Silk Painting Workshop – February 21, 2023

Below are the photographs from the silk scarf painting workshop. We all learned creative techniques and had loads of fun. Plus, we got gorgeous scarves to take home. Thanks Margie!

Book Club: “The Last Van Gogh” Feb. 7, 2023

The Last van Gogh by Alyson Richman
Hostess- Verna Sheldon

Summer, 1890. Van Gogh arrives at Auvers-sur-Oise, a bucolic French village that lures city artists to the country. It is here that twenty-year-old Maurguerite Gachet has grown up, attending to her father and brother ever since her mother’s death. And it is here that Vincent Van Gogh will spend his last summer, under the care of Doctor Gachet – homeopathic doctor, dilettante painter, and collector. In these last days of his life, Van Gogh will create over 70 paintings, two of them portraits of Marguerite Gachet. But little does he know that, while capturing Marguerite and her garden on canvas, he will also capture her heart. Both a love story and historical novel, The Last Van Gogh recreates the final months of Vincent’s life – and the tragic relationship between a young girl brimming with hope and an artist teetering on despair.

A Note from Verna Sheldon

What a wonderful and informative book club meeting we had on Tuesday, February 7, 2023. Our book club meeting was such a stimulating, and at times really exciting, discussion of Alyson Richman’s book “The Last van Gogh”. We covered many topics relevant to the theme, persons, cultural environment, era and most importantly the art produced by Vincent van Gogh in this last period of his life.  There are many unknown facts surrounding Vincent’s last days and sudden death, so the author had plenty of opportunity to create a credible alternative fiction  for these final days… was Dr. Gachet and even members of his family complicit in any way, how did Vincent get shot when no gun was found, did the “tinctures” that Dr. Gachet prescribed contribute to Vincent’s manic productivity, did Vincent know about Theo’s terminal illness … We shared prints and books displaying the paintings of Dr. Gachet and his daughter Marguerite, and many others, and thanks to Vincent’s sister-in-law who, after both he and Theo (only six months later) died, organized and donated all of Vincent’s letters in her possession.  These letters and related paintings can now be freely viewed on-line worldwide!  (www.vangoghletter.org; www.vggallery,com, and www.openculture.com)  Our group rated the book 4.6 on a 1 to 5 scale, 5 being the best.

Our next book will be “The Muralist” by B. A. Shapiro.  It is an intriguing mystery novel that will no doubt spark much discussion, too.  Our next meeting will be:

March 7, 2023.  Time and location to be confirmed.

Yours truly,
Verna Shelden


A Note from Lee Asta

I loved your organization and enthusiasm for the book and the subject of the book!!!!i I ENJOYED THE FACT THAT YOU ALSO BROUGHT IN BOOKS ABOUT VAN GOGH THAT YOU RECOMMENDED AS WELL AS PICTURES OF THE SUBJECTS OF RICHMAN’S BOOK.

I am totally hooked on Alyson Richman and her books and have already read two more of her books that I also enjoyed.

Plans are being worked on for our NOVEMBER BOOK CLUB (FIRST TUESDAY) to read another of her books, which I have asked her (Alyson) to recommend. We may also be able to ZOOM with the Author during that meeting…. exciting things ARE DEVELOPING FOR ANOTHER EXCITING READING CLUB MEETING.

SAVE THE DATE AND…………. STAY TUNED!!!! 

LEE ASTA

Hostess Verna Shelden shares books and their details to add to the story’s Discussion. We read the book by Alyson Richman, “The Last Van Gogh”.

Member Ruth Dexheimer (a Docent at Appleton Museum) also came in with additional books she had read about Van Gogh.
Member Lynn king adds to the book’s discussion with some great details. 
Catherine Burnside even brought in and shared some notes she had taken while reading the book!!!
Ruth showed some of her favorite Art of Van Gogh….and some of her favorite books on him. We went home with a new list of good books to read!!!
Lee Asta brought in an acrylic painting inspired by the book’s first chapter entitled: “The Folded Red Poppy”.

Holiday Lunch

Bring an art-based Holiday Gift to exchange, $10 value.
We will have fun with an interactive drawing game, with paper and crayons provided.

RSVP by FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9

Thank you, John Ford, for contributing these photos of our Annual December Luncheon. It was a festive gathering at the Braised Onion. Vivian Drawneek kept us creatively entertained with a fun drawing game while we waited for our entrees.

Wesley Stout – January 9, 2023

RECAP of Today’s Meeting from Secretary Cathy Burnside

Just wanted to congratulate President Lee Asta on our first meeting of 2023.  We had  2 new members join today. That is an awesome way to start the year.

It was a great meeting with 23 in attendance. 13 of us went to lunch at Southern Kitchen and we all agreed it was delicious.  Thanks to Susan for an awesome demo from Wesley. That man can paint…got lots of great ideas from him… 2023 is going to be a great year!!!

First Book Club Meeting – Nov 1, 2022

First OAG Book Club -November 1st, 2022, at Braised Onion in Ocala. Our first book was: “Fake Like Me” by Barbara Bourland was rated by us as a 4 (ratings were 0-5 highest). Summary: this book was very interesting to me as an Artist—I found the Author’s use of colorful phrases and language basically stimulating. I knew I missed a couple of the twists and outcomes, so I took a deep breath and went back and reread it from the beginning to solve my unanswered questions. I think we could have discussed it for another hour, but we ended at 2:15! Some hadn’t finished it yet, so we didn’t want to spoil it for them! This was a great book to begin with, .and we look forward to our next one! Check for Book Club Schedule on our Website. Happy Reading!!!! .AND painting!! Lee Asta

Clockwise from Left: Marion Savage, Vandy Shake, Verna Sheldon, Lee Asta, Cathy Burnside

Note from Cathy Burnside-

I really enjoyed our first book club meeting.  Lee was very organized and even had an art piece she created based on the book. Looking forward to our next meeting Jan 3rd
Our next book is The Last Van Gogh by Alyson Richman.   Great group of ladies.

Dracula! at the Civic Theatre

October 20-23, 2022

The stage at the Ocala Civic Theatre soon will be “darkened” by the performance of Dracula!

Ocala Art Group members have had unusual painting parties lately. Their Bats!!! that will hang from the Civic Theatre ceilings and will be for sale during the run of Dracula in October. Several OAG members will also participate in the Dracula Exhibit. Their paintings are still under wraps, but we’ll add photos of them later. You won’t want to miss these! This project has taken members out of their “comfort zone” and into the shadows of gothic horror, but what fun!

Thank you, Jan Tindall for all your work organizing this OAG venture at the Theatre.

A Note from Mary Haley-Rocks

It was a great experience for me being in charge of the Sunday matinee art sales for OAG members at the Ocala Civic Theatre. Many patrons viewed the OAG Dracula Art Exhibit and commented on the variety and style of the paintings. It was a pleasure visiting with the Ocala Art Group members that were attending the play.

Mary Haley-Rocks

Photos below courtesy of Jan Tindall.

OAG Painting Party at All About Art

BATS!!! BATS!!! BATS!!!

Ocala Art Group’s display of art and bats in the lobby of the Ocala Civic Theatre was well received by the playgoers for the opening performances of Dracula. Enjoy the photos below:

Tuscawilla Park – October 15, 2022

Car and Music Fest

On Saturday, October 15 the Ocala Art Group joined other art associations for a beautiful afternoon in Tuscawilla Park. The event sponsored by Jenkins Auto included live music, food trucks and art.

We enjoyed talking to the other art groups and many interested visitors. Another fun time was had by ALL! Members Heather Doherty, Ramey Vogel, Iris Kaplan and Lee Asta represented OAG at the Tuscawilla Park’ s Car and Music Fest and had another great ARTventure filled with lots of “community outreach” and “Intergenerational conversations”. Talk about a POSITIVE experience! Heather even had a couple of sales of her art!!!!

Not only did we Members get to know one another better but, we made NEW BFF with our tent neighbors from Magnolia Art Exchange. We were invited to visit their facilities for a friendly tour and potential development of several Intergenerational art activities including possible joint POP-UP shows, Workshops, even possibly Mixers as well as a joint Book Reading /discussion session…at their facilities!!! The POTENTIAL is there, we just need members to get involved with their “ART and SOUL”!

Amazingly, Lee BRIEFLY shared the idea for OAGs search for a donated Permanent Gallery Space with Pam from the Reilly Art Center as well as David from the Appleton, who both are interested in helping us achieve our goal. The wheels have started turning and our Outreach Committee will be meeting shortly to formally start the Journey! We could use another member (especially one from Ocala) or two to join this committee, so let Lee know if you are interested.

Sandra Fox – Silk Painting – Oct. 10, 2022

Sandra provided an opportunity for each of us to paint on a piece of silk during her program! We learned a lot about using resists for silk painting. Even the common Sharpie marker makes an excellent resist for controlled flow of color.

Thank you, Sandra for a very informative and most enjoyable silk painting experience!