Current Member News

Tina Bishop is giving a book talk on Tuesday, September 28 at the Greenwich YWCA at 10:00 am. Her blog is now defunct but has been supplanted by her frequently-changing web site, www.tinabishopauthor.com.

Greenwich Pen Women who distinguished themselves as winners in last month’s Open Juried Show of the Art Society of Old Greenwich at the Bendheim Gallery are: Peggy Simon, 3rd prize in oil; Barbara O’Shea, 3rd prize in black & white photography; Libby Collins, Honorable Mention for color photography; Marialiisa Pettengill, Honorable Mention in Other Media; and Catherine Stahl, 2nd prize in Drawing and Graphics.

Correction: Sylvia Felcyn did NOT exhibit. Sylvia is always so helpful in telling me of Pen Women participating in various art shows that I mistakenly included her in the Bendheim.

Lucy Hedrick is offering her “How to Write an Irresistible Book Proposal” workshop on Saturday, September 25, 9 am to 12 noon, at the Westport Writers Workshop, 2 Sylvan Lane, Westport, www.westportwritersworkshop.com, and on the following Monday evening, September 27, 6:30-9:30 pm, at the Hudson Valley Writing Center, 300 Riverside Drive, Sleepy Hollow, New York, www.writerscenter.org. 

Hazel Jarvis is teaching a class, "Land and Sea Painting,” Sept 20-Oct 25 and Nov 8- Dec 6, on Mondays 4:30 to 6:30 pm. for Greenwich Adult & Continuing Education. Check out http://www.greenwichace.org/CourseCatalog or call 203-625-7474.

Sarah Littman will celebrate the release of her second book, Life, After, at Just Books, 28 Arcadia Rd, Old Greenwich, on Tuesday, September 21 at 7 pm.

Liana Moonie is exhibiting in a group show entitled "Language in Art" at the Silvermine Guild Art Center Gallery, 1037 Silvermine Road, New Canaan, through  September 17. Gallery hours are Wednesday-Saturday: 12pm-5pm, Sunday: 1pm-5pm , Monday-Tuesday: by appointment.

Did everyone see the terrific Lifestyle profile of Carla Wallach in the Greenwich Citizen on Aug. 20, page B4, all about her recently published her memoir, In the Company of Originals?

Member Spotlight

Tina Appleton Bishop

A profile of Tina Bishop, published author and Pen Women nonagenarian, is best said in her own words: I was born at Washington Square, New York City, on September 25, 1917, (unattended). On June 23, 1939, I married Denis Hendricks, an Irish American, publisher, editor, and author’s agent. We had two sons, Peter & Erik. In July 1988, I married Richard Bishop, a retired business executive, a top Greenwich volunteer, and adored by all.

My education was spotty. Even though I attended the Brearley School in New York and the Shipley School in Pennsylvania, I was a high school dropout who then took assorted courses at Columbia, including drama and creative writing. I finally got my GED at Greenwich High School at age 77, my finest moment.

My various jobs have included digging and selling clams at age 15, which was better paying than subsequent jobs as a secretary, play director or saleswoman. I started my own business, The Traders Club, and served for 11 years (1957-1968) as editor and main contributor to Greenwich Social Review, precursor to Greenwich Magazine. While I was there the magazine went from 24 pages to over 80.  Next I spent three years editing Senior Outlook, a quarterly newspaper. Illness forced my retirement from full-time work at age 75.

I have traveled by freighter, riverboat, ferry, side-wheeler, and ocean liner with occasional trips by plane, bus and car, and have always written travel journals—I have boxes and boxes of them! I contributed more than fifty years as a volunteer: as den mother, scout leader, and public info chairman and board member for 25 years at the Greenwich Red Cross. I also worked at Cos Cob Library, helped fund drives for Greenwich Library and the YWCA. Most recently, I have been a literacy volunteer and visitor at Putnam Cottage.

My hobbies have included 30 years of dressmaking, body repairs on cars and boats, stained glass work, lawn mowing, raking, house painting—anything to save money or expend energy. I have loved going to the theater as often as possible. Nurturing a
lifelong interest in tennis, fishing and sailing, I also skippered my small catboat for 30 years. Recently, I became a member of a newly formed group, “At Home in Greenwich.” 

I am very proud of my high-achieving ancestors, and perhaps it is not surprising that I have turned to writing at this stage in my life. My great grandfather, John Taylor Johnston, was a founder and the first president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art; William H. Appleton, my great grandfather, was a top publisher (D. Appleton) in his day, and my brothers, William W. and John J. Appleton, are published authors. Both of my sons have contributed to the publishing of my recent books -- Erik Hendricks, as editor, and Peter Hendricks as cover designer.

As I continue to live out my journey, I am the author of three novels: Fisherman’s Creek and The Heiress of Newfield, both available on www.amazon.com, and
Open with Care, which is being published now. Still committed to writing 1,000 words each day, I am at work on my last  book (I’ve said that before), whose working title is Color Her Pink.

Editor’s Note: With her characteristic good humor, Tina Bishop tells me that she was born on September 25, which is nine months after Christmas day, and her middle name is Noel. Happy 93rd birthday to Tina on September 25, 2010.

Spotlight On

Liana Moonie

Liana Moonie, who divides her time between Greenwich and Palm Beach, Florida, is one of Greenwich Pen Women’s most widely exhibited art members.

Moonie was born in Trieste, Italy, where she was educated and received her degree as a school teacher. She immigrated to the United States in 1947. Moonie has traveled extensively in the US, Europe, and South America, where she had lived for several years. She studied art with Robert Brackman, Edgar Whitney, and other prominent artists. She has exhibited in twenty solo shows and numerous juried and invitational shows, including The National Academy of Design in New York, various annual exhibitions of the National Association of Women Artists, Allied Artists of America, at Silvermine Gallery in New Canaan, CT, at the Bush Holley Historical House in Cos Cob, CT, and the Hurlbutt Gallery in Greenwich, CT. She has participated in several traveling shows in the US and internationally. Moonie has won many prizes and awards for her paintings and monotypes.

Originally a representational artist, for many years she has favored semi-abstract and abstract painting, and has developed a unique style in creating imaginative paintings in various media including woodcut/monotypes. Critics have acclaimed her work as "timeless, done with an exquisite sense of design, balance, and color harmony" and "holding a sense of movement and excitement."

In 1990, after serving as president of the National Association of Women Artists (N.A.W.A.) during its centennial celebration, Moonie founded the permanent collection of the organization, called The N.A.W.A. Collection, housed at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum in New Brunswick, NJ. She currently serves as Chair of the collection. In 1994 she founded the first chapter of the N.A.W.A. in West Palm Beach, FL.

In addition to her current inclusion in the group show, "Language in Art," at the Silvermine Guild Art Center Gallery, Moonie exhibited her monoprints at The Watermark in Bridgeport in July and August.

As founder and member of the Florida Chapter of N.A.W.A, Moonie was accepted into "Fusion of Form, Content, Color” at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach last spring. Further, she was included in their “Inspirations” show at the Coral Springs Museum of Art, Coral Springs. And one of Moonie’s paintings appeared on the cover of the Fall 2009 issue of StamfordPlus Magazine.