We are currently exploring the possibility of doing a program that is very similar to the Dayspring activities with the Coburn Center. The Coburn Center is a home for abused women that fulfills basic needs and provides support when a woman leaves an abusive relationship. We will be needing first and foremost volunteers. Secondly we will need donations to buy supplies such as paper and paint. As with Dayspring we would like to do a monthly activity focused on painting with watercolor/media. However a Coburn we expect to have a higher percentage of adults. Coburn is not a done deal yet. It is just being investigated.

We would like to find a women's shelter outside of the Indianapolis area to support and local WSI volunteers who are willing to lead and conduct activities at the shelter We need suggestions from our membership, particularly if they are willing to become involved. Other activities mentioned below are on hold as we only have enough volunteers to support Dayspring and Coburn.

Dayspring

The WSI Outreach Committee, led by Linda Halcomb, conducted its first workshop at Dayspring Center in Indianapolis (www.dayspringindy.org) on December 8th. The Center, located just north of downtown at 16th St. and Central Ave., is a temporary shelter for homeless adults with children. Families may stay for up to 60 days while the Dayspring staff works with parents to find means of support and housing.

The Outreach Committee is planning to conduct a Watercolor Workshop one Saturday every month for the entire family, focusing on a different project each time. Because of the turnover at the Center, the workshop participants will change frequently. December's Workshop project was painting both Holiday cards and bookmarks that participants could keep or use as gifts. There were several options available, both blank paper for complete creativity, and paper with pre-drawn holiday motifs to fill in with color. Paint, stencils, rubber stamps, and a variety of stickers were available since the range in ages was considerable. Participants included mothers and fathers and children ranging in ages from 2 to 6. They all had a good time and were proud of what they made. A six-year-old boy painted a card and bookmark for his older cousin; a father started helping his two little girls with their bookmarks, then decided to make one of his own because it looked like fun; and a mother painted pre-drawn cards to use as decorations in her room. The toddlers enjoyed watercolor 'finger painting' and using the stickers. It was great to see the families working together. WSI participants included Linda Halcomb, chairperson, Karen Fehr, and Marcia Reller. Ken Halcomb helped as well. Punch and Christmas cookies were served to participants. The next project will be painting on Yupo. If anyone would like to volunteer for these workshops, contact Linda Halcomb at 317/547-8812 or twc3175478812@earthlink.net.

Chat with An Artist

For the Juried Exhibit in 2007, the IMA invited WSI to have a Demo and Guide program on Thursdays evenings and Sunday afternoons during the exhibit in order to heighten awareness of watercolor painting. A WSI volunteer artist painted in the North Hall Gallery during these times, and an additional WSI volunteer artist was available to provide information and answer questions about watercolor painting and works in the exhibit. We hope to offer a similar program for the 2008 Juried Exhibit.

Here are some of the comments we received from our WSI participants in the program: From Pat Grabill about Sunday, 10/7: “Our WSI demo/guide went very well. I spoke to over 100 people; Betty Boyle demonstrated and had an audience several times. The comments on the show were edifying. I had a lengthy conversation with a teacher from Herron about what he personally liked/didn’t like about several of the paintings. I sent about ten people home with WSI brochures because they’re interested in continuing to paint, and I encouraged them to join us.” From Karen Fehr about Thurs 10/18: “...I do think that it was good that there was someone from the WSI to act as a host/hostess during the visiting hours. It allowed people to understand what the paintings were on the wall.” Please consider volunteering to participate in the 2008 program!

Promising Artist

The WSI Board voted to begin a new Education Outreach Program which will identify a “Promising Artist” each year. In past years, WSI has offered a scholarship to one or several college students to the annual workshop which runs in conjunction with the Juried Exhibit and is taught by the juror. The change from a single use scholarship to the “Promising Artist” program allows us to develop a relationship with the artist while helping them learn about our organization. We will also guide them in areas where they feel they would like direction, such as running an art business, entering shows, critiques, etc... The artist will receive all annual benefits from the Watercolor Society, and in return they agree to take part in WSI activities, attend our General Meetings, and donate 25-40 hours of time to Outreach Activities. We will provide them with a WSI mentor. This will be valuable to the artist as well as WSI and we hope it will develop a long term relationship with the artists involved.

The criteria used this year to choose our Promising Artist was as follows:

• They must have graduated from a university with a degree in art within the last five years and be continuing in an art field.
• Their primary interest must be in watermedia.
• Candidates may be proposed by members and/or be recommended by a university. Our 2008 Promising Artist was recommended by Marilynn Derwenskus, an Art Professor at Ball State and we had additional input from members who had met our Promising Artist previously in workshops.
• 2008 is a pilot year, and the program will be modified based on feedback from Kate and her mentor. During 2008, the Outreach Committee will develop and document the nomination/selection process and assess how the program is working.

	The Promising Artist chosen for 2008 is Kate Oberreich. Kate is extremely well spoken and outgoing. She graduated from Ball State with a BFA in Painting in 2005. She attended the Frank Webb workshop and assisted with a workshop Marilynn Derwnskus gave for WSI. She was Marilynn's Fellow at the end of Kate's college career. Today she devotes most of her time to painting in acrylics, mixed media, and collage and is experimenting with gold and silver leaf.
She is the curator for the Eli Lilly Oncology on Campus program. She manages over 200 paintings that are juried (all are accepted but awards are given) and travel nationally and internationally. She just completed a Stutz Studio Residency and is the manager for Educational Services for the Stutz ArtSpace. Kate was the recent winner of a Beckmann Emerging Artist Fellowship that she is using to complete the establishment of her studio. She just bought a house, has family in Indy, and intends to stay in the Indianapolis area. Kate's paintings focus on her personal journey and on what is happening in her life at the time. Her current paintings contain the theme of home or house. She also teaches a class to create and use an artist's sketchbook/journal.
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