MEETINGS 2026 - 2027
We meet on the third THURSDAY of the month, September through May.
Our January and February meetings are via Zoom. Non-members may attend Zoom meeting by sending us an email.
Our new location: Manchester Church of Christ, Fellowship Hall, 595 Tolland Turnpike, Manchester, CT.
Please check the home page for notice of any cancellation.
Any member entering artwork (one piece) in the Art of the Month competition should register between 6:45 pm. For more information, click here.
September 17
Tessa Storm Jacques
botanical painting
Follow natural science illustrator Tessa Storm Jacques down the rabbit hole of botanical illustration! Tessa will guide us through the process of choosing a specimen, composition and sketching, painting prep, and the joys of color with acrylic inks. A well of artistic knowledge, Tessa is passionate about answering your questions and sharing all she knows! She is a classically trained illustrator, driven by her deep love of our planet and all its natural wonders. When painting, she 'sees' deeper into her subjects than their visual appearance, and strives to capture the vision within her mind's eye. It is her hope that her work will inspire others to stop and take in the world around them, noticing nuances we often overlook, and appreciate the wonders around us.
October 15
Amanda Surveski
wildlife in watercolor
Amanda is a Connecticut based artist with a BFA in illustration, minor in scientific illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She works full-time as an artist, creating pieces focused on the beauty and fragility of nature generally featuring native New England flora and fauna. She spent time working in wildlife rehab where she got to be up-close with many native species of birds and raptors as well as small mammals. Recently Amanda started working as a naturalist for the Holland America Line cruises in Alaska. She has traveled extensively through SE Alaska educating passengers on local wildlife, hosting wildlife sightings and offering presentations and programming about Alaskan wildlife to guests. Amanda is a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, Lyme Arts Association, Colored Pencil Society of America, Makers with Moxie and The Nutmeg Collective.
November 19
Carol Ganick
hand painted paper for collaging
Carol, a teacher at the West Hartford Art League for more than three decades, will demonstrate the use of watercolor paint to create collage images made with hand painted tissue paper. Carol teaches traditional and non-traditional approaches to watercolor painting, with special interest in building technique skills with beginning and intermediate level students. Though clearly having a passion for watercolor, she works in various mediums including oils, acrylic, mixed media and collage. Carol is a three time award winner at the Connecticut Watercolor Society. A graduate of Boston University, Carol worked for the state of Connecticut as a Human Resources Specialist for almost 30 years before retiring and devoting herself to creating art and teaching at the West Hartford Art League.
December 17
Holiday Party for MAA members & their guests only
TBA
January 21
via Zoom
Loren Fisher
photography -
light painted objects
Loren has been working as a professional photographer since 1978. He started as a staff photographer and photographed for seven newspapers in Indiana, Ohio and New Jersey. He also worked for USA Today as a photographer, photo editor and graphics editor. He was Managing Editor/Digital for two N.J. Gannett newspapers, the Home News Tribune and Courier News and oversaw the combined website. He has photographed subjects as diverse the Olympics in Seoul, Korea, eagles in Alaska, transporting horses in a 747 from Germany, the 106 covered bridges of Vermont, in the dressing room with the Rockettes and backstage with Bruce Springsteen. Loren has published three books and displays his work at his gallery in Woodstock, VT.
February 18
via Zoom
Jeanne Rosier Smith
pastel of winter scene
When the landscape turns ‘white’ and grey with snow in winter, landscape painting poses different challenges for painters. In this painting demo, Jeanne will share her approach to finding the subtle beauty and excitement in the winter landscape. She’ll show how she ‘reads’ the landscape looking for warmth and color, and the good bone structure of the painting, and how to see the true colors in all that white. Jeanne grew up painting and, after earning a PhD in English, switched gears and began her full-time art career at age 35 when she began painting in pastel and fell in love with the medium. She is a Master Artist with the Pastel Society of America, a fellow at the St. Botolph Club of Boston, a Copley Society Master Artist, an IAPS Eminent pastelist, and member of many other art societies. She has won numerous exhibition awards. Jeanne also offers subscription video lessons with targeted subjects to beginners through experienced pastelists.
March 18
Lori Neuman
painting with felt
In the demo, Lori will go over types of fiber and base materials used for fiber painting. She will demonstrate how to choose a good image/reference, how to transfer it onto the wool backing to create the pattern and what tools and methods are used to create wool paintings whether wet felted, needle felted or a combination of both. She will show the progress from blocking in the dark values, adding mid and light tones, wool blending & layering to create specific effects. She will also discuss the options for framing and display as well. Lori comes to art from living on a farm in CT with a variety of animals including angora goats, Lincoln sheep, Hackney ponies, a donkey, a pot belly pig, chickens, cats, dogs, a dove and some fish. The gardens are overgrown with plants handed down from those before her and those she has collected over the many years. Animals and plants have inspired her artwork since she can remember! Lori has a vision to share the making of art with others, proving that everyone is an artist: we all have the ability to express ourselves in a unique way. Lori enjoys sharing creativity with others!
April 15
Lynette Goric
oil/acrylic
For many years, Lynette has found inspiration for her paintings in the natural beauty of Martha’s Vineyard. “I try to capture the ocean’s many moods, the magnificent sunsets, and the rural charm that is so abundant on the Vineyard.” Her paintings combine impressionism and tonalism to create a mood, bringing the viewer into their depth with emotion and serenity. Oceanscapes and dramatic skies capture the essence of Martha’s Vineyard where Lynette has painted for many years.
May 20
Annual Member Meeting
Demo/critique with Chris Ivers
Chris attained a BFA in painting and two dimensional design from Hartford Art School and worked in the advertising field for 40 years. After raising a family, Chris returned to her passion and works in pastels and oils. She has won numerous awards and is the Past-President of the CT Pastel Society where she also holds Signature Artist Membership. Chris is also a Master Pastelist of the Pastel Society of America, and is an Elected Artist Member at Lyme Art Association, Allied Artists of America, Audubon Artists, and Academic Artists of America. She was inducted into the IAPS Eminent Pastelists in 2022. She is a former member of the PSA Board of Governors and former Vice President of IAPS. Chris and her husband David live in Central Connecticut.
