Let’s kick this New Year off with a bang. What was your New Year’s resolution? Mine was to improve my drawing skills. Perhaps I can learn to draw more like the great masters. Take a look at Vincent Van Gogh’s – The Potato Eaters. With total and absolute dedication to his craft, Vincent produced this masterpiece in a dark room with oil lamps for light. Just imagine what you and I can do today with electricity and all the modern conveniences.

AAG is a good place to develop your skills. There is Open Studio twice a week where you can do your art work with other artists and learn from their experiences. Then there is life drawing every Tuesday and Thursday with live models. Plus AAG has educational demos and workshops every month. And the coffee pot is always on so get involved.

Arthur Norby’s sculpture workshop has been postponed. Be sure to check the website for updated information. In the workshop, he will show you how to take a sculpture from the armature to a finished product. On January 10, Tess Mosko Scherer has a digital media lab. There you will learn to use the World Wide Web to your advantage. And on February 20, John Erwin (Watercolor John) will teach the art of watercolor painting. This promises to be a fun filled educational workshop. His fast, free and elegant painting style will be a great learning experience.

I would like to congratulate all the people who attended Artstravaganza. It was a total success. This proves art can be fun and educational. And special thanks to the people who made it happen. David Bradley’s raku kiln lighting up the night sky is an experience we will never forget. Many people took home beautiful works of art and memories that will last a lifetime.
I would like to remind you to check out AAG’s website –ArizonaArtistsGuild.net – stay informed and get involved.

Plus, be sure to enjoy your own art work because creative happy people generally have better health and live longer.

In closing let’s look forward to a fun filled, exciting, productive and educational 2020 at AAG.
Be sure you are at the General meeting on January 21, 5PM. We will celebrate last year’s successes and talk about next year’s plans. Plus there will be an exciting free live demo by Watercolor John. It does not get better than that!

See you January 21, 5PM at AAG.
Ivan Halvorson