To champion art as essential to life and give our community
a creative voice
From the President’s Desk
Happy 2020! We had a wonderful Holiday Dinner starting with Hillary Watson opening the festivities with her music. Hillary and Kate can be viewed on U-Tube. Eighty-three members and guests filled the room to capacity! There were a ton of gift certificates provided by local merchants given out as door prizes and the evening ended with slide shows of 2020 workshops and a retrospect of 2019. It was a beautiful and festive way to get into the holiday spirit and meet your 2020 MBAA Board of Directors. Best of all, the food was fabulous!
It’s been an incredible year! We worked with City of Morro Bay to bring about solutions for the RTA bus stop that will allow for a safer and updated loading area and Art in the Park to continue on for years to come! In addition, City of Morro Bay granted MBAA $4,250. specifically to hire an additional children’s art teacher this summer.
Moving into the new year, MBAA has partnered with City of Morro Bay Tourism and Inn at Morro Bay, to bring you the Morro Bay Plein Air Festival! For this event, Morro Bay Tourism has granted MBAA $4,500. to help offset the initial costs involved and Inn at Morro Bay offered large event spaces for part of the festival and more. Paint Out participants will enjoy a continental breakfast while getting their canvas stamped, pick up their swag bags and head out to paint en plein air. Brochures will be available to help visitors locate areas where artists will be painting so they can watch. On to Inn at Morro Bay where the VIP Party will open with live music, wine tasting, light refreshments, silent auction and an opportunity to meet Guido Frick, who will be the judge of awards for both Paint Out and Quick Draw participants. The party will move out into the restaurant area where the 2-hour Quick draw contest will begin and end with a live auction! This event is not juried and open to all who wish to participate. Door prizes include a free stay at Inn at Morro Bay! For more information visit www.morrobaypleinairfestival.org or email artcenter.morrobay@gmail.com Janet Hillson and Gail Martin have been working tirelessly on this event!
Please welcome the new MBAA Gallery Director, Barbara Sitar. Barbara has a special treat for you at the upcoming, For the Birds, reception! Live birds, from Pacific Wildlife Care! This exhibit is all about birds and open to all painters, mixed media, photographers and 3D artists. The reception will start off with a short talk about the rescue center’s mission and then you’ll get to see these beautiful rescued birds up close and personal! Don’t miss this great event! For more information about Pacific Wildlife Care visit: https://www.pacificwildlifecare.org
While MBAA hosts great classes, workshops, exhibits and excursions, non of this would be possible without our volunteers! I’d like to thank the exchange, hanging and reception hostess crews who have made exhibit transformation magic happen! Nancy Sands, Jan French, Gail Martin, Lynnea' Lane, Nancy Johnson, Sharon Westray, Carolyn Chambers, Susan Jonas, Bill Tuck, Christina Sheffield, Bob Rodger, Larry Kappen, Tish Rogers, Marty Azevedo, Paula Landis, Marilyn Miller, Colleen Ray, Anne Grannis, Phillip Lopez, Carolyn Blackman, John Klipenstein, Debra Piazza, Ann Brown, Silvia Arnold Hill, Travis Newton, Barbara Sitar and Theresa Anderson. I would also like to extend a special thanks to Gena Davis who generously gives her time every Friday morning to provide the free Adult Coloring Book Club! Thanks Gena!
It’s gonna be an exciting year ahead! We’ll need volunteers to help as docents during the Morro Bay Plein Air Festival, Art in the Park and gallery. If you would like to help hang art, docent or market these fun filled events, please contact us at art center.morrobay@gmail.com
Patricia Newton
It’s the 2nd Monday of the month. The activities room is set up with a beautiful array of goodies. The coffee is made. Cups, napkins, sugar, creamer and plates are ready for the taking. A demo is about to begin. A wonderful door prize is sitting on the counter and a volunteer is ready to hand out tickets.
Carolyn Blackman is our demos coordinator. She handles all the hospitality that goes into each and every demo that takes place at the gallery. Carolyn thoughtfully chooses a variety of treats to serve at the demos; gluten free choices, healthy choices, and ooey gooey sweet choices too! She’s got everything under control and does it with ease and charm.
When needed Carolyn helps set up tables and chairs and makes sure everyone at the demos is comfortable. Carolyn is also volunteering to help hang shows. She's been a volunteer for the past year.
Carolyn Blackman is our Spotlight on Volunteers for January. She is one of many people who volunteer at Art Center Morro Bay. A huge THANK YOU to Carolyn Blackman. Carolyn, the entire membership appreciates the work you do to make things run smoothly, as well as your cheerful attitude and welcoming smile.
From the Gallery Director
Dear artists and members:
As the Gallery Director for 2020, I would like to celebrate your creative spirit, support your personal art evolution journey and most of all, encourage you to reignite your artistic passion.
Let’s get together, create, exchange ideas and elevate our craft through workshops and lectures, and share our Morro Bay Art Center Gallery playground. Let’s make a personal resolution to participate in the challenging exhibitions and events of 2020, with a curious and refreshed spirit.
You may want to start with the free pastel demo with our amazing Greg Trombly, on Jan.13, and maybe continue with his workshop Jan.19, to challenge yourself with new techniques or elevate a craft you’ve already mastered.
The upcoming exhibition, For the Birds, is a great opportunity for you to participate in. It’s one of the best shows of the year, with a large audience. We’ll also partner with the Winter Bird Festival and show a few of our largest artworks at their opening reception. I very much look forward to seeing and talking to all of you on Jan,7th, during art exchange. Our opening reception on Jan.12 is one not to miss. Ambassadors from the Pacific Wildlife Care will bring live birds!
We, as free spirited artists, are part of the Morro Bay bird sanctuary, caring for these lovely endangered and protected species, aren’t we?
With love for the “birds”,
Barbara Irvin Sitar
WEEKLY LIFE DRAWING CLASSES
every Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm
at the Morro Bay Recreation Center
1001 Kennedy Way
Tom Dale Dakota Pitts
No registration or sign-up is necessary! Just come and bring your own materials. We provide a live model tables, coffee, lighting and music. It is open to all skill levels, and (almost) any media. The cost is $10.00 per session.
Len Boyle Ardella Swanberg
For further info Call Bob Rodger at 805-528-4248
SQUARE ART SHOP UPDATE Call for artists to participate!
We have launched a new, year round display and selling platform within the gallery. The soft launch proved the idea is vital. Many of you created pieces for the first display and we sold a few pieces as well. We adjusted the prices according to feedback from artists, MBAA board and customers, to become successful with sales. I would like to encourage more artists to participate and create square sizes at the fixed prices. It's a nice way to create quick little works that sell faster. We noticed almost every visitor stops to examine the Square Art wall first upon entering the gallery. I would like to see participants get to the point of creating an ongoing series of artwork in support of “collectors of the square art”.
This project has a strong presence and diversity. It's eye-catching display is aimed toward the increasing international and local tourism and 2020 summer season.
I would also like to encourage more works from photographers and 3D multimedia artists.
Square Art Shop Details:
- The Square Art theme is anything that defines the local vibe and spirit. It's open and free, but should be considered according to size, labor and attractiveness to sell.
- Artworks accepted by the curator will be temporarily stored before the exhibit is changed out, replaced or returned.
- Canvas or wood panels must be unframed and fully covered or painted on all sides. - 3D art can be mounted into the reverse side (box) of the cradled panel.
- Take-in is during Demo days or by appointment.
- Panels are available to purchase in the gallery or upon appointment.
- No take-in fee for MBAA Members!
- Commission: 25% of all sales.
- Display time is 2 months or longer by curator’s decision.
- Up to 3 Square Artworks may be submitted at one time
Project requirements:
- Unframed canvas or cradled wood panel 1.5 inch deep.
- Sizes, 6×6 $45; 8×8 $80; 10×10 $100; 12×12 $145. Prices are size-fixed.
- Artwork wired on the back.
- All media accepted.
- Submitted artwork accompanied with a take in sheet for Square Art.
For an appointment or more information contact the curator, Barbara Sitar, email: bsitar66@gmail.com or phone: (617) 320-2956.
TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
2020 is here! Your membership dollars keep the gallery doors open, provide for scholarships, children's art classes, free community demos and more.
Click here and renew your membership for 2020 now!
2020 HOLIDAY DINNER AND BOARD INSTALLATION
Click here to see more photos from the holiday dinner!
Sunny Fields!
February 20, 9:30am - 4:30pm
Translated into Danish, is Solvang. The Danish Village of Solvang was established in 1911 by a group of Danish teachers and mimics a European village. There you can find not only superior pastries, friendly shopkeepers dressed in authentic Danish costumes, the Danish Maid, windmills, wooden shoes, and cuckoo clocks, but wonderful museums, galleries and Danish history, architecture, and art. Thanks to its Danish lifestyle and architecture, Solvang is known as “California’s Denmark” and hosts a million visitors a year to its charming village.
Discover the art and history that Solvang is renowned for. On February 20th, the Art Center Morro Bay invites you to join us on a sunny fields field trip to Solvang where we will visit the Wildling Museum and the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art along with some free time to explore this beautiful village. We will leave Morro Bay at 9:30am visit both museums and have time for lunch and pastry purchases; returning to Morro Bay at about 4:30pm. The cost for this wonderful excursion is $65.00 for members of Morro Bay Art Association and $75.00 for non-members. The ticket prices for both museums are included in the price and we will be joined by tour guides or docents at each museum to make our day that much more special.
Pre-registration is required online or at Art Center Morro Bay, 835 Main St, Morro Bay. For additional information online, visit www.artcentermorrobay.org. Click on the excursions tab or the shop tab.
JANUARY DEMO
Pastel Magic Demonstration
January 13, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Dr. Greg Trombly holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education from State University of New York at Oswego and State University of New York at Albany. In addition, he holds a PhD in the Cultural Foundations of Education from Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Trombly has been an educator and administrator for the public school system and at the university level. He has continued art education by participating in workshops from acclaimed artists such as Terri Ludwig and Daniel Greene. He exhibits artwork in New York, and his artwork is held in private collections throughout the country.
This demonstration will explore color, value and composition with a variety of soft pastels. Greg will apply color combinations that will illuminate the creation of shoreline with a sunset sky. Interaction with the artist is welcome and encouraged.
ONGOING CLASSES
Old World Drawing and Painting
with Jason Mayr
Mondays, 9:00am - 1:00p
Jason Mayr’s oil painting class meets twice a month, usually the 1st and 3rd Mondays 9am - 1pm, and runs in a cyclical cycle so that it is easy to jump in and out of class as needed. Each class is accompanied by 3 videos e-mailed out over the two week period. The three videos are a Lesson, Friday Feedback and Monday Morning Inspiration. A topic will be covered in the Lesson. For Friday Feedback I will look at and digitally work on a student’s work showing ways to incorporate the lesson into the work. Monday Morning Inspiration we take a look at some works by the masters and see how they employed our topic of conversation. In class we paint and I guide each student according to their needs and desires. If you simply want to show up and paint 2 Mondays a month that is fine. Or if you would really like to learn and practice the craft of painting, or take your work to the next level either way you are in the right place.
Cost $35 per class (includes the 3 videos) www.JasonMayr.com
805-234-6941
Creativity Day
Wednesdays, 10:30am - 3:00pm
Join fellow artists in a safe environment to create, to be inspired and to critique each other's work, plus, it's FREE!
Watercolor - Wet and Wild
Thursdays, 9:00am - 12:00pm
A new watercolor class designed for beginner to advanced students. Classes will be ongoing and feature various instructors.
Adult Coloring and
Zen Doodle Group
Fridays, 10:00 - 11:30am
Relax and unwind in the adult coloring group! Anyone can do it, no experience necessary! Bring your own coloring books or get started with a page from ours. It's FREE!
The Inaugural Morro Bay Plein Air Festival welcomes painters and visitors to Morro Bay to capture and explore the town’s charming downtown, Embarcadero, ocean views, bay and harbor scenery, and surrounding mountain vistas.
Artists from around the country will gather for a plein air demonstration, workshop, Paint Out, Quick Draw competition, VIP Party, Live and Silent art auctions, and special “meet and greet” with international plein air artist, Guido Frick.
Visitors will find painters at several on site locations around the city to watch as their paintings take shape then head to the Inn at Morro Bay for a Quick Draw competition, Live and Silent Auctions.
This Festival is made possible by Morro Bay Art Association, Morro Bay Tourism, and Inn at Morro Bay. Along with a host of sponsors who support our community and the Arts. Please visit the sponsors found in our Plein Air Festival Brochure.
The Morro Bay Plein Air Festival is open to professional and non-professional artists of all skill levels. We invite the public to watch the art evolve before their eyes, to participate in the evening activities and to purchase beautiful wet paint art pieces in Silent and Live Auction fun.
Click here for detailed information and to register!!
An Introduction to Soft Pastels and the Art of Pastel Painting –
This workshop is designed to provide plenty of hands on guidance, allowing students to work from reference photos of their choice. Students from beginner to advanced are welcome. Learn more ...
COST: $165.00 MBAA Members / $175. 00 Non-Members
Painting Tune-Up Workshop
March 13 - 15
10:00am - 4:00pm
with Trowzers Akimbo
Trowzers provides demonstrations and leads step by step exercises, tuning your knowledge and skills to keep your painting sessions humming along like a well-oiled machine. During this 3-day workshop, you will review painting fundamentals and be introduced to new methods of analysis and creative procedure that will make you more productive and your paintings more successful. Discover tools that will assist you in painting with confidence and authority. Learn about Trowzers Akimbo
COST: $400. 00 MBAA Members / $425.00 Non-Members
Plein Air Still Life and Landscape April 14 - 15
9:00am - 5:00pm
with Guido Frick
During this workshop, Guido will teach you how to interpret and translate what you are seeing to a canvas and develop your own artistic language. He will discuss the use of colors, values, mood, drama and atmosphere while painting outdoors. Read more ...
COST: $385.00 MBAA Members / $405.00 Non-Members
Join Guido Frick for a free demonstration, Monday, April 13 3:00 pm-5:00pm
Mark Making-Developing Your Signature Style in Abstract Painting June 19 - 20
10:00am - 4:00pm
with Diane Williams & Chuck Potter
Venture with us into the realm of self-expression by identifying your own unique style. We will be exploring a variety of techniques using water soluble pencils, Sumi ink, charcoal, sticks, scrapers, and other mark making tools. We will also use stencils, stamping, special patinas and other applications to create multi-dimensional layering effects adding depth and visual interest. The results are alive, authentic and exhilarating. Unveil the mysteries of abstraction by practicing techniques in form, rhythm and motion. Learn more ...
COST: $225. 00 MBAA Members / $235.00 Non-Members
Portraits in Pastel July 17 - 19
10:00am - 5:00pm
with Cuong Nguyen
Learn about drawing, values, edges and composition, in a workshop designed to create in a relaxed, informative yet focused environment, for all skill levels. Students will concentrate on drawing the human head and creating life-like skin tone colors using the green foundation technique, while developing new skills in soft pastel and pastel pencil. This workshop will feature live models. Read more ...
COST: $400. 00 MBAA Members / $425. 00 Non-Members
Joan Boyd, Cayucos
Jenny Durling, Arroyo Grande
Paul Kaspian, Morro Bay
Marianne K. McDonnell, Los Osos
Michael Pitzer, Fresno
Marie Ramey, Atascadero
Jane Russell, Atascadero
Sylvia Sanchez, Fresno
Mark Selby, Los Osos
Next Board Meeting is January 14, 2020 12:00 - 3:00pm
January 2020 Newsletter
Creativity Day 
Adult Coloring and
