MEMBERS MEETING: Sumi e Painting with Carla Jaranson — April 11

Carla Jaranson showing us her completed Sumi-e painting

What a fabulous presentation!

Immediately following the next VAS membership meeting, at 7:30pm on April 11, we were introduced to Carla Jaranson, who is an exceptionally talented Asian Brush Painter.  She showed us traditional Sumi-e painting techniques.

Carla Jaranson introduced the traditional tools of the Chinese painter. She  then demonstrated techniques in ink showing the “Four Gentlemen” – Bamboo, Orchid, Chrysanthemum and Plum using just ink then moving to ink and watercolor media.

Carla J. Jaranson (Burke, Virginia) graduated from Madison College (JMU) with a BS in Art Education.  She has taught art to children and adults for over 50 years and retired from teaching elementary art in 2010.  In 2000 she earned a Masters Degree in Painting and Computer Art from Virginia Commonwealth University. Carla worked as an adjunct professor with George Mason University in Art Education for two years.

Her study of Chinese brush painting began in 1978 under Pearl Chang and continued under many other master artists.  She joined Sumi-e Society of America in 1983 and was active in the local chapter.  Since 1996, she has shared her love of East Asian brush painting by teaching workshops for art teachers in Virginia and web mastering the Sumi-e Society website.  See http://www.sumiesociety.org  In 2008 she was selected as the Elementary Art Teacher of the Year for Virginia by the Virginia Art Education Association. She has served as the Sumi-e Society President since 2012.

The next VAS meeting is May 9 at 7:30pm, featuring  Deborah Conn