In this issue:

• Earth Day Art Show recap

• Artisan Social news

• Baby Grand Art Show update

• June Studio Art Tour

• AAC Arden Fair Booth

• Update: Arden Club

• Update: Public Art

• Field Trips

• Summer Book Club

• Still seeking Youth Coordinator

• Have a program idea?

• Member Happenings

EARTH DAY ART SHOW

Many thanks to all who showed up to celebrate the first Arden Artisans Collective Show off the Arden “campus.” We are branching out, and the show was a huge success. The Delaware Center for Horticulture said it was one of their biggest ever showings for an art reception—if not the biggest. This gives us clout when we approach other galleries to host exhibits. I have contacted those who have sold work. If you have not received an email from me, then you can assume you must pick up your work on Monday, April 29th from 4-6 PM. If you cannot make that window, please arrange with another artist to pick up your pieces. 

SPRING ARTISAN SOCIAL

Thanks also, for a well-attended Artisan Social and to the Buzz Ware Village Center for hosting. Shay Seaborne stepped up and championed the event. She even made cake! The presentations were fabulous—thanks Shay and Will! They were a great segue into the socializing aspect where magic happens. You get creatives in a room together and stuff manifests. It’s alchemy. Look for more programs/projects to materialize out of the conversations we had over cake. Larry Lambert, our state representative came to the social and was impressed. Did you know that he taught art for 8 years? We may invite him to present his art at the next social. The next Artisan Social is slated for fall if we get someone to champion the event. If that person is you, let us know. I’ve posted a checklist for Artisan Social champions on the website under the member section, so you can know if this is something feel able to commit to doing. You don’t need to do it all yourself; you can delegate items from the checklist.

BABY GRAND SHOW

The final deadline for applying to the Baby Grand Show is May 1. Curators, Megan King and Jeanne Orr will be deciding the final lineup the first week of May, so you should know soon after submitting whether your art will be included.

This is our second group art show outside the Ardens will be at the Baby Grand on Market Street in Wilmington. (They came to us!) The opening reception will be Friday, July 12th from 5-7 PM and will include food/drink and live music. Summer is slow in Wilmington, but we hope to see many neighbors at the Baby Grand to help us celebrate our many talented neighbors. All details about the show, including applications, can be found in the member section of the AAC website.

STUDIO ART TOUR

Thank you to David Burslem for organizing and subsidizing (with his DE Division of the Arts grant) a studio art tour on June 8th from 10 AM - 4 PM. A robust lineup has been finalized.  We are working on maps and marketing. Stay tuned as we finalize details. We will be posting the map on our website and publishing it in the June Arden Page. 

AAC ARDEN FAIR BOOTH

We only had 2 artisans sign up to be in the AAC Arden Fair booth. Deadline to apply for a booth is May 1. We are applying to have a booth in spite of the fact that we don’t have enough artisans to support one. Ideally, we would like to have 5-6 artisans (depending on size of product). We are operating on the notion that “if we build it, they will come.” It is important to have a presence at the fair. This is an ideal opportunity for artisans who don’t have enough product to fill an entire solo booth. Participating artisans don’t need to be available to work the booth—though we would love it if you could take a shift. If you want to participate, either by showing work or taking a 2-hour shift, please contact Rachel Kantner.

JOINING THE ARDEN CLUB (an update)

The Arden Club has agreed to host a meeting to discuss pros and cons of becoming a gild. As soon as they can give us a date and time for this, we will move forward and publicize a meeting. 

PUBLIC ART PROJECT

No movement on this, but Bethany Rees is still working on it. When she has an update, she will let us all know.

UPCOMING AAC FIELD TRIPS—Anyone art lovers who want to join us are welcome

*Biggs Museum of American Art to see Award Winners XXIV: Delaware Division of the Arts Fellowship Recipients Exhibit. This exhibit includes our own David Burslem. On May 17th, we will meet at 9 AM in the Gild Hall parking lot to carpool down to Dover. The cost of the museum is $10 or $8 for seniors (60+). Plan to get lunch with group. (Location TBD) 

*Philadelphia Museum of Art for Mary Cassatt Exhibit. Thursday, June 13th. We will meet in the parking lot at 10 AM.  Please, if you plan to come, non-members need to get tickets for 11 AM. Do this as soon as possible as they sell out. BUT…keep in mind—member tickets are free and don’t require a timed entry. I recommend becoming an artist member. To become an artist member is easy and inexpensive ($40 for the whole year). All that is required is an artist website (I would think that your presence on the AAC website would count.) For this field trip we are asking you to sign up by emailing ardenartisans@gmail.com with subject line Mary Cassatt by May 31. At that point we will decide on transportation details—carpool or take the train in and where to eat lunch. 

*A third field trip to the National Gallery in Washington D.C. to see the Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction Exhibit is in the planning stage.  The exhibit is on through July 28th. We will either be taking the train to D.C. or driving close enough to take local rail into the city. Want to help plan? Email Jill at ArdenArtisans@gmail.com with subject line National Gallery. 

SUMMER BOOKCLUB

This summer we will be having an artisan bookclub. Time and place to be announced, but you can get started on the reading. The trilogy we will be reading is comprised of short and punchy books with plenty of quotes and visuals, but they contain some big ideas. These books will meet you wherever you are on your art journey. We invite our teen artists to also participate. The books are readily available in the DE Library System. Read one or all and join us. Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work, and Keep Going. All three by Austin Kleon. 

STILL SEEKING YOUTH COORDINATOR
Still seeking someone to lead an effort to connect with youth. This could perhaps be accomplished through ACRA this summer and meeting with the art room facilitator. I am willing to meet with anyone who may have an interest to see if we can brainstorm first steps. Email me with subject Youth Coordinator.

HAVE A PROGRAM IDEA?

The field trips and book club came about because I want to do them and I am just inviting others to join. It can be that easy. Have an idea for another program? Just do it—and let us know how the AAC can facilitate and promote.  I would love to have more people take the reins on our programming. 

MEMBER HAPPENINGS: 
Flowers and Trees - Janet Williams
Regional paintings highlighting flowers and trees by Janet Williams are on display at the Buzz Ware Community Center. The show opens Friday May 3rd 5:30-8:00, and runs for 3 weeks. The paintings include still life, and plein air paintings of Arden, parks, gardens and historical estates in Delaware and Pennsylvania. http://www.janetwilliamsart.com 

Janet Williams paints at the the "Wayne Community Paint Out"
Janet Williams will be participating in the "Wayne Community Paint Out" from May 4 – May 7, 2024.
Works will be on display May 11 – June 22 at the Wayne Art Center.  https://waynepleinair.org/

Janet Williams painting at "A Day in Old New Castle" 
Saturday, May 18, Janet will be participating in a Plein Air Art Competition and Sale on the Green in New Castle during "A Day in Old New Castle". Painting commences at 9:00 am and finished paintings are displayed on the sidewalk in front of the Courthouse Museum at 2:00 for judging and prizes. Other events are happening during the day from 10:00-4:00. A Day In Old New Castle

The ACSM, together with the AAC proudly announce the next Artist Showcase on May 5th.  Indulge in a bubbly reception, with sweeties, savories and lemonade to usher in Russ McKinney and his Mixed Media Spring Art Show in the Bernie Schwab Room from 1-3 pm.   Meet and talk with Artist Russ McKinney, who will share his thoughts on his work at 1:30pm. Russ has a lifetime of large and small works, illustrations and a plethora of Arden stories portrayed though his work.   Russ's Showcase will remain up though the Sunday of the Arden ACRA House Tour and purchasing of any of his items can be made during regular Museum hours including the full day of the ACRA House Tour.  The ACSM will also be open on Saturdays from 1-3pm during the months of  May and June, so Russ's art will be available for purchase on those days too.  

Warmly,

Jill Althouse-Wood on behalf of AAC Steering Committee

2024 AAC Steering Committee: Jill Althouse-Wood, Shay Seaborne, Megan King, Stevie Nolan, Cookie Ohlson, Rachel Kantner, Linda Toman 
Steering Committee Meeting Minutes can be found in the members section of the AAC Website

Treasurer: Jeanne Orr

“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable." Celia Cruz, singer