Watercolorist named Art Affair featured artist

» Art Affair on the Square overview

Having only been pursuing the hobby for about two years, she’s amassed 40-50 works so far and displayed them everywhere from the Springfield Museum of Art to Champaign County Arts Council events.

Sloan was chosen as the featured artist for the 2017 Art Affair on the Square, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 15, in downtown Urbana. She’ll have her own tent to meet attendees and offer original works and prints for sale.

“I was very surprised to have been named,” Sloan, who favors bold, bright colors, particularly red in her work.

Along with enjoying her craft, Sloan has also discovered something about herself. Others have commissioned her talents for paintings which is flattering, but uninspiring.

“When I paint the subjects need to invoke an emotion in me,” she said. “I’ve tried, but I can’t do commissioned work. My work is like an extension of me.”

Among the inspirations are nature, animals and places. Some of the subjects include spots she’s been to such as a Venice cafe or ones she’d like to travel to such as Cuba.

A member of the Western Ohio Watercolor Society, Springfield Museum of Art and The Champaign County Arts Council, she displays works in numerous shows, including the current the 71st annual Juried Members’ Exhibition in Springfield.

Sloan also has a couple of paintings currently on display at Springfield’s Seasons Bistro, where she’ll have her own exhibition beginning in December.

For more information on Sloan's work, go online the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RhondaSloanWatercolor/.