Holiday luncheon at the University Club

The snowstorm did not slow down WASM members from attending our annual holiday luncheon. A great success and greatly enjoyed by all. The music, the food, the company was lively and entertaining, and this year saw a silent auction and raffle with items generously donated by a number of people. A festive occasion all around.

Suzy Charto and Annette Wolfstein-Joseph

This magnificent quilt made by Mary Jane Telfer has been donated to the silent auction to be held at the art show in January. At the luncheon we all had a sneak preview.

Derek Yaple-Schobert and Shirley Cohen, the Hospitality Chair

Alma Faye Brooks and Louis Toteda provided the musical entertainment

Alma Faye Brooks and Louis Toteda at the Holiday Luncheon

The highlight of this year's holiday luncheon was entertainment by the marvelous Alma Faye Brooks and Louis Toteda. Here they are performing "What the World Needs Now". Tomorrow I'll try to post some of the photos of the luncheon and the silent auction.

Dorothy Grostern - Art as a Second Language

Yesterday painter Dorothy Grostern talked about her artwork, the thoughts and processes that lie behind the finished images and the themes that have attracted her over the years. She showed many slides and explained her particular penchance for creating images without a fixed meaning, images that allow the viewer's interpretation to interact with the emotions and gestures of the figures.

One interesting aspect of Dorothy Grostern's lecture were notebook pages with preparatory drawings for some of the paintings.

Windows are a major theme for Dorothy Grostern - Through a Green Window

Entry

A second major theme, staircases. Staircase

Figure and stairs

Her fondness and familiarity with cats translated into a series about cats. Below Living Together. Later she moved on to larger cats with a series on tigers.

Memory as a subject became expressed in the clothing that her grandmother fabricated. The Dressmaker

Wild Roses

After the lecture

I know this photo is blurry, but I find it beautiful and full of atmosphere. Facing the camera on the right, Dorothy Grostern, and on the left, Shirley Katz.

Members' Day: Luncheon and talk by Sandy Baylin

Members' Day (Tuesday, October 26th) began with a luncheon for the new members at the Delta Hotel's Aroma Room downtown. Each member introduced herself and as always, I was amazed at how various and interesting the different backgrounds of our members are. The food was terrific and the buffet provided a pleasant and relaxed backdrop for the get-together. A big thank you to Hospitality Chair Shirley Cohen for making it all happen.
After lunch, we moved over to the McCord for the Members' Day lecture, delivered this year by painter Sandy Baylin. She spoke about her artistic path, the experiences from her growing up and the people and places that have influenced her. Her talk was generously illustrated with slides of her paintings of the Laurentian landscape.

Shirley Cohen saying a few words

Back at the McCord for the Members' Day lecture

Sandy Baylin setting up for her talk

President Leslie Cohen and Sandy Baylin before the lecture