Enthusiastic Turnout for Scarsdale Art Association Workshop

By Phil Wallace

In spite of glorious weather outside, the drew a large, enthusiastic crowd inside to the Leahey Gallery at the Girl Scout House last Sunday afternoon. The subject was travel journals, what they are, how different artists approach the task and various materials available to make the job easy and fun.

SAA president Gina Thorne welcomed attendees.

”The travel journal as it is now called, is a way to capture our experiences using not only the written page and the camera but the talent most of us enjoy most – our artistic talent,” said Thorne.

She went on to display a large variety of books, pens and related materials with which she experimented over the years. Thorne, a marketing and advertising professional, related how clients rarely appreciate people doing personal art work on a business trip. “To avoid tension, I prefer a compact notebook, a pen and a minimal watercolor set – all of which fit inconspicuously into my briefcase.’

Phil Wallace talked about capturing the feeling of a place and time without being limited by the single frame of photos. He showed a journal with comments on one side and sketches on the facing page.

He pointed out that “the sketches are not literal but rather composites of what’s going on at the time. They are memory triggers for reminiscence or future work.”

He showed examples from the Caribbean, France and New York City. He also showed a compact shoulder kit and how plain, 65# cover stock in an envelope is convenient and economical.

Barbara Shay MacDonald showed an extensive array of travel journals from her trips around the world as well as watercolors produced later from the sketches. She was joined by Janet Patterson who had accompanied her as they painted their way through Provence. “Perhaps my most prized travel kit is one given me by the late Arthur Beech, one of the founders of the SAA,” said MacDonald. She showed a miniature water color set with a tiny capsule that opened into a brush.

Thorne encouraged attendees to keep a journal over the summer promising to have another exchange of ideas in the fall.

The Scarsdale Art Association established in 1938, welcomes artists and those interested in art into its membership. Entry into the association is at the associate level until such time as one wishes his or her work to be juried for full artist membership. (Jurying takes place in spring and fall.) The year’s events include a spring and fall show at the Scarsdale Library, the Outdoor Art Show and Sale in Chase Park as well as regular programs and exhibits at the Leahey Gallery of the Girl Scout House.