The annual gathering of artists and their art has a long tradition. In France, research tells us, The Salon beginning in 1667, was the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux-Arts (Academy of Fine Arts) in Paris. Between 1748 and 1890 it was arguably the greatest annual or biennial art event in the Western world. At the 1761 Salon, thirty-three painters, nine sculptors, and eleven engravers contributed. From 1881 onward, The Salon has been managed by the Société des Artistes Français (Society of French Artists).
The Salon’s original focus was the display of the work of recent graduates of the École des Beaux-Arts (School of Fine Arts). Exhibition at the Salon was essential for any artist to achieve success in France for at least the next 200 years. Exhibition in the Salon marked a sign of royal favor. In 1748 a Salon jury of awarded artists was introduced. From this time forward, the influence of the Salon was undisputed. The Salon exhibited paintings floor-to-ceiling and on every available inch of space.
In the spirit and tradition of the annual Salon, Sunday, August 9, 2020, is an exciting day for artCentral! After four months of the pandemic necessitated closure of Hyde House, once again artCentral’s vibrant green front door will open wide to welcome visitors inside.
The first visitors to cross the threshold will be very special, for they are artCentral’s member artists. They will be arriving to deliver their entries for the 2020 Annual Membership Exhibition. The atmosphere will be one of celebration as we gather in another collection of remarkable member-created art to fill the galleries up and down throughout Hyde House.
When artists gather together anywhere with their art in tow, especially at artCentral, the scene can easily turn into a party, for artists can be gregarious, fun-loving and affectionately social in their camaraderie. This year’s delivery day will not be an exception, though the party will have a different, slightly more subdued spin as CDC protocols are practiced to keep everyone safe and healthy. Social distancing will be observed and masks will be worn while artist friends and colleagues are greeted with high fives raised upward and air kisses blown about and virtual hugs passed around.
In keeping with tradition, the underwriter for the Annual Membership Exhibition will be McCune-Brooks Healthcare Foundation. Beth Simmons, the Foundation’s Executive Director, will serve as a juror for the exhibition. She will select the artwork to receive special recognition with the Underwriter Award. The Foundation’s mission is to promote and support programs, organizations and initiatives that directly contribute to better health and healthy lifestyles for the citizens of Carthage, Missouri, through financial grants and volunteer activities. We at artCentral are very grateful to have the Foundation’s underwriting assistance as we strive to promote, exhibit, teach and foster the appreciation of fine arts: always artCentral strives to give to our community art and culture that enriches our lives by inspiring our minds and lifting our spirits.
Reita Walker Miller of Little Rock, Arkansas, will also serve as a juror selecting recipients for the Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. Reita mainly paints in watercolor. Her awards in juried art exhibitions have been many. In 2019, through their social media campaign, the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) asked, “Can you name five women artists?” In response to that query, Reita was among the five artists with Little Rock connections that were highlighted by NMWA. She has long been active in the Mid-Southern Watercolorists and held many leadership positions within the organization including serving as an at-large board member. In addition to being a talented artist, she is known as an educator and encourager of others whether in watercolors or other forms of art. She helped establish the art program at the Central Arkansas Library System during her tenure on staff there. She was also a founding member of Little Rock’s Arts+Culture Commission. Reita’s artwork is in numerous collections. The Arkansas Arts Center has three of her pieces in the Center’s permanent collection.
Mark your calendar today and plan to attend artCentral’s 2020 Annual Membership Exhibition, August 21 through September 19, 2020, at 1110 East Thirteenth Street in Carthage. Gallery hours will be on Fridays and Saturdays, 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. For more information call (417) 358-4404 or visit https://www.artcentralcarthage.org/2020-annual-membership-exhibition-21-aug-19-sep.html.
