2025-2026
September 18, 2025 (Thursday) 10 to 2: Landscape Painter Theresa Lannen talked about the logistics, and the joys and horrors, of her three-month plein-air drive through the western states earlier this year. She brought her paintings and her kit to prove it! Detroit River International Wildlife Center, 5437 W Jefferson Ave, Trenton, MI 48183.
You might want to come early or stay later to visit this wonderful Wildlife Refuge and make some Plein Air Art yourself.
October 18, 2025 (Saturday) 10 to 2: “What I’m Working on Now,” a show and tell, in person and on ZOOM!!. Bring a piece you’ve done to Color | Ink Studio. If you would like feedback, you may request it. 20919 John R Rd, Hazel Park, MI 48030 (Reminder: I-696 east ramps are closed from M10 to I-75.)
November 20, 2025 (Thursday) 10 to 2: Potluck and “Art-Making with Friends” at the Grosse Pointe Congregational Church, 240 Chalfonte Ave, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236. DSWPS has art supplies (gelli plates, paper, some acrylic paints, pencils, etc.) and you can bring your favorite medium for a few hours of Art Making with Friends.
December: No meeting
January 15, 2026 (Thursday): Evening Zoom meeting, 7 pm. A link will be in the DSWPS January email blast. Program will be a pair of video tours:
"Exhibition Tour-Vertigo of Color: Matisse, Derain, and the Origins of Fauvism", from the Met Museum. (20 minutes)
Over an intense nine weeks in the summer of 1905 in the modest fishing village of Collioure on the French Mediterranean, Henri Matisse and André Derain embarked on a partnership that led to a wholly new, radical artistic language later known as Fauvism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maRY3SyDzMA
"Curator’s Tour of Hew Locke: What have we here?” From the British Museum (20 minutes)
Locke, who was born in Edinburgh and spent his formative years in Georgetown, Guyana, focused on Britain's historical interactions with Africa, India and the Caribbean, all of which had a significant impact on the history of Guyana. Using interventionist techniques, he reframed historical objects in the British Museum, from the earliest surviving drawings of Indigenous Americans by a European artist to a Guyanese Akawaio feather headdress. Hew Locke and a curator of the British Museum talk about the art works on display. https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/hew-locke-what-have-we-here
February 19, 2026 (Thursday), 10 am: General Meeting at College for Creative Studies. Program: Adrian Hatfield (Professor of Drawing and Painting, WSU). Meet in the auditorium on CCS campus (in the Walter Ford II building) at 10:00. Free parking in the CCS parking structure on Brush St. at the corner of Frederick St. and John R. St. (across from the DIA) Address of parking structure: 5334-5398 Brush St. Detroit 48202
2024-2025
September 19, 2024 (Thursday) 10 to 1:45 pm, Bloomfield Township Public Library, Lower Level (1099 Lone Pine Rd, Bloomfield Township, MI 48302): Show and Tell: you are welcome to invite critique comments or simply show us what you have been doing lately. Coffee and tea, but bring a bag lunch. See pictures!
October 17, 2024 (Thursday) 10am to 2pm, Grosse Pointe Congregational Church 240 Chalfonte Ave. Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236.
November 21, 2024 (Thursday) 10am to 1:00, Atelier School of Art in Royal Oak (407 E 4th St, Royal Oak, MI 48067: Todd Burroughs (founder and instructor) will lead a discussion of The Visual Arts and AI. See pictures!
December 2024: No meeting
January 16, 2025, 7 pm (Thursday evening): This will be a Zoom Meeting, the program being a Virtual Tour of an exhibition of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Members will receive the link to the meeting in email sent the morning of January 16, 2025. See pictures!
February 20, 2025 (Thursday) Our annual party will be a potluck lunch, during which Valerie Allen of Golden Paints will lead a Gelli Prints session at Grosse Pointe Congregational Church. Art materials will be supplied. (The Royal Tea House has sadly moved too far away for us to schedule our usual Valentine’s Tea there.) See pictures!
March 22, 2025 (Saturday) at Color Ink Studio, Hazel Park. Program: Behind the Scenes, a DIA presentation on women photographers whose work is included in the Detroit Institute of Arts.
April 17, 2025 Show & Tell of Members’ Winter Work at the Bloomfield Township Library: 1099 Lone Pine Rd, Bloomfield Twp, MI 48302 See pictures!
May 15, 2025 Annual Meeting at the lovely Grosse Pointe Woods Presbyterian Church, Mack Ave, Grosse Pointe Woods (19950 Mack Ave, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236). Bring dry drawing materials for a relaxed drawing session—create whatever you wish! Paper provided.
2023-2024
September 21, 2023 (Thursday) 10:00 a.m. Bloomfield Township Public Library (1099 Lone Pine Rd, Bloomfield Twp, MI 48302): 120th Anniversary Celebration Show and Tell. See pictures!
October 19, 2023 (Thursday), Grosse Pointe Congregational Church
(240 Chalfonte, Grosse Pointe Farms 48236), DIA docent Marge Fein will speak: Through Her Eyes: Women Artists' in the DIA's Collection (“A woman’s name raises doubts, until her work is seen.” —Artemisia Gentileschi, 1649). See pictures!
November 16, 2023 (Thursday) 10 am, Bloomfield Township Public Libraryn (1099 Lone Pine Rd., Bloomfield Township, MI 48302): Speaker Laura Earle will guide us through a creative workshop. See pictures!
December 2023: No meeting
January 18, 2024 (Thursday Evening) 7:00-8:30 pm: A 21st-Century Show and Tell: When DSWPS was a new organization, members brought artwork to the meetings for “member criticism” regularly. We have decided to take the opportunity of holding such an activity in January, with some exciting 21st century changes: we will meet using “Zoom” in the evening from the comfort of our homes. You may send an image for member feedback or problem-solving or you may just sit back and see what other members are up to.
February 11 *SUNDAY* Tea Party at the Royal Treat Tea Room, 28750 Utica Rd, Roseville, MI 48066, organized by Margaret Reese and the Social Committee. See pictures!
March 23 *SATURDAY* Color/Ink Studio, Hazel Park: Social Media workshop (making it work for you). See pictures!
April 18, 2024 (Thursday) Grosse Pointe Congregational Church: Watercolor demonstration by Carol La Chiusa. 240 Chalfonte Ave, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236. See pictures!
May 16, 2024 (Thursday) Annual Meeting, Grosse Pointe Woods Presbyterian Church, Program: “Reconnecting and Making Art.” Bring dry art materials: pencils, pens, colored pencils/markers/scissors and sketch book/journal…and a bag lunch! See pictures!
(Thank you to Bette Prudden arranging the venue!)
2022-2023
September 15, 2022, 11 to 2, College for Creative Studies, Program: Presentation by Julianna Sanroman Rojas, 2022 Scholarship winner. See pictures!
October 20, 2022 (Thursday) 10 to 1, Bloomfield Township Public Library (1099 Lone Pine Rd, Bloomfield Twp, MI 48302), Program: Members are encouraged to bring artwork (one piece per person) for critique, which will be conducted by our own Janet Almstadt Davison. (If necessary, the ten artworks to be considered will be chosen randomly.) See video of the critique: Part One; Part Two
Janet is knowledgeable in all art media (watercolor, oil, acrylic, pastels, collage, and drawing media), art techniques, art history, and in leading group critiques. She uses the four "Steps of Art Criticism" established in the 1980s by the J. Paul Getty Foundation to create a comprehensive, thoughtful, and clarifying critique. As facilitator, she will encourage group discussion from our members and then clarify their comments about the works shown. The artist who has done a given piece is allowed to speak after everyone else has had input. For more information see www.janetalmstadt-davison.com.
November 17, 2022 10 to 1 (Thursday) Grosse Pointe Congregational Church (240 Chalfonte Ave, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236), A two-part program:
An art-making session. Bring the art supplies you prefer to use. It’s always fun to do art with friends. Still lifes will be set up. See pictures!
Surplus Art Materials Exchange: Bring surplus art materials and tools you are happy to donate somewhere, but don’t know where. (One artist’s excess is another artist’s need!) Recommended items:
Drawing supplies: drawing pencils and pens, colored pencils & pens, working markers, crayons
Paper: drawing paper & unused sketchbooks, crafting paper, card stock, origami paper, colored paper, etc. Please separate by type (no mixed boxes, no scrappy pieces)
Painting supplies: oil, acrylic, watercolor (please, no nearly empty or dried out tubes), pastels, brushes in good condition, gesso, canvases, easels
Encaustic supplies: wax, paint, panels, tools
Clean Standard Size or Square Frames: 5x7, 8x10, 9x12, 11x14, 16x20, 18x24, etc.
Still life objects
