Blackie and Whitie, Darla McCammon

By DARLA MCCAMMON

Lakeland Arts Association

Since I now have an exhibit of my own work at the Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery, it seemed a good time to share with you a painting I did a few years ago of two of our pets.  I think you will greatly enjoy this particular exhibit because when you walk into the City Hall from the parking lot you will see a sign with a brochure that will allow you to walk around and find all the paintings.  I have written information about how and why each painting was created in the brochure so you can try to find it in one of the two rooms that hold our art displays.

After college in Terre Haute I moved to southern California, ultimately living a few blocks from the beach in Huntington Beach in one of the last housing developments allowed to build that close to the beach.  You will see a sample of my love of the ocean in some of the paintings on display. I became interested in art and painting after meeting many artists at the multitude of sidewalk art shows that pop up out there like mushrooms.

I made some friends in these groups and began attending their meetings which always included a demonstration by an artist.  I also began taking lessons from a variety of instructors, which helped me not become a copy of my mentors.  I merged a little of everything I liked into my own personal style.  And styles do change, as mine has over the years, but it is still always uniquely mine.

After I returned to Indiana and continued full-time employment in addition to raising four daughters and two stepchildren, I still managed to eke out time to continue painting and entering competitions.  So, although I am certainly not as famous as the wonderful artists and their pets I have covered in this series, I thought you might like to learn a bit more about me, my avocation in art, and one of many pet portraits I have done over the years.

Most of you know I took an early retirement from AT&T to become the Director for the Animal Welfare League, but I continue to glean out a bit of time to return to my love of painting.  I hope you will go visit this exhibit.  It will be up for about two months.  Did you find the one painting undescribed in the brochure?  I will leave it to your imagination.  Can you guess the subject?

The beagle is one of the most beloved dogs in the world.  Of course Snoopy was a beagle and helped tremendously with the popularity of the breed.  We have owned many beagles over the years.  You are looking at Blackie and Whitie.  We weren’t very creative on their names but the dogs didn‘t care!  Beagles are great hunters (especially for rabbits) and have the most wonderful disposition.  A beagle was named Grand Champion a couple of years ago in the National Dog Trials.  They are loyal and make great watchdogs.  Beagles are marvelous with kids and just plain fun to be around.

Upcoming and Current Events: 

• Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery.  A smattering of work by Darla McCammon is now on display.  Award-winning artist continues to develop in new directions. Can you tell what is most recent?.  Open 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.  Monday through Friday. Her web site: www.darlamc.com.  Email contact: [email protected] or (574) 527-4044.
• Lakeland Art Association, view the winning paintings in their recent competition!  Great work! 302 E. Winona Ave. Warsaw. www.lakelandartassociation.org