Board Members
Click a member to read about them and see their artwork.
Peggy Kirby-Paradise
President
Peggy Kirby-Paradise
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LWS Vice President, Peggy Kirby-Paradise, considers herself an extreme left-brain thinker, having spent her career as a professor and researcher. Studying ways to challenge her creative side before retiring, she dabbled briefly in pastel, but moved to watercolor because she found a true teacher in Laura Mitchell, LWS. “Laura is a retired educator and avowed life-long learner,” Peggy says. “Just because a person can paint, it doesn’t mean they can teach. Laura knows how to teach.”
Eight years after first picking up a brush, Peggy says she’s still challenging herself to use that creative side, hoping to master a “looser” style. For that inspiration, she follows Michael Solovyev, Blanca Alvarez, Hazel Soan, and Diane St. Germain, LWS. Her paintings typically feature places she’s traveled with friends and her husband, Lou Paradise. As a relatively new artist, she cherishes the ribbons she’s won from LWS member exhibits which provide collegial low-key competition for artists at all levels.
Peggy’s advice to beginners – find a true teacher whose style you like and join LWS. The camaraderie, helpful tips, workshop opportunities, and friendly competitions are this retiree’s developing right brain.
Melanie Long
1st Vice President
Melanie Long
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Karen Ranatza
2nd Vice President
Claudia LeJeune
Treasurer
Claudia LeJeune
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Claudia worked in clerical and accounting services for over 30 years as a practical means of support and was fortunate to work for companies that allowed her to work closely with auditors and increase her “left-brain” knowledge. She retired in 2007 to pursue her lifelong love of art. Her initial exposure to watercolor was workshops with local artist Mary Jane Cox after watching her episodes on the Delta Hands series on local LPB. She then studied with Carol Creel and began taking workshops as often as possible.
Claudia is an award-winning watercolor artist specializing mostly in realism but has recently been drawn to a looser style of painting. She states, “I am drawn to subjects that beg to be painted because of drama created by light, color, contrast, or that tell a story.” Anything is “fair game.” She is not concerned with having a particular style but leans towards realism because of the challenges presented in producing a work with depth on a flat surface. Claudia may use multiple techniques within one painting as the subject dictates and believe that if she is passionate about her subject, it will be evident in her work.
Claudia is a Signature member, Past President, and current Treasurer of LWS. She also serves on the board of the Art Guild of Louisiana and her artwork can be viewed in their online gallery www.artguildlouisiana.org. She has won numerous awards from exhibitions in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
Claudia so enjoys working with the enthusiastic LWS board members who are dedicated to the provision of educational programs and exhibitions that advance the art of painting with watermedia. She is also proud of the quality of events hosted by this dedicated organization.
Emily Efferson
Recording Secretary
Emily Efferson
Her love of art began at a young age in grade school and continued throughout high school and into college. Later life and work got in the way, and she completely stopped painting for close to 20 years. Her sister was one of her greatest advocates and gave her much encouragement and support. She would always tell Emily she was wasting her “God given talent” by not pursuing her passion. In 1995 she lost her sister unexpectedly, but her sister’s words kept haunting her. After much searching, in 1997 Emily finally found an instructor who gave her the courage to pick up a brush and get back to doing what she knew deep down she loved. She started back with oil painting, which was what she was most comfortable with. In 2006 she was ready to explore other art mediums and that is when she tried watercolor and viola it felt like Valentine’s Day, and she fell in love! Today, watercolor remains her very favorite medium.
Emily studied under local and national award-winning watercolorist Kathy Miller Stone, LWS-M, NWS for several years and credits her as one of her greatest mentors. She has taken workshops from many other renowned and award-winning watercolor, acrylic and oil painting instructors as well. She paints at home in her studio, but she looks forward to painting weekly with other artist friends at the Art Guild of Louisiana “Open Studio.” Emily says, “just to be among other artists painting together gives me joy and inspiration and it’s where I feel I do some of my best work.”
Emily believes Louisiana has some of the most beautiful places to paint anywhere in the world. It has a natural palette of vibrant colors with its beautiful swamps, plantation homes, live oak trees and its abundance of wildlife all waiting to come alive through a painting. She spent a lot of time with family in New Orleans growing up and loves painting anything in Louisiana, but especially all things in the French Quarter. The famous “streetcars” in New Orleans is a favorite subject and so are photos of everything we eat in South Louisiana, i.e., seafood, oysters, crawfish, shrimp, crabs, etc. She will tell you from personal experience “any artist who has ever lived in Louisiana and moved away knows exactly what it feels like to come back home to find the surrounding beauty just waiting to be reawakened with a brush!”
It is with great honor that two of her watercolor paintings have been juried into the Louisiana Watercolor Society International Exhibit (LWS) “Iced Blues” in 2016 by Paul Jackson, NWS, AWS, LWS and “Fresh Pickins” in 2023 by Carrie Waller, NWS, AWS, LWS. Her works have been juried into the National River Road Exhibit (AGL) at the Louisiana State Archives each year from 2013 through 2023. She was juried into the LSU Brush with Burden Exhibit each year from 2013 until it ended in 2016. She has shown in the Baton Rouge Art League Show (invitation only) each year for the past 10 years.
Emily sells her paintings and on occasion does commissions, but mostly she paints for the LOVE of it. She lovingly gives many of her paintings to family and friends and donates to charitable organizations and other causes. You can see some of her works at: www.instagram.com/emilyeffersonart
Joleen Schiller
Corresponding Secretary
Joleen L. Arthur Schiller
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Joleen taught kindergarten through eighth grade art for 30 years. She co-authored a children’s art textbook series, “Joyous Thinking, Creative Expression” for grades K-6 and was the Assistant Director for ‘New Directions In Education With The Arts’, sponsored by the Wyoming State Department of Education. She has been teaching adult drawing and watercolor classes for over 28 years.
Joleen is very proud to be a signature member of The Louisiana Watercolor Society and the Wyoming Watercolor Society. She has exhibited and won awards in shows in Ohio, Wyoming, and Louisiana.
Although Joleen enjoys painting plein-art, she is mostly a studio painter. Her work is detailed, illustrative, and impressionistically realistic. She loves almost any subject matter but especially enjoys portraits, still lifes, and florals. Watercolor with its ability to mingle colors, transparency, glazing, and fluid properties is definitely her favorite media.
Tracy Hebert
Immediate Past President
Tracy Hebert
She teaches local classes and workshops. Currently, painting is a creative outlet that helps relieve the stress of daily life which includes caring for her elderly father who has Alzheimer’s.
At present, she paints in a realistic style of people “doing real life” things that tell a story. Water scenes and animals with their near human-like emotions are another of Tracy’s favorite subjects. She chooses her subjects by taking pictures of the things that inspire her, looking over those photos, and the one that makes her look again and again is the one she will sketch and possibly paint.
Her art can be viewed at www.tracyhebertart.com, on Facebook at Tracy Hebert Artist, and on Instagram at Tracy Hebert’s Art.
Directors At Large
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Suzanne Shumate
Membership
Suzanne Shumate
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Suzanne has always had an interest in art and would seek it out in museums, gardens and galleries and by studying art and artists in books… but did not personally begin creating art until adulthood when she decided it was “now or never.” Suzanne took a painting class in a local craft store and was hooked.
Mainly self-taught, she has attended water media and drawing classes at the local community college and as well as various workshops with local and traveling artists. She enjoys trying all mediums but enjoys watercolor most of all. She is married to Guy, and they live in the country where there is an endless supply of inspiration. She and Guy also like to travel, which provides additional sources of subject matter.
Her first teacher was Joyce Bennink in Pensacola, Florida who was very patient with the newbie who had no experience and did not know where to begin. But Joyce did not let Suzanne go simple – she had to work along with the rest of the more experienced class. That made her learn quickly and not be too afraid.
Suzanne is thrilled to be on the 2024 LWS Board.
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Paint-out Coordinator
Open
Hospitality Assistant
Committee Chairs
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Carol Creel
Workshops
Carol Creel
Her education led her to an interest in photography which plays a major role in Carol’s creativity. Her inspiration stems from unique reflections of light and patterns of bold color, an amazing combination revealed in her glass as well as her nature paintings.
Carol credits Larry Casso as a mentor and friend who taught her the basics of watercolor, the natural path of light, and the depths of perspective. The artist continues her education with inspiration from her vast library of books focusing on Caravaggio, Velázquez, and Wyeth.
Carol’s work has been exhibited across the U.S. and in Europe. She is a member of the Baton Rouge Art League, the New Orleans Art Association, the Art Guild of Louisiana, and the International Guild of Realism. She is a signature member of the Louisiana Watercolor Society and proud to be a lifetime member. Carol is happy to serve as the LWS Workshop Chairperson.
Kathy Miller Stone
Installations
Kathy Miller-Stone
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Kathy says “My life of art spans from age 7 drawing horses, paper dolls and their clothes, to drawing caricatures for extra spending money at Miss. St. College for Women (now MUW, while studying Commercial Art), to jurying and judging national, regional, and area shows”.
She has conducted numerous workshops over the years, including: “Composition & Design”, “Masking & Pouring in Transparent Watercolor”,“Painting A Masterpiece Using Light & Shadow”, “Creative Corrections & Solutions”, “Incorporating Gold into Watercolor Paintings” & “Marketing Your Art on A Shoestring Budget”. “My love is painting landscapes, particularly the swamps and massive oak trees in Louisiana, but I can also get lost in a portrait or an animal painting.”
Kathy is honored to be included in the following books: “The Artistic Touch 4 & 5 & 6” by Chris Unwin, 2010, 2012 & 2014; “Confident Color: An Artist’s Guide to Harmony, Contrast and Unity” by Nita Leland 2008; “Splash 8: Watercolor Discoveries” by Rachel Wolf, 2004; and “Best of Watercolor: Painting Light And Shadow” by Betty Lou Schlemm & Sara Doherty; and an 8 page spread in Watercolor Magazine: “Pouring Transparent Watercolor-techniques of Kathy Miller Stone”, Spring 2002; illustrated: Regular, Extra, & Supreme Recipes. She has painted watercolor illustrations for a hopefully to be published children’s poetry book about the wildlife and scenery of the American wilderness entitled “What The Fox Knows” by Jacqueline Simon, author of “Leaving Letitia Street” (a book of short stories based in Baton Rouge).
Kathy was also honored to be one of two Louisiana Watercolor Society member artists chosen to represent LWS in the National Watercolor Society’s “50 Stars Exhibition” with her painting “City Lights”.
Kathy’s last thoughts, “Artists can do little to improve what God has created, but it surely is fun trying. I strive to have others see this glorious world through my eyes and appreciate all that we have.”
Kathy is represented by Elizabethan Gallery and Kathy’s Cypress Studio, both in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Kathy also teaches private lessons.
Facebook/Kathy Miller Stone – Cypress Studio
Kim Voisin
Programs & Publicity
Kim Voisin
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Meet Kim Voisin, the newly elected Programs ad Publicity Chair and Board Member of the Louisiana Watercolor Society.
Kim was born in Saigon, Vietnam, and came to the U.S. in 1970. She has lived all over Connecticut, in Tampa, Florida, and now resides here in Schriever, Louisiana.
Kim joined LWS because she wanted to meet more watercolorists. It took several years before deciding on this group. She says, “I’m glad I did because everyone has been so welcoming. Best of all, the artists are very talented and will keep me challenged.”
She retired from teaching in December of 2014. A friend invited her to paint and have lunch with her friends. Her response was “I don’t know how to paint, but I can eat lunch.” In March 2015, she picked up her first watercolor brush and has been addicted ever since.
Kim does not have any art background, but tried to learn as much as possible from artists she admired. During Covid, she watched many Streamline videos that Eric Rhoads, the founder of PleinAir Magazine, would put on at 3:00 every afternoon. From there, she joined Dreamlineartists and has learned and become friends with many gifted artists. She participated in several of Eric Rhoad’s online conferences: WatercolorLive, RealismLive, PasteLive, and PleinairLive. She states, “these are my art education.”
With all the artists she was exposed to at these conferences, she narrowed it down to Andy Evensen and Fabio Cembranelli. From Andy Evensen, she learned how important it is to complete a value study, to be looser and to not paint everything she sees. With Fabio Cembranelli, she learned how to be looser and the importance of lifting the pigment. These two artists will be her lifelong teachers.
Kim’s inspiration for painting comes from her travels. When on the road, she carries a sketchbook and a limited palette. She also takes a million pictures and files them away for when she wants to put a painting together. Once she has a picture in mind then she draws it up. Developing a painting in her head and drawing takes up most of her time. The actual act of painting is like icing on the cake.
She has won numerous awards at the Terrebonne Fine Arts Guild in Houma, Louisiana Artists Guild Unlimited Everett Street Gallery in Morgan City, Louisiana. The most recent awards are from LWS shows. Her painting “Still Standing” received Best of Show at the Christwood Juried LWS Member Show. She placed third with “YUM” in the Archives Spring Member Exhibit. This painting was juried into the LWS’s 54th Annual International Exhibition by Kathleen Giles. An achievement she most cherishes is a painting done a few years ago, entitled “Once Upon the Saigon River.” It is a painting of a river in her country. This painting received second place at the 56th Labor Day Art Show in Morgan City, Louisiana. What made this special is that her daughter wanted and proudly displays the painting in her home.
She only takes one or two commissions a year, and only if they have a special meaning to the commissioner or herself. Her art journey is new, so she just wants to paint and enjoy this gift.
Chryl Casso Corizzo
Publications
Chryl Casso Corizzo
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Chryl’s Dad was a profound mentor during his lifetime, and she attended classes and workshops he offered. Andrew Wyeth and John Singer Sargent are among her favorite artists, both for their style and works completed in watercolor. She has every book published on these legendary artists.
Watercolor is such a versatile medium and Chryl most often uses a limited palette consisting of four or five colors, the colors that can be mixed are endless and always look fresh and vivid. Chryl and her husband were avid boaters for many years so many of her paintings are composed from scenes along the scenic Tchefuncte River, in Lake Ponchartrain, the Rigoles, and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast in addition to her travels in the Unites States and abroad. In addition to nautical paintings and landscapes, Chryl also has done a number of portraits including one of each of her four grandchildren.
One of her proudest moments was selection as the 2005 Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival poster artist. She is a signature member and member of the LWS Board of Directors serving as the Publications Chair. She is also a member of the Northwest Watercolor Society, the Art Guild of Louisiana, and the Lacombe Art Guild. She currently teaches beginner and advanced classes at Abbey Art Works in Covington, Louisiana.
Facebook/Chryl Casso Corizzo
Monnisa Lewis
Technology
Monnisa Lewis
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Meet Monnisa Lewis, a native of Oak Grove, LA, but now resides in Baton Rouge with her husband of 35 years! She joined the LWS in 2024, and now serves on the board as Technology Chair. Her love of art started at a young age with dress making for 4H, which led to her first degree in Fashion Merchandising. She later went on to obtain her masters in Education where she taught for over 25 years, always finding innovative ways to include technology. She concluded her career in education with the Technology Innovation Department at The Dunham School, where she assisted teachers in integrating STEM and technology into their classrooms. Additionally, she worked directly with students to help them manage their use of technology effectively. She now gets to bring both her love of art and technology together as she serves in this position. Art has always been an outlet for Monnisa, and watercolor has always been her favorite medium. She joined the LWS to meet more watercolorists and is excited to continue to learn and grow in her art journey.
