SAAC opens its doors on Saturday, December 10 at 5:30pm to host a reception for both the Membership Showcase and the Arts Academy Fall Showcase. This year’s Membership Showcase is in the Merkle Gallery and the Arts Academy Fall Student Showcase is in the Price and Lobby Galleries. Both exhibits will run through December 15.
SAAC Executive Director Laura Allen invites everyone to attend the reception saying, “The Membership Showcase reception is such a great way to see all your SAAC friends during the holiday season. It’s almost like our holiday party for all our members! It’s a great way to see what all the local artists and creatives have been working on this year, catch up with friends, and enjoy a little cheer. This year it will be even more fun, because we’ll also be celebrating our student artists with the Fall Semester Student Showcase on display.”
Every year the Membership Showcase brings the talent of SAAC’s members to the forefront and allows them to display and sell their work in a non-competitive environment. The members of SAAC have once again filled the gallery with a myriad of work, boasting 51 pieces from 31 artists. Additionally, SAAC’s Fall Arts Academy students have been working diligently all semester on various art projects. The exhibit includes artwork by 78 youth artists who are the students of Katie Harwell, Nicole McAdams, Mike Means, Michaela Gross, and Maria Botti Villegas.
The Membership Showcase is a unique opportunity for SAAC artists to choose two pieces of their own work to display in the exhibition. It can be anything, and this year’s submissions include everything from portraits to abstracts, from needlework to watercolor, and everything in between. “It’s so inspiring to see how many different kinds of work our local creatives have to offer,” said Allen.
Local member artists participating in the Membership Showcase are James Antoon III, Melinda Antoon Cormier, Betsy Baumgarten, Sandy Bennett, Dana Burke, Beth Callaway, Kelly Campbell, Ayla Caraway, Joan Coffey, Avrill Dodson, Mary Lou Doyle, John Ginger, Darden Gladney, Michaela Gross, Katie Harwell, Rhonda Hicks, Beth Hubbert, Glenn Mason, Mike Means, Margy Merkle Niel, Maria Oliver, Lee Scroggins, Kevin Seymore, Bobbi Shepherd, Marla Tomlinson, River Tomlinson, Ann Trimble, Devin Verdesca, Paul Waschka, Ann Wilson, and Ramona Wood.
SAAC will be hosting both the art reception and a production of Disney’s “Frozen, Jr” on Saturday December 10. The galleries open at 5:30 pm for the artist’s reception until 7:00 pm, when the curtain goes up on the SAAC Drama Club production of Disney’s “Frozen, Jr.”