The Mahoning Valley Watercolor Society was founded in 1982 by eleven area artists; their goal was to encourage local watercolor painters.
The Society provides watercolorists with a place to share work, to learn more about watercolor technique, and to get information about watercolor-related events in the community.
The MVWS donates to the Ohio Watercolor Society and contributes prize money to local and state shows.
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LOCAL ARTISTS PAINT MILL CREEK PARK’S PARAPET BRIDGE IN “PLEIN AIR”
Several artists who belong to The Mahoning Valley Watercolor Society (MVWS) and the Eastern Plein Air Group gathered on the western shore of Lake Glacier to paint The Parapet Bridge in Mill Creek Park. The Parapet Bridge is the largest of Mill Creek Park’s stone arch structures, and the most photographed bridge in Mill Creek Park. The irregular stone parapets on top of the span have given rise to other names such as the Dragon Bridge and the Prehistoric Bridge. Artists who gathered to paint “en plein air” which means the act of painting outdoors, included Beth Basista, Betsy Ford, Shari Fry, Nancy Hawkins, Ed Jones, Sheri Liebschner, Judy McCartney, Mary Ellen Munroe, Cindy Helshel Sayhoun, and Anita Weinstock.
Betsy Ford, co-president of the MVWS, says that “painting outdoors makes you stay in the moment and really look at your subject. What could be better than that? Whether or not your painting turns out as you planned, you’ve had the experience, and you’re eager to paint again.”
Nancy Hawkins, who oversees the Eastern Ohio Plein Air Group has been gathering artists from her Eastern Ohio Plein Air Group for years added: “Painting outdoors in the landscape one sees, hears, and feels that place. When copying from a photo one loses those nuances and dynamics of color, light and energy.”
Area watercolor artists are encouraged to join the Mahoning Valley Watercolor Society at mvartists.org to enjoy live demonstrations and so much more and Email beth@bethbasistapaintings.com to be added to the MVWS plein air schedule. Oil painters should Email Nancy Hawkins at: nanquakernh@gmail.com to be added to the Eastern Ohio Plein Air Group list.
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When is the next meeting and where?
How do I join?
Thank you in advance.
I am a new member and planning to attend the September meeting. However, I can not find the location on the website. Also, should we bring anything besides a painting to critique?
Is there a number I can call about joining?
Do you take very beginner members?
Would like to know more about MVWS. Where do you meet? How often? Are all levels welcome?
Practical
I am looking for a watercolor artist to paint a house. I am an artist but do oils on canvas. The house is for my daughter who lives in N.J. but moving to Chicago.
She asked that I do the painting, but I can’t get it small enough .. If any of you are interested please call me at 234 579 3244…my name is Diana Torrell , I live in Poland. OH. Thank You
Sue! I was so thrilled to get this message. I ran into your beautiful parents in the park one beautiful summer day and took photos of them. I painted two paintings from those photos and gave them ne. I’m going to look to see if I still have the other. If so, I’d be glad to give you that one, also. I live in the same development your parents lived in, and I would see them almost every day, walking around together. They were lovely people, and they knew my parents. If you have a Facebook page, I can friend you and message you there, and we can exchange contact info. I entered my email at the bottom of this post, but don’t know if you can see it.
I would like to send a thank you note to Betsy Ford. My brother has in his possession a watercolor painting of my parents, Bob and Ritchie Jones, at Fellows Gardens. I believe that Betsy painted this and gave the painting to our parents, and that they may have known her. Both of our parents have died, my Dad in 9/16 and then my Mother in 1/19, and as time goes on, this painting is more and more precious to us. I just want to thank Betsy for this precious gift to my brother, sister and me.
I have a photograph of this watercolor that I can send to you. I compared the initials on “our” painting with that on Betsy’s other works shown here, and she is definitely the artist!
Thank you!