January 2025

The Village Artists Group creates creative camaraderie

By Karen Bagnard
Posted: 07/19/2024

What do artists have in common? Generally they work alone, “dig deep” into their feelings, struggle to create authentic statements on things that matter to them, possibly drink too much (coffee or whatever), question themselves, call on their courage to reveal their work to the world, to name a few traits. If there were ever a group that needed a Village, this is the group!

 

Gina Frierman-Hunt, when she was still a relatively new Villager, suggested to me that we might consider having a gathering just for artists. Gina’s idea was the seed of this group, and I co-organize it.

 

Lois Heyman said it well, “this group confirms my observation throughout my life that people who craft artistic creations are usually original thinkers who like to question norms and explore new directions. And those are people I want to know.”

 

Currently we have 16 members. We meet once a month in one of our homes. We just relax, explore ideas, laugh, enjoy light refreshments and enjoy the support and interest of our colleagues. We are free to bring new work to share with the group … or not.

 

As Lorrie Gray said to me, “artists have a unique perspective of how they see our world and how they interpret that through the art they create.”

 

Denise Aronow echoed the sentiments above and added one more reason for belonging to this group: “to get over the negative self-talk that stops me from doing something I used to be good at a long time ago. “

 

Gary Smith’s recollection, "I attended the first meeting of the Pasadena [Village] Artists Group in order to be inspired by the creativity of other artists (and hopefully, inspire others in turn),” describes exactly what most of us are looking for, too.

 

For the third quarter of this year we have installed a nice sampling of our work that will be on display in the Village conference room through September, for all Villagers and the wider Pasadena community to see the range of our creativity — as it stands at this point, since we’re always growing, as people and as artists.

 

“I’m really hoping to learn more about the creative process. I’m fascinated by what inspires and motivates people to create art,” said Jim Hendrick, who exhibited a most interesting and well-received show of his abstract paintings soon after joining the Village a couple of years ago.   

 

Our group is still new enough to be evolving. So far the meetings have been very well-attended and fresh ideas are bubbling up all the time. One very exciting idea, suggested by a new Villager, Sue Kemp, is the Villagers by Villagers project, which was announced at the July reception for our group exhibit in the office conference room.

 

Our group embraces every artist, from the “weekend painter” to the professional. We are nonjudgmental and honor the creative spirit in each of us, understanding the joys and the challenges it brings forth.

 

Virgi Merriam stated this so well when she said, “I knew that this would provide an opportunity to meet other Villagers — Villagers who shared my interest in painting, and get to know them at a more profound level.”