@gmail.com
Art Majerus sawdustman@mac.com
BOARD MEMBERS
Jenny Gagnon
Patti Greco
Diane Klewenhagen
Membership
Orientation
(Gen.) Mtg.
Social Media
Newsletter
jennymonique@verizon.net paintedlady207@gmail.com dianescritters@icloud.com
APPOINTED POSITIONS
Tracy Anderson tandyart@yahoo.com
Esther Feigenbaum feigenbaum.esther@yahoo.com
Connie Patton cpdraw@hotmail.com
Jose Pacheco eye.eatclayart@gmail.com
Sheryl Cooley cooleybates@sbcglobal.net
Photographer/Historian
Activities
Social
School Liaison/Scholarships
Web Master
Sitting Calendar
Evening of Art
Grants & Fundraising
Facilities
Julie Jernegan jcustomphotos@gmail.com
Patti Greco (Studio) paintedlady207@gmail.com
Sharon Zorn-Katz sharonzornkatz@gmail.com
Alison Wieman (Liaison) alison_wieman@yahoo.com
Jenny Gagnon (Scholarships) jennymonique@verizon.net
Art Majerus sawdustman@mac.com
Diane Klewenhagen dianescritters@icloud.com
Lizeth Benitez
lizethbenitez@gmail.com
Alison Wieman (Grants) alison_wieman@yahoo.com
Linda Baranek (Fundraising) linvivb1@gmail.com
Bob Straubinger bobstraubinger@msn.com
Holiday Hours
Thanksgiving
Closed Thanksgiving Day
Open the day before and the day after
Winter Holidays
Closed Dec. 24, 25, 26
New Year’s Eve
Open 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
New Year’s Day Closed
November Demonstrator Daniel Santos Talks About Portraiture
At the November 2nd General Meeting, Daniel Santos demonstrated the fundamentals of portraiture. “Thinking as a painter requires a working knowledge of the underlying structural forms, as this information provides context for the smaller detailed features of the face. One of the best way to improve your skills is to draw the model from live observation as this will sharpen your perceptions and rendering skills.” At the meeting, however, he drew from a photograph.
S a v e t h e D a t e!
Evening of Art March 22, 2025
Looking for volunteers and vendors. Reach out to Lizeth Benitez 562-394-5551 text/call. Vision and Design team, Food and Hospitality, Logistics and Setup.
November’s Featured Artist - Patti Greco
In third grade, a picture of a girl that I drew was entered in the school art show. I was an artist! It was the beginning of my search into the beauty of the human face…a path that led me into the joys of pastel portraits, mostly children, and sculpture,mostly faces, as well as photography.
In business for 37 years with my husband, we sold crystals and pewter sculptures in the biggest state fairs all over the USA…Wisconsin,Minnesota, Ohio,Texas,Montana, Louisiana, Oklahoma,..plus L.A., Del Mar and Miami county fairs. They were great places to enjoy the beautiful faces of America, and plenty of time during the winter to pursue art.
Which I did, starting in Key West, at Florida State, with my first class in Clay Sculpture, followed in successive years with ceramics, life drawing, wheel throwing, Raku firing, more sculpture and much loved classes in glass fusing. Relocating in 2022 to California, in search of a new home, I chose Hemet after reading all I could find about our gallery and the association of artists here. I wanted to experience that, to Be An Artist… and here I am.
These days I am leaning towards the larger view to our community and the joys of teaching clay arts to all ages and levels of ability. For over a year I have paired my teaching projects with fellow sculptor and clay fanatic, Jose Pacheco. We have developed children, teen and adult clay classes in our gallery classroom and ventured into putting clay in the hands of the physically and mentally challenged who participate in programs by home school groups, with whom we are very thrilled to work.
As artists, we need to realize the joys of sharing our personal and collective skills with all those in our “Spheres of Influence” - Our gallery, our association with other artist influencers and our very necessary students. Therein lies our legacy. We are caretakers and givers of our skills… those given by God, those achieved and then those skills lovingly and daily handed on.
JANICE CIPRIANI -WILLIS Watercolor Workshop
Monday, November 18, 2024 ~ 10-2 pm
Hemet Valley Art Association Gallery 144 N. Harvard St, Hemet, CA; 951-652-4592; Fee: $45
We’ll have a quick review of dark skin color, explore light skin color, and then you may use your own reference to paint a portrait.
More info to be emailed to you!
Janice Cipriani-Willis is an accomplished watercolorist who lives and works at Dorland Mountain Arts in Temecula.
A signature member of National Watercolor Society and Watercolor West, Janice’s current work has been inspired by watching people from all walks of life in situations that engender a range of human emotions.
At the Gallery
From the Gallery Director
By the time you read this we will already know the winners of the 2024 Change of Painting points contest, and I will have taken over the last part of the contest from Earl McNeese. I appreciated the fact that he continued to do the work after he resigned as Director, and I know he will still be around to help hang.
As we look forward to 2025, I will be making some minor changes to the contest, mainly in briefing the judges to pay closer attention to what is submitted in the Special category so that entries actually reflect that month’s theme.
I have published a written set of guidelines for everybody, one for fine art and a more comprehensive one for photography which by its very design has more variables. I will be distributing copies for all.
Everyone is reminded to contact me directly if you need a rental or have problems/questions about the gallery.
Art Majerus
2025 Member Competition Themes
The mission of the HVAA is to encourage and develop the appreciation, study and practice of the fine arts and to further educate, inspire, and enrich the lives of others through our programs, exhibits and activities.
Classes
Advanced Watercolor Painting
Instructor: Betty Pilley
Class Full—Waiting List at Gallery
Mixed Media/Watercolor
Instructor: Miyoko Whittelsey
1st & 3rd Thursdays, 10:00 am-12:30 pm
$25 per class
Drawing
Instructor: Miyoko Whittelsey
2nd & 4th Thursdays, 10:00 am-12:30 pm
$20 per class
Hemet Sketchers
Instructor: Tracy Anderson Tuesdays, 10:00 am-12:00 pm, Locations vary Contact Tracy for details - tandyart@yahoo.com Free
Children’s Clay Class: Ages 8-12
Instructors: Patti Greco and Jose Pacheco Saturdays*, 1:00-3:00 pm
$10 per class
(All supplies provided, including clay)
Children’s Draw and Paint Class
Instructor: Alison Wieman
3rd & 4th Saturdays of the month, 10:00 am-Noon
$10 per class
(All supplies provided)
*No afternoon class the first Saturday of each month, as that’s the day of the general meeting, and the gallery is closed in the afternoon.
From the Membership Director
As of October 30th, we have 153 members. I’d like to welcome our three new members for the month of October.
Thank you to our Platinum Life and our Bronze Members. We appreciate your support!
Orientation is scheduled for the second Tuesday of even numbered months. Contact Esther Feigenbaum at (951) 306-9411 for information regarding orientation.
Tracy Anderson
Hemet Sketchers Get Around!
The Hemet Sketchers have been to some really great places recently. We went to the Western Science Center where we sketched dinosaurs, we sketched the interior of the Historic Hemet Theater and we enjoyed Cagliero Ranch Nursery so much the first time that we went back there again. On October 22nd, we will be going to the Ryan Air Attack Base Fire Department (We will have already gone here by the time the newsletter goes to publication).
It’s not too late to join us, come check us out at any time. We meet on Tuesdays from 10:00-12:00 a.m. Our locations vary so be sure to contact me to find out where we will be next: tandyart@yahoo.com or (619) 890-8126.
Tracy Anderson
November Member Competition Winners
Best in Show Fine Art
FINE ART WINNERS
Special Theme (Toys as a Child)
1st Alison Wieman, “A Boy and His Doll” 2nd Steve Wilkinson, “Vintage Toys”
3rd Beverly Squire, “Got No Strings”
Steven Packard “Oasis Triptych”
HM Sherri Domenigoni, “Joy of a Magnet Toy” Water Media
1st Betty Pilley, “A Place to Call Home” 2nd Miyoko Whittelsey, “Another Year Again” 3rd Diane Klewenhagen, “Lake View”
HM Opal Larkin, “Winter” Acrylic/Oil
1st Steven Packard, “Root and Leaf” 2nd Rachel Welch, “Morning Light” 3rd Cathy Woolery, “Rose”
HM Beverly Squire, “The Sea Farer” Mixed Media
1st Julie Jernegan, “Seaport Village” 2nd Cathy Woolery, “Reachin’ the Beach” 3rd Mike Yeager, “Serenity of 3 Widows” HM Lynn Throckmorton, “Taylor Swift Tribute” Miniatures
1st Steven Packard, “Weave Series #9” 2nd Betty Pilley, “Mini Still Life” 3rd Cathy Wollery, “Cathedral”
HM Alison Wieman, “Waiting” Modernism
1st Cathy Woolery, “Ode to Picasso” 2nd Steve Wilkinson, “Plucking the Strings” 3rd Lynn Throckmorton, “Sea Foam”
HM Alison Wieman, “My Baby” Pastel/Drawing
1st Kathy Schmitt, “The Creek in Whitewater”
2nd Steve Wilkinson, “Homeless Man and His Dog”
3rd Vicki Moran, “Two Fountains” 4th Rachel Welch, “Simon”
Best in Show Photography
PHOTOGRAPHY WINNERS
Special Theme (Toys as a Child)
1st Earl McNeese, “Boy Toy”
2nd Art Majerus, “Bear Time”
3rd Sherri Domenigoni, “Gumby & Pokey”
HM Even Stone, “Discarded” Anytime/Anyplace
1st Earl McNeese, “Irish Countryside” 2nd Art Majerus, “Sunlit Arch”
Maria Serrano “Lined Up”
3rd Luz Casareo Obmina, “Barrio Bitasy, Majay Jay, Laguna”
HM Lynn Throckmorton, “So Many Are Waiting” Living Things
1st Art Majerus, “Same to You”
2nd Maria Serrano, “Devotion”
3rd Earl McNeese, “Wedding Bouquet”
HM Sherri Domenigoni, “Autumn Rose”
Black & White
1st Earl McNeese, “Old Door”
2nd Art Majerus, “Pom Poms”
3rd Sherri Domenigoni, “Heart Rock in Alabama Hills”
HM Sheryl Cooley, “Oasis” Digitally Altered
1st Earl McNeese, “Downtown”
2nd Art Majerus, “Tree Explosion”
3rd Sherri Domenigoni, “Running Roadrunner”
HM Chris Taylor, “Reflections”
Monthly Contest Themes
December - Holiday Season
HEMET CONCERT ASSOCIATION
P.O. BOX 2241
HEMET, CA 92544
WWW.HEMETCONCERTS.ORG
951-927-2449
Hemet Valley Art Association
A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization
Address: Phone:
Hours: Website: 144 N. Harvard St., Hemet, CA 92543 951-652-4592
Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am-4 pm www.hemetvalleyart.com
Platinum life Members
Teddie Oatey
Chuck Schoenknecht
Rose Thomas
James Watters
Kathy Schmitt
Lynn & Bob Throckmorton
Sue Jordan & Keith Johnson
Guy Salts
Sheryl Cooley
Bronze Members
Jimmy DePasse
Richie Locasso
Please Note
You must be a member to display your art in the gallery, and it must be art that you personally created. The Gallery Director manages the rental of panels/ pedestals/cases. To exhibit your art, you must work through him.
Non-Discrimination, Diversity, Inclusiveness
All people are recognized as unique individuals, and HVAA welcomes the variety of experiences they bring to the Hemet Valley Art Association (HVAA). As such, HVAA requires members and outside instructors and contractors to treat equally all members, class participants, students, visitors, and others who participate in the life of the organization without regard to race, ethnicity, sex, gender identification, sexual orientation, native language, religion, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law. HVAA strives toward diversity and inclusiveness within and without the organization, recognizing and supporting those who are under-represented in our community and beyond.