Featured Artists - The Tuesday Group

For December and January we are Featuring the members of The Tuesday Group. The Tuesday Group is a collection of friends, artists, that get together every Tuesday at the gallery to paint and talk and eat. We start off setting down our supplies and start talking, about life, or family or events or art. One or two may go ahead and get started painting, and then maybe another, all the while talking. A small bit of work gets done and then it’s lunch time, Kirchhoff’s, or something from home, or maybe Midtown Market. After lunch….we really get serious about art. Usually before the day is over one or two has propped up their art and asked for opinions and advice. It’s what we do. Most of us have worked in 2 or more mediums over the course of our lives and have been creative most of that time. So we’re experienced and know a bit, we’re very kind and gentle with our thoughts. It gives us all a chance to share and learn from each other.

We decided to create a show on the theme “Winter”. Here is a little info, a few comments from each artist:

Diane Bay: I have been creative all my life. I have worked in most mediums, spending more than a decade with pastel. For the last few years I concentrated on oils but have returned to my roots in pastels and am enjoying their richness and ease. (Diane does beautiful plein air work with warm rich glowing colors in the scenes.)

Paula Clark Trojahn: My art is an expression of what I want to see in my world. I depict people and animals and their environment in my own way. My way is to throw in a little whimsy and fantasy to a painting, which creates a feeling of light heartedness and beauty. (Paula creates beautiful luminous paintings, using water mediums.)

Rebecca (Becca) Mueller-Williams: Becca is a retired teacher living in southern Illinois. She enjoys painting, reading and long walks. Becca has had a love of art since a child, and at 10 was illustrating her own stories. (She currently paints wildly expressive portraits of strong female characters, using acrylic paint and collage items of all kinds, creating mixed media wonders.)

Vera Rodgers: In looking back over my shoulder at the body of works that I have produced in my studio, I find that I most often choose to paint or draw trees, children, and animals, especially dogs. What a joy it is to provide a client a memorial painting of their canine companion that had gone over the rainbow bridge. (Vera does a lot of work in colored pencil, silver point and other metals, and watercolor. They are always light and delicate.)

Sandi Johnson: Painting has always seemed a magical thing to me. I believe art should connect with people, bring a smile, a bit of sunshine, or show something of what it is to be human. I love creating fantasy because you can do anything with it, express anything you want with it. I have worked in fantasy for a long time but am now trying to find where my art needs lie, within the fantastic or the real. (She has worked in many mediums, oil and colored pencil being the favorites.)

Julie Brigance: I, like many of my friends, have had a life long love of art. Mine began with my talented, artistic mother. I grew up drawing and painting everything. I am a hobby artist and have enjoyed giving my paintings to family and friends. Art has been a joy ride. (Julie does beautiful oils of whatever subject captures her eye. Recently she has been doing small florals.)

Chad Nelson: I loved to draw as a child and all through my teens. Recently, an opportunity presented itself for me to seek my art full time and I took it! I am currently a student at an online illustration school called SVS Learn, learning the in and outs of children’s book publishing and illustration. I would love to author and illustrate children’s books. (Chad does wonderfully whimsical monsters and fantasy creatures. He has such a wonderful imagination and his pieces are always such fun, but never scary. Chad works in watercolor and pen and ink. Let’s hope he gets to doing those books!)

Jenny Fuller: I am a native of Paducah. I wasn’t interested in Painting until I was around 29. I first picked up a watercolor brush to pass away some time. I work mostly in pastel. I have done watercolor, acrylic and oils but pastel if my favorite. I have written and illustrated several children’s books and illustrated some for local authors. Jenny does beautiful portraits, in pastel, whether they are of a person, or a violin, or a small coastal town. She has done many commissions in addition to her books.)

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