The Lake Country visual arts community continues to grow, including The Artisans Village (TAV), which is working hard to bring visual arts to Eatonton and all of Lake Country through a variety of events. The Artisans Village is part of the Lake Country Arts Alliance (LCAA) and focuses on creating opportunities to express the love of the arts and the positive impact it has on all citizens.
Ideas generate, marinate, and propagate from the TAV board, guild, and artist members. There always seems to be something going on around Eatonton that catches the attention of art lovers and that is our goal. There are art shows, special events, projects, and classes held throughout the year.
Several art shows are held annually at The Artisans Village Art Gallery (110 W. Marion St., Eatonton), including the Lake Country Juried Art Show in late spring that attracts talented artists from Lake Country and beyond. Dual Vision, a collaboration of photographers’ inspiration for artists’ creations, is held each September, while additional shows that feature new art from TAV gallery artists help to keep them happily working and showing their newest creations.
Special openings for each of these shows also bring added excitement and a big-city vibe to our growing local arts community.
The Eatonton One Day Paint Out also happens in the spring and attracts plein air (outdoor) painters from Lake Country and beyond with more artists participating each year. It’s so fun to see artists all over the Eatonton area painting with their special easels.
And they are painting some of the town’s most beautiful houses, gardens and landmarks.
Also this year, Georgia Color, a statewide plein-air competition, is coming back to Lake Country in October. Plein-air painting is so popular in our area that The Artisans Village Art Guild sponsors monthly plein-air events for all interested artists at locations in and around Eatonton.
There is a lot of talent in the Lake Country area, and TAV art classes fill up quickly for new and seasoned artists alike.
A surprising variety of classes are offered that include oil and watercolor painting, of course, but also more specialized art forms, such as scratchboard, jewelry making, drawing, calligraphy, and classes that delve into the hows and whys of various mediums and art styles.
Art classes are a great way for art lovers to become art doers while learning new art techniques and making new friends at the same time.
As our area population grows, so does our community of artists, as evidenced by the growth of The Artisans Village Guild. With well over 150 members, the word is circulating that Lake Country has become a vibrant center for art of all types. The TAV Guild provides our visual artists and art lovers with the opportunity to meet each month for news, interesting programs, and a chance to socialize with like-minded members.
If you are a working artist, learning how to be one, or love seeing what the artists create, Lake Country and TAV have a lot for you to see and do!
For more information on TAV (theartisansvillage.org) or the Lake Country Arts Alliance (lakecountryarts.org) and its many member groups, visit online.
-Contributed