January 10, 2026 - 1pm-4pm - PAINT IN
Location: Creative Flow Art Center, 110 77th Way NE, Fridley

There will be plenty of natural daylight through the Firehouse doors from the northside! The space provided for the painting will have an ongoing exhibit up. The public may be coming in to view the exhibit as well as our group’s painting process. Come see what people are working on and get some new tips about techniques from fellow members. You may be witnessing the creation of the next winning painting for our 2026 judged exhibit! Don’t miss this opportunity.

March 10, 2026 - 7:00pm–9:00pm - Member Meeting
Lisa Stauffer – “Critiquing Your Work and knowing when to stop”
lisastauffer.com
Location: Hallberg Art Center, Wyoming

Lisa Stauffer received her Master’s in Design (University Of Minnesota, Minneapolis) and studied Illustration at Parson’s School of Design (NYC). She continues her education by taking workshops from nationally recognized painters whose work inspires her. Lisa was just awarded Eminent Pastelist by the International Association Of Pastel Societies, (she earned Master Circle status in 2009). She received the prestigious Fred Somers Award in 2025 at the Frameworks Juried Exhibition. Her work has been featured in several articles in PleinAir Magazine, Pastel Journal, Stephen Doherty's book, The Art Of Plein Air Painting, and in two PBS specials on painting.

May 12, 2026 - 7:00pm-9:00pm - Member Meeting
Artist Gail Sibley, Demonstration
gailsibley.com
Location: Christ the King Church, 8600 Fremont Ave S, Bloomington MN

July 14, 4-7pm. - PAINT OUT
Location: Old Cedar Ave. Trail. Follow Old Cedar Ave until it ends at the parking lot.
(Map will be provided in future newsletter)

September 8, 2026 - 7:00pm-9:00pm - Member Meeting
Sue Rowe on the topic of “Experimenting with pastels”
Location: Hastings Art Center, 216 4th St. East, Hastings

November 10, 2026 - 7:00pm-9:00pm - Member Meeting - TBD

Board meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every other month, beginning with January, from 5:30-7:00 via zoom.

Member meetings are the second Tuesday of the same month as the board meeting, from 7-9pm.

At our member meetings we feature guest speakers, demonstrations, materials and equipment information, critiques and exchanges of information and insight to further members' artistic development and our sense of community as a society.

Starting in 2026, to encourage attendance by our members from throughout the state, we will be holding our Member meetings in a variety of locations throughout the Twin Cities.

CHERI GINSBURG MEETING RECAP – NOVEMBER 11, 2025

Cheri was introduced after our short business portion of the meeting. She began with a brief history of her life that led up to becoming a pastel artist. She began her art work as a pen and ink artist. During that time her “job” was working for a cosmetic corporation, working with cosmetics. Sometimes creating new designs while applying the make up. For a short while she also learned about sculpture in Sante Fe after watching a professional create one of his works. Once she started her own family, with her husband, they started a furniture design business. Her favorite part was painting the designs. She was diagnosed with cancer and realized that she had wanted to be a professional artist. She kept her promise to herself that after recovery, she would focus on art and began visiting museums everywhere she went. She realized that many of the paintings that attracted her were done in pastel, so she chose that medium for her career. It was when she looked for a darker black that she discovered pan pastels. Having worked with make-up kits, it was natural for her to pick up on that format.

Cheri bought a set of 80 colors and realized she could create any color she wanted. The paper she was using was Uart 600, but there are two others she can work with as well. She likes working with Hansen pastel boards. She prefers sanded papers over plain ones. The set she purchased came with a full set of applicators, paper and pens. Applicators do not have to be washed. Rubbing them on paper towels will clean them plenty. Do keep a few of the applicators for the lighter values. Use the sponge applicators lightly on the sanded surfaces and you won’t have any problems.

Cheri began her demo on the Hansen pastel board. Once you get used to working with pastels, it is easy to mix colors and achieve the effect you want. After doing an underpainting, she will lightly spray it with alcohol before continuing. She only uses fixatives to lighten or darken a painting, and occasionally give more tooth to her canvas. Mostly her pressure is very light, but it can be easily adjusted if need be. When you are dabbing on the painting, don’t just keep punching the painting, vary your hand position throughout the process. That evening, Cheri mostly finished her painting within the time slot she was given. Following the presentation, people were invited to play with and test the set of pastels she brought along with applicators, and different types of paper.

October 14, Fred Somers demo
Location TBA somewhere in Northfield

Many of you know Fred, and for those who don’t, come to the demo and be totally enthralled. Fred Somers has been painting full-time since 1975 at his farm-home-studio near Northfield, MN. His oil and pastel paintings, known for their peaceful sensitivity, reflect themes from the land. Whether in intimate views of grass, rocks and water with reflections of light and sky, or in spacious vistas of the countryside he seeks to share the hidden places of nature. He has won too many awards to be listed here and he is now internationally recognized as a great pastel artist. Don’t miss it.

September 9, Kathe Drake demo on Still Life.
New Brighton Community Center, Room 224, 7pm – 9pm

Many people work with outdoor scenes, but have you ever tried doing a still life painting? Or even had questions about doing the background for it, objects to use, starting with an underpainting, etc. Come to this meeting and hear what options and techniques Kathe Drake uses when she does her still life paintings. Her presentation will include home marketing techniques, subject matter, background choices and more.

Kathe Drake is an award-winning pastel and oil painter. Like many artists, she has been creating art since childhood. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a minor in art and furthered her studies at the Minnesota River School of Fine Art, where she went on to teach pastel painting. Most of Kathe’s work is created directly from life. She is particularly drawn to feminine subjects - women and their clothing as well as to flowers, fruits and vegetables. Even common place objects gain significance when carefully viewed and incorporated into her still life’s. She says “because the visual world is so rich with possibilities, I find there are endless variation to capture in all that I see.” Kathe’s work has been in several national and international shows. . She will have three of her paintings in the LCPS exhibit coming up at the Frameworks Gallery in Highland Park of St. Paul. So, do come to her presentation and learn more about Still Life painting.

July 8 Paint Out, Tuesday from 4pm – 7pm.

This coming July join us for our annual Paint Out, or you may call it our annual plein air event. We are planning our event just north of Forest Lake at Paradise Park. It is located in Chisago City. There is a beautiful lake, wonderful large trees, a beach, shelter, a children’s play area, and of course, bathrooms. You have many options to choose from for an outdoor scene. It will also be a great chance to learn from others about techniques and the process of preparation for outdoor painting itself. Directions are: (Think Taylor’s Falls) Take I-35 to County Road 8, and turn east driving past Wyoming to a street in Chisago City called Olde Towne Road. (Your GPS unit may refer to it as Benet Road.) Take a right turn to Stinson Ave., which is about a block, then you’ll see the sign for Paradise Park and a right turn into the parking lot. Hope to see you there.

Recap of May 15 Demo with Lorenzo Chavez

Lorenzo, our workshop artist, will be giving a live demo of his work and technique. Please note that this is Thursday, not our usual Tuesday meeting day.

Lorenzo Chavez was born and raised in the southern most point of the Rockies in New Mexico. His first inspirations and foundation as a young artist were formed by the local landscape and the art history in New Mexico. Using pastel and oil mediums, his hope is to carry on the art traditions of American painters such as the Taos Society of Artists and the American Impressionists.

Lorenzo is a nationally known Fine Art instructor who has taught numerous workshops across the United States since 1993. Lorenzo is represented by many major fine art galleries and many private and corporate collections both nationally and internationally. Currently there are nine art books featuring his works of art around the world. You don’t want to miss this great opportunity!