PAST EVENTS
Saturday, April 26, 2025
MAA 75th Anniversary Celebration
Th evening was an all-around success thanks to the thoughtful planning by the team of past presidents and the unrelenting hard work of those members who made the event run smoothly. The history of MAA was entertainingly shared through a slideshow prepared by Chris Larson and Carolyn Gimbrone. Our Emcee was new member Shawn Von Briesen, who injected energy and humor into his commentary all night. The house was full, about 80 people, the home-cooked meal tasty, and the atmosphere buoyant. Members and their guests contributed generously to the fundraising aspect of the evening, buying many hundreds of raffle tickets to boost the scholarship fund. Attendees also enjoyed the exhibit of Grace Tedford’s and Judy Burnham’s paintings, purchasing a majority of the framed pieces. It’s fair to say, “A good time was had by all!”
Saturday, March 29, 2025, 9 am - 4 pm
Drawing Portraits and Faces Workshop with Eliza Moser
In this one-day workshop, we learned the secrets to drawing portraits & faces. This workshop walked us through the process of drawing faces from start to finish working from a photo. We began by learning how to map out proportions and face-type to capture the likeness of your subject; we studied the planes of the face as we explored form and shading; finally, we gained an introduction to facial anatomy to gain some insight into the structure of the human face and features. The afternoon was devoted to working on your own drawing with adding the layers and all the finishing touches.
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 9:30 am - 4 pm
Laura Kinlock Pastel Workshop
Finding the Light in Your Pastel Painting. In this one day pastel workshop, participants learned how to make the best use of the light in their paintings to help make them more dramatic. We also talked about adding light when your reference photo was taken on a cloudy day. We discussed how the light looks very different at different times of the day, as well as near light vs far, diffused light. She kindly shared the finished painting, shown.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024, 10 AM - 4 PM
Pastel Pet Workshop with Karen Israel
In this workshop, participants discovered how to create a dynamic, painterly pet or animal portrait in pastel. They learned pastel under-painting techniques for establishing clear values, evaluating color relationships, and harnessing the power of strong designing order to create interesting textures. The class concluded with an encouraging group critique. Click on the slideshow to see larger images from the workshop.
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Member Meeting
Our own Laura Kinlock graciously filled in for our scheduled demo artist. Here is her finished piece from the demo!
Wednesday, October 16, 2024, 10 AM - 4 PM
Expressive Watercolor Workshop with Lisa Miceli
With instructor Lisa Miceli, we explored expressive approaches to painting skies, clouds, land and seascapes by creating paintings with atmosphere and energy without focusing on too much detail. Learning expressive watercolor allows for loose paintings that convey your unique vision as a painter, and helps you develop the freedom and spontaneity to produce atmospheric, vibrant paintings.Through instructor demonstrations, practice and individual instruction students learned how to move beyond the photo reference, understand the pigment to water ratio as you progressed through your painting, and how this relates to the tonal values in your composition.
20th Annual Members' Art Exhibit Reception & Awards Ceremony at South Windsor Public Library
Sunday, October 6, 2024, 2 - 4 PM
See the list of winners here.
Friday, August 9, 2024
The Ekphrastic Poetry Project Reception
The latest exhibit at Manchester Town Hall is a collaboration between MAA members and the Wit & Wisdom Poetry Club.
A Reception with poetry readings was held Friday, August 9, 2024 at 5 PM. The public was cordially invited for art, poetry readings and light refreshments.
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Member Meeting
MAA member Jerry Madara kindly filled in at the last minute for our scheduled demonstrator. Here is the finished piece he began on at the meeting. Fabulous!!! And thank you again, Jerry!
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Abstract Art - Abstracting your Photos
with Polly Castor
In the morning of this one-day workshop we abstracted things, and in the afternoon we abstracted the landscape. This class included Powerpoint lectures, two chunks of painting time by participants, and an empowering critique and discussion of students' work.
Polly Castor is a lifelong artist. Her passion is working within the full range of abstraction, from impressionism to non-objective art, with particular emphasis on abstract conceptualism, depicting specific Ideas, feelings, and actions.
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Abstract Art - Expressionism & Conceptualism
with Polly Castor
Polly's class was a natural, sequential follow-up to her Intro to Abstract Art Class given last Spring, but was for anyone, regardless of whether you took that Part 1 class or not.
Polly Castor is a lifelong artist. Her passion is working within the full range of abstraction, from impressionism to non-objective art, with particular emphasis on abstract conceptualism, depicting specific Ideas, feelings, and actions.
Emilie Beckwith shared about the workshop, "It was about expressing your feelings, and feelings about a word. We were challenged, but had fun trying Polly's exercises."
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Acrylic Landscape Painting Workshop with Scott Rhoades
Scott Rhoades discussed and demonstrated the elements involved in a landscape painting with acrylics. Reference photos were provided or individuals brought a photo of a desired barn. Our paintings included a sky, mountains fields and trees, stone walls and close-up nature.
After completing a 35-year career as an art teacher in Coventry in 2010, Scott built an art studio in his backyard to focus on painting. His paintings have been sold throughout the United States and countries worldwide. He has won numerous art awards, and his paintings have appeared in national and international publications.
Images of artwork by Scott and workshop participants. Emilie Beckwith wrote, "Everyone had fun and learned something."
Wednesday, November 8, 2023,
Watercolor Workshop with Joe Burger
Participants worked on a city street scene using various techniques. A full size sample photo and/or value sketch was provided as a guide. Our goal was to finish with correct shapes, a nice range of tones, and a realistic (but slightly impressionistic) style painting, with appropriate shadows and reflections.
After Joe retired from an engineering career in 2009, he began to study art. He learned through adult education classes and then through private lessons and workshops. He has won numerous awards in local exhibits and is an active member of several art organizations. He has conducted workshops on understanding perspective, reflections, shadows, and the like, to help other artists on the road to better paintings.
Joe Berger's demo painting, almost completed
Joe Berger's finished demo painting.
Joe Berger's demo painting, almost completed
Thursday,
October 19, 2023
Member meeting
Our guest artist, Joe Burger, showed us how to paint a beautiful winter scene. Here are the almost completed and finished paintings. Thank you Joe!
Sunday, October 8, 2023, 2 - 4 PM
Reception & Awards Ceremony
19th Annual Members' Art Exhibit
South Windsor Public Library
The Exhibit was judged by Susan Bosworth, with ribbons awarded in each medium category.
“The Globe” Acrylic by Dan Nichols
Judge Susan Bosworth comments on Best In Show winner, Dan Nichols' "The Globe."
The yummies just kept coming!
“The Globe” Acrylic by Dan Nichols
Wednesday,
October 4, 2023
Workshop with Karen Israel
This workshop was for all levels. Karen discussed the following topics as they related to the individual student's reference photo: proportion and perspective, color temperature and its value as it pertains to the quality of the light, and design and composition.
Karen Israel’s pastel paintings are defined by their dynamic compositions and unique viewpoints. She has won numerous awards and honors. Karen conducts many teaching demonstrations and workshops throughout the United States and she has served as juror for many national competitions.
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Member meeting
Our first meeting of the year featured pastel artist and instructor Karen Israel. Karen demonstrated how to put figures in a landscape.
Here is the beautiful finished piece that Karen was so kind to send us!
Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 10 am - 3 pm
Inks Workshop with Sharon Quaglia
This class gave students the opportunity to explore, play and learn about the properties,
advantages and limitations of alcohol inks. Using a variety of mark-making tools, they practiced controlling the medium to create lovely backgrounds, landscape elements, and flowers using different techniques. Participants came away with finished paintings, works in progress, artist trading cards and a working knowledge of alcohol inks.
Saturday, April 22, 2023
Impressions: Scholarship Art Sale
UUSE Meetinghouse, Manchester, CT
Glimpses of MAA’s Fundraiser Gala
Judy Burnham, Sue Masse and Carolyn Emerson plan raffle ticket and painting sales for “Impressions.”
Kristen Dockendorf and her retriever service dog visit with MAA member Betty Gustafson and Betty’s neighbor and guest.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Color Theory Simplified
workshop with Sandra Wakeen
Sandra is a nationally and internationally renowned painter and teacher. Sandra focused on the fundamentals of color theory by exploring the different groups of color that make up the twelve segments of our basic color wheel. The goal was learning to use the color wheel simply and efficiently to control your painting.
The importance of the value scale was stressed.
Sandra identified the color family that made each painting harmonic using 60 percent of the dominant color, 30 percent secondary, and 10 percent for the accent.
The Poetry Project Reception
Friday, March 24, at 4:30 - 6 pm
Manchester Town Hall Gallery
41 Center Street, Manchester, CT
It was a wonderful evening! Wit and Wisdom poets offered readings of original poems that MAA artists have interpreted in various mediums. Participating poets and artists brought finger foods for the reception table.
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Intro to Abstract Art
Polly Castor is a lifelong artist. This workshop was an intro to abstract art/one Day/any medium; The workshop answered the question: Do you want to understand the essential principles and components of strong meaningful abstract art? This class included PowerPoint lectures, several short exercises to be done by participants, and an empowering critique and discussion of student work.
Saturday, March 18, 2023
A Different Approach to Landscape
Watercolor workshop with Carolyn Emerson
A member of MAA for more than a decade, Carolyn is familiar to local watercolorists. Beautiful landscapes are the quintessential goal of watercolorists. They may also be the greatest challenge. Too often our efforts become overworked, the detail too distracting, the cohesiveness lost. A wet paper approach can remedy many of these problems and lead to far lovelier paintings.
Thursday, January 19, 2023
Member meeting: Lyn Asselta, pastels, via Zoom
Lyn kindly shared images of her demo painting. The first image is where we left it in the demo. The second image is the finished piece.
Thursday, December 15, 2022
At our Holiday Party in December, attendees generously donated food for Manchester's food pantry. Thank you Normand Charlette, for organizing this and delivering the food!
Normand wrote, "Not an ideal day for delivering the MAA food pantry donations to MACC but Chance was glad to assist. Kudos to the MAA membership for helping make the holidays more enjoyable for those less fortunate."
Watercolor Workshop with Bivenne Staiger
Wednesday, November 2, 2022, 10 am - 4 pm
Carolyn Emerson wrote: "Bivenne Staiger’s November workshop was a stellar success for all 18 of us. Bivenne seemed as pleased with her students as we were with her instruction. Each of us painted an owl at night, an excellent lesson in painting low light effects, applying intense background paint in an efficient manner, and the miracle of pulling a moon out of a very dark surface - watercolor magic all the way."
Photos, courtesy of Ronnie Klukas and Sue Masse.
Bivenne Staiger demo for Manchester Art Association.
Bivenne recommends 300 lb. paper, Windsor Newton paints and large brushes for washes.
Finished piece.
Bivenne Staiger demo for Manchester Art Association.
Member meeting October 20, 2022
Artist Bivenne Staiger demonstrated how to paint a chickadee in watercolor.
To see a slide show of images from the demo, move your cursor to the top right corner of image. A black play button will appear. Click on it.
shows Bivenne Staiger's new book
then judge, Bivenne Staiger shared her critique of each winning piece
Vermont Autumn, Normand Charlette
shows Bivenne Staiger's new book
18th Annual Members' Exhibit
Reception and Award Ceremony
South Windsor Public Library
October 9, 2022.
See the exhibit in the Friends Room at the Library.
The exhibit is from October 1 - October 31, 2022.
Pastel Workshop with Laura Kinlock
Saturday, September 17 & Saturday, September 24, 2022, 9 AM - 4 PM
Participants were nudged in their color and value choices. They learned to play adn let go a little and see what happened. The class was geared to intermediate students who had had some prior experience with pastels. Beginners were welcome also, with the understanding that they would not put unnecessary pressure upon themselves.
MAA booth at Art in the Park
Sunday, June 5, 10 – 4
Center Memorial Park
586 Main St., Manchester
Image: Austin's remarkable giant sketch of the hill at Center Memorial Park, which people of all ages stopped by to help fill in, adding their own touches as Austin, Mary, and Judy cheered them on. We are hoping to prevail upon Austin to repeat the interactive part our booth in the future with another scene from Manchester. It was a very popular draw.
Watercolor Workshop with Carolyn Emerson:
Simplify! Let the water do the work!
Friday - Saturday, February 18 - 19, 2022
Participants used the medium in two different ways, both resulting in beautiful effects. Carolyn Emerson has taught many watercolor workshops over the years, passing on different techniques.
Sue Masse said, "What a great workshop! We had a wonderful time and learned great "wet on wet" techniques. There were 17 students who left with a better understanding of the WATER in watercolor!!"
17th Annual Members' Art Exhibit
South Windsor Public Library
1550 Sullivan Ave
September 30 - October 29
This was MAA's annual juried show covering all mediums.
Reception: Sunday, October 17.
Desmond's Pond, watercolor by Janet Heller
Best in Show Left to Rust Watercolor
Oils and Acrylics, 3rd Orange Orchid Acrylic
One year old, Bianca. Photo taken by Kasey Quaglia
Best in Show Left to Rust Watercolor
17th Annual Members' Exhibit
Reception and Award Ceremony
South Windsor Public Library
October 17, 2021.
See the exhibit at the Library, or virtually.
Here are the demo pieces that Yuemei Zhang worked on during her ink and color brush art demonstration at our October meeting. Thank you for sharing these Yuemei!
Manchester Town Hall Gallery -- Etc. Exhibit
41 Center Street, Manchester, CT
July 8, 2021 through October 14, 2021
The gallery on the first floor of Manchester Town Hall is an ongoing exhibit that gets changed every three months. The Etc. Exhibit included works in glass, colored pencil, graphite, ink (and other drawing materials), cut paper, collage, fabric, jewelry, wood, sculpture, clay, etc.! The exhibit was viewable during regular business hours, or in our virtual gallery.
Cloud’s Illusions, alcohol ink by Sharon Quaglia
Dynamic Pastels Workshop with Janet Schwartz
September 24, 25, 2021
One obstacle that many of us experience when
starting a new work is getting caught up in the
details of our compositions. This two-day workshop was designed with a unique approach that encourages aspiring and experienced artists to simplify in those early stages. Focusing on value and composition, it was a fun and easy way to step into painting for the first time or refine your painting methods.
Plein Air Painting at the Woodbridge Farmstead
Sunday, September 12, noon to 2 pm
Plein air artists Chris Larson and Oren Paulin spent a beautiful summer afternoon painting at the open house for the Woodbridge Farmstead. The event was sponsored by the Manchester Historical Society. The Woodbridge Farmstead is a historic house at 495 Middle Turnpike East, near its intersection with Woodbridge Street. Built about 1835, it's a well-preserved example of a Greek Revival farmhouse, with a history of ownership by a single family extending over more than 150 years.
Here is the wonderful finished pastel that Janet Schwartz began during her demonstration at our September meeting. Thank you for sharing this Janet!