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  JANUARY 2025 EVENTS

You can follow us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], visit our website ouachitaartists.org, or call us at 870-867-3115.  Our mailing address is P. O. Box 1204, Mount Ida AR 71957.

WATCH FOR OUR NEW FACEBOOK PAGE COMING SOON!

POLYMER CLAY PLAYDAY Monday,  January 5, 9 a.m.-noon.  This is a free group open to everyone; join us and learn about this amazing, versatile medium!  No special project is planned for this month, but Marlene says you could be thinking about Valentine’s themed gnomes or something similar.  Park in the back and enter through the studio entrance. For more information email Marlene Gremillion at [email protected].

BOARD MEETING Thursday,  9:00 a.m., January 9.  All Board members are urged to attend as we plan our transition to a new year and the possibilities and opportunities it brings.

MONTHLY PROGRAM THURSDAY, 10:30 a.m, January 9.  

GALLERY CHANGEOVER!  Get your art in by Friday, January 24 for the changeover on Monday, the 27th.  And we always appreciate help with the hanging and display, so if you’re available we will be glad to see you!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!  Make one of your New Year’s resolutions to become more involved with our gallery, and a great way to do this is to come to meetings, find out what we have going on and give us your ideas; spend a few hours a month staffing the gallery, teaching a class or workshop, or serving on a committee.  Volunteer training is available with Martha Koelemay every Friday or by special arrangement.  

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON AND IS READY FOR AN EXCITING NEW YEAR!

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Past Months:
OCTOBER 2024 EVENTS
BOARD MEETING Thursday, October 3, 9:00 a.m.  All Board members are urged to attend and give us your input on the many issues we’re dealing with right now.
MONTHLY PROGRAM MEETING Thursday, October 3, 10:30 a.m.  Program TBA.  Teri will have something interesting, though, so please be sure to attend!   She will also have an update on the progress of our excellent opportunity at Mountain Harbor, so be ready to jump in to help with this great project!  
POLYMER CLAY PLAYDAY Monday, October 7, 9 a.m.-noon.  Marlene says the group will be drawing with ropes made with the extruder.  Supplies to bring:  a simple line drawing, piece of glass the size of the drawing, variety of colors (or just one if you prefer), extruder, pasta machine and pic tool or toothpicks.   This is a free group open to everyone; come play with us!  Park in the back and enter through the studio entrance.
GALLERY CHANGEOVER was Monday, September 23.  Thanks to all who came to help get it all displayed.  Great job!  Everybody come see!
DRAWING PEOPLE continues Saturdays through October 12 from 1-3 p.m. with Barbara Holt. 
WINTER IN WATERCOLOR is offered by June Lamoureux Wednesday, October 9, from 10:30-2:30.  A talented artist and veteran teacher, June will guide you in producing beautiful winter scenes in watercolor.  $50.00, all supplies included.  
WIRE WRAPPING A CABOCHON is a workshop with Marlene Gremillion from 10 am.-2 p.m.  on Wednesday, October 16.  The class will wrap a cabochon to make a beautiful pendant.  $60.00 includes all supplies.  (Bring safety glasses if you have them, and some experience with handling wires and hand tools will be helpful.)
FEATURED ARTIST RECEPTION to honor Brenda Foshee will be Sunday, October 27 from 1-3 p.m.  Join us for some refreshments, meet this talented artist, and admire her work as well as all the other new work in the gallery.
HALLOWEEN PARTY 4-6 p.m. October 31!  Come for fun, treats, face painting, and more!


SEPTEMBER 2024 EVENTS
You can follow us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], or call us at 870-867-3115.  Our mailing address is P. O. Box 1204, Mount Ida AR 71957.
BOARD MEETING Thursday, September 5, 9:00 a.m.  All Board members are urged to attend and give us your input on the many issues we’re dealing with right now.
MONTHLY PROGRAM MEETING Thursday, September 5, 10:30 a.m.  Program TBA.  Teri will have something interesting, though, so please be sure to attend!   She will be announcing something BIG coming in November, and you don’t want to miss finding out what it is!
POLYMER CLAY PLAYDAY Labor Day Monday, September 2, 9 a.m.-noon.  This month the group will be making texture plates and texture rollers.  You should bring about 4 blocks of clay plus any scraps you have; color doesn’t matter. Also bring plastic or place mats to put your texture plates on to take home, and carving tools if you have them.  This is a free group open to everyone; come play with us!  Park in the back and enter through the studio entrance.
GALLERY CHANGEOVER MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23–have your work to the gallery no later than Friday, September 20!
MONTGOMERY COUNTY HERITAGE FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 28.  The gallery will offer caricatures and face painting, so extra help will be needed!
ALCOHOL INK PAINTING CLASS with Ann McFadden on Saturday, September 14 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.  $60.00 includes all supplies to make a beautiful, vibrant painting using this intriguing medium. It’s fun, it’s creative, it’s different, and Ann is a great teacher!
DRAWING PEOPLE will be a four-week Saturday class from 1-3 p.m. with Barbara Holt,  beginning September 21 and continuing through October 12.  Afraid of drawing people?  Can’t ever get them right? Join the group and let this excellent teacher guide you through the process; you’ll be glad you did!  $40.00 includes all supplies for the four classes.

AUGUST 2024 EVENTS:
BOARD MEETING Thursday, August 1, 9:00 a.m.  All Board members are urged to attend and give us your input on the many issues we’re dealing with right now.
MONTHLY PROGRAM MEETING Thursday, August 1, 10:30 a.m.  Not sure about the program as this goes out, but it may be Teri Hicks with watercolor flowers or Melinda Brooks with stained glass.  Either way it’s going to be interesting, so please be sure to attend!  
The FEATURED ARTIST RECEPTION for John Ferguson was a great success, and the raffle prizes were won by Lindy Hall and Ric Gremillion.  Thanks to all who participated!
SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM was an overwhelming success and we can’t wait to get the final report at the meeting next week!  
POLYMER CLAY PLAYDAY Monday, August 5, 9 a.m.-noon.  This month’s focus will be on a creative technique called the “Sutton Slice,”  You should bring 2-3 contrasting colors conditioned, and some deep stamps unmounted with outline of shape if you have them, but  Marlene will bring some.  The group will be making earrings and/or pendants, but the pieces can be used for a variety of projects.  This is a free group open to everyone; come play with us!
PALETTE KNIFE ACRYLIC PAINTING CLASS Monday, August 12, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.  June Lamoureux will guide the class through producing a beautiful acrylic painting using a palette knife.  $50.00, all supplies included.  Register with a $20 deposit by Friday, August 9 to secure your spot.  June is an excellent, patient teacher and her classes are always great!
PETS IN PASTELS class Tuesday, August 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.  Martha Koelemay will help you produce a beautiful portrait of your favorite furry companion working with chalk pastels on velour paper.  $50.00, all supplies included but you should bring a good clear photo of the animal you want to paint. There will be some pictures you can use if you don’t have your own and just want to learn the technique.  Preregister with a $20.00 deposit by Friday, August 1

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 JULY 2024 EVENTS
You can follow us on Facebook, email us at [email protected], visit our website ouachitaartists.org, or call us at 870-867-3115.  Our mailing address is P. O. Box 1204, Mount Ida AR 71957.
BOARD MEETING Thursday, July 11, 9:00 a.m.  (The first Thursday is the 4th).  All Board members are urged to attend and give us your input on the many issues we’re dealing with right now.
MONTHLY PROGRAM MEETING Thursday, July 11 10:30 a.m.  PLEASE NOTE THE NEW MEETING TIME!  The multi-talented Teri Hicks will give us a demonstration on watercolor and ink flowers, and we will have a brief business meeting to update you on what’s going on..
POLYMER CLAY PLAYDAY Monday, July 1, 9 a.m.-noon.  Bring your supplies and see what you can do in this amazing medium!  Marlene is an excellent teacher and always has great ideas for projects.  This month the group will be making Fairy Houses using interesting jars.
OPEN STUDIO:   No Open Studio in June.
FEATURED ARTIST RECEPTION!  Sunday, July 14 from 1-3 p.m. Come and meet metal sculptor John Ferguson.  His whimsical creations made from old tools and implements are a favorite in the gallery and draw lots of smiles.  Enjoy some refreshments, visit with John and the other artists, and check out the new art that just went up!  Members bring your goodies and respond to the sign-up sheet Jacqueline LaCasse sent out to everyone, or come by the gallery and sign up.  
BOB ROSS STYLE PAINTING CLASS Saturday, July 27, 12-3 p.m.  John Chiego will teach another of these popular classes, and students will produce a beautiful painting in the “Alla Prima” wet-on-wet Bob Ross style.  $75.00 covers the class and all supplies.  
SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM has been overwhelmingly successful so far, several classes overflowing with talented young people!  The only two classes that still have vacancies are Melissa Brunner’s handstitching class on English Paper Piecing, making quilted “Hexie” flowers.  Monday July 1 from 1-4 p.m., ages 10-17.  And Marlene Gremillion opened a second class for her Polymer Clay Miniature Succulent Bowls on Wednesday, July 24 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
GALLERY CHANGEOVER was Monday, June 24.  If you have not picked up your art, please do so because we don’t have space to store them with the kids’ classes going on.JULY EVENT
July Program:  instead of Teri Hicks, it will be newish member Melissa Brunner, who teaches the English Paper Piecing Class, a handstitched quilting technique.  She will show us how she makes the "hexie flowers," especially interesting to those of us who don't sew but greatly admire people who do.  Come and see how she does it, and learn more about the beautiful quilt designs she makes and her other activities.
July 11, 10:30 a.m.--see you then!

APRIL 2024 EVENTS 
IMPORTANT BOARD MEETING Thursday, April 11, 10 a.m.  PLEASE NOTE THE MEETING DAY CHANGE! 
MEMBERSHIP MEETING Thursday, April 11, 1 p.m.  PLEASE NOTE THE MEETING DAY CHANGE!   Come to the meeting and let’s talk about how it went, what we learned, etc.  We will be working on plans for future classes and the kids’ summer session. Dr. Mary Ann Shaw will be presenting her photographs from her Africa trip.   And we have a surprise activity!
POLYMER CLAY PLAYDAY CANCELED FOR APRIL. It’s the day after Easter and Marlene will be out of town.  Next date will be May 6, and as always Marlene will have something fun to work on..  If you would like to be on her contact list for this activity, call or email the gallery.
ADVANCED BEGINNERS OIL PAINTING CLASS begins Tuesday, April 16 at 1 p.m. and will run through May 21. This is a 6-week course that builds on the Introduction to Oil class, but that course is not required. The class will learn skills such as palette work, using a grid, monochrome painting, composition techniques, and more!  Teacher is Martha Koelemay and the $125.00 fee includes all supplies.  Preregistration and $20.00 deposit required by April 12.
JANE BABBITT RETROSPECT  RECEPTION Sunday, April 21, 1-3 p.m.  We lost our sweet Jane recently and invite you to join us as we honor her.  Some of her beautiful works will be on display, and those who didn’t know her should come and get to know this amazing lady through her family, her old friends, and her paintings.
ABSTRACT MIXED MEDIA AND PASTEL WORKSHOP presented by Marlene Gremillion on April 24 from 10-3.  This is a fun workshop making collages and interesting textures as a base for applying pastels.  Found objects, jewelry, ceramic bits, all kinds of materials can be used; feel free to bring your own.  $47.00 covers most materials; please see the flyer for a list of other supplies you will need.  Preregistration and $20.00 deposit required to hold your space.
OPEN STUDIO:  The gallery is open to all artists and crafters from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the second, third, and fourth Mondays (the first belongs to the polymer clay group, who would be delighted to have you join them).  Bring something to work on and the materials you need, and stay a little while or come and go.  You do not have to be a gallery member and there is no fee.
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