Pictured is Avon Watters.

By Darla McCammon

Avon Waters will join Tana Bondar by collaborating this summer with both an exciting exhibit as well as free in-person demonstrations in which you can visit and meet both artists.

The exhibit started Monday, June 3, at the wonderful Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery and will continue through August. Waters is known for his vivid landscapes. With an expressionistic flair, you will appreciate his semi-abstract work and reflections of the styles of the great impressionistic artists we have studied in this column.

Waters, like Bondar, is also an enthusiast of the plein air technique and is a lifetime member of the Indiana Plein Air Painter’s Association, serving currently as vice-president of the organization. How did he become so accomplished? He was born in Peru, Ind., but during his childhood, Waters was raised on a farm near Amboy. He laughs at the population of 640 but learned as a young boy to fill his time, at the encouragement of his mother, in drawing. She quickly gave him tools for his “hobby” when she found him, at five years of age, creating art on a plaster wall of their home.

His family was artistic and loved the natural fields and farmlands surrounding them. This was all the encouragement Waters needed to dedicate himself to art. He attended Indiana University – Bloomington in photography and plant biology but desired a more comprehensive art program, thus transferring to IU Kokomo.

“I took painting as many times as possible before the department chair asked me to apply for graduation in 1988,” said Waters.

He continued his education, obtaining an MA at Ball State in creative writing and became an adjunct professor in freshman composition. Waters stayed busy helping to found the artist colony in Indianapolis and began exhibiting to a wider audience.

Waters admired the work of Matisse, Rothko and Kahn and you will see the impression these artists have made in some of the work you will view in this exhibit. Diversity in his choice of creative media enables Waters to produce an unusual selection of excellent work. A quote from his biography written by art writer John Seed explains this artist.

“Over time, Waters has moved closer to representation, but he still experiments by making abstract drawings with his eyes closed while listening to music. Currently working in a renovated 1890s post office, Avon Waters is an artist just hitting his stride, deeply interested in seeing where his art can take him next.”

Next week, we’ll discuss some summer art experiences you may enjoy.

Upcoming and Current Events

Please contact Darla at [email protected] or at (574) 527-4044 if you have an event to mention.

• The Gallery at Rua in Warsaw will display works by Warsaw High School students and Christi Ziebarth through July 21.