Broads With Brushes

Broads with Brushes got started because we are friends who are dedicated artists and who love to paint together.

Ilene Rubin and Libby Wheeler paint together every week. We wanted a way to exhibit and sell our art in the community. It came about as a result of one location’s rules that they did not allow for individual exhibitions, only group shows. We looked at each other and said, ok, we’re a group. What shall we call ourselves? Broads With Brushes is the result.

We are a group of artists who show and sell our art in the community. We are a group of artists - for artists. We are member based but do not charge for membership. The only requirement to join is that we ask that each artist who joins us to organize one show for us at a suitable location.

That's it! No further requirements, no costs to join, no commissions if your art sells, and best of all, no one is ever rejected from showing their art. Come on! Show your art! Get it out there.

What do artists get when they join? They get encouragement, acceptance and the opportunity to show their art. They get a no-cost way to get their art up on the walls at great locations in the region. They get to know wonderful people who are supportive and who understand the art community in all aspects.

Do we have expectations? Of course. We expect that you will find one great place for us to show our art. We expect that once you see the potential that Broads With Brushes offers, you'll love what we're doing and how we're doing it. We expect that your art will be seen and eventually, will be sold.We expect that you'll have a great time in the process!

Our Philosophy

It’s very important to us that everyone in the group should feel good about entering their art in a show, and entering at a location that suits us all; Safe, ample lighting and parking, enough space to show all of us and to have people mingle around to see the art.

To that end we look for locations around the area that have space, lighting, high traffic and exposure, and where there is a passion for art and artists.

We promote our exhibitions with low cost or no cost marketing wherever possible. We do not charge for either admission or commission but will ask for a contribution towards business cards or printing once or twice a year that totals less than $20 per person .

We are artists at all levels of expertise. Some of us are emerging artists and some of us have been educated in art and have been painting for years. We will exhibit for a cause whenever those opportunities present themselves.

What you will see here is a variety of style, color, composition and mediums; Acrylic, Oil, Pastel, Watercolor, Reverse Painting on Glass, Pencil, Charcoal, Graphite, even Decorative and Folk art.  We are accomplished and have a passion for our creativity and art.

We are Broads with Brushes.  You are welcome to join us. You don’t even need to be a Broad to do so.

Who We Are

 Ilene Rubin has been involved in art in some capacity, and most of the time in many capacities, since she was a young child.

She won her first drawing award at the age of nine. She has painted murals, boots, purses, a line of women's and children’s clothing, furniture and walls and even a radiator and closet doors with motifs that range from folk art designs to landscapes.

She is still painting ‘stuff’ but spends most of her time now painting the landscape or representational art in Acrylic, Pastel, Watercolor, Oil, pencil and graphite. She lives in Doylestown with her husband, son and yellow Lab.

One of her favorite pastimes is painting with her buddies and taking art classes.

Elizabeth Wheeler

Color is my true passion. When I create a landscape or seascape, my goal is to show depth and perspective through color. While my brush is dancing on the canvas, I am actually transported into the scene.  I can almost smell the ocean breeze and hear the seagulls.

I enjoy using various media; acrylic, oil, pastel, watercolor and gauche.  I will even occasionally pick up a graphite pencil and some graphite dust to see what I can create. The subject matter leads me to the media of choice.

My future goals as an artist?  I plan to explore people, as my subject matter, my grandchildren in particular.  I have two truly adorable little people in my life, Riley and Sydney, who really need to be in paintings on our walls!  Not only do we have fun painting together but they are happy to learn color mixing and creating a masterpiece just from their imagination. I am so thrilled to pass on my knowledge to the next generation!

In addition, I will never stop taking classes.  The way I see it, “Art, like life, is a process, not an end in itself.”