Hudson Society of Artists

Denise Daugherty  
Denise has been an artist most of her life, receiving The Scholastic Magazine award in High School and having a painting published in “Seventeen Magazine.”  She studied oil painting for three years at Oglebay Art Institute, Wheeling, WV under Harry Holbert, NA.  and continued her art studies at Kent State University, along with watercolor classes from Hudson’s own Lowell Ellsworth Smith, AWS.

Her work has been included in The Ohio Watercolor Society Exhibit, Canton Art Museum, WATERCOLOR WEST XIV,CA, Wasmer Gallery-Ursuline College, and Kaleidoscope.  She is a past President of The Hudson Society of Artists. 

Evie Martindale
Evie attended the University of Akron and then was accepted into the Applied Art Academy run by Marc Moon.  She continued her study of painting with local artist Lowel Smith, but has also studied in Rockport Massachusetts under Rudy Caloa, Jack Calahan, Ferd Petrie, and Remon Kelly. She is a Signature Member of the Akron Society of Artists, a member of the Women’s Art League, and the Hudson Society of Artists.  Evie enjoys painting portraits the most, and would welcome any commissioned portrait.  (Person or pet)

Paul Adams
Paul received his Bachelor of Fine Arts  Degree from The University of Dayton, but developed his particular painting style by studying with local artists: Barney Cole, Jack Mulhollen, Tony Cross, and Marc Moon. “I try to paint bright, with contrasting values to convey a sense of light in my paintings.  This sense of light is what gives the painting life.  I have painted in other mediums, but found watercolors to be the most challenging and rewarding, and the most effective in conveying this sense of light.”  

Lucy Karslake
Lucy, a retired second grade school teacher and now full-time artist, is best known for her pen and ink architectural renderings.  In this medium she is self-taught, which means, “trial and error and many years of practice.”  Over a thousand of her drawings are scattered all over the United States as well as Canada, Europe and Africa.

Ms. Karslake is a member and past President of The Hudson Society of Artists, and a member of The Crooked River Gang. She has a Master’s degree in Educational Media and has studied with many artists in local workshops  as well as Chautauqua, NY and London, UK.

Gretchen Bierbaum
Following study in Mexico and Iran, Gretchen completed her BA and MA at Kent State University. Formal education combined with extensive foreign travel to 30 countries bestows a world-wide vision to her works of art.

She is Founder and President of the National Collage Society, a national art foundation with 15 regional groups in the USA and artists in 5 countries.  She is the author of “Collage in All Dimensions” and “Creating Collage In All Dimensions Altering and Transferring.”

Karen Koch
Karen considers herself a visual artist who works with bold colors that give her paintings a bright, cheerful feel.   “My inspiration comes from simple things around me: the change of seasons, the color of the sky, or the flowers blooming in my yard.  I delight in them, turning the images into small abstract paintings.”

Karen studied studio art at Denison University, majoring in drawing.  After years with a full-time career and no time to paint, Karen began again, in 2005, to paint.  Since then her focus has been on acrylics, inks, watercolors and some elements of collage and stitching.  “My paintings have many layers, which add depth and richness to the image.”

Susan M. Birgeles
Susan has a lifelong passion for art.  She began with children’s classes in pastels at the Art Institute in Birmingham, Michigan.  She studied in Chicago and the Cleveland area under Stephen Quiller, Cheng Chee Khee, Mel Stabin, Frank Webb and Joseph Fettingis.  She has trained locally under various artists, including Jack Mulhollen, Tony Cross, Harriet Elson, Sandy Dennison, Fred Graff and Jane Slivka.  She is a member of Ohio Watercolor Society, the Ohio Plein Air Society, Hudson Society of Artists, Women’s Art League, the Crooked River Gang, and Akron Society of Artists.

Her style expresses her love of color, washy glazes, and bright backgrounds.  She believes that it is the artist’s place to express what they feel about a subject rather than slavishly copy it.  

Judy Pinckard
Judy paints mostly in watercolors, with subject matter varying from florals to figures, landscapes to portraits.  She enjoys her trips to Hilton Head,  SC to draw inspiration and paint whatever strikes her.  She has been accepted into many juried shows and is the current Membership Chairman of the Hudson Society of Artist.

Margaret McGrainor
Maggie graduated from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and studied Advanced Painting at Richard Bland College, Petersburg, VA.  She has exhibited and won awards at numerous juried shows in Ohio, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

“Initially my work was rather orthodox, with traditional techniques and subject matter.  I have found, through time, that I enjoy experimentation with oils and watercolors, using various techniques to translate ideas and feelings.  My sources of inspiration are found outdoors and relate to nature and landscape.”

Deanna R. Clucas
After studying with the Art Instruction Schools and while maintaining a full-time career with Myers Industries and raising her family as a single parent, she earned a degree in Commercial Art and Business Administration from the University of Akron.  Taking ongoing watercolor and acrylic classes and workshops since 1989 from the area’s finest artists keeps her work fresh.  Her realistic and abstract paintings include colorful local landscapes, still lifes and pet commissions, some of which are included in private and corporate collections throughout the country.

Deanna shows and sells her work at more than twenty juried shows a year.  She also teaches Watercolor at the Brecksville Center for the Arts and the Richfield Recreation Center.

Shannon Casey
After years working in advertising, Shannon Casey now uses charcoal and oils to tell a story. In her oil paintings, she juxtaposes the figure with design elements, symbols and sometimes whimsical details. Her quick sketch charcoal drawings let her capture her sitter’s personalities with spontaneity.

Shannon graduated from Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a minor in Studio Art. She studied portrait painting at Cleveland Institute of Art with Professor Joseph Cintron. She’s a member of Hudson Society of Artists, Akron Society of Artists, and Peninsula Art Academy, where she teaches summer classes for youth and teens.