Fine Art Show Presents Opportunity for Arizona Artists to Display Work

Gilbert Visual Art League Announces Its 6th Annual, Juried Fine Art Show
Gilbert, Arizona — July 23, 2008

The Gilbert Visual Artists’ League (GVAL) invites Arizona artists to submit their original artwork for the 6th annual Fine Art Show. The show is hosted at the Gilbert Historical Museum in Gilbert, AZ and will be available for public viewing from November 8 through 22, 2008. The show is judged and juried, includes all mediums and subject matter, and features a non-juried, youth division.

This is GVAL’s second Fine Art Show for 2008. The league chose to move the show date to November so they could coordinate with the Town of Gilbert’s annual Gilbert Days celebration. Many of the club members are Gilbert residents so the change seemed like a natural choice.

Awards will be presented at the show reception on November 16, 2008. Ribbons are awarded to the top three works in each category. In addition, a cash prize is given to Best of Show and Peoples Choice winners. Renowned painter, John Cox, will judge the show. Cox has more than thirty years fine-art experience and has hosted many solo and two-man shows.

Artists interested in submitting work can download the official call for entry at the Gilbert Visual Art League website www.gval.org. All entries must be postmarked by September 27, 2008. Acceptance letters will be mailed starting on October 10, 2008.

The Gilbert Visual Art League’s goal is to create a venue for local artists to show their work and be recognized for their talents. The league strives to increase artistic awareness and appreciation in their community and surrounding areas.

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If you would like more information about the GVAL 6th annual Fine Art Show, or to schedule an interview please call Jasmine Holmes, at 480.219.9069 or email at newsletter@gval.org.

GVAL now has an online forum at http://gval.myfreeforum.org. Both the public and GVAL members are encouraged to visit, participate, leave comments and feedback for the Board, talk about local art events, and chat with each other. This will be an easy way for artists, art lovers, art supporters, GVAL members and other organizations to keep in touch with each other and find out what they and other artists are doing in the valley, what events are occurring, to discuss artist opportunities, etc.

You will have to register to participate, although you can simply view a smaller portion of the forum, and NO we won’t spam you with e-mails. DIrect links will be added to the forum from the GVAL website soon.

The following letter was sent by a member to the Mayor and each Council Member.

Mayor and Council Members:

Primitive peoples are identified by the stone tools they crafted. Civilizations are identified by the art they produced. Nations are identified by their culture and art. The great cities of the world are all know for their cultural and artistic contributions. Right here in Arizona if one thinks of culture and the arts Sedona, and Scottsdale come immediately to mind. The arts and culture put little places on big maps. They provide a very strong and visible focal point drawing people and their money into an area.

To cut funding for the arts here in Gilbert is not shortsighted, it suggests that that the town council has no real interest in economic development, and expects housing development alone will provide a large enough tax base to support necessary services. If one moves here to Gilbert and wants to decorate their home, where do they go? Elsewhere, that’s where. If one wants to hear a concert or see a play, or visit art galleries and/or museums. Where do they go? Not Gilbert! No not Gilbert, and all the money they spend, and do spend, goes with them to other communities who understand the necessity of providing art and culture. The arts, all of the arts, bring revenue into a community, potentially lots of revenue. Instead of cutting the budget the town council should spend some of their time attempting to attract more art and culture into the area.

People hungry for art and culture spend millions of dollars in Sedona, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Chandler every year. How can the Town Council be so blind? Instead of eliminating the Arts and Cultural position and program they should find a way to expand the program. My guess is that there has been no serious discussion of eliminating cost of living increases for city employees! It would be nice if the council would look past their own wallets, or today, of even next year and consider the long term benefits of promoting the arts in our community and what it could, and would provide in the way of long term economic development and growth. Shortsighted solutions are rarely if ever GOOD SOLUTIONS! Lastly, I would like to suggest that if lost revenue is such a problem, the SERIOUS enforcement in speed limit laws, in just the extreme southeast portion of Gilbert, could easily provide several millions of dollars for the arts and other needed services. It will save gasoline and perhaps even a life or two!

Mayor and Council Members, do all the citizens a huge favor and please consider the very negative message being sent to the community.  If we are to become more than just another small rural community among many other small relatively unknown rural communities we need more not less art and culture!   

Jim Davis 

Members of GVAL are invited to submit news of their showings, awards, instruction schedules, pictures of their latest art or other art related news for consideration of publication in this blog. Email edwardkinnally@gval.org with complete text (& pics) as you wish to see printed. We reserve the right to edit the text as we deem necessary or to reject submissions, but it is our desire to please and to promote our member’s art. Here’s an opportunity for a little free PR.

Welcome to the Gilbert Visual Art League (GVAL) blog!

GVAL is a non-profit organization located in Gilbert, Arizona. Its purpose is to promote the visual arts and local artists in the Phoenix East Valley area. Membership is open to all artists whether beginner or professional. We meet once a month, critique any art our membership wishes to bring, host various speakers on any topic related to the arts, and plan future events such as the upcoming art show.

This months meeting agenda is as follows:

7 - Regular meeting

• Critique - 6:30 PM
• General Meeting and Speakers - 7:00 PM
• Nicholai Sinui, artist
• Stevie Fresquez, Jerry’s Artarama

 Membership in GVAL is only $25 per year. Guests are welcome to join us at our monthly meetings! Please stop by and meet the artists, listen to our guest speakers, and join other like-minded artists with common interests.