2024-2025 Meetings & Programs
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2024-25 Program Summary
Scroll down for program details
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Meetings are usually held at Trinity United Methodist Church, 903 Forest Avenue, Henrico, VA 23229, beginning at 11:00 AM and going to about 1:00 PM, unless otherwise specified. |
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Friday, Sept. 20
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 "Urban Shrine", Amy Smith
Amy Smith: Moody Watercolor Landscapes Demo
Amy Smith will demonstrate how to paint moody landscapes in watercolor. Amy is a mixed media painter who lives and works in Richmond. She graduated from VCU School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Printmaking. She has shown her work in galleries throughout Richmond and Northern Virginia. In 2017, she was the recipient of the People’s Choice Award at 1708 gallery’s annual Inlight show, and in 2018 she was awarded a residency at the Cite International des Artes in Paris, France. Amy was one of the muralists chosen to participate in the Mending Walls project and most recently, completed the mural at the CARITAS Healing Place for Women. Inspired by the work her mother and grandmother did in their gardens and around the home, her work speaks about the power of nature and nurture and the strength of the feminine. Learn more about Amy at www.amymariesmith.com.
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Saturday, Oct. 19
(please note special day & location) |
Members' James River Outing - Art & Fun Fall Gathering
A Fall members' get-together to enjoy art and fun at Merrifield, Kathy Spotts' home on the James River, as part of our JRAL 60th Anniversary Celebrations. Click here for more information!
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Friday, Nov. 15
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Steven S. Walker: "My Story...So Far"
Steven Walker will discuss his experience as a oil painter. Steven has been creating inspiring works of art for corporations and private collectors for over twenty years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in fine arts at Virginia Commonwealth University with a concentration in illustration. He would later earn his masters in fine arts from Marywood University. As a full time artist, Steven has been included in several local and national juried competitions including the Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional, Salon and National, Richeson 75 Landscape Competition, Plein Air Salon, the International Salon and the Art Renewal Center. Steven also had the privilege of being a part of a statewide traveling exhibition with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Steven's career has also included plein air events including Plein Air South, Forgotten Coast Plein Air, Georgia Colors and the Olmsted Invitational (which earned him a judges award from the editor of art collector magazine). Most recently, Steven was given signature status in the Oil Painters of America. Steven continues to work hard on the advancement of his career, with the assistance of his lovely wife Evelyn and studio assistant/daughter Poppy. Currently, his work is represented in over ten galleries across the United States. “If you want to know my secret, ask my wife and daughter…they are the real heroes in my success story.” Learn more about Steven at stevenwalkerstudios.com.
JRAL Bazaar: Showcasing Member Crafters
Many of our members have creative outlets other than painting and are talented woodworkers, knitters, and jewelry makers (just to name a few areas of expertise). JRAL crafters will have tables with their creations, available for members to purchase before the meeting, at refreshment break, and at the end of the meeting. A sign-up sheet for Member Crafters will be available at the September meeting; deadline to sign up for a table is November 8. |
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Friday, Dec. 6
11 am - 1:30 pm (please note special time & location) |
Holiday Brunch for Members & Guests
Bristlecone Clubhouse, 14330 Tanager Wood Trail, Midlothian, VA 23114 Join your fellow members and their guests for our Holiday Brunch, a celebration to wrap up our 60th Anniversary Year! The cost is only $20/person, which we'll start collecting in October. To participate in our White Elephant gift exchange, bring a wrapped gift (value of $15-20) to exchange. Click here to see the Brunch Photo Gallery! |
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Friday, Jan. 17
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 "Early Sunday Morning", Kathy Calhoun
Kathy Calhoun, multimedia artist: "My Approach to Composition"
Kathy Calhoun will discuss her approach to composition, painting in different mediums (watercolor, acrylic and oil) and how she incorporates composition into her studio practice. Kathy is a Richmond based artist with two degrees in visual and studio arts with teacher licensure (BS James Madison University, MIS-AR Virginia Commonwealth University). She has also lived, studied, and painted in Paris and New York City. Her work has won awards and can be found in private collections around the United States, in Europe and Canada as well as a few corporate collections. Kathy currently teaches education and studio classes around the state of Virginia at such places as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Art League in Alexandria, Nimrod Hall Summer Program and Longwood University. Learn more about Kathy at kathycalhoun.com.
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Friday, Mar. 14
10:30 am to 2:30 pm (please note special time & location) Rescheduled from 2/21/25 due to inclement weather |
Members' Paint-in at Crossroads Art Center
2016 Staples Mill Rd, Richmond, VA Bring your latest painting project and supplies (easel too if you use one) to Crossroads Art Center to paint with fellow JRAL artists. Doug Mock will be on hand during the paint-in to help artists with any issues and to make suggestions on their paintings. We will use a lottery system to select the artists who will get to participate in the paint-in because space is limited.
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Friday, Mar. 21
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Andras Bality, oil painter: "Painting in Plein Air"
Andy is a contemporary representational painter, drawing inspiration from predecessors Homer, Porter, Vuillard, and Monet. He captures vistas across Virginia and various other parts of the country with lightness, freedom, and intensity. Although based in realism, his paintings blur representation as he applies paint to convey a scene's energy as opposed to its accuracy. Small, vigorous strokes build into tangible layers, transporting the viewer to vistas both near and far. Andy is represented by Reynolds Gallery in Richmond, The Blue Print Gallery in Dallas, Texas, and the Willard Gallery in Portland, Maine. Learn more about Andy at www.andrasbality.com.
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Friday, April 18
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Members' Annual Artist Challenge: "Full Speed Ahead"
This challenge theme builds on our 60th Anniversary in 2024, as JRAL goes full speed ahead into the future. Every artist can put their own spin on the theme. Our guest critique for the challenge will be Whitney Knapp Bowditch. Whitney was born in Connecticut, lived in Surrey, England, and currently resides in Richmond, Virginia. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Denison University, and her Post Baccalaureate Certificate and her Master of Fine Arts Degree from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Whitney's work has been exhibited nationally and featured in various publications. Her pieces are in private and corporate collections throughout the United States and abroad. She is represented by The Photo Dog Art Gallery and Jessie Edwards' Studio (Block Island), Eisenhauer Gallery, (Edgartown) and Sugarlift (New York). She has taught drawing and painting courses at the high school and college level, and currently teaches at Brightpoint Community College College) in Midlothian, Virginia. Learn more about Whitney at www.whitneyknapp.com. |
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Friday, May 16
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Focus on Our Artists: “Tips, Tricks, and Techniques”; Annual Meeting
Celebrating the talent in our own league, “Focus on Our Artists” features our member artists who would like to share their tips, tricks, or techniques. Each member artist will have a station to set-up a simple demo, share thoughts about their medium and/or techniques, and bring together ideas from the other members as they rotate into each group. The presentations/discussions will last about 20 minutes per group session. We will also wrap up our fiscal year with our Annual Meeting. Members Patti Jeffries, Gwen Parker, Jan Schreiber, Kathy Spotts, and David Cheatham gave us great demos and talks on techniques and tips for pastels, making art journals, special watercolor techniques, making your own canvas panels, and manipulating photos on your computer. A great way to end our program year!
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Ongoing Focus Group
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