Jim Schlett
News From Our President
Meet the Writers: Leo Degee – Melanie Zicker Stanley – Mishka Jaeger
WhiteBoard: Call for Art and … much more!
Upcoming Art Classes
A gift for our Members
“Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” Mark Twain
The world events of the last few weeks have put a sobering reminder about how we view life and how small the world is and at times, crazy. One thing it has shown me is that art allows us to continue to explore our interpretations of all of the different aspects of life and our environment and share that with others. In its simplest terms, art enriches us.
It is hard to believe that we are in the final stages of 2015 and, just like the stunning colors of this autumn, LRA had a great year. We had a very busy and productive year by virtual all measurements. Despite “behind the scene” efforts, we lost some exhibition venues for most of the year, due to the relocation of the Reston Chamber of Commerce and the sale of the Parkridge 5 and Reston Corner Buildings. However, we did pick up some new venues, such as the Pen-Fed Real Estate Office and had entered into a great partnership with the Northwest Federal Credit Union. We had 2 Book Fairs with Barnes and Noble and raised over $3,000 for scholarships. We had successful major exhibitions at the JoAnne Rose Gallery (3), US Geological Survey Art Hall (2) and the Ernst Center in Annandale. We have the Reston Photographic Society (RPS) back on track with new presentations.
I know that 2016 will be even better for LRA and its members. In addition to our usual schedule of group exhibitions, we will have a new group show at the Hunters Woods Community Center in February and a “Painters Show” at ArtSpace in Herndon in the spring.
For the last several months, we have been working with the Council for the Arts for Herndon to transition the Art in Public Places Program (AIPP) that our founding member Pat MacIntyre created and managed for many, many years. This program will provide a large number of buildings in northern Virginia as exhibition space for solo shows and possible small group shows. For 2016, we will work with the Council as they will provide administrative support and we will supply the creative painters and photographers. We will soon be sending out detailed announcements about this program which will be open to all interested artists who are members of LRA for 2016.
The story of LRA is a great collection of the work and spirit of its members. In our inclusive organization, everyone has the opportunity to contribute regarding your talents. We need support regarding administrative tasks, such as coordinating some of the exhibitions, assistance with our web page and financial matters. Do the Right Thing and get involved.
Have a memorable Holiday Season and looking forward to 2016
Jim Schlett
LRA President
Leo Degee
Warrior From Nazi-Occupied Holland to the Jungles of Vietnam…An Immigrant’s Story.
Available now at Barnes & Noble – Amazon – Outskirts Press
The idea of writing a memoir came to me after listening to Dutch relatives who told me a few great stories about WWII and what they specifically experienced. Since then they have passed away and have taken their stories with them to the grave. I subsequently made up my mind to write down my own experiences. I was born a few months before the German paratroopers invaded Holland by night, which was a few months after Hitler had assured our neutrality. My Dad was employed in prison and helped two Jewish men who were undoubtedly destined for a gas chamber, to escape from prison. He then took the prisoners place in the same prison. I relate some scary experiences in trying to get him released and our farewell from him on a train station destined to a German concentration camp. I vividly recall several other frightening instances during the war years, such as V-1s flying over our homes, some of which landed far short of London and destroyed a neighborhood. I also recall the terrible hunger winter of 1944-1945, when the Germans punished the Dutch for staging a railroad strike to assist the approaching allied army. I’ll never forget the clandestine radio broadcast announcing that the allies had landed in Normandy when our living room exploded from joy……
Check out the link to buy Leo’s book: http://outskirtspress.com/bookstore/details/9781478764700
Melanie Zucker Stanley
My name is Melanie Z Stanley, and I am proud to have been a member of LRA for quite a few years now, hobnobbing with some of the finest artists I have ever had the pleasure of knowing!
The art genre I love best has been coined, “Mixed Media,” but years ago I did not know this term and just threw whatever I had in my studio onto papers, wood, and canvas, marveling at the spontaneity of mixing inks with watercolors, alcohol, salt, acrylics, graphite, mineral spirits, glitter, and more. Since I remind experiences in art school (four years plus a few grad courses in pottery and painting), I have continued to learn, aspiring to explore, discover, and learn by doing and mixing! Today I create pieces with my hand painted papers collaged into the mix, which makes for a very interesting experience! My collage process also makes my work somewhat unique and tells a different story. Along with my journey, I also became a freelance writer, and got my first poem, “Ode to a Rose” published in high school! Along with studying independent art in my high school classes with a wonderful, supportive teacher (Mr. Reamer), I also studied at the Corcoran School of Art on the weekends, which opened my eyes to the amazing talent in other young people around DC. Being a child of the 60’s, I was also very interested in social justice, and when my journalism teacher talked me into writing articles for our school newspaper, I jumped right in. My perception of art took a fun, creative turn, making me a truly mixed media artist with my painting, drawing, and writing.
In the past years, I joined a professional storytelling group, wrote various articles for magazines, wrote six history books that have been published for children (and sold in schools throughout Virginia and around the country), created mixed media pieces and cards for many clients and family…and have worked as a storyteller and mixed media artist. I love painting horses, flowers, birds, and abstracts with paint, ink, graphite, pastels, and papers that I had paint and collage into my work! I love storytelling because it reminds me of my paintings that also tell a story of their own! Painting is just another way of telling a story.
I love people, I love color and texture, I love words, and I love stories. I weave all of my loves into the work I do. I adore teaching because to observe other artists blossom and develop their own “voice” is distinctively personal and phenomenal. I learn as much from my students as they do from me! One of the most important things I teach is to have FUN making art…and to keep experimenting and learning. I believe that artists should learn to express themselves with words as well and to express their “art voice!”
Melanie Z Stanley participates in numerous exhibitions in the United States, she has won awards, including the Juror Choice and second place, as well as Honor Awards for his pieces of mixed media.
Mishka Jaeger
I’m always making something. Illustrations, pendants, pies, beds… I prefer to think of myself as well-rounded rather than scatter-brained.
Over the last 20+ years, the majority of my work has been in the children’s and entertainment markets. I’ve worked as a scenery and costume designer for the stage; in the art departments of feature films; in coloring and producing comic books; on many, many, many websites during the dot-com misery of the 1990’s; and for the last 13 years, creating educational materials for k-12.
In 2009, after too many years on the computer, I started working in practical fine arts and collage assembly as well as creating a line of goddess pendants for my Etsy shop.
But my love has always been in illustration. I design and sell greeting cards on the Greeting Card Universe website, and I’ve been a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrator since 1997. In the past year, I’ve fallen in love with colored pencils and have been working on a series of fairy tale illustrations set in the 1920’s and ‘30’s
Recently, I began writing my own stories and poems for children. Did I mention I’m “well-rounded?”
A gift from Mishka to LRA Members: http://mishkajaeger.com/shared/LoRA/
Art Show Opportunities with LRA click the link: https://sites.google.com/site/restonarts/shows
2016 exhibitions calendar come full of new opportunity and new locations.
In January “Solo Show” will be available again contact Rudy Guernica, Solo Exhibits Coordinator, rguernica@hotmail.com
February the month of love and sharing will open with the new location in Reston Hunters Wood Community Center to Painters and Photographers. April will come with fresh flowers and two must to have in your artistic calendar exhibitions: Jo-Anne Gallery in Lake Anne and ArtSpace in Herndon
Check our calendars often for the update
During November LRA sponsored another successful event:
The Art of Oriental Brush Painting Talk & Demo by Charlene Fuhrman-Schulz organized by Denise Dittmar. Our next event will be the presentation of Leo Degee book. Denise is LRA event coordinator if you would like to be sponsored, please email her at denise.dittmar@gmail.com
Barnes & Noble event in November helped LRA to raise more funds for the scholarship program! We are very proud to be able to give back to the young artistic community! Special thanks to Jim Schlett, our president, that organized two funds raising for a good cause! Saturday, December 5th our members will be out again at Harrison House building exhibiting amazing art pieces and spread words about of association.
Please join the volunteer’s team of LRA it is fun and rewarding!
Join the league of the Reston Artists. We are a fun, creative, and vibrant group of artists that welcome new members with happiness and joy.
Melanie Z Stanley: Creative Cards Workshop Monday, December 7th, from 5:30 to 8:30 at ArtSpace Herndon. Price $45.00
We will create a variety of cards: holiday (whatever you celebrate), well wishes, thinking of you, birthday, thank you, love, and/or imagination cards with abstract designs. We will use watercolor, a wonderful selection of creative papers, photos if you bring a couple, art strategies such as brayer and scrape and drag work, and stamps! And maybe more….
Please email Melanie to reserve your spot: ridingfree2@gmail.com
Melanie also teach Mixed Media Art classes year around at ArtSpace Herndon
on Monday evenings, 5:30 to 8:30 and on Tuesdays, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.
