News

President's Message for January

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Category: News
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019
Katie Johnson

Hello, New Year 2019 and Omaha Artists Inc!!! Did you know 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February? What artist resolutions did you decide upon for this new year? It does not have to be January 1st to begin afresh or even to decide upon a change! What can we as artists do to improve our creativity?

We have 12 months to work on our goals and resolutions – allow me to guide you in some choices to get inspired: Learn something new by reading a book or magazine, visiting art galleries or show. Get organized – clean your studio or art space. Set a Create Day each week – take time for you! Do you want to learn a new technique or try a different medium? Then, check out the list of Fun Shops this year to learn that new experience or attend a luncheon meeting hearing a speaker tell you about their lives, creations and dreams!

Did you know that learning something new can make one happier and healthier? Please note the scholarships offered by Omaha Artists Inc: this is an opportunity to learn, to fulfill a resolution of health and happiness as well as creating art. I encourage you to complete and submit the scholarship applications to be considered a recipient!

Katie Johnson
Omaha Artists Inc. President

“May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.” --- Joey Adams

January Lunch and Program

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Category: News
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019

Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Board Meeting at 11:00
Luncheon and General Meeting at 12:00

Charlie's on the Lake
4150 South 144th Street – Back room by patio.

Lunch will be ordered from the menu.

Reservation deadline is
Monday, January 21

RVSP by Monday, January 21, in order for us to advise the restaurant. If you miss the deadline you may still attend . If coming for program only, make your reservation as such. Contact Carol McCall at 402-499-7071 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Program

Do 3-D artists think differently than two-dimensional artists as they create?

What would life be like to be “totally immersed” in creating art from wood 24/7?

How can an artist carve (pun intended) out a living by working only with wood?

If any of these questions resonate or tweak the curiousity of you or someone you know then invite a friend and come listen to Dan Klima from The Wood Products Company. Dan will share his creative wood working journey. This brief, fascinating presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

Give yourself a New Year’s gift by attending this entertaining, engaging artist’s presentation inspiring you to follow your own artistic dreams.

barbara engr byline

Barbara Egr

Program Chair

Fun Shop: Pet Portraits with Linda Jones

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Category: Fun Shops
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019

Wednesday, January 16th, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Lutheran Church of the Master, 2617 So. 114th Street.
Members - $4.00 /non-members - $5.00

Please join us with OAI member Linda Jones for a fun and interesting class on "Pet Portraits." 

Bring photos of pets to illustrate so that medium and size can be decided as class progresses. Linda will have several examples of past illustrations done as commissions on hand. In addition, she has uploaded portraits to her gallery page so you can preview her work there now. 

Demonstration on drawing a foundation for a pet portrait will be key for this class. Therefore sketch paper and pencil and eraser to obtain that perfect pose. Some tricks on approving the pose and illustration will be shared as well. If possible, bring a mirror and media tablet. If you don’t have those tools she will share. 

Work in any medium you feel comfortable with to finalize the sketch of your pet. Linda is comfortable with pastels and have discovered Pastel Mat and Sanded Pastel Paper work well. Although inexpensive pastel paper is fine for sketches. Watercolor is a viable medium even for furry pets. Acrylic or oil both work well for illustration too. Bring what materials you need and an easel to work on. 

Check list of materials: 

  • Pet photos 
  • Sketch paper, pencils and eraser 
  • Medium materials for final illustration 
  • Easel 

shirley schmidt

Shirley Schmidt

Fun Shop Co-chair

nancy ralston byline

Nancy Ralson

Fun Shop Co-chair

FYI and BTW

Details
Category: News
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019

Meals on Wheels Mini Paintings

Photo right: In December Omaha Artists Inc., donated 414 paintings and easels to the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. These mini paintings were then delivered by Meals on Wheels along with food trays.

Hand-made Courtesy Cards

Photo below: Some of the beautiful cards made during our annual November potluck and card making workshop. The cards are used throughout the year to greet new members and to let our members know they are in our thoughts during special life events.

Courtesy cards image1

Courtesy cards image2

Meals on Wheels art and committee IMG 2066

Photo below: Barbara Egr visits with Santa during the potluck.

Barbara Egr and Santa

Art Bridge

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Category: News
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019

On December 12th our lesson was making Christmas wreaths. Fun was had by all. We also provided a small bag of candy, crayons and coloring sheets to the ESL students and their teachers. Classes start at 9:00 am at Augustana Lutheran Church, 3647 Lafayette Ave, usually the second Wednesday of the month during the OPS school year. January lessons we are working with markers.

linda bernett byline 2017

Linda Bernett

Art Bridge Chair

Courtesy and Membership Notes

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Category: News
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019

Handmade cards were sent to the following:

New Members – Mary Oltsman, Constance Stilwell, Belinda Dworak, Karen Jensen, Doris Helfrick and Mary Buckmiller
Get Well – LaVonne Trip and Linda Glantz

Notes of Appreciation:

Thanks so much to you and the group of Omaha Artists for the get-well card I received in regards to my husband's health. – Cecil Hiebner

Welcome New Members

See the members roster or emailed newsletter for contact information. Online roster requires a user name and password.

  • Bob Koser
  • Mary Buckmiller
  • Diana Tweedy
  • Mary Oltsman
  • Doris Helfrich
  • Karen Jensen
  • Constance Stilwell
  • Belinda Dworak

Correction to roster: Kim Sosin's phone number – please see the January 2019 issue.

barbara mathewson byline

Barbara Mathewson

Courtesy Chair

susan stevens byline

Susan Stevens

Membership Co-chair

jo anne nielsen byline

Jo Anne Nielsen

Membership Co-chair

Art Show News

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Category: News
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019

Chillin' Winter Art Show

Jewish Community Center, 333 South 132nd Street.

Registration: Friday, February 1, 11 am - 1 pm
Reception: Sunday, February 10, 2 - 4 pm
Take down: Thursday, February 28, 11 am -1 pm

No theme. $15 for up to 3 entries, depending on size.

The Center takes a 25% commission, so please price your entries to reflect this.

Spring Art Show

Hot Shops Art Center, 1301 Nicholas Street

Theme is "Childhood Summers". Along with your entry, you must also write a short explanation of your "Childhood Memory" on a 3x5 card to hang beside your artwork.

Registration: Tuesday, April 30, 11 am - 1 pm
Reception: Sunday, May 5, 2 -4 pm
Take down: Tuesday, May 28, 11 am -1 pm

Read more ...

ANAC Dues Needed by February 27

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Category: News
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019

ANAC membership Dues must be paid by February 27 to qualify for entry in the ANAC 2019 Art Show in Albion, NE. June 19 - 22, 2019.

Make check for $12.00 payable to Omaha Artist, Inc. (Postmark before FEBRUARY 26)

Send to: Jo Anne Nielsen 7335 Shadow Lake Plaza #312 Papillion, NE 68046

Members listed below have already paid for the 2019 ANAC year. So if you are not sure if you have joined, please see list below to see if you are listed. March will have all the information about the selection show in the newsletter.

Any questions please contact: Jo Anne Nielsen 402-250-6464.

Read more ...

Workshop Scholarship Applications Due March 1

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Category: News
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019

Omaha Artists, Inc. offers two scholarships yearly. The application deadline for both scholarships is March 1, 2019. The scholarships will be awarded at the March meeting.

The Genie Schafer Art Memorial Scholarship awards $400 each to two recipients to attend an art workshop. Learn more.

The Omaha Artists Inc. Memorial Scholarship  awards one member $500 to attend an art workshop of their choice. The recipient must be willing to share what they have learned with other Omaha Artists members at a Fun Shop. Learn more.

Spotlight Member Section featuring Susan Stevens

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Category: News
Published: Sun. Jan 6, 2019

The Spotlight Member Section is meant to get to know each other.

Susan Stevens IMG 2110

Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself?

A: I am an Omaha native, born at Offutt Air Force Base hospital and have lived in Omaha all but 6 months of my life. Pretty rare for a military brat! I was blessed with two daughters during my first marriage. I married Ed and his two children in 2001. I have worked for Union Pacific for 28 years: I started as a print designer and moved into web design at the first opportunity.

Q: How long have you been a member of OAI and how did you learn of our organization?

A: I've been a member of Omaha Artists Inc. since 2012. I learned about the group from my massage therapist, Carol Radke. I had given her a colored pencil drawing that she put up in her waiting room. Sharon Clawson saw it and told Carol that I should look into joining the group. Not feeling very confident I had the talent to join an art group, it took about a year of coaxing on Carol's part to get me to join. I'm so glad I did!

Q: Tell us your story of how you got involved in art.

A: My earliest memories of art are sitting with my brother and a box of crayons and a huge piece of blank newsprint paper rolled out in front of us. Thanks to our grandfather who worked for a newspaper, we always had a huge end roll of paper off the press available. I took art classes in high school and went on to take commercial art classes in college. I switched over to graphic design before graduating. I didn't venture into using watercolors until 2012. Before that I worked primarily with graphite and colored pencil. I took a long break from doing artwork while raising my girls. I picked up my colored pencils again in 2010 and it felt great. Being a part of Omaha Artists has been a great motivator to keep it going.

Q: What positions have you held with OAI?

A: I started with offering to help with the website and accepted taking it on when asked. Shortly after I was approached about becoming the Vice President and decided it would be a good way to get to know the group better. I was right. It has been a very rewarding experience. I currently manage the website, co-chair the membership committee and handle email communications.

Q: Tell us something about you that most people do not know about you?

A: My daughter Rachel passed away six years ago. She was the biggest fan and cheerleader of my art. It was important to her that I share my work and not keep it to myself. A comment she posted on the Facebook page she set up for my work – “You’ve got this Mom!” – is taped just above the back edge of my art table to remind me that I need to believe in myself so I can make art to honor her.

Q: What are your other interests/hobbies?

A: My other hobbies are photography and gardening. My favorites: colors are a yellow peach and coral; food is pretty much anything Italian; book is "The Stand" by Stephen King; movie "The Guardians of the Galaxy”

... and now we know a little bit more about Susan Stevens.