Trish Harding, President

Trish Rock Climbing

President’s Message Spring 2009

Those of you that entered the Member’s Show at the Blue Horse Gallery in Bellingham helped the Northwest Pastel Society really step outside the box! The show has been hailed by many to be one of the best, if not the best pastel show they have seen. We had approximately twice as many artists as is the norm enter and approximately three times the number of peices.
Wade Marlow did a fantastic job jurying and selecting awards that were inclusive rather than exclusive of all genres. Linda Hughes did wonders with the daunting task of hanging such a varied show.

Congratulations to all!

Now, on to the International Show in July at the American Art Company in Tacoma opening Thursday July 16, 2009. The American Art Company is truly a high- end gallery and will no doubt be very beautiful and inspiring. Be there or Be Square!
Our next meeting will be at the Anacortes Library on a date yet to be announced in September. Please watch the website for that date.
Also coming in September is our yearly Paint-Out in the fabulous Hood River, Oregon area. You will enjoy lots of great painting and an opportunity to make friends with some of our Oregon NPS members. The NPS will be dividing a $1,500 stipend among attendees to help defray the cost of participating at the Paint-Out.
Our society is bursting with energy and ideas. We are trying to get more members involved in the workings of the organization so if there is any job that you are interested in, please let Gary Gumble, our treasurer, put you on the volunteer list. We need you and look forward to working with you!
New on the website is a “fresh sheet” that gives you quick access to all current events and breaking news. Look for it in the right-hand column of the NPS website home page.
We are now opening up the nominations for next year’s change of administration as my two year term will end with the elections at the Winter 2010 General Meeting. Please send me your nominations for president, 1st vice president, and 2nd vice president.
Happy painting everyone! If you are involved, stay involved - if you are not involved, get involved! This organization exists to promote you and your art!

Peace,
Trish, el presidente

NPS President’s Message November 2008

My last President’s message was all about change (see below).  And nothing has changed about that message but “change” itself!

My world has made a gigantic shift right under my feet and will forever be changed with the unexpected death of our beloved son, Ryan, in September from a rock climbing accident in Mazama, WA.  I wanted to thank those of you for your kind and healing words.

As my family and I face the challenges of his death head on, I have been contemplating change and what it really means to me.  I have come to a few conclusions and would like to share them with you.

Change is inevitable; most of us have a degree of control over our own lives and those of our loved ones, but when something catastrophic happens to one of them the shift is so great, the experience is so surreal and the emotion is so raw that only by changing the way we trust in the universe, how we perceive our reality, and how and why we embrace unbelievable sadness and the wonder of the mystery of life can we understand surrender.

Change is evolution:  Imagine a stagnant world without colossal changes.  Our Earth itself is like a dragon belching and breathing fire from volcanoes, earthquakes rock our world totally unexpectedly, and man-made buildings and monuments are snuffed out in seconds by storms that are nurtured and fed by Mother Earth herself.  These events are what make our planet change and that is why it is called the living planet. 

Evolution requires change; only when there is a ‘critical need’ do we change the way something is done or change the way we look at how it has been done in the past. This is a lesson that is hard won.

Take the tragedy of 911 for example.  I remember thinking at the time, “This event marks, not only a tragedy in our nation’s history, it marks a pivotal point of change.  We now have to question everything we do, how we do it, why we do it, and find new ways to do everything.  Nothing can remain the same.  For if any of it remains the same, if everything is not re-thought and changed we will certainly pay a higher consequence than 911 itself”. 

If we then apply these thoughts of ‘change’ to our world right now, how appropriate they seem.  From Politics to Environment, to Energy; nothing can remain the same.

Artwork is no different.  This is the time of change.  Great artists reflect the time that they live and work, so in my view, we as artists should be reflecting change also.  Rethink the way that we work, what images we use, how we use our tools and what we say with our art.

We have an opportunity to put that notion to work with the Members’ Show scheduled for April/May 2009 at the beautiful Blue Horse Gallery.  For this show we are encouraging change so get started on that painting that is “outside the box” and look for the prospectus online at www.nwps.org.  

I hope to see many of you at the next NPS meeting in Kirkland on January 18, 2009!  Find out more information about this meeting HERE on our website.

Peace, Trish

NPS President’s Message September 2008

The winds of change have made landfall.  We are changing the way we think about everything; about the way we live, the way we eat, the way we grow our food, the way we talk, the way we communicate.  We are changing the way we travel, where we travel, the reason we travel.  We are changing the way we educate, the way we work, the way we play.  We are changing the way we view the world, the way the world views us, and we are also changing the way we see, the way we internalize and the way we feel!
      The winds of change have made landfall.  We are changing the way we think about everything; about the way we live, the way we eat, the way we grow our food, the way we talk, the way we communicate.  We are changing the way we travel, where we travel, the reason we travel.  We are changing the way we educate, the way we work, the way we play.  We are changing the way we view the world, the way the world views us, and we are also changing the way we see, the way we internalize and the way we feel!

      The Northwest Pastel Society is changing too!  It is changing by leaps and bounds.  This is a good thing and I want to keep that change and momentum going to give our medium and our artists more limelight, more empowerment and set our pastel society apart from the rest. We are changing the bar, raising it for our shows.  We are changing the awards, raising them to increase the stakes.
      Volunteer:  How do we keep this momentum going and how do we build up the organization in the wake of all this change?  One way is to welcome the involvement of more members.  There are many jobs to be done in the NPS that YOU can participate in as a volunteer.  With the Internet and email you can join in the operations of the society and no longer have to travel miles and miles to be a part of everything.  You just have to contact me and let me know that you want to be more involved. We have volunteer positions available for those who know about computers, we have a variety of positions available for those who want to help with shows, contacting and setting up venues, awards, paint outs, meetings, refreshments and yes even board members.  We all know that an organization is best when the abilities and assets of the members are realized.
      Participate:  Make a commitment to be more involved in the events of the NPS.  Go ahead…go to that paint out that you have always wanted to attend.  Yes…you deserve to take that workshop that will give you the skills to make your paintings sing!  Treat yourself…. take a day to go to a general board meeting and network in person with some of the members.  Your work will thank you for any pro-active steps you take for the sake of your art.
      Discover:  Open yourself up to new discoveries in your art.  Welcome change and how it can move your work from good to great!  Take a chance, embrace discovery, and ask yourself  “What if I did this” more often.  Step outside of the dreaded  “zone of no change”.

This brings me to two upcoming events: The Board & General Meeting and Gift Exchange and The Member’s Show.

The Board/General Meeting, Pot Luck & Gift Exchange

You are all invited to attend the General Meeting & Potluck Gift Exchange on Sunday November 16, noon-3pm, Studio UFO, 301 W Holly St suite M-4, Bellingham, WA 98225.  Please RSVP via email trish.harding@ studioufo.net, bring a potluck dish, bring a pastel painting to exchange (wrapped in brown paper) and prepare to have fun and rub elbows.  Get a peek at the Blue Horse Gallery next door where the Member’s Show will be held in May of 2009.

The Member’s Show 2009

This next Member’s Show is all about change.  Wade Marlow owner of the beautiful, newly remodeled Blue Horse Gallery in Bellingham will jury the show. We are looking to break all records on entries as artists are encouraged to submit work that is adventurous and a little outside the box.  Wade will also be our host and will put together a very exciting, eclectic, well-attended, well-advertised show.  This is your chance to embrace change and enter that fabulous pastel painting that you have always wanted to paint and enter, but have always felt it might be a little too much.  Help ignite Bellingham’s art- loving community with your fabulous pastel painting!
       Winds of change have made landfall.  Let them blow in your face and through your hair to invigorate you and change the way you see your place in the NPS, how you engage in the organization and how you see your work.

Peace
Trish, President NPS 

Northwest Pastel Society        Trish Harding, President