The Pate’ Painters
Mixed Media Artwork on paper and canvas
December 5, 2011 – February 5, 2012
Back Porch Bouquet by Carol Bouville
Thompson Farm by Michael Shibley
About the Pate' Painters
The Pate’ Painters is a most appropriate name for this art group as each time they get together to paint they celebrate life and friendship by drinking fine wines and eating pate’. They love to paint and they love to eat!
Besides their love of painting and pate’, the artists of The Pate’ Painters share a common bond. Their mutual respect for one another’s artistic ability and their admiration for each other are the basic grounds upon which this group was founded. Each member brings their own perspective of life as it is represented in their art. Their paintings depict places, people and scenes that are meaningful to the artists and pleasing to the viewer as well.
“Our members all began their artistic endeavors in the medium of transparent watercolor. Yet during our artistic journey through life, we have come across other mediums in which we choose to experiment and develop our talents. We add other mediums to our watercolors or have switched mediums all together. In our exhibition you will find works of watercolor, guache, acrylic, pastel, watercolor crayon and pencil, tinted papers and even fabric.”
The originating members of The Pate’ Painters include; Debra Halprin, Julie Smith, Carol Bouville and Lieta Gerson. Today that number has risen to almost 20 members. Members that will be exhibiting at the Brookside Gardens Visitors Center include: Carol Bouville, Debra Halprin, Mizi Kiper, Marian Mackerer, Pat Mulvenna, Michael Shibley and Julie Smith. All are award winning artists. Their works may be found in public and private collections and Galleries throughout the United States and Europe.
The original 4 founding members, Debra, Julie, Carol and Lieta, were all accepted into the prestigious 2009 BWS Mid Atlantic Show at Strathmore Hall. Only 90 artists were accepted out of 500 applicants in 7 states.
About the Artists
Carol Bouville
Carol is a watercolor and collage artist who often combines both mediums to render peaceful dream-like landscapes and colorful figures that blend into their backgrounds. In addition to the Pate Painters, Carol is a member of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists; the Washington Watercolor Association; the Montgomery Art Association and the Baltimore Watercolor Society. Carol is also a teacher, who has a loyal group of four watercolor students that she instructs at her home studio.
Debra Halprin
Debra is the founder of the Pate Painters and hosts the group’s weekly meetings. Her works have been featured in articles in The Washington Post, The Gazette Newspaper, Washington Home & Design Magazine, Washington Spaces Magazine, Montgomery Insight and in Palette Magazine. She is a member of the Potomac Valley Watercolorists, the Baltimore Watercolor Society, and the Montgomery Art Association where she serves as chairman of the Annual Kensington Labor Day Art Show.
Mizi Kiper
A native of Turkey, Mizi is primarily a watercolor painter who enjoys expressing her art through colorful landscapes and florals. In addition to the Pate Painters, she is a member of the Montgomery Art Association and studies watercolor painting with well-known local instructor Firouzeh Sadeghi.
Marian MacKere
Marian began painting in 2005 taking an informal acrylic class which led to completing an AFA in Studio Art from Montgomery College, Rockville, MD in 2008. She is an active member of the Rockville Art League, the Montgomery Art Association, the Olney Art Association, and the Pate Painters. Art is her passion. She loves the feel of the brush, the smell of the paints, how the image comes to life and the ecstatic feel of putting the last stroke on a canvas. She specializes in small to mid-sized still lifes.
Pat Mulvenna
Pat is a watercolor painter who enjoys landscapes and portraits. She is a member of the Montgomery Art Association.
Michael Shibley
A watercolor painter, Michael is a member of the Washington Watercolor Association; the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts; the Montgomery Plein Air Artists; the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association; the Rockville Art League; and, an active member of the Montgomery Art Association. He participates weekly in two painting groups; the Takoma Watercolor Group—a collection of individuals dedicated to watercolor painting; and, the Pate Painters.
Julie Smith
Julie is a native of New Orleans, La., but she has lived in the Washington, DC area since 1967. She began painting in watercolor but has tried other mediums such as pastels and charcoal. Her favorite and current painting medium is acrylics. In addition to the Pate Painters, Julie is a member of the Montgomery Art Association, The Potomac Valley Watercolorists, and the Baltimore Watercolor Society.
Deborah Wolfe
Debbie is a watercolor and acrylic painter. She is currently the president of the Olney Art Association.
Montgomery County Department of Parks