Welcome to the Aiken Artist Guild
Over forty years ago, six friends living in the sleepy little town of Aiken, South Carolina, decided to meet on a regular schedule to share their mutual love of Art. They yearned for a venue to display their work, the opportunity to learn more about various media, and to celebrate their energy and sense of wonder! The act of creating, the joy of the process, and the gratification of completion can only be more enhanced by sharing the final product with others.
Today, the Guild has stretched to over 130 members, features regularly scheduled meetings, juried shows, workshops and demonstrations. AAG has also funded several scholarships to deserving USC-Aiken students majoring in the fine arts honoring past and present guild members who have contributed so much to the Aiken Artist Guild.
Media represented, but not limited to, is: painting, pencil, pastel, sculpture, fabric art and photography. We welcome visitors and prospective members. We always need volunteers and new talent. Please come and grow with us!
President's Note
Let me begin with the AAG mission statement because that says it all:
The mission of the AAG is to create and to publicize opportunities for its members to exhibit and to sell their art, to develop educational and other benefits for its members, and to stimulate community interest in the visual arts.
Our hope is to encourage artists of all skill levels and to help each other grow in skill and appreciation of others’ art and to try new avenues of art expression. We have seven general meetings throughout the year, each featuring a speaker or special activity. Members who want feedback on their current work can participate in our friendly, gentle critiques twice monthly, one in the morning and one in the evening.
Opportunities for member exhibits are growing as well. We have been privileged to show our artwork in the Aiken Center for the Arts Guild Gallery and the lobby of Hitchcock Healthcare for some time now. Beginning this year, we will add three more venues for our artist members’ exhibits: The Family Y, a local doctor’s office and Houndslake Country Club. We plan to participate in the Annual Horses and Courses again during Masters Week.
Our year culminates in May with the AAG Member Show at the Aiken Center for the Arts. All members can enter and cash prizes are awarded.
All proceeds from Celebrate Creativity and the Member Show and any fundraisers go into our scholarship fund and we are usually able to award two scholarships a year to deserving USCA art students.
Of course, none of these activities would be possible without the hardworking and generous members who volunteer their time and talent to make our guild the success that it is.