Area Meeting presents career artists, giving a place-in-time snapshot of their practice through lecture or interview. This first slot at each Area Meeting will set the tone for the night, lighting the question furnace in the minds of the attendees. The career artist will show images of their work and discuss the intricacies, struggles, and successes of their practice.

 

Every Area Meeting we invite our community to gather and discuss art with a mouth slightly full of a fun snack created by our innovative bakers and cooks. 

 

The main draw is always the open crits. This portion we inherited from the academic world. We select two artists from our community to present their physical work for the audience to discuss and give live feedback. The discussion is led by Patrick Melroy. While vigorous, the nights always remain respectful and safe for the artists presenting. 

 

So often art appreciation is disconnected from direct dialogue. We look at art at shows but can’t drill down into the thinking behind the meaning. At openings presenting artists are too impacted with obligation to candidly discuss their art. There is beauty in the story of the making of art and so often the residue, the art itself, tells an abbreviated story of its own making. Area Meeting allows an audience to meet the creator before the work reaches its final form. Before the world has formed a final opinion.

Area Meeting is for anyone who has ever read a wall placard at a gallery and found themselves with more questions than answers. Area Meeting is for the artist who needs to hear from other artists about the struggle, about the broken tools, the constant haunting of a studio space by specters of doubt and conflict as they battle to be heard through their work. 

 

This gathering draws artists from across the creative world. Set designers in conversation with figurative painters who pull a ceramicist into a discussion of grant writing while eating a tasty third cookie that they promise will be the last one. Just then the lights flicker, and they find their seats only to sit on the edge as the next artist begins to describe their work, asking while telling what they were attempting. Then the hands go up and Area Meeting explodes. 

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This community gathering happens on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 6 - 8pm. Opportunities to become a sustaining member supports our ability to provide free food and to pay our facilitators. 

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For more information on how to be a presenter, to volunteer, or to donate to support this program, contact: Adrienne De Guevara. 

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To view our line up of presenters visit sbcaw.org/upcoming.