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Blog archive

September 2024

August 2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

First Anniversary
08/19/2024

Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024

Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024

The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024

Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024

Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024

Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024

Future Housing Options
08/15/2024

Message from the President
08/15/2024

There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024

Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024

A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024

Haikus
08/13/2024

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024

Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024

Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

The Village Artists Group creates creative camaraderie

By Karen Bagnard
Posted: 07/19/2024
Tags: karen bagnard

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.”

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