W A T E R • M U S I N G S
I started out with the best of intentions when I put out my September “President‘s Message“ but time somehow got away from me. I took off for Steamboat Springs, for the first of several plein air competitions on 19. September. From there, I headed over to Fruita, Colorado for the Monuments & Canyons plein air competition, then to Capitol Reef for our annual Art at the Park plein air competition. This one was, as always, a great pleasure to participate in, and I managed to get mentioned (honorably) and even sold two of my paintings! When that was over, I headed to the north rim of the Grand Canyon to explore and take reference photos for another project, then to Scottsdale and Sedona, AZ to my galleries there. Stopped in to meet Susan Bingham at the Maynard Dixon home and studio in Carmel. Might have an opportunity to exhibit there in the spring…I finally returned home on 20. October.
My October and November messages got left in the dust of my travels, and I sincerely apologize to you all for that!
So here I am in Iona, Idaho with my wife and family for this Thanksgiving weekend, and carving this message out of the din of my wife, three daughters and their families, and six screaming little boys. Despite the noise and chaos, I’m grateful for my family and the extraordinary blessings of our prosperity which make this weekend possible for us. Not many people in this world can enjoy the same opportunities.
May we each take a good, hard look at our lives and appreciate all that we have!
It’s gotten sufficiently cold now that plein air painting has less appeal than it did even just a month ago, so I imagine most of us are safely ensconced in our cozy studios, busily painting away. My thanks to Linda Flannery, our new UWS Board member and Paint-Outs Chair, for a thoroughly enjoyable morning painting in Little Cottonwood Canyon this month and getting together for lunch afterward. You do NOT want to miss our upcoming meeting this Tuesday night at 7:00pm! We’re again doing Christmas cards, so bring your brushes and paints! Also, Nan and JoAn are setting up for a silent auction to raise some revenue for our scholarship fund, so bring a small painting or two to donate, and hopefully you’ll also be able to find a painting to bid on and take home for yourself or a gift for a loved one. Our Christmas social is always a great time that I look forward to each year!
May the spirit of this holiday season warm your hearts and carry you through the coming year 2025! We have so much lined up for you: Jana Parkin‘s mini-workshop in January, Ian Ramsay‘s mini-workshop in March, Geoff Allen‘s 4-day workshop scheduled for 7-10 May, along with our Spring Exhibition in The Attic at the Provo Library. Our May members meeting will be held on Thursday, 8. May that month, so we can all benefit from Geoff’s demonstration that night. And don’t forget our Small Works Exhibition and Sale at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo, which runs from 2. January to 5. March. More details and submissions information on that will be forthcoming very shortly, so keep an eye on your email inbox!
All the best to all of you,
Günther Haidenthaller
President, Utah Watercolor Society