• Jacqueline Smith will demonstrate collage techniques at the de Cosmos meeting on February 18th, 1:00 pm  at OCAC in Parksville.

• Cindy Mawle will be showing her ‘One Hundred Painting in One Hundred Days’ works at Artfitterz on Bowen Road in Nanaimo, March 1st to 21st. These are all 8x10 pieces or smaller, and Cindy has included them on her art blog, logging in almost 1300 hits over the past few months. Opening for the Nanaimo show is March 6th, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
  
  www.cindymawle.com

• The chapter’s informal critique group is alive and well; get-togethers take place at Pacific Brim in Parksville, the second Tuesday of each month, at 2:00 p.m. Members bring along works in progress and chat about problems, challenges, etc. All members are welcome to attend. Contact Jacqueline for more info. watercolorjac@shaw.ca

• Patricia Carroll is participating in a show at the Leighdon Studio Gallery in Vancouver.  She uses original stamps and layers of colour to reveal the spirit and energy of specific animals.  The show runs from May 4 until May 29, 2010. The reception is May 7 from 6 to 8 pm.  More information at www.leighdon.ca or contact the gallery at 604-875-0029

• Fay St Marie is a part of the Kunamokst-Coastal Inspirations Mural Mosaic which combines over 200 west coast artists from ages 16 to 91. The mural is comprised of 231  12 x 12 inch original paintings.   When all the images are combined together a united image comes to life.   Fay's panel is #205.   The mural will be unveiled Feb 13th at West Vancouver's Spirit Square and its final location place will be on Galiano Island.  Website:  www.muralmosaic.com

• Laura Hilts will be doing a demo for the DeCosmos art group at the Oceanside Art Gallery on MacMillian in Parksville on Thursday, March 18 at 1:30  The focus of the demonstration will be using ink drawing in watercolour and acrylic paintings.   Everyone is welcome.

Fay St. Marie's painting, "Showing Its Shadow" has been awarded an Honourable Mention in the National Winter Juried Art Show, which will be held at TOSH in February 2010.

Gail deCaux , a member of the FCA since 1991, died on November 22, 2009. Gail demonstrated courage and good humor throughout her long battle with cancer, refusing to be anything but positive and cheerful. Gail and her husband Greg moved to Nanaimo from Calgary where she had played an active role in the Calgary Chapter of the FCA for seven years, assuming the role of president for 1995 and 1996. Gail continued to contribute her time and energy to the Nanaimo Chapter FCA in the dual roles of 1stVP and Treasurer. She also  organized shows and assisted with the show registration committee. In recognition of her extraordinary service to the NFCA, Gail was awarded an Honorary Life Membership, of which she was very proud.  Gail was also a new member of the Arrowsmith Chapter.  Gail will be remembered by everyone who knew her for her sweet nature, her unfailing kindness to all and her beautiful art. 

• Dave Davies is featured in an article in the Nov/Dec issue of Art Avenue, and his work on oyster shells will be in the gallery at Qualicum Stationers next month.

• Congratulations to the following Arrowsmith FCA members have works in the TOSH Winter Juried Show, February 10 to March 28, 2010.
  
  Patricia Carroll
  Disa Hale
  Laura Hilts
  Denise MacDonald
  Helene McIntosh
  Lynn Orriss
  Jacqueline Smith
  Fay St. Marie (Honourable Mention)
  Vickie Turner
  Helen Webster
  Tiki Westnedge.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Four paintings by  Michael Cleary are part of an exhibition entitled “Treasures” by the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour celebrating the Life Members of the society.  The show is being held in the John B. Aird Gallery in Toronto. Ten Life Members have been invited to take part in the exhibition which opens October 29.  Michael and his wife Pat are travelling to be present at the opening which is literally a once in a lifetime event for the artists.  One of Michael’s paintings was reproduced for the invitation to the exhibition.
• Michael also had a painting accepted in the CSPWC annual show "Open Water" which was held in Calgary this year, only the second time it has been held in the west.
• Michael and his wife Pat and went to the opening of Open Water and are also going to Toronto for the "Treasures" opening at the end of this month.

• Helen Webster is pleased to have her painting "CRAB WALK" accepted in the Chapters Show, November 3 to 15, Federation Gallery in Vancouver

• Diane Michelin is back from a month and a half fly fishing. Her watercolour workshops at the Damdochax River Lodge were a real success with the trout anglers who experienced painting for the first time. They were thrilled and this type of adventure will be added again next year to the experience of fly fishing in the remote and private waters of the Damdochax, also called Black River.

• Therese Johnston participated in the  Painting by Numbers  evening  and was honoured by having her painting chosen # 1!.  This makes it two years in a row for Therese, as her painting was also chosen #1 at last year's event.

• Congratulations to the following members who had works accepted in our Fall Juried Show:  Dave Davies, Laura Hilts, Ros Ross, Andrea Kennedy, Lynn Oriss, Joan Ackerman, Michael Cleary, Marilyn Cooney, Jane Cross, Lisa Danesin, Gail DeCaux, Allan Dunfield, Leslie Gregory, Disa Marie Hale, AFCA, Martin Hill, Karen Ladd, Bonnie Luchtmeijer, AFCA, Helene McIntosh, Sherry Mitchell, SFCA, Norma Paul, Jacqueline Smith, Clare Turcott, Helen Webster and Tiki Westnedge. 

• Award of Excellence:  Dave Davies "Purple", Laura Hilts "Sentinels" and Ros Ross "Ocean Dance". 

• Honourable Mention:  Laura Hilts "Umbrella Day", Andrea Kennedy "Head Over Heels" and Lynn Orriss "Deep Water".

• People's Choice Award:  There was a tie for the award this year.   Martin Hill "Coby Storm" and Sherry Mitchell "Resting - Rufous Hummingbird on Crocosmia"

• Therese Johnston, Helen Webster, Lisa Danesin and Cindy Mawle  have works accepted in Sooke Fine Arts 2009, July 25 - Aug 3. 
  Click here for more info on the show.

• Welcome  new Arrowsmith Chapter members... Joan Bishop, Diane Michelin, Joan Ackerman, Gail Cyr, Cynthia Bonesky, and Gail Decaux.

• Oceans of Art Show
  June 11 - 29, 2009,   Nanaimo Art Gallery, Downtown
  Opening Gala, Thursday, June 11, 7 - 10 pm
  
  A group of 36 artists from the Federation of Canadian Artists participated in the 2nd Oceans of Art retreat in January 2009, at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC). Building on the success of the inaugural Oceans of Art in 2005 the event was again designed to raise funds for the Public Education Program at BMSC. Artists donate a piece of work created from the retreat and the proceeds continue to build a bursary fund to support school field trips to BMSC.

• Patricia Carroll, Marilyn Cooney, Lisa Danesin, Leslie Gregory, Disa Marie Hale AFCA, Laura Hilts, Helene McIntosh, Susan McLennan, Jaqueline Smith and Claire Turcott are now showing work at "TOSH 10", a new artist's cooperative at TOSH.  The gallery/working studio is  on the main floor at The Old School House Arts Centre (TOSH) in Qualicum Beach. 
  
  OPENING NIGHT: FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 4:00 - 9:00 pm. 
  Everyone Welcome!
  
  Click here for more info 

• Helen Webster
  "Canyon Spring"
  Thompson Nicola Shuswap Open Show

• Marilyn Cooney
  "Life and Liberty"
  Thompson Nicola Shuswap Open Show
  

 Click here to view show

• Congratulations to the following members who have works in our Spring Chapter Show:  Pat Carroll (Honourable Mention), Michael Cleary, Marilyn Cooney (People's Choice), Lisa Danesin (Honourable Mention), Dave Davies, Charne Gooch (Award of Excellence), Leslie Gregory, Martin Hill, Laura Hilts (Honourable Mention), Andrea Kennedy (Honourable Mention), Bonnie Luchtmeijer, Lynne Orriss, Jill Owen-Flood, Norma Paul (Honourable Mention), Ingrid Raw, Ros Ross, Fay St. Marie, Helen Webster (Award of Excellence) and Tiki Westnedge (Award of Excellence and Honourable Mention)
  

• Fay St. Marie
  "Two Babushka Women With Bike"
  FCA Vancouver Human Figure show

• Laura Hilts
  "From Life"
  FCA Vancouver  Human Figure show
  

• Laura Hilts
  "Island Winter"
  FCA Vancouver Landscapes show

• Jacqueline Smith
  "Cityscape"
  FCA Vancouver Landscapes show
  

• Andrea Kennedey
  "Industrial Interlacement"
  FCA Vancouver Mixed Media show

• Dianne Bersea is pleased to report a successful art retreat to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC) on the outer coast of Vancouver Island January 24 - 27.  Dianne joined thirty-six Federation of Canadian Artists for a lengthy & scenic voyage (once the fog lifted) down the Alberni Canal to our objective.  Our journey involved field trips by boats, some lab time with diatoms and copepods, (the wondrous beings at the heart of plankton) and, especially for me, serious face time with a copper rock fish.  I loved sketching this highly evolved fish as it sat 'on station' among the sea weed in a remarkable ocean aquarium."  The generous and well founded Oceans of Art tour was sponsored by the BMSC as a fundraiser for their important Public Education Program.   "We artists will now donate a piece of work created from the retreat, the proceeds to go to a bursary fund to support BMSC school field trips."  The "Oceans of Art" show and sale will be at the Nanaimo Art Gallery, Nanaimo, BC, from June 11-29, 2009.
  
• Dianne Bersea web site:  "I have been building my web site for more than seven years.  It's a time capsule of how and what I've been doing as an artist.  And as an outer islander it's provided a visible presence on the larger scene.  I'm very pleased that my classic watercolours are now on-line.  These are the  images that made my reputation as a watercolourist.  On the site I've told a story about each painting, with a note about the occasion, the inspiration, or the process from original sketch to finished image.  You can see these and other images, including a watercolour progression from first washes to finished image, at www.islmuse.com

•  Fay St Marie
  "Entrance Island Lighthouse"
  FCA Vancouver Small, Smaller show  (November 2008).