A New Appreciation

Here I am leading a community Sip n' Art class last year with one of the artist groups I belong to.

A New Appreciation
By Annette Bartlett-Golden

When I heard the news over the summer that one of the artists’ organizations I belong to was dissolving, it hit me harder than I ever would have imagined. It was a very active organization with its own gallery space, sponsoring numerous exhibition opportunities for a large membership, as well as others in the community, and I participated in as many of the shows as I could. The possibility of that vibrant venue and organization no longer existing was a devastatingly dismal prospect. At the time, an artist friend of mine who was also a member told me she had lost her motivation to continue painting. I understood her feelings. The thought of losing that organization was almost like mourning a death. Fortunately, the organization was wonderfully resilient and after a minor restructure it is doing well.

That experience and another similar one, however, made me consider the importance of local artists organizations open to professionals, amateurs, and art lovers. For many artists, they are a lifeline providing support, a way to connect with other artists and their community, and welcome show venues. Making art is a largely a solitary pursuit, so getting out in one's community and making connections with people is particularly important. And they are also enormous sources of motivation for artists to continue creating art and showing their work.

While some may think that these sorts of specialized groups serve only their membership, that is not the case at all with the community artists groups to which I belong. These artist’s organizations provide engaging community activities that help build and strengthen the community while at the same time supporting their membership. The positive impact of these groups is deeper and more far reaching than I had previously realized.  For all of these reasons I'm so thankful for the artist organizations that I am a part of! 

Recently, I was elected president of the Muddy river Art Association and I am pleased to be able to serve the organization in this position after being a member for around four years.