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TOP JOBS

Story By JACQUE HILBURN
Feature Writer

As a longtime member of the Mineola League of the Arts' Painter's Guild, Ms. Browne has dabbled over the years in a dizzying array of mediums, all in the quest of art.

"I like geometrics, collage and water color the best," she said. "I've been painting for a long time, not that it shows, I'm a hobbyist. It's something I do to stay out of trouble."

Last week members gathered at Holly Lake Ranch to try "en plein air" painting, French for "in the open air."

"Basically it's painting what you see while you're outside," said Ms. Browne.

ART AS HISTORY

The Mineola League of Arts celebrated its 20th anniversary in February. More than 200 artists associated with the group create works in fiber, quilting, dancing, drawing and painting.

A spring art show is set for May 9-11 at the MLOTA offices, 200 W. Blair, featuring the work of potentially hundreds of artists.

Lottie Clariday, a longtime painter, founded the guild shortly after moving to Mineola from the Dallas area.

She says the group is open to anyone with a passion for creating.

"It takes about 5 percent talent and 95 percent hard work," she said.

She works from a paint-splattered wooden trunk that contains a portable easel, brushes and trays filled with crinkled tubes of paint.

"I'm messy," she said, squeezing bits of color onto a tray. "I've had this thing about 15 years. I have two or three, but I always seem to come back to this one."

The group seems to attract artisans of all specialties, experiences and abilities.

Nancy Shelton spent 24 years teaching art and science in the Richardson Independent School District before retiring a few years ago to Holly Lake Ranch.

She's been painting since high school and added other art forms throughout the years, among them wood working, weaving and sewing.

Participation in the Painter's Guild provides opportunities to swap ideas with other artists, while retirement gives her time to pursue them.

"I just finished building my studio," she said, pausing to examine her water-color design. "I can read and read, I can cook when I want to cook and sew quilts. No lesson plans, no in-service or grade books. I can do as I please - I've got a happy heart. "

ART FROM THE HEART

Painting means different things to different people.

"I don't feel complete if I'm not doing it," said art teacher Lorelle Bacon, a 10-year member. "It makes me feel whole. I don't get to do it as much as I'd like - sometimes life gets in the way."

Ms. Bacon has been painting about 15 years.

She started teaching after a car accident forced her to slow down, first teaching lessons out of her garage. Eight classes, filled with people of all ages and abilities, are offered to meet demand.

The key to success in art, she says, is learning to view things with a new eye, almost from the vantage point of a very young child exploring the world around them.

"You never get tired of it because it's always different and there is always something new to learn," said Ms. Bacon. "It's definitely more fun than housework."

Lorraine Evans of Mineola agrees.

People always make fascinating subjects, she said, noting that some art classes taken years ago while living in Pennsylvania made her blush.

"I started this as a hobby, when my daughter was born, and she's 30," she said, hair rustling in the breeze. "What I like best is figure drawing. Clothed or unclothed, I like the figures, the movement of the figures and the anatomy."

During the plein air session, she focused on shapes noted in the surrounding landscaping.

"I'm going to try water color today," she said. "I haven't done it that much, but I figured I'd just go for it. If that doesn't work, I'll start drawing everyone else."

Nell Wood said she painted china in the 1980s then moved into oil painting, preferring to create scenes that feature wildlife and flowers.

After moving to East Texas about three years ago from New Mexico, where she served as a volunteer firefighter, she seemed quite at home in the lakeside setting.

Acknowledging a twinge of homesickness, she chose to paint a mountain scene, using a small photograph as a guide.

"I'm not an artist, I'm just a painter," she said. "There's a difference. An artist knows what they are doing, a painter doesn't."

Mary Mack, also of Holly Lake Ranch, uses her talent to create and sell greeting and small note cards.

"I paint flowers mostly and birds," she said. "I started that many years ago. I can't seem to quit."

Just when it seems that demand for the products has dwindled, she receives another request.

Some of the proceeds are donated to a nearby library.

Gladie Bjoraker, who has been associated with the arts league about eight years, hopes to launch a new career as an artist.

She spent years studying art at Tyler Junior College and has sold several pieces, although it seems her passion for painting is more personal than professional.

"It was like selling one of your children," she said with a grin.

Transitioning mentally on the idea of creating work for profit instead of pleasure has been harder than expected, but Ms. Bjoraker said she's making progress.

"I'm kind of there if anyone's interested," she said.