North Georgia Arts Guild

The North Georgia Arts Guild By Susan Brewer

Artists –

Artists make art and hope that someone will see it and believe PUP[[YLHZ\YLP[HUKHKTPYLP[0[»ZHWV^LYM\SMVYJL![OH[NPM[ that comes back to the artist… when someone does believe in you… when someone is keenly aware of your vision and ZOHYLZP[.\[Z¶P[[HRLZN\[Z[VKVHY[>OH[0Q\Z[KLZJYPILK that acceptance, that gift coming back, it isn’t always there. Rejection is a vital part of the process, too—strange as it may ZLLT0[»ZH]LY`PTWVY[HU[WHY[ No matter. The artists who are members of the North Georgia Arts Guild work hard and learn and grow. They are curious. They are willing to make mistakes. They return again and again to the task at hand. They take risks. These creatives are full of ideas and imagery and the desire to mold, move and manipulate media such as paints, steel, silver, clay, paper, ^VVKHUKZVVU(Y[PZ[Z¸[YH]LS¹^OLU[OL`JYLH[LHY[[VHU interior space that they visit over and over again, where a [`WLVMPU[LYUHSKPHSVN\L[HRLZWSHJL0[»ZM\UI\[P[JHUILH dark and lonely journey and a little crazy making because the exercise involves being unsure, plagued, or puzzled before ÄN\YPUNV\[[OLUL_[¸YPNO[¹TV]L[VTHRL(Y[JVTLZHIV\[HZ HYLZ\S[VMÄUKPUN[OH[IHSHUJL:VTLHY[PZ[ZHYYP]LH[[OPZWSHJL and stay in a safe harbor and never venture back out. Others venture out time and again. There’s wonder in that.

The Guild –

The artists who become guild members are mostly retired and OH]L[PTLWLYOHWZMVY[OLÄYZ[[PTL[VNP]L[OLTZLS]LZV]LY completely to the doing of art. The guild’s board members and JVTTP[[LLJOHPYZWYV]PKLVYKLY[V[OLWSLHZPUNJH[SPRLJOHVZ (UK LHJO `LHYOHYK^VYRPUNPUKP]PK\HSZ ZWLUK H NYLH[KLHS VMLULYN`[VWYVK\JL[^VMLZ[P]HSZMVY[OLW\ISPJ;OLÄYZ[PZ ¸*LSLIYH[L*SH`[VU¹HUHY[MLZ[P]HS[OH[PZOLSKVU[OLZ[YLL[Z of downtown Clayton the last weekend in April. The show promotes the arts, the town, and is a fundraiser for yearly

college scholarships provided to selected graduating students within Rabun County. The guild became the sole sponsor of Celebrate *SH`[VUPU"P[PZTHUHNLKI`2H[O`-VYK;OLZLJVUKMLH[\YLK ZOV^ PZ [OL ¸7HPU[LK -LYU -LZ[P]HS¹ [OH[ [HRLZ WSHJL [OL ZLJVUK ^LLRLUKPU1\S`H[[OL*SH`[VU*P]PJ*LU[LY0[PZHTLTILY»ZZOV^ only. Both, weather permitting, bring large numbers of people to the HYLH;OLN\PSKHSZV[HRLZWHY[PU[OLZLTPHUU\HS5VY[OLHZ[.LVYNPH Arts Tour as well as the Festival of Trees that takes place at the civic center the last weekend in November. The artists make Christmas ornaments and decorate a tree for auction. The ornaments are gems in their own right.

;OL5VY[O.LVYNPH(Y[Z.\PSKILNHUPU 0U[OL[^LU[`ZP_`LHYZ since then, the guild has grown to include over a hundred people MYVTHYV\UK[OLJV\U[Y`HUK[OL^VYSK!QL^LSLYZNSHZZHY[PZ[ZTL[HS

smiths, fabric artists, photographers, watercolorists, portrait artists, abstract painters…. The list also includes box makers, pen makers, bowl makers and wood workers… beaders and quilters.

Each one of these individuals comes with their own unique story. These stories are featured in the Georgia Mountain Laurel. And, at nine guild meetings a year, an individual member makes a presentation about themselves and their work. These are an inspiration to listen to, and a joy to witness and take part in.

Changed Times –

Unfortunately, both shows this year were cancelled after some debate. :PUJL4HYJOHUK(WYPS[OLZ[YLZZVM*6=0+ OHZ[HRLUH[VSSVUTVZ[ and many participants and volunteers who were planning to take part in the shows responded to this news with relief as well as heavy hearts. 0UMHPYULZZ[OLYL^LYL HSZV[OVZL^OV ZH^[OPZ YLHJ[PVU[V[OL ]PY\Z HZ overblown. There was disagreement – over the need for masks, and so forth – but the determining factor in both cancelled shows became the need to err on the side of caution, on the one hand. On the other, there is the recognition of the absolute threat the virus poses to the health of guild members and the community. Monthly guild meetings are being conducted outdoors now, with attendees wearing masks and practicing social distancing, at the pavilion behind the Rabun County Civic Center on the third Thursday of each month MYVT  HT [V  WT([[LUKHUJL OHZ ILLU SPNO[ ^P[O VUS` H X\HY[LY VM[OL U\TILYZ[OH[ H[[LUKLKTLL[PUNZ WYPVY[V*6=0+;OPZ YLWYLZLU[Z a challenge, this treading of water—our life journeys are on hold. Our JVTT\UP[`MYHJ[\YLK(UK[OLPZVSH[PVUPZULY]L^YHJRPUN The challenges, though, become an opportunity to revisit where we are, and where we are going. The guild will get through this… Let’s hope that each of us gets through this, too. Please visit the guild’s webpage at NorthGeorgiaArtsGuild.com=PZP[[OL artists, see their works and follow the links to their personal web pages— [V ZLL HUK W\YJOHZL HY[4HU` VM[OL HY[PZ[Z HYL Z[Y\NNSPUN[V ÄN\YL V\[ new ways to reach people, to bring the world closer to home – our leafy ZLHVMSLH]LZHTVUN[YLLZPUUVY[OLHZ[.LVYNPH@V\JHUÄUK[OLHY[PZ[ZVU Facebook and join the Northeast Georgia Arts Guild by clicking on the Join tab online.