Greater Gardner Artists Association to hold annual spring art show

GARDNER — After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, local artists are once again preparing to display their work at the Greater Gardner Artists Association’s annual Spring Art Show.

The three-day event, which will mark the group’s 33rd year showcasing the creative works of local artists, will kick off with an opening reception in the Boland Room in the Heywood Wakefield Building on April 22.

“I am ecstatic,” said Priscilla Mavrikis, president of the association, about the show’s return. “We have some wonderful, wonderful outstanding artists in this community and the neighboring towns. I can’t wait for this (show) to return.”

Featured artists at the show were invited to submit four works of art for display, according to GGAA organizers. Mediums include oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel, photography and mixed media. Eight works of art submitted by local artists will be raffled off at the show. The event will also feature refreshments, special awards and live music.

Among the artists who will have their work on display at the show is Mark Lore, who is known locally for creating the mural along the back wall of the bandstand at Monument Park. He said he and his fellow artists are looking forward to the GGAA’s first spring show since 2019.

“It’s much-needed,” he said. “(The shutdown) was a respite that nobody needed. The organization suffered greatly because of COVID — membership has declined and people haven’t attended meetings. So, this opportunity to get out again is wonderful.”

The public is ready to get out and see what the artists in their community have been up to creatively during the shutdown, according to Mavrikis.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing a lot of people there,” she said.

Awards will include Mayor’s Award, President’s Award and Founder’s Award.

Carolyn Kamuda, who founded the GGAA with a $1,900 grant in 1988, said the show was established a year later to spotlight the creative talents of local artists in the community.

"What I said in my application was that the nonprofit (group) would help local artists promote their art in the community via exhibits, and that residents would be able to see the artistic talents in Gardner,” Kamuda said. “(Because) there was no such organization that existed in that point in time.”

In addition to sponsoring the annual exhibition, the association hosts monthly workshops where local artists discuss their work and demonstrate their techniques, Kamuda said. The workshops had recently started back up again after being canceled for several months due to the pandemic, she said.

“We couldn’t really do anything as an organization because everything was shut down,” Kamuda said. “But now this is a chance for the association to reinvent themselves and (tell the public), ‘We’re still here.’”

Mayor Michael Nicholson said he is looking forward to the show.

“I’ve always been a proud supporter of the arts and I’m glad we have an opportunity for our community members to showcase their work,” he said. “With all the work we are doing to promote the arts in our schools, I’m glad we have a chance to show our students an example of how you can keep up with your skills and creativity after you leave the classroom.”

As much as the artists are looking forward to displaying their work again, Kamuda said she suspects the public is also eager to attend the annual art show after a prolonged absence.

“People want to get out, they want to do something, and they want to add some life into their lives,” she said. “I think, just like anything else, people are ready to sort of come out of hibernation, so I think this is a really good opportunity for the association.”

Kamuda said she and other local artists used the months of downtime learning to hone and expand their artistic abilities.

“I developed a lot more work, I developed a lot more skills, I was able to do more training online, and I think I became a better artist by having that lull,” she said.

“I was able to paint, so I was very productive,” Lore said with a laugh. “I have about 30 paintings that I’ve created over the last two years. I’ve been pretty busy.”

Mavrikis said there is a simple reason why the annual spring art show has lasted well into its third decade.

“It’s because of all of the wonderful artwork,” she said.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Greater Gardner Artists Association annual Spring Art Show to return