Desert Artists exhibit big talent
Paintings from some of the 16 artists on display at the Miniature Art Show at Sterling Savings Bank in Moses Lake. The show ends Nov. 12.
MOSES LAKE — Comedian Steven Wright once said that it’s a small world, but he wouldn’t want to have to paint it.
The Desert Artists of Grant County would probably disagree.
The sixteen women from the painting group have proudly put their large display of tiny art on exhibit at the annual Miniature Art Show and Sale, which began last week in Moses Lake.
All of the featured artwork measures smaller than 36 inches around each and uses a variety of mediums including oil, acrylics, watercolors, colored pencil, permanent inks and collage.
Phyllis Peterson, the Desert Artists secretary says the pieces are small “for people who want something special.”
Peterson said she paints mainly in watercolors, as can be seen in her entry “Market Day.”
Themes for the postcard-sized paintings ranged from nature and landscapes to people, horses, hummingbirds and beyond.
“Everybody gets together and does their own thing,” says Judy Kalin, who is showing two collage pieces using a style known as “sumi.”
Kalin says she has been painting for about 40 years and recently became interested in sumi after participating in workshops on the Washington coast. The sumi style is using black ink on rice paper, but Kalin says it’s not the only medium she works in.
Although she has her own studio in Moses Lake, Kalin attends the weekly gathering of the Desert Artists as she has for the past seven years to work with the other women.
The Miniature Art Show began five years ago under Kalin’s guidance as a way to encourage new membership, but the Desert Artists group has existed since the 1990s. Both the art show and group have grown over the years.
“It began as a watercolor society,” says Peterson. “It later morphed into a variety of mediums with different artists.”
Peterson says the group is open to anyone with a love of art, “The weekly meetings allow individuals to practice their painting, but we don’t have a teacher there giving formal lessons.”
The Miniature Art Show is the only event all the Desert Artists come together to sponsor, although various members display works at the Soap Lake Winterfest Juried Art Show and Sale, the Moses Lake Museum and Art Center and the Wallenstein Theater.
Sandra Lomeli says she joined the group after hearing about it during her studies at Washington State University in 2007.
“I’ve only been with the group for about a year now,” Lomeli says. “But the ladies are great.”
Sandra works in acrylics while her sister, Annette Lomeli, joined the group at her sister’s urging and works mostly with pastels.
Both say they are planning on participating in the Miniature Art Show again next year.
“I think the artists are always so good to come and share their art with the public,” said Shannon Rock of Sterling Savings Bank, who hosted the event. “It’s a great avenue to show that we’ve got amazing local talent.”
The Miniature Art Show and Sale is going at Sterling Savings Bank, located at 101 E. Fourth Ave., in Moses Lake.
Visitors can stop by and vote for their favorite painting, or purchase one, until the show ends Friday.
This year’s show includes art by Janet Daschel, Annette Lomeli, Vee Boyd, Linda Bishop, Carol Billings, Phyllis Peterson, Linda Pond, Lily Lathrop, Janice Shaw, Betty Kooy, Louise Peeples, Connie Farris, Susan Walpole, Rose Lundberg, Arla Mae Deycous and Judy Kalin.
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