Our February Art Talk features Bob Hakun, a 1976 Graduate of Kutztown University with a BFA in painting. Bob worked in the toy industry, designing and sculpting Halloween costumes and masks, (at Collegeville Costumes) and designing graphics for silk-screen printing. He has also worked in the printing industry for many years as a computer prepress specialist and a digital graphic designer. Bob retired in 2016 and now devotes much of his time to making his "Industrial Primitive" assemblages.

7 up sign Bob Hakun sm.jpg

Bob Hakun: “INDUSTRIAL PRIMITIVE" artist statement:
I collect old, discarded items: some natural like bones or wood, some man made, like wheels or wire. I look for old things that show the graphic effects of aging: the beauty and harshness of the breaking down over time of all things. I look for things that are not “perfect”. It’s best if they are burnt, broken, rusty, crushed, bent, or stained.
These attributes imply a history or narrative and impart character to the materials that are used. When assembled together, the finished artwork may tell a story or convey a message, a message that can be quite different and greater than the sum of all of the parts. That message may be interpreted many different ways, and the viewer, of course, always creates the final narrative.
My primary goal is for the art to have an emotional presence – refined aesthetics are secondary to the context. Things don’t have to be pretty to be beautiful.

Come here Bob's message on February 15 at Peter Becker's Maplewood Estates Magnolia Room!  

Harry Boardman's Art Talk will be rescheduled later in the spring.

Painting Nature’s Textures in Watercolor with Linda Gerhard

Location – Peter Becker Community. Maplewood Estates, 815 Maplewood Drive, Harleysville, PA 19438. The class is located upstairs in the craft room. Take the stairs (or elevator). When the stairs divide, take the left stairway and turn right at the top (straight ahead off the elevator, passing the stairs). The classroom will be on your left just before the exercise room.  For parking, there is a visitor parking lot across the street from the main entrance of Maplewood Estates.

Dates/Time – March 10, 2026 – April 28, 2026 (8 classes); Tuesday mornings from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.

Enroll by February 15 and save on the cost of the full 8-week session!

Not able to attend all 8 weeks in the session? See our Flexible Schedule enrollment options! Pay for only the dates you select to attend!

For questions about the class or course registration, please email Linda Gerhard – lingerart@aol.com.

Skill level – Appropriate for beginner through advanced beginner or anyone who desires to add more texture and form to natural subjects in their work. This class is a great next step if you are familiar with the basic washes and techniques and are ready to level-up your watercolor game or if you are new to the medium, it’s a great place to begin.

Course Description – The focus of this 8-week session will be on creating textures for natural subjects like leaves, bark, rocks, flowers, etc., using just a few basic techniques. While we will work on painting natural subjects, this is not a botanical illustration class, as that is a specialized area of study. The main techniques that will be covered for building texture include: layering and glazing, negative painting, dry brush and line and wash. Also covered will be value and composition.

Each class will begin with the demonstration of a technique or short discussion followed by student practice with lots of opportunities for individual assistance and time for Q&A throughout. Students may bring their own objects or photos for reference if desired.

Supply List – Students must bring their own supplies

*All students must bring a table covering to protect your work space.

• Paper – Arches brand 140lb cold pressed paper is preferred. Other brands of 100% cotton paper are acceptable. Any size pad or block is fine. Most techniques will be practiced on a smaller scale. Larger pad or block sheets can be cut to provide several smaller practice surfaces if desired.
• Brushes – Any good quality synthetic or natural hair watercolor brushes that come to a sharp point when wet are best suited to these techniques. Recommended sizes are #4, #6 and #8 rounds. I use and prefer Silver Black Velvet series 3000S. These brushes come to a very fine point when wet. Other brands of brushes you may already have are fine provided they point well.
• Paints – For natural subjects, suggested colors are – Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Indian Red, Cobalt Green, Ultramarine Blue, Sap or Hooker’s Green and Sepia or Raw Umber. Reds, yellows, violets, and oranges are great for flowers. Use the colors you already have. Your results will be unique and beautiful! No need to purchase additional paints.
• A Pigma Micron Pen (or other fine liner micron pen) of your choice in size 005, 01 or 03. Sepia (more natural) or Black will be used for line work. Size 005 creates the finest line; sizes 01 and 03 create slightly bolder lines but are still considered fine. Note: We will begin line and wash technique about mid-way through the course so you'll have plenty of time to get the pen if you need more information regarding which one(s) to select. Available on Amazon, Jerrysartarama.com or Dickblick.com.

Other supplies include:

• Painter’s tape or masking tape
• A rigid backing board. Unless you are working on a watercolor block, a backing board is a must. A clip board that will accommodate the size of your paper works well.
• Tissues. A purse pack or a dozen or so tissues will get you started
• Paper towels
• Pencil
• Kneaded eraser
• 2 containers for water
• Hair dryer – optional
• Note book/binder – optional. Students in previous classes have found that a binder with top-loading clear page protectors is a handy way to store and organize practice sample paintings and notes for future reference.

For questions about the class or course registration, please email Linda Gerhard – lingerart@aol.com.

This is an eight-week session consisting of eight two-hour classes held on Tuesday mornings, from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Begins March 10, 2026, ends April 28, 2026.

Cost: PVAC Member: $160; Non-Member: $176. Enroll by February 15 and save on the cost of the full 8-week session!

PVAC members must be logged-in to receive the member price. 

CLASS LIMITED TO 9 PARTCIPANTS 

To pay for registration by check, note that the payment is for the textures watercolor class. Make the check payable to Perk Valley Art Center and mail to:

Perk Valley Art Center
PO Box 474
Schwenksville, PA. 19473

If you are paying by mail, your check must be received prior to class start date to guarantee your reservation in the class.

Cancellation/Refund Policy – Paid registration fees will be refunded only if the instructor cancels the entire 8-week session.

Location – Peter Becker Community. Maplewood Estates, 815 Maplewood Drive, Harleysville, PA 19438. The class is located upstairs in the craft room. Take the stairs (or elevator). When the stairs divide, take the left stairway and turn right at the top (straight ahead off the elevator, passing the stairs). The classroom will be on your left just before the exercise room.  For parking, there is a visitor parking lot across the street from the main entrance of Maplewood Estates.

Dates/Time – March 13 – May 8, 2026 (No class on April 3), 8 sessions. Friday afternoons from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm.

Enroll by February 15 and save on the cost of the full 8-week session!

Not able to attend all 8 weeks in the session? See our Flexible Schedule enrollment options! Pay for only the dates you select to attend!

Class Description -

This class is geared toward the beginner to intermediate painter wanting to learn or improve upon their acrylic painting skills. For those just starting out with acrylics, we'll focus a little more on getting familiar with this very versatile medium. For those already working in acrylic, we'll cover some of the key elements that really make a painting work - color, value and composition. Regardless of your skill level, it will be a fun class for all.

Materials List – Students must bring their own supplies to class

*  Brushes - #'s 2,4,6,8 Flats or brights (long or short handle - short handle brushes may be referred to as shaders).   *#'s 2 and 4 rounds. Look for synthetic bristles, i.e. Golden Taklon.

*  Paints - Artists Loft (Michaels) or Master's Touch (Hobby Lobby) - White, Black, Prussian Blue, Pthalo Blue, Hansa Yellow or Cadmium Yellow, Quinacridone Red, Burnt Sienna

*  Canvas Boards or Stretched Canvas 11" x 14"

*  Students must bring a table covering to protect your workspace. Other supplies to bring - Paper Towels, Photos that you have taken, #2 pencil, Kneaded Eraser, Disposable Paper Palette, Plastic Water container and something to carry all your supplies (could be a tool box, tackle box, ArtBin).

If you have questions for the instructor about course content or supplies, please call Rich at 267-317-3858 or email at offthewallframing@verizon.net.

For questions regarding course registration, please contact Linda Gerhard at email: lingerart@aol.com.

This is an eight-week session consisting of eight two-hour classes held on Friday afternoons, from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Begins March 20, 206, ends May 15, 2026 – no class on April 3.

Cost: PVAC Member: $160; Non-Member: $176. Enroll by February 15 and save on the cost of the full 8-week session!

Flexible registration options are available.

PVAC members must be logged-in to receive the member price. 

To pay for registration by check, note that the payment is for the acrylic class. Make the check payable to Perk Valley Art Center and mail to:

Perk Valley Art Center
PO Box 474
Schwenksville, PA. 19473

If you are paying by mail, your check must be received prior to class start date to guarantee your reservation in the class.

CLASS LIMITED TO 9 PARTCIPANTS 

Cancellation Policy – Paid registration fees will be refunded only if the instructor cancels the entire 8-week session.

For registration assistance, email the class coordinator, Linda Gerhard – lingerart@aol.com.

Winter Wonderland in Watercolor with Terry Page

Dates:  March 16, 2026 - May 4, 2026. There are 8 classes in this session.

Time: Monday mornings from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Enroll by February 15 and save on the cost of the full 8-week session!

Location – Peter Becker Community. Maplewood Estates, 815 Maplewood Drive, Harleysville, PA 19438. The class is located upstairs in the craft room. Take the stairs (or elevator). When the stairs divide, take the left stairway and turn right at the top (straight ahead off the elevator, passing the stairs). The classroom will be on your left just before the exercise room.  For parking, there is a visitor parking lot across the street from the main entrance of Maplewood Estates.

In “The Winter Wonderland” class we will explore snow in many ways. Possible images include: Sheep in snow, A fox in a white-out storm, A rusted red pick-up truck with a snow-covered Christmas tree in the bed, and a house in the still of a frozen night. As usual, I will have other options available.

Drawings will be provided for tracings plus the images to work from. Digital tablets are recommended to work from; color xerox copies are also available. All images are my own so you may use them for shows, sales, or whatever you wish.

Materials List – Students must bring their own supplies to class.

Brushes – Wash brush plus an assortment of rounds. 

Watercolor Paints – A simple, limited palette: I suggest a warm and a cool red, yellow and blue plus a green, violet and browns. My basic, go-to palette contains: Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Cadmium Red (W)/Alizarin Crimson (C), Cadmium Yellow (W) or Primary Yellow (W)/Hanza Yellow (C), French Ultramarine (W)/Cobalt Blue (C), Chinese White, Payne’s Gray, Olive Green. It depends on what you are painting!

Paper: One or two sheets of Arches 140 lb. 22 x 30” cold press paper, either natural or bright white. You can cut it in half, then in half again to have 4, 15 x 11” sheets. Remember you need an extra edge around your painting if you intend to frame it. You may also use a block: 9 x 12 or 12 x 16.

Please have your paper stretched with the first drawing ready for us to begin or have your drawing on the block paper.

Other supplies to bring-

-Soft cotton rag

-#2 pencil

-Kneaded Eraser

-Palette

-Masking (or artists’) tape if you want a straight edge around your watercolor

-Hair dryer (don’t worry if you don’t have one – if 2 or 3 people bring one, we’re good)

-Misket

-An old brush for applying the misket (small pointed) and a soft toothbrush for ‘spraying’ the misket onto the painting.

If you have questions for the instructor about course content or supplies, please call Terry at 267-221-4263 or email at mtpage7@gmail.com .

For questions about course registration, please email Linda Gerhard – lingerart@aol.com.

Cost for the 8-week session: PVAC Member: $160; Non-Member: $176.

If you would like to join the session after it has begun, please contact Linda Gerhard - lingerart@aol.com for assistance with enrollment.

PVAC members must be logged-in to receive the member price. 

CLASS LIMITED TO 9 PARTCIPANTS 

To pay for registration by check, please mail to:

Perk Valley Art Center
PO Box 474
Schwenksville, PA. 19473

 If you are paying by mail, your check must be received prior to class start date to guarantee your reservation in the class.

Cancellation/Refund Policy – Paid registration fees will be refunded only if the instructor cancels the entire 8-week session.

We will need volunteers to help prepare for the Members show at the Mennonite Heritage Center.  Please respond to this notice if you can help.  We will contact you!

Drop-off date Thursday, March 26

Judge and Hang show Friday or Saturday

Reception Sunday, April 19 2-4pm

Show runs from March 31 until April 30 during normal business hours of Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM. 

Tear down/artwork pick up: Thursday April 30

The prospectus and artist registration will follow in a subsequent email.