VAS News & Announcements
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Acrylic Workshop Canceled! Dec 9-10, 2023

When our Demo and Workshop Chair, Jaimie Ladysh, sent out a questionnaire to our members asking what kind of workshop they wanted, by far the answers were acrylic and texture! So Jaimie delivered!! This 2-day workshop, led by renown Houston acrylic artist, Christie Coker, is called “The Textured Landscape.” Learn more HERE!

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Our bimonthly newsletter is here!

Here is our colorful, informative October 2023 Newsletter! Lots of great things in store. You can delve into our old archived newsletters HERE (the direct link is under the About tab).

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Last day to see “Aqua Vita” our member show is October 3!

Come visit our Member Show “Aqua Vita” at Degallery soon because our last day is October 3. Artists can pick up any unsold work on October 4 when Degallery is open. It is a great show. Come by and you might find art that speaks to you. We have 22 members showcasing 68 of their more recent art – including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, mixed media, paper, photography, glass and fiber art. Come see the wide range of incredible art from our members!

The theme for the show is is water: the physical entity of water in all its forms, but you can also think of the symbolism of water. It can represent the change that we experience in our own lives, as we grow and mature. It can also represent the change that we see in the world around us, as the environment changes and evolves. Water is a reminder that change is a natural part of life. It is something that we cannot control, but it is something that we can embrace. Change can be scary, but it can also be exciting. It can be a time of new beginnings, new opportunities, and new challenges. Water is a powerful symbol of change, and it can help us to understand and embrace the changes that are happening around us.

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Brazos Valley Gives – Early Giving Has Begun!

The Visual Art Society of B-CS has been involved with Brazos Valley Gives for the last 4 years.   You can visit our page at www.brazosvalleygives.org/Visual_Art_Society  On the page we have an additional  fundraiser page for the Aggieland Art Trail.  All proceeds go toward all our community projects, including scholarships for art students.  All donors giving at least $20 will be listed on our Sponsor webpage and on our Aggieland Art Trail brochure. Early giving starts TODAY, Sept 18.  The actual 18 hour day of giving is Tuesday, October 17, 2023 5am – 11pm. It is a wonderful event for the community.

Brazos Valley Gives, an initiative of the Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley, is a month-long community giving effort that culminates in 18 hours of online giving on the 3rd Tuesday of October. Giving together as one community to raise money and awareness for local nonprofits in 7 Brazos Valley counties can do a great deal.

Brazos Valley Gives is a community day of giving that strengthens nonprofits, empowers donors, and builds community. The goal for 2023 Brazos Valley Gives is $1,250,000 with 165 participating nonprofit organizations. During 2022, donors rallied to raise $1,176,760 and donated 9,677 volunteer hours to support the good works of 161 nonprofit organizations. Since 2019, the Community Foundation’s Brazos Valley Gives Day has raised $3,268,788 for participating nonprofits in the 7-county region of the Brazos Valley.

This annual day of “giving where you live” is powered by the Community Foundation of the Brazos Valley, and all donations pass-thru directly to the donor’s charity or charities of choice.

Mindy Austin

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As a life long lover of the arts, I studied art and dance in college. I taught art in College Station ISD and earned a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction at Texas A&M.I enjoy the problem solving and creativity in creating art. For several years I have focused on painting en plein aire. Spending time in nature, interpreting the outdoors is very rewarding.

Examples of my art:

President’s Message – Fall 2023 (updated 10/30/23)

Notes from Wendy —-

Thanks for stopping by the VAS website!  Our new board is so excited about the upcoming year. I’m Wendy Keeney-Kennicutt, the new president and webmaster and you can read my bio on our new “Our Artists” tab.  This is a perk for all our members to showcase themselves and their art. All members are invited to participate!

  • We are sponsoring a 2-day acrylic workshop, The Textured Landscape, December 9–10 10am-3pm at Degallery. $175 for members and $195 for non-members – it’s a great deal. For more information and to register, click HERE. To become a member and save money in the long run, go HERE. We would love to meet you!
  • The Call for Artists is up for two shows: (1) our January show at the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley, entitled “Resolutions: New Beginnings,” and (2) our spring judged show, “Art in Bloom.”  For “Resolutions”, we encourage artists to explore the theme of new beginnings by thinking about the challenges, rewards and images of starting over, as well as the power of art to help us visualize our hopes and dreams for the future. This prompt is very open and subject to many different interpretations. For “Art in Bloom,” we celebrated the relationship between art and nature in all its forms.  Visit the sites for more details!
  • We brought back the popular “Wednesday Painters” for our members under a new name –  “Art Together.”  Our next get-together is Wednesday, 11/8  1-4pm.  You can come and go as you please! Bring your art creating supplies, which includes cameras & computers, for an afternoon of making art and sharing ideas. I will also be there to photograph your work, if you want.  For more info, click HERE.
  • We are working with Destination Bryan and their Downtown Bryan Street & Art Fair 2024 on April 13, 2024 10am-6pm with reception on Friday evening.  We are organizing a Plein Air event.  We ran our first “Paint Out” in April 2023 with good success, so we are excited to continue.  Learn more!
  • Our meetings in the fall and spring will be the 2nd Monday of the month.  Doors open at 5:30pm and meeting runs 6-7pm at Degallery.  At our November 13th meeting, out speaker will be Dary Dega, the owner of Degallery and our show chair. Her presentation is “How to Price Artwork So It Actually Sells.” She is very knowledgeable about the local markets and of course, how to work with galleries. See more HERE!
  • I’m in the process of updating our website, Aggieland Art Trail. So, if you have a suggestion for an art stop, please email me at webmaster@visualartsociety.org   The Aggieland Art Trail also has a public Facebook group, so stop by and join!

Thanks for reading “Wendy’s Notes.”  Hope to hear from you soon.

Wendy  :)

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Workshop: The Textured Landscape

Dec 9-10 10am – 3pm

This 2-Day Acrylic Workshop by Houston artist, Christie Coker, encourages experimentation as you explore the creation of a landscape by layering paint on a textured surface. Whether the result is Realism or Abstraction, let nature be your muse and texture be your guide.

Cost: $195.00 ($175.00 for VAS members) For students 22 and younger, there is a $20 discount using the code RBMUU6ZT.

For more info and to sign up, go HERE.

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Reception for “Aqua Vita” Member Show

Everyone is invited to attend the reception for our 2023 Member Show “Aqua Vita” Reception, this coming Friday Sept 1 6-8pm at Degallery, 930 N Rosemary Dr, Bryan, TX 77802. We have 22 members showcasing 68 of their more recent art – including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, mixed media, paper, photography, glass and fiber art. Come see the wide range of incredible art from our members! Great refreshments! Free and open to the public! The show runs through Tuesday, Oct 3. 

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Deadline Moved to Aug 25th!! Call for Art! Entries for Member Show “Aqua Vita” wanted!

The Call for Art has opened for our annual member show, “Aqua Vita.” Deadline is now August 25. The general theme this year is water: its physical forms and its symbolism. The show runs from September 1 – October 3, 2023. If you are not a current member, you may join or renew online. Student members get 50% off their submission fees. Check HERE for more information.

Aqua Vita Transformation and Renewal Members only Art Show Sept 1 - Oct 3 2023
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2023 recipient of the 4-H Project Area Award for Photography – Olivia Davis

Congratulations to Olivia Davis, recipient of the 2023 4H Project Area Award for Photography! We are always proud to sponsor and present this award at the annual awards banquet on August 13 at the Brazos County Expo Center.

VAS has been supporting this award for over many years.

From left to right: Dr. Joel Kitchens, VAS board member and photographer, Olivia Davis, Kyler Wendt, Chairman of the the Brazos County Council Officer Team, and Matthew Pfeifer, Brazos County Extension Agent for 4-H & Youth Development.