A Kaleidoscope of Art & Color

THE ARTISTS’ GUILD MEMBERS EXHIBITION

By Scott Berson

In any city across our states and around the world, art is loved and shared. Here in Columbus, too, there are a few folks who make art a part of their lives.

Well, more than a few.

In fact, Columbus is home to a proper oasis of artistic and creative talent, all of whom have a deep passion for craft, for helping each other, for promoting the process of creation, and for sharing it with others. The art they create could be a sculpture conjured from their deepest imagination, or a painting of a beloved friend, or a photograph of their favorite natural sanctuary. It could be something else entirely. All of this and more comes to us from the deep well of talent of the many members that make up the Columbus Artists’ Guild.

Claire O’Connor, “No. 4,” Acrylics. Second Place, Acrylic Media. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

The Artists’ Guild, a local organization dedicated to advancing art in Columbus and connecting local artists for learning, collaboration and fellowship, is excited to be hosting their latest member’s exhibition this October after a long postponement over the pandemic.

Donell Crocker, “Holey Bowley,” 3-Dimensional Media. Raleigh & Betty Dillard Memorial Award (Amy Patterson Family). Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

“October the 6th will be the beginning of our new exhibit,” said Ray Vinson, the Guild’s president. “It will run all the way through October 30, on the second floor of the Columbus Public Library.”

Don L Williams, “Nature’s Veins,” Photography. Second Place, Photography Media. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

Vinson said the exhibit will include more than 100 pieces of art, of all types. Each artwork was created by a member of the Guild, and they will be arranged throughout the library for free viewing. “The library is just incredible,” Vinson said. “It will be like a museum when you walk through it. Columbus has some absolutely unbelievable talent to see.”

Rob St. Clair, “Moroccan Fishermen,” Photography. First Place, Photography Media. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

The Artists’ Guild was formed more than 70 years ago, and is a nonprofit organization open to all artists and art lovers. It started with only a handful of members, and has grown to a cultural icon of the Valley with roughly 300 members today, Vinson said. Some of the members are professional artists, but there is no requirement to join other than a love for art. The Guild gets together for regular meetings, shows and workshops.

Julianna Wells, “Lantern,” Oil. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

“Another goal of the Columbus Artists’ Guild is to promote local art,” the organization writes on its website. “This is not just to benefit local artists; it is also to encourage the people in the Columbus area to be aware of the many talented artists who live among them. Guild members hope the public will then be encouraged to join them, by participating in the artistic process, and celebrating the artistic endeavor on a personal level.”

The upcoming show will be juried by a team of two lay people and one professional artist, who will rank each work without knowing who created it, before averaging the score. It will include all types of works.

Amy Patterson, “Puzzled,” Oil. Max Burr Memorial Best in Show Award. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2017 Members’ Exhibition

“We have pretty much everything you can imagine, but most of the art is paintings on canvases, with predominantly oil and then acrylic and watercolor, and then pencil and charcoal and that kind of thing,” Vinson said. “[But there are also] sculptures, woodworking … our last show included a lad who did an amazing peacock on a piece of cloth, it won Best of Show.”

One of the Guild’s new focuses, Vinson said, is to include children in the shows and in their programming.

Michelle Jursa, “Rock Bottom,” Oil. First Place, Oil Media. Columbus Artists’ Guild 2019 Members’ Exhibition

“We just really want to include children’s art in our major exhibits, and include them in our brochures,” he said. “Our basic belief is, let’s expose these children to great artists, and they will go on to be great artists themselves. That has chosen to be very fruitful.”

The Member’s Exhibition is free to attend, and will be held at the main Columbus Public Library on Macon Road through the month of October. If you’re interested in joining the Guild, apply on their website at columbusartistsguild.org.