PLEIN AIR SCHEDULE FOR 2025
Dates and Times Locations
Sat. May 10………… 9:30-11:30 am | Indian Battle Park - old trees |
Wed. May 21…………. 1:00-4:00 pm | Nikka Yuko Gardens (admission-see below) |
Sun. June 8…………9:30 - 11:30 am | Galt Museum (building, wheels, coulees) |
Sat. June 21…. 10 - 7 LAC BBQ* | Horseshoe Picnic Shelter, Henderson Lake Park |
Thurs July 10……9:30 - 11:30 am | Indian Battle Park - river view |
Sun. July 27…….9:00 - 11:30 am | Park Lake (driving time 15-20 mins) |
Aug. TBA | Location TBA |
Thurs. Aug 21….1-4 pm | Nikka Yuko Gardens (admission-see below) |
Sat. Sept.13…9:30 - 11:30 am | Elizabeth Hall Wetlands – river side |
Fri. Sept 26 1-4 pm | Gyro Park (14 St S & 11 Ave. S) The elms in gold |
Admission at Nikka Yuko Garden – Senior $12.50 Adult $13.50
Annual Pass (gives you admission to Winter Light Festival) single $40, couple (2) $50,
Family (4) $60
This Skill Session, Reuse photographs, on April 12, 2025 – Creative ways of reusing old photographs to transform memories into unique artworks with Stephanie Vehnon.
Julie Strong’s Design Class – March 8, 2025
Mandala Class – Feb. 8, 2025 – Sue Wilkie & Carla Schluchter
Fifteen ladies participated and all created the most intriguing and some, quite complicated designs. No two were alike. It was very interesting how everyone was so engrossed in their designs. It is likely Mandala Creations will be a popular SkillShare session in the future. Thanks to Sue and Carla for sharing their expertise and guidance.
Neurographic Art
Neurographic Art – is a contemplative and meditative way to create some free form, colourful, patterns on a page. There are no rules, no expectations, and it is a stress-free creative exercise. The results are spontaneous, fluid and mindful.
Lars Nodge’s Retrospective in Coaldale Library’s McCain Gallery
Abstract Acrylic Class – Denise Savard – Jan. 11, 2025
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On Sept 27 & 28 we stayed at Gladstone Guest Ranch for our annual retreat. This was our 15th retreat. This is the view we enjoyed from the balcony right outside our rooms, which we painted on a Saturday during some splendid weather. The following day was not as nice, as it was so windy that any time outdoors was very unpleasant. At least it didn’t snow!
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In a recent Skill Share Session, Building a Mobile with Sue Wilkie, participants worked with a variety of materials to construct some interesting mobiles!
Click on the Challenge #8 submissions (Home Page) to view entries. We will continue with the challenges. Look for Challenge #9 in Jan. 2025!
Here is Challenge #8. It is a photo taken by Tanya Berner, who is a guest exhibitor in Challenge #7. She has allowed us to use this photo taken in Cuba, of a town square with antebellum features. We think this one will challenge you, but know you will wow us all! Please email your submissions to swilkie02@shaw.ca by April 30.
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“Patterns in Nature” Exhibition in the Helen Schuler Nature Centre Gallery
Hangs from Aug 6 to Sept 23/2023
The club was selected to hang an exhibition in the Gallery in 2023, and an invitation was sent out to members to participate. The theme is patterns in nature which offered a broad range of possibilities.
We encourage everyone to view the excellent work by our members. The image below “Stripes” was painted by Gayle Russell.
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Petals Paws and Beans Exhibition
The challenge #6 interpretation was painted by Gerard Plettel
Petals Paws and Beans Coffeeshop Exhibition, #20 – 24 Mt. Burke Blvd. W.
The club was invited to hang a small exhibition in this westside coffee shop. The theme chosen was Challenge #6, a landscape that was sent by photo to the membership in early 2023, who were challenged to interpret the image in any medium. The challenges were started during the pandemic when we were stuck at home and needed some impetus to paint. The results of the past challenges are posted on this site. This image is a spot near Dungarvan Creek, close to Twin Butte, AB.
The exhibition will hang from Aug. 1 to Sept 16
We encourage members to invite a friend for coffee at the Petals Paws and Beans and view our excellent artwork. Many thanks to the coffee shop for inviting us in, and to Kathy James Fairbairn for coordinating the effort.
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LATE SUMMER 2023 PLEIN AIR MEET UPS
We challenge a member/s to suggest a site for a pop-up outdoor session somewhere in the City.
Email swilkie02shaw.ca with your suggested site, date and time. I will send the invite out to our members. We anticipate a small group will want to meet up. Let’s try a Sunday morning meet. Summer is flying by, but fall is also great for outdoor painting! Pop ups are welcome till the weather says otherwise!
Hope to hear from someone soon with our next date to paint outdoors!
Members are invited to try some outdoor sketching or painting with a small group who meet throughout the warmer days. We recommend you travel light and bring just the essentials; sketchbook and pencils, or travel watercolour palette with 2 brushes. Don’t forget a hat to shade your eyes, and a water bottle, You may choose to bring your own portable chair.
Outdoor sketching/painting is very good for capturing the light, depth of field and true colour…you can more clearly see your subject, as opposed to working from a photograph. It is great to get out into fresh air, but one must be prepared for heat, wind, bugs, and working with limited equipment. It is an interesting challenge for all levels of artists.
SKILL SHARE SESSIONS 2024:
These short workshops are FREE for all members and are held in the CASA 2D classroom. Many of our amazingly talented members are volunteering to conduct these workshops for you. Please bring your own supplies. There will be limited supplies available, if someone wishes to try. We also accept art supply donations and welcome ideas and suggestions for future workshops. These are the upcoming workshops:
PLEIN AIR PAINTING/DRAWING 2022
Due to a cool May, we delayed our plein air visits to Nikka Yukko Garden ( https://nikkayuko.com/) until June. Weather permitting we will meet there on THURSDAY, JUNE 2 at 9 am when they open, and usually stay until noon. But you can arrive and leave whenever you like. You are welcome to join us there each Thursday in June.
Please visit their website for info on admissions to the Garden. If you plan to go there more than a couple of times in the next year, then we suggest you buy a season pass, which is good for a year. Attend the winter light festival! There are several types of season passes.
Update to Nikka Yuko summer drawing: a couple of us have decided to “draw” our way through the Garden this summer. Last week, on our June 10th trip, we stayed outside the entrance and drew it. Next week we’ll move one step further into the Garden and draw the area just inside the gate, and so on. As the weeks pass we’ll draw along the path by the water, past the bell, and so on…feel free to join us on this approach to the summer’s plein air at Nikka Yuko.
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One of the fine paintings that hung in the Helen Schuler Nature Centre during August and Sept of 2021, in an exhibition, “The Four Seasons in the River Valley”. We are very grateful of the opportunity to do this, and thank the staff of the Nature Centre for their help in making this happen.
Support Your Local Business – Art Room opened to fill the need for quality art supplies which was created when The Studio closed. Located within Smith’s Audio Video, 236 – 13 St. N. Lethbridge, they offer for sale good quality paint, brushes, paper, canvas and supplies at very reasonable prices. Gerard is willing to order certain supplies for you.
Gerard is a member of Lethbridge Artists Club and also of the Group of Several. He is a watercolour painter and can advise you about this wonderful, challenging medium.