We meet monthly at the Wheeling Township Community Services Center.  There is no meeting in December.  Our May meeting is a peer judging/critique for members.

Information on the artists below may have been edited for inclusion here.

Address and map can be found at the bottom of the page.

Susan Ploughe  Lecture: Design Strategies for Better Art 

Much of the success of a work of art is established before you ever touch brush to canvas or pastel to paper. Having a good understanding of the different decisions that you face during the creative process will result in consistently better work. Topics include choosing subject matter wisely, finding a point of view, arranging the elements (composition), developing a strong value structure, enhancing the focal point, and other design principles. 

BIOGRAPHY

Susan Ploughe (Ploughe rhymes with blue) is an award winning painter and an enthusiastic instructor who loves helping people develop their skills. She is a Signature Member of both the American Impressionist Society and Oil Painters of America. Susan’s artwork is in private and corporate collections, and she has been featured in Fine Art Connoisseur, American Art Collector and International Artist magazines. See her paintings at www.susanploughe.com 

Patricia Mroczka  Watercolor with Ink

I’ve resided in Downers Grove more than 30 years and been painting even longer. After experimenting using several mediums, I fell back on watercolor—my favorite. Gardening is both my hobby and inspiration. My paintings begin on 100% rag paper—cold press, and I use primarily Daniel Smith watercolors. I begin wet-on-wet, then layer color for depth and richness, and complete the painting by using my form of zentangle.

I’m a Signature Member of the Illinois Watercolor Society, and a member of Naperville Art League, Downers Grove Art Guild and Nature Artists’ Guild.

Maureen McKee  Oil

Art has always been a passion.

I grew up in Chicago. My formal art training was at the American Academy of Art and classes at the Art Institute, both of Chicago. I followed a professional path as a graphic designer and art director working on major corporate accounts. Currently I dedicate all my creative endeavors to painting and have studied with C.W. Mundy, Carolyn Anderson, David Hettinger, George Shipperley and Camille Przewodek. 

My work can best be described as having impressionist tendencies that incorporate rhythm and vibrancy. I work in oil and oil pastels, enjoying the diversity of each in my explorations of creating visual images.

Gallery Affiliation—Proud Fox Gallery, Geneva, IL

Peter Thaddeus  Acrylic

As an acrylic painter, I use my soft bristle brushes to tell a story of love and pride in vivid, contrasting colors and strong whimsical line work.   I portray a love for life and the magnificent creations this world has to offer, and love of the diverse array of people that occupy our spaces and the relationships they enter into.  In my work I celebrate pride in the communities we come from and live in, and pride in ourselves, embracing who we are in bold fashion.
 

In the 20+ years that I have been exhibiting and selling artwork, it has been a privilege for me to paint for many homes and businesses in the form of canvas paintings and murals.  Many of these pieces have been custom as I always strive to find ways to meet the specific needs of my clients.  In addition to my original acrylic paintings, I offer prints on paper or stretched canvas using the giclee printing process. Giclee prints are available for over 100 of my paintings in various sizes.  
 

Fascinated with the infinite possibilities of color, I am always integrating new color schemes into my work.  An indicator of when a piece of mine was created can often be found in the color scheme of that piece.  I do not limit myself to one theme in my work- the zest for life that my work embraces is the only overarching subject matter.  While I am inspired by so much I see in the world around me, inspiration to me is not a calling to recreate that which I already find beautiful; instead it is an influence on my vision- calling me to create something new.  

Carol Zack  Mixed media/oil/pastel

Carol is an award-winning artist who specializes in creating, selling and exhibiting pastel paintings. She has experience in providing pastel workshops and classes, fine art judging and custom framing.

Carol has a Bachelor of Arts Education from Vanderbilt University and a Master’s in Art Education from the University of Illinois in Champaign.

Most recently, she was a student and colleague of George Shipperley and David Hettinger. She also studied with noted U of I professors, watercolorist Edward Betts, oil painter Mark Sprague and very early on with Arthur Orr and Fred Attebury. Her website is www.zackartistry.com.

Paulette Colo  Oil

Artist's Statement I was born in Chicago, IL. I have drawn and painted for as long as I can remember. I am mostly self-taught but I have been fortunate to study informally under some fine artists such as, Enid Silverman, Jason Miklik, and Romel de la Torre.  I love working in oils and watercolors as well as graphite, charcoal and pastels. Most of all I love the sheer act of creating in two dimensions what I see in three. The completed drawings and paintings are my emotions and interpretations poured out onto a canvas. 

Memberships  Artists on the Bluff, Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists, NorthShore Art League, Glenview Art League, Adler Center for the Arts, Lake County Art League, The Art Center-Highland Park

Rashmi Ranganath  Acrylic

Life inspires me. Everyday experiences, emotions, happenings, motivates me to braid a story and present it on canvas.
My thoughts on life and life experiences flow intuitively on canvas, creating space for more.
When I create, it involves emotions. Processing thoughts, experiences, ideas, I write down the story in the form of a poem.

Mixed media is my favorite art form when it comes to intuitive creations. Mixed media gives freedom to use different materials and sky is the limit to create beautiful works.
I use contemporary techniques, painting, drawing, layering, collaging, texturizing, sgraffito and the list goes on. New techniques happen very frequently during mixed media creations.
Materials I use include Fluid acrylics, sticks, twigs, paper, and any object that can make a beautiful mark. My substrate has always been stretched canvas.