Celebrating Donna Hale

Good friend and extraordinary pastel artist, Donna Hale passed this week. She was the hardest worker of all of us, rolling her cart into a spot and starting her painting before some of us arrived. Then she’d keep working, usually right through lunch while the rest of us chatted.  Donna’s pastels captured the light and feeling of any place she put her easel. She helped with our shows, registration, labels for exhibits, whatever needed doing was done well. And you were always guaranteed a beautiful smile. 

A regular at the winter salon, here she is asking for a critique at our winter salon.

The weather is no problem, just wear more clothes! 

At the Buckhorn State Park fishing dock, a favorite spot for views in all directions. 

Rain? We have Artist umbrellas for sun which double up for rain. 

 Donna emceed our workshop for Plein air painters. 

We will miss you, dear friend, your advice, smiles and company were a gift. 

Quick Paint, Pot Luck, Good Friends Gather

 Completely out of order, enjoy these photos of our get together that was not just about painting but also camaraderie. 2021 was a good year to be painters. Diane and Jean found the perfect park shelter for picnic and painting at Beaver Island State Park, NY, overlooking the river and Canada. 

Our pot luck lunch was preceded by a "Quick Draw" which was a challenge to complete a painting in 75 minutes. The finished collection was amazing, everyone pulled off a great speedy effort. Silly prizes were awarded for most Geometric, Transparent and Colorful paintings. Tough judging and lots of good comments!

Reviewing the final paintings

Anne Zohur

Carol and Peg

Diane Goupil

Donna Hale

Paulette and Bernie

Artist Friends

Paulette 

Peggy Walker

Roy Fink

Half the cars are Subarus!

Quick Draw results

Not just art, we like to eat.

Kath 

WorldWide Paintout

Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters went to Niagara Falls State Park in New York State on Friday September 9 to celebrate the 9th annual Worldwide paintout. It started as a lovely gray and overcast day, light shadows and perfect temperature and we all painted for an hour or two when the clouds simply disappeared and the sky was brilliant. There were more painters than in these pictures in the park, hidden by trees and atop rocks away from the massive waterfalls.

Donna Hale on the walk above Horseshoe Falls

Linda Piper above Luna Island

Beverly McIntyre also painted above Luna Island

Joan Shaw chose the water about to become the Bridal Veil Falls

Sharon Fundalinski watercolored American Falls

Joan Turrell sat right in the center of Terrapin Point

 Plein air paintings here were photographed at lunch and several were unfinished at that time. Painters that had completed their morning work started new paintings.

Sharon Fundalinski

Joan Shaw

Sherrill Primo captured the islands at the brink of the Horseshoe.

Joan Turrell's precipice

Linda Piper

Kath Schifano

Donna Hale

Sharon, Beverly, Sherrill, Donna, Joan T, Joan S, Linda

Beverly McIntyre

Kath Schifano at the Horseshoe

On Saturday September 10, the NY painters got out their citizenship papers and crossed the bridge to paint on the Ontario side of Niagara Falls, where the views were of waterfalls from a distance rather than close up and next to the water.

Wine and Culinary Festival at Artpark

Saturday July 31 & Sunday August 1 were the most beautiful weekend days of the summer for a long planned 2 day paintout.

Saturday's Music is Art and Artpark's Rock Camp music followed by Sunday's historic Lewiston Jazz festival provided non stop entertainment for the painters and wine festival attendees. Restaurants and winery representatives filled the large treed lot on Artpark's lower level, while NFPAP painters scattered along the gorge ridge to paint views of Canada, Niagara River, and the festivities. A superb view of the River, Lewiston Queenston Bridge and the two countries' power projects attracted many painters to a small overlook at the edge of the park property.

Painting among wine tasters and gourmet food eaters was a new experience for most of us. Everyone was in a good mood and the lovely location, light and shade trees made the day perfect.

Some of the painters are shown here, Sherrill Primo, Sharon Fundalinski, Kath Schifano, Linda Ludwig, Dorothy Rosche, Donna Hale, Beverly McIntyre. Many more members were painting during this special weekend event.

We will most likely schedule another paint out at Artpark to take advantage of the views on the upper levels of the park. Sending a special shout out and thanks to Sherill's husband Richard for taking these photos!

June at Beaver Island State Park

Tuesday started as a stormy rainy morning & we lost several painters to the weather. The hardy painters were rewarded with clearing weather and strong color contrasts on a bright day. We had a roomy covered patio area at the Casino, while Joan Shaw chose a spot under trees. Jean Jain & I tackled the arch & garden while Susie painted the trees leading to the beach. It was a little chilly & we probably left a bit earlier than usual, but we had our usual lovely lunch together first!

Burchfield Nature Center paint-out 4/30/09

A slight haze, but with bright light, we could almost hear the buds opening on this beautiful Spring day. 

Kathy McDonell,  Deborah Kane, Donna Hale, Joan Shaw, Ann Stievator, Sharon Fundalinski, Linda Piper, Beverly McIntyre, Joan Turrell & Kath Schifano painted the subtleties of early Spring at Burchfield Nature & Art center.