March 2006
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Merna Joan Watta and Diana Tatiana Leaf - March Artists of the Month During the month of March at the Firehouse Gallery, the Waimea Arts Council presents "All In One Harmony" a tandem show by "Ululani" Merna Joan Watta and Diana Tatiana Leaf. The reception for the artsist, friends and the public is scheduled for Saturday, March 18, 2006 from 3:00-5:00p.m. Watta's new and exciting "contemporary realism" Hawaiian themes are mostly in watercolor and pastel. Watta was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and attended Cass Technical High School where she majored in Commercial Art and Fashion Illustration. There she earned honors in the Scholastic Art Awards, including a Gold Key award. She was honored twice more with photos of her art in the Detroit NEws, the second time her accomplishments being the feature story in the Sunday Detroit News Magazine. After high school she attended two semesters at the Society of Arts and Crafts Detroit. Watta moved to the Big Island in 1993. She dedicates this show to honor her parents' memory, Elmer and Edna Wiedbusch as well as her two children Kim and Bernie III who have been a great support to her over the years and who presently live in San Antonio, Texas. Diana Tatiana Leaf's watercolor portraits depict her search for the thread of the oneness of peoples amidst a vast variety of different cultures, values, ideologies, and religions. Her paintings are a tribute to the sacredness of human beings. Born in California, Leaf has studied with private instructors in San Francisco, focusing on figurative painting. Leaf works as a registered nurse in the Family Birthing Unit in North Hawaii Community Hospital and has worked with women throughout the United States. She has lived, worked and traveled extensively throughout the Middle East, Africa and Europe. She has lived in Waimea for the past five years, enjoying the multicultural and multilayered environment. Along with her love for tending to mothers and babies and her painting, Leaf is a teacher and practitioner of the TARA Approach, a healing system to resolve physiological, neurological, emotional, psychological and spiritual impacts of shock and trauma. During this month long exhibition both artists will donate a portion of their sales to support Waimea Arts Council's community programs. Waimea Arts Center Mural You may have noticed the "Cherry Blossoms" theme mural on the sides of the Arts Center building that went up in January. We can all thank long-time member and supporter David Gomes for this work of art. David is also responsible for the cherry blossom "trees" that are hung on the west side of the gallery and on one of the doors. David has been active with the arts council and other community organizations, always lending a hand for minor construction projects. You've probably seen his work in the form of theatrical sets and backdrops over the years he designed and built for Kahilu Theater and Waimea Community Theater productions. Gallery Chair Jay West would like to see rotating murals on display on the building with Waimea themes such as paniolo, Aloha Festivals, and .. Let your thoughts be known about this sort of project. The Firehouse Gallery, a project of the Waimea Arts Council, is located in the old firehouse, the red building within the historic corner at the main stoplight and crossroads in Waimea. Scheduled gallery hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Waimea Arts Council is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts in North Hawai`i and is supported primarily by donations from its members. Membership is open to all artists and supporters of the arts. WAC's gallery telephone number is 887-1052.
President's Message March 2006 Congratulations to Mary Bea Morris for a lovely show! And, did you attend the Reception to just thoroughly enjoy the food prepared by her husband?! If not, you sure missed some yummy items. What a team they make! Working behind the scenes, ever so diligently, is our own reknown, Janice Gail for the Na'Opio Junior Juried Art Show for April. Thank her when you speak with her, please. Looking forward to this Month's Tandem Show, displaying works by Tatiana Leaf and Merna Joan Watta. The Board is investigating the best institution and device to bring us the capability of credit card purchases. Thank you, Julie McCue, for "Behind the Scenes" effort on this issue. Donations for the renovation of the Gallery continue to come in from various members: Every little and large amount helps! Thank you very much. Suggestions/ideas/questions are welcome, always. We'd like to keep open communications for all our members and address all concerns. Contact Sandra Woodford: sandlewood49@hotmail or (808)966-9215. Sandra Woodford, Co-President Judy Folk, Co-President
Na 'Opio and Recycle Art Shows During the month of April the Firehouse Gallery will showcase the talents of students from around the Big Island. WAC is sponsoring the 22nd Annual Juried Na 'Opio Junior Juried Art Show with Janice Gail serving as this year's committee chair. Plus, student winning entries from Recycle Hawaii's "Art of Recycling" island wide art competition will be on display in the main gallery. Mark your calendars for Saturday April 8th to attend the reception and encourage those young artists.
Cherry Blosson Festival: Success Big mahalo to the member artists that created art for the "Cherry Blossom Festival Art Show" in February. Artists showing pieces included: Merna Joan Watta, Denise Rani Ulrich, James Silva, Laurie Kay, Shirley Wilson, Marge Wald, Aelbert Aehegma, Yoshiko Kono, Jay West, Barbara Scheafer, Janice Gail, Clara Leachman, Ian Haight and Mary Bea Morris. Big thanks also to Merna Joan Watta and Suzanne Haight for doing a wonderful job of hanging the exhibition in the mini-gallery. This year the county provided a tent to WAC for artists to do demonstrations during the event. Dania Zemple, Jamie Lynn Gilmore, Margaret Hoy and Aelbert Aehegma shared with visitors their talents of egg carving, wheel thrown tea cups and painting. Jay West had been scheduled to demonstrate papermaking however was unable to attend due to a death in the family. The 13th Annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival was held Sat Feb 4. The Gallery had almost 200 visitors on that one day! The day started out wet and windy however sunshine prevailed most of the day. The Waimea Senior Softball team utilized the grassy space behind the gallery and set up their tent offering an ono menu of foods and cookies. This day was an excellent example of how best to utilize the Waimea Arts Center by actively participating in a community event.
Mixed Media Art Workshop Back by popular demand, Janice Gail has scheduled a workshop for beginning and intermediate artists working in oils, pastels and/or watercolors. It will be held at the Waimea Arts Center on Saturday March 11, from 9 am to 2 pm. Fees are $30 for WAC members and $35 for non-members. Attendees will need to bring their own supplies. Janice will provide a still-life, or you may bring photos to work from. Space is limited. Call Janice at 775-0466 to sign up.
Gallery Report -- January 2006 The Firehouse Gallery had 223 visitors during the 17.5 days it was open. For 3.5 days the gallery doors were closed from lack of docents. 158 Total Volunteer hours for the month of January. Volunteer of the Month - MERNA SMEETH Lookin' Out Our Front Door Jay West was one of the judges for Recycle Hawaii's "Art of Recycling" Island Wide School Competition. Clytie Mead's watercolors were on display in a group exhibition at Hilo's Wailoa Center during the month of February.
Mahalo Volunteers!!! Volunteers in January: Docents: Ann Guth, Cheryl Ans, Clara Leachman, Clytie Mead, Denise Ulrich, Jay West,Julie McCue, Kathy Peters, Laurie Kaye, Mary Bea Morris, Merna Watta, Miulan Luke, Myrna Smeeth, Sandra Woodford, Sarah Stoddard, Suzanne Haight, Wilsa Saue, Yoshiko Kono
Website Update: Kathy Lukens Work on Cherry Blossom Festival: Jay West, David Gomes, Don Morris, Anne Sheftic, Judy Folk, Barbara Scheafer Help with January Tropical Show: Myrna Smeeth, Lila Koi, Shari Ko, Cheryl Ans, Clara Leachman Artists seen and sold in January: Ann guth, Denise Ulrich, Henry Lyon, Ian Haight, Janice Gail, ,Judy Folk, JUlie McCue, Kazumi Koike, Laurie Kaye, Merna Jean Watta, Myrna Smeeth, Susan Grant, Suzanne Haight, Susie Cyzewski.
Gallery - Calendar 2006 November: Kaha Ki'i - Janice Gail, mixed December: Kaha Ki'i - Dania Zemple, carved: eggs, kukui nuts, glass 2007 *It's show time-A great opportunity for a member that has not had a show before! Please contact Jay West at 882-7520, artglass@gte.net.
WAC Newsletter Publisher: Editor: Contributors: This monthly newsletter is made possible totally by donations from Waimea Arts Council members. W.M. Keck Observatory donates the printing. Mahalo! We welcome any news you would like to share. Please submit your piece to: Jay West (882-7520); or artglass@gte.net, mail to the above address (Attn: Newsletter) or leave your contribution in the newsletter box in the office at least one week before the end of each month. Articles approved by Waimea Arts Council will be published in the next newsletter. Mahalo! |
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