In the five plus years since I retired from IU, I used a good part of my newly found time to learn how to blow and fuse glass. I specialize in making a type of glass I refer to as Sugar and Ice glass. Crushed glass is kiln-heated barely enough to create sturdy glass bowls and art pieces while leaving enough texture to both reflect and refract light. Heating schedules vary based on size, whether I have included any solid glass, and the colors of the glass. These pieces sparkle when displayed in natural light, or under spot, pendant or chandelier lighting. These pieces evoke a sense of joy and happiness and usually astonish folks who see these unique sparkling gems. I cannot say no body else is doing glass work like this, but I have looked and have yet to find it.

Our 7th and 8th-grade artists’ show is back for the third time! This is a potluck effort from 5 local Middle Schools: Jackson Creek, Batchelor, St. Charles, Edgewood, and Bedford. This a unique opportunity to see young artists experimenting with different media and styles from collages to drawings, painting to digital arts, with guidance from their most supportive art teachers! The level of art skills, creativity, and boldness of the students’ art pieces make us, grown-up artists, rethink many aspects of our own works. This show inspires great interest in the Bloomington art society as well as the general public, and fosters bonds between creative people of all ages. Come support our wonderful young artists, and get inspired by the fruits of their hard work!

Between November 1st and December 9th come vote for your favorite work! The top 8 People's Choices will receive awards!

The Gallery's address is: 1600 W Bloomfield Road, Bloomington, IN 47403 (the entrance from the lower parking lot)

Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/www.viridianmoon.art for updates!

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SEPTEMBER 23rd, 3:00 - 5:00pm

OPENING RECEPTION for

“WE PAINT...Things We Love!”

The annual fall membership show from the Bloomington Watercolor Society.

The Closing Reception & Awarding Ceremony (People's Choice, Gallery's Choice): 

October 28th, 3:00 - 5:00pm

Please stop by to vote for your favorite piece!

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Upland Plein Air is a regional community of visual artists working in oil, watercolor, pastel, and various drawing media. The term “plein air" means painting outside from nature. 2023 is Upland’s 9th year offering group painting events.

While Bloomington-based, Upland members live throughout the region. Painting destinations vary widely and are chosen for creative inspiration. Past adventures include state parks, old neighborhoods, urban settings, established gardens, historic barns, and much more. The majority are within 45 minutes of Bloomington, Indiana, with most much closer and a few further away.

Upland artists enjoy working outside of nature and come together for weekly creative meetups.

OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, August 12, 3:00 – 5:00

Closing Reception and People's Choice Award Ceremony: Saturday, September 16, 3:00 – 5:00

Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 10:30 – 5:00

For more information, visitwww.uplandpleinair.org

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Born and raised in Moscow, Russia, Irina moved with her husband to Bloomington, Indiana in 1998. Her love for art started with taking drawing and watercolor classes at Art School back in Moscow and has evolved and been influenced by studying with local artists. Irina is eager to try new technics and approaches, and enjoys working in different media– oils, pencils, watercolors, and acrylics. She is particularly interested in human figure drawing as well as land- and cityscapes.  Irina loves traveling and depicts various subjects from around the world in her work. As an avid hiker and camper, she is constantly discovering exciting and inspiring places locally as well as internationally. She has traveled often to Europe, Asia, and all over the U.S. in search of unique subjects for her art.

Reception is held on Saturday June 17th, 3 - 5 pm.

Hello, my name is Kem Cotton, and I believe in birth, death for our sins, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. All the other ups and downs in my life don't matter.

 My oil painting philosophy is the illusion of depth by placing tint and shade colors beside each other for the viewers to leave with an emotional/feeling. The nice thing is that most people have different emotions I didn't see.

 I graduated from Indiana University, in 1985, with a BA in graphic design. From 1985 to 1998, I worked as a production artist, press tender, and feeder operator.

I can’t remember a time when I didn't draw; and at an early age, I was a member of the Art Institute home study. I started painting with oils at the age of 13.  I had no formal art training. ­­­In 1998, I went to work in a foundry; and it was during this time that I stopped painting. When my daughter was born, I resumed my art.  I wanted to show her that Daddy still had dreams and for her to never give up on her dreams. The foundry shut down, and I had the opportunity in 2004 to attend IPFW College in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The visual design chairperson allowed me to participate in graphic design classes, after being away from college for almost 20 years.  I showed her the oil paintings that I had worked on, from the time I graduated from college up to 2004. It was because of my love of painting, that I was able to get back into graphic design studies. While attending classes at IPFW, I focused on learning graphic design software.

 In 2008, I was employed at French Lick Resort Casino as a graphic designer and transferred to Cook Medical's marketing department for 14 years. My current title is a technical designer. During these 14 years, I did very little painting. I went back to painting when Covid hit in early 2020.

The opening reception is on Saturday, April 29^th, 3 - 5 pm.

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Coming soon to Viridian Moon Art Gallery is a group exhibition - "Places We Love" - featuring work in various media by Kathy Truelove Barton (watercolor and acrylics), Bill Schwab (oils), and MarySue Veerkamp Schwab (oils and watercolor). Kathy’s paintings capture the “Spirit of Place” in Central and Southern Indiana. The “Two of Us Going Somewhere” is about Bill and MarySue and the work they create while painting together in plein air. This unique collection represents places they have seen and recorded during their travels. Painting together does not mean seeing the same way, and the team thinks this show is a wonderful view into the eye of the artist. All three of them have painted on many of the same locations, frequently within sight of each other. Their shared experiences have allowed us to appreciate each other's unique styles and points of view when composing a work. This allows Kathy, MarySue, and Bill to become "en plein air" friends. They are active members of Upland Plein Air Group and Friends of T. C. Steele Historical Site.

The opening reception is on Saturday, April 8^th, 3 - 5 pm.

Rose Brenner, Susan Savastuk, and Henry Leck have teamed together to present an art show called THE BEAUTY OF NATURE; because they love capturing the beauty all around them. All three artists are fairly new to painting, each one taking it up when they retired.  Rose paints every day, using bright vivid colors to bring a sense of the wonder of our world. Her style is realism that strays into impressionism. She paints loosely and works hard at perfecting her style. Susan started oil painting after her retirement from nursing in 2015. She prefers to paint in a photo realistic style and incorporates very fine details in her work. Susan is drawn to images that have severe contrasts and interesting light. Henry on the other hand, has moved somewhat away from realism, using painting in an impressionistic style. Henry works exclusively with oil, loves to paint natural scenes, barns, streams, snow, sunsets, oceans and beaches.

The reception for this show is on Saturday, March 4th, 3 - 5 pm.

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Viridian Moon Art Gallery is excited to host our first themed show and it is all about winter! Snowy landscapes, animals, birds, Christmas symbols - all that we love about this enchanting season - from the local artists who work in various media!

Please come to see the show and vote for your favorite piece between January 7th and February 17th. Winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded, based on People’s Choice votes collection on Saturday, February 18, 3-5 pm.

Current Gallery hours: Wednesday- Saturday 10:30 am – 5 pm.

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Our community art gallery, Viridian Moon, is excited to host our 7th and 8th-grade artists’ show again! This is a potluck effort from all local Middle Schools: Tri-North, Jackson Creek, Batchelor, St. Charles, Edgewood, Harmony, and Bedford. This a unique opportunity to see young artists experimenting with different media and styles from collages to drawings, painting to digital arts, with guidance from their most supportive art teachers! The level of art skills, creativity, and boldness of the students’ art pieces make us, grown-up artists, rethink many aspects of our own works. This show inspires great interest in the Bloomington art society as well as the general public, and fosters bonds between creative people of all ages. Come support our wonderful young artists, and get inspired by the fruits of their hard work!

Between October 29th and November 26th come vote for your favorite work! The top 10 People's Choices will receive awards!

The Gallery's address is: 1600 W Bloomfield Road, Bloomington, IN 47403 (the entrance from the lower parking lot)

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Viridian Moon Art Gallery is excited to announce our new show featuring the artwork of six local middle school art teachers (from Tri-North, Jackson Creek, Bachelor, Bedford, Harmony, and St. Charles)! This show consists of a diverse range of mediums including drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, and more! Our community is truly fortunate to have such talented teachers raising the next generation of young artists.

Show your support for these wonderful teachers by coming to our reception on Saturday, October 22nd, from 3-5 pm!

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Katya was born in Odesa, Ukraine, a big port on the Black Sea, and from her childhood, her life was tightly connected with the sea, sailors, and ships. Her father, was Captain of a big whale hunting fleet and, when he arrived from long sailing it was a joy to wait on him in the ship berth, visiting him on the board. Now she misses seeing the sea and started painting it looking for plots in her memory and in her heart.

Katya learned art during her study at Odessa Architectural Academy where she worked after graduation teaching both undergraduate and graduate students in architectural city layouts, projecting industrial buildings, art, and business centers. She moved to the U.S. in 2002 with her family and has been living in Bloomington, IN for 19 years.

The reception is held on Saturday, August 20th, 3-5 pm.

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Born and raised in Moscow, Russia, Irina moved with her husband to Bloomington, Indiana in 1998. Her love for art started with taking drawing and watercolor classes at Art School back in Moscow and has evolved and been influenced by studying with local artists. Irina is eager to try new technics and approaches, and enjoys working in different media– oils, pencils, watercolors, and acrylics. She is particularly interested in human figure drawing as well as land- and cityscapes.  Irina loves traveling and depicts various subjects from around the world in her work. As an avid hiker and camper, she is constantly discovering exciting and inspiring places locally as well as internationally. She has traveled often to Europe, Asia, and all over the U.S.in search of unique subjects for her art.

Receptions are held on Saturdays May 28th and June 25th, 3 - 5 pm.

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Upland Plein Air is a regional community of visual artists working in oil, watercolor, pastel, and various drawing media. The term “Plein air" means painting outside from nature. The group has hosted over 200  painting events around South Central Indiana during the past 6 years. 2022 is Upland’s 8th year offering group painting events.

While Bloomington-based, Upland members live throughout the region. Painting destinations vary widely and are chosen for creative inspiration. Past adventures include state parks, old neighborhoods, urban settings, established gardens, historic barns, and much more. The majority are within 45 minutes of Bloomington, Indiana, with most much closer and a few further away.

Upland artists enjoy working outside from nature and come together for weekly creative meetups. Plein air has been one of the few safe pleasures available during pandemic time, as the artists naturally spread out to find just the right view. During the pandemic, creative passion continued to bring Upland artists together—typically in smaller numbers, but with the same delightful enthusiasm.

For more information, visit www.uplandpleinair.org

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I am a southern (USA) artist working in the Midwest. I left the blistering fury of hot summers in the Deep South for livable summers and cold snowy winters. I live in Bloomington, Indiana, and Bloomington suits me very well.

I have been a practicing artist for the last 30 years. My academic history involves a BS in Medical Technology and an MS in Applied Statistics. I was still working full-time as a technical consultant when I began to make art.

 Over the years I have worked in various mediums. My work usually involves an abstract format. Each medium now has a multi-piece body of work associated with it.

 In more recent years I have focused on mixed media, printmaking, and surface pattern designs on fabric.

 I have been very lucky to have had the chance to explore the things that really interest me. It is not always easy. Sometimes there are complicated processes and incomplete work. And then in the midst of the fog something spontaneous happens. In fact, sometimes I surprise myself, and isn’t that what’s it all about?

 As I continue to work and explore, I realized that exhibiting the work is the last important part of the process. It completes the process for the artist. I am successful if you find an image evocative. I am especially grateful if you let me know!

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Viridian Moon Gallery is excited to partner with a neighboring high school to host its students' art show.  This collection of work is from emerging artists, in 9th to 12th grade, attending the Academy of Science and Entrepreneurship. Come see the dynamic and inspiring work created in this small arts program of only 3 classes; Introduction to Art, Drawing, and Digital Design.  Recognized as being an "exciting new talent with such wonderful potential,“ by local artist and mentor Cassidy Young. Come see the hard work, skill, and creativity.

The Gallery's address is: 1600 W Bloomfield Road, Bloomington, IN 47403 (the entrance from the lower parking lot).

Please kindly wear your mask if you plan to attend this event

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An internationally recognized choral director, Henry Leck is a professor emeritus in choral music at Butler University, where he served on the faculty for 27 years.  He is the Founder and Conductor Laureate of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir where he served for 30 years.  Upon retirement, Henry and his wife Meredith moved to Bloomington to be nearer to family. He immediately sought a new passion which is oil painting. For over five years, he has studied every semester at Ivy Tech with Michael Teague and has taken many workshops from other artists such as Lawrence Rudolech, Wyatt LeGrand, Pam Newell, Michael Chesley Johnson, Patrick Saunders, Kenn Beckhaus, Troy Kilgore, John Michael Carter, Ned Mueller, Tad Retz, Mary Ann Davis, and Derek Penix, who is the highest award-winning oil painter in America. Leck is a member of, the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association. the Hoosier Art Salon, the Bloomington Watercolor Society, and a founder of the Upland Plein Air. Leck is a board member of the Indiana Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington. He shows in a number of galleries, including the Viridian Moon Gallery in Bloomington, the Hoosier Art Salon in New Harmony, and the Arts Alliance Center in Bloomington. His works can be found on his website:  henryleck.com.

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Our community art gallery, Viridian Moon, is proud and excited to host our 7th and 8th grade artists’ show. This is a potluck effort from all local Middle Schools: Tri-North, Jackson Creek, Batchelor, St. Charles, Edgewood, Harmony, and Bedford. A unique opportunity to see young artists experimenting with different media and styles from collages to drawings, printmaking to digital arts, with guidance from their most supportive art teachers! The level of art skills, creativity, and boldness of the students’ art pieces make us, grown-up artists, rethink many aspects of our own works. This show inspires great interest in the Bloomington art society as well as the general public, and we hope it becomes the beginning of a tradition of fostering bonds between creative people of all ages. Come support our wonderful young artists, and get inspired by the fruits of their hard work!

The grand opening and the rewarding ceremony will be held at 3 pm on November 14th, at the venue.

The Gallery's address is: 1600 W Bloomfield Road, Bloomington, IN 47403 (the entrance from the lower parking lot).

Please kindly wear your mask if you plan to attend this event.

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Everyone is welcome at Bloomington Watercolor Society. Our members are professional artists, teachers, hobbyists, students, as well as supportive spouses and non-artists all with varying skill levels and a common interest in watercolor painting.

Join us on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m., September through June. Meetings are held at the First Christian Church at the corner of Kirkwood and Washington in Bloomington, Indiana. You may also visit our website to learn about our many events, paint outs, competitions, exhibits and workshops.

The Bloomington Watercolor Society is made up of a diverse set of artists whose efforts range from hobbyists to full-time professional artists. The variety of our personal styles is enormous, from abstract to realistic.  We proudly encourage artists at all levels.

See many of the Fall ’21 gallery show pieces in the online gallery at https://bloomingtonwatercolor.smugmug.com/Fall-21-Show-Online/ Several of the exhibiting artists have posted additional works there. BWS has also organized a gallery that allows you to see works based on the artist’s name.  To see that gallery, please go to our BWS Member Gallery at https://bwspaint.weebly.com/

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The group began in January 2017 as an offshoot of the Upland Plein Air Painters. It was too cold to paint outside, and members were looking for a winter activity. Somebody suggested a portrait session. Interest was keen, and Claude Cookman began coordinating the bi-weekly sessions. Artists range from beginners to professionals. About 40 individuals are associated with the group, but sessions typically average eight to 10 participants. They work in a range of mediums from oil and watercolor to charcoal, graphite, and pastel. It is difficult to complete a portrait in two hours, so many finish their pieces at home, working from reference photographs.

During normal times, the group meets for two hours every other Thursday to draw and paint from life. Models represent our community’s rich diversity in age, ethnicity and gender. The youngest was 8. The oldest, a nonagenarian. Models also include people who help make Bloomington a great place to live, from ministers to judges, radio personalities, and Indiana University Women’s Basketball stars. The one thing all share in common is their interesting faces.

The exhibition comprises 46 images in a variety of mediums and represents the work of more than a dozen artists over the past three years.

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Kristen enjoys painting the individual character of each season. An avid naturalist, she hikes upwards of 200 miles each year in Indiana wilderness areas near her home in Bloomington. The hill country of Southern Indiana is featured in many of her oil and watercolor compositions. Kristen is a participant in juried exhibitions around the region, is part of the Bloomington Open Studio Tour, and has often exhibited at Art Beat Gallery in Bloomington and Brown County Art Gallery in Nashville, as well as her studio gallery in Bloomington which is open by appointment. In 2015,Kristen founded the Upland Plein Air painting group and facilitates a growing community of artists who paint weekly around Southern Indiana. Visit UplandPleinAir.org to learn more about this opportunity. Kristen earned her B.S. in Fine Art from University of Wisconsin, and Masters in Education from Texas A&M. Creator of a ten-step painting program for plein air success, her workshops have helped painters enhance their artistic endeavors through live demonstration and a focus on impressionist techniques. Kristen welcomes opportunities to partner with arts organizations to create events which support and sustain local artists. Kristen’s creative career includes teaching, course development, graphic design, art direction and writing

Artists inspired by nature

Upland Plein Air is a regional community of visual artists working in oil, watercolor, pastel, and various drawing media. The term “plein air" means painting outside from nature. The group has hosted over 175 painting events around South Central Indiana during the past 6 years. 2021 is Upland’s 7th year offering group painting events. 

While Bloomington based, Upland members live throughout the region. Painting destinations vary widely and are chosen for creative inspiration. Past adventures include state parks, old neighborhoods, urban settings, established gardens, historic barns and much more. The majority are within 45 minutes of Bloomington, Indiana, with most much closer and a few further away.

Upland artists enjoy working outside from nature and come together for weekly creative meetups. Plein air is one of the few safe pleasures available during this pandemic time, as the artists naturally spread out to find just the right view. During the pandemic, creative passion has continued to bring Upland artists together, typically in smaller numbers, but with the same delightful enthusiasm.

For more information, visitwww.uplandpleinair.org

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Marina Kalinovsky was born in the former Soviet Union, raised and received art education in St. Petersburg(former Leningrad) and is a full-time artist and art teacher. She has lived in New York since 1989. Her works have been featured in solo and group exhibitions in the United States and Europe.            

“My father, a historian, was responsible for the restoration of a museum of archeology and history in a small Russian town that had been destroyed during World War II. The museum was our second home. This half-ruined enchanted place with Greek amphorae and medieval armor at hand probably still inspires many of my paintings and drawings. The images in my works are also often provoked by combination of colors or a simple gesture. As each image has its reflections, one can peel them endlessly, layer by layer.”

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My inspiration for painting comes from the great Impressionist Painters. I had a lifelong dream to paint and in 2002 took a course with Michael Teague who taught me all I know of painting. I first learned of Impressionism as a high school student while studying four years of French. Impressionism provided an escape from my life in a cabin with no electricity and no running
water in the woods of Indiana. I could experience Monet's garden at Giverny, even the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mauscole where Van Gogh painted "Starry Night". More recently, my life's path has taken me to the American Southwest, where I replenish my energy from the Earth. With oils, a medium that comes to life on the canvas, I strive to capture what we perceive in the physical world, but to simultaneously blur the lines between imagination and reality.