Saturday, January 30, 2021

CMMAG Member Virtual Playdates/Studio Times

Our members are still working out the best way to create art and get together during the pandemic.  Recently, members have been logging on to Zoom for a 2-hour session to chat, get advice, share projects, etc. as they work on their own art pieces.  These have been so well received by the members, that two sessions per month will be added to the schedule for the foreseeable future.  The regular schedule will begin in February as outlined below.

  • Remember: Regular business meetings are on the second Thursday of the month.
  • The weekend Zoom Playdate will be held the Saturday before the meeting starting at 10AM.
  • The weeknight Zoom session will be held on the Wednesday following the business meeting at 6PM.

Anyone interested in attending one of these events, email CMMAG for details.

Sunday, January 24, 2021

January 2021 Art Tutorial: Paper from around the House

One of the perks of being a CMMAG member is taking classes and attending workshops to learn new skills and techniques from outside artists and teachers every year.  Unfortunately, all planned workshops were cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.  CMMAG has such a talented pool of artists in the membership who can share what they know so in 2021, members will be presenting free, members-only online sessions to share skills and information.  

Marcia Streithorst hosted the first Tutorial session called “paper from around the house” on Sunday, January 24, at 1PM.  Marcia showed members how to quickly and easily prepare an art journal from different papers (book, magazine, junk mail, etc) everyone has in her stash.  Marcia also demonstrated how to reinforce the cover and quickly bind the papers.  

  
    
         



Thursday, January 14, 2021

January 2021 CMMAG Business Meeting

2021-2022 CMMAG Board
It's a new year, and we have a new board!  In addition to our Immediate Past President, Shannon Binkowski, and our founding member, Jeanne Rhea, the new slate for 2021-2022 includes the following:
  • President: Linda Poche

  • Vice President: Marcia Streithorst

  • Secretary: Amy Roswick

  • Treasurer: Katherine Stein

  • Members at Large: Lisa Yerby & Alicia Brinkman


Chavis Update
Our friends at the Chavis Center, where our meetings have been held for years, are still dealing with construction. Between the pandemic and construction, the need for art supplies for students has been limited. Members agreed to continue to support the kids with supplies they'll need when they get into their new space.

Virtual Shows The new board is considering the potential to engage in a virtual show in 2021. The members expressed interest in participating in an online show, and many offered to assist in setting up photos and the like to be able to share varied skills.

New Events: Tutorials
CMMAG's new events for 2021 are Tutorials! Due to the pandemic, we have not been able to engage with outside teacher/artists to share new techniques and skills; however, there is such a talented group of artists in the membership who can share what they know. That will come together in Tutorials, which are free, members-only online sessions that will be more than a demo but not as involved as a workshop.
Marcia Streithorst will be hosting the first Tutorial session called “paper from around the house” on Sunday, January 24, at 1PM.

Online Events
Members have enjoyed the Zoom Member Playdates, and these will continue on a more regular basis in the first half of 2021. The Playdates are similar to an open studio time where members log in to Zoom, bring a project to work on, and then socialize as they work. There will be sessions on alternating Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings for the next few months. Those interested, can email CMMAG for details.

First Quarter 2021 Art Challenges
Valentine Challenge:
Traditionally, the membership would create ATCs for exchange during the February meeting for Valentine's Day. Since there will be no in-person meeting, the members will instead create something to mail to all the members, whether it be a card, ATC, bookmark, etc. Those who choose to participate will snail mail their art to the members around Valentine's Day.

Picked Prompts Challenge:
At the start of each quarter, Prompts will be be picked from a compiled list of each of five categories including Medium, Texture, Theme, Color, and a "bonus." Members can then choose to create a piece based on the prompts to share with the group at the last meeting of the quarter. The first set of prompts chosen in 1Q2021 are outlined below, and the finished items will be shared at the March 2021 meeting.             Medium:         Colored pencils, Markers             Texture/Mark Making: Doodles/Dots/Zentangle             Theme: Seasons, Holiday             Color:         Green             Bonus Technique: Use junk mail

Demo: Shrinky Dinks
Shannon Binkowski demonstrated her techniques for working with shrink plastic and the different media that can be used to color it.

   

    

  

Next Meeting
The next CMMAG meeting is Thursday, February 11, 2021. For more details on CMMAG or membership, email CMMAG.

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Art in a Pandemic - 2021

Despite all that happened in 2020, Guild members continued to meet every month (via Zoom) and spent time together creating and making art (also via Zoom.)  

Although optimistic that the pandemic social restrictions will be lifted sometime in 2021, the calendar of online events has been set for the first 6 months.  Meetings will continue to take place online via Zoom on the second Thursday of every month, with a soft start of 6:30PM for socializing and chatter.  The meeting begins at 7PM and is mixed in with a drawing exercise or a demonstration by one of the members.  To receive an invitation to Zoom with the group, send an email to CMMAG.  

Since the members were missing seeing one another and craving a way to inspire one another to make more art, online Playdates have been popping up fairly regularly.  The Playdates allow members to meet on Zoom, bring whatever project she is working on and some coffee/tea, and spend an hour or two creating with other artists. 

There are plans in 2021 for the Guild to hold member Tutorial Events.  At these events, a CMMAG member will host an online class where other members can learn to make an item or hone a skill using supplies that most of us have on hand.  This will be free to our members.  The first, fun free upcycled journal making tutorial, will be hosted by Marcia with MJS Works on Sunday, January 24th at 1PM. 

Guild members are participating in the first challenge of 2021 with a Valentine's Day theme.  Traditionally, members would make ATCs with a Valentine theme and exchange them at the February meeting.  Since there will be no in-person meeting in February, members will make a Valentine to mail to other Guildies in the first few weeks of February; this can be a bookmark, an ATC, a card, origami, or whatever her little heart desires.  Who doesn't love a little smile delivery via snail mail these days?

The first of four quarterly challenges will be presented at the January 2021 meeting.  A theme for the first quarter's challenge will be drawn from a list of parameters (e.g., color, texture, media) and each member who chooses to participate will bring her finished piece to the March 2021 meeting.  Members may also share details of their progress along the way via social media using hashtag #CMMAG2021 .  

As always, visitors are welcome.  Hope to see everyone in 2021!